Hunted (Pack of Dawn and Destiny, #1)(52)

“That’s good to know,” Chase said. “I’d lost all hope such instincts existed in you—because you’ve done plenty that should have made them kick in before.”

Queen Leila scrunched her nose. “Have you guys seen this polar bear? He’s like the size of an SUV!”

“It is unavoidable,” Consort Rigel said. “Queen Rime is quite insistent that her siblings swear fealty to you.”

“Yeah, and you can bet I’m going to give her a special attention for this wonderful idea,” Queen Leila grumbled.

“You liked to call animals like your night mares—before their transformation—cute,” Chase added. “You can’t backtrack now when it’s inconvenient.”

“It’s fine,” Queen Leila said. “So that’s a no to a window escape, then?”

“Correct.” Consort Rigel eased his way inside and stood up to his full height—which also gave me a good look at the daggers sheathed directly into his arm guards. Talk about nifty!

Queen Leila folded her arms across her chest. “Returning back to what’s important. Chase, if you can’t escort Alpha Greyson and Pip back home with the night mares, then send someone else in your place.”

Chase frowned at her. “Who? My people are all on a carefully scheduled rotation.”

“Chrysanthe would,” Queen Leila said.

“I would never ask Chrysanthe to look after such a personal matter for me,” Chase said.

“She’d cry if she heard you say that, you know.” Queen Leila approached the door and pressed her right ear against it—listening for the polar bear, I assumed. “If you won’t ask Chrysanthe then…I don’t know…someone with a lot of time on their hands? Oh! You can ask Lord Linus!”

Chase furrowed his brow so deeply it looked like it was sculpted out of stone. “Your father?”

“Yeah, he’s got tons of time,” Queen Leila said. “You’d practically be doing me a favor by occupying him for even fifteen minutes.”

Chase rested his thumbs on his belt. “Lord Linus would be a suitable candidate, I suppose.”

“Being compared negatively to Linus would really make Chrysanthe cry,” Queen Leila said.

“Doubtful,” Rigel said. “Most everyone else respects your father.”

“I respect him too, but I could do without all the babies-sitting-in-flowers-photographs he keeps texting me to hint that he wants us to start popping out grandkids.” Queen Leila tapped her chin. “I should make him go greet the polar bear!”

“You are going to have to greet the polar bear,” Rigel said. “It’s unavoidable.”

“Psh, you underestimate me,” Leila said.

“Not at all,” Rigel said. “It’s merely that it’s outside the door.”

“What?” Queen Leila was back at the open window. “Something came up, so I—uhh—have to make an emergency departure.”

“My Sovereign,” Chase said in a warning tone as he started to skirt around his desk and approach the fae queen.

“Greyson, Pip, have a fast trip back home! Portal traveling can be trippy, but make sure you stop by the kitchens before you leave for lunch!” Queen Leila boosted herself onto the edge of the sill—which I was pretty sure turned two of Chase’s hair follicles instantly white.

“Can’t you be an adult about this?” Consort Rigel grumbled as he edged past Chase and slithered onto the sill after Leila.

“I have a thing about giant bears,” Queen Leila said. “Mainly that they could eat me.”

“That’s an unconvincing argument considering some of the animals you’ve played with in the past.” Consort Rigel held on to the edge of the building with one hand and scooped his wife up with the other.

“Playing doesn’t mean I let their teeth anywhere near my head.” Queen Leila threw her arms around Consort Rigel’s neck and clung to him.

She waved to us before Rigel stalked off, easily carrying her as he confidently strode down the thin stone sill, disappearing from the line of windows.

Just after they slipped out of sight, the door buckled, then popped open.

My heart pounded in my chest as a wall of white fur filled the doorway. An enormous polar bear pushed his head in—which was practically the size of my upper body.

It blinked shiny black eyes, and its large black nose twitched as it sniffed the air, but when it opened its mouth to huff/growl its disappointment I deeply understood Queen Leila’s desire to avoid the creature.

Its teeth were bigger than my fingers!

Chase bowed to the creature. “I apologize—she just left.”

The bear huffed again, sucked its head into the hallway, then ambled off.

I plopped down in the metal chair Greyson had previously abandoned. “Wow. It must be a constant shot of adrenaline to work here.”

“It is an interesting workplace,” Chase mildly said.

“I’m glad it has worked so well,” Greyson said.

Chase ducked his head. “Queen Leila is an honorable leader, and the Night Court has become another Pack to me, but it works only because I still retain my link with the Northern Lakes Pack.” He offered a slight smile—which was the biggest positive reaction you could ever hope to get from him—and ruffled my hair.