Chapter 126

Olivia POV

Two days after the alliance ceremony disguised as a family rite, Claudia and I had Emma, the alpha daughter of Alpha Hermes of Ravencrest, over to the Palace for coffee and cake. Iris and Jordan joined us, and we laughed over the Lunaris Gazette’s description of the event as we sat in the east parlor overlooking the garden.

“Good friend of Luna Olivia, Beta Trudy, had much to say and proclaimed it one of the most moving Grand Rites she had ever attended,” I read aloud while my hot coffee steamed at my elbow.

“Beta Trudy is your good friend?” Jordan asked with her eyes wide. “You should have invited her to tea.”

I laughed. “I imagine she and I have met as many times as she’s attended Grand Rites.”

“It can be quite wondrous the number of good friends one acquires without having ever met them,” Claudia said, straight-faced. “Especially once one’s being mentioned in the Gazette.”

“Quite wondrous,” Iris agreed drily, making us all laugh again.

“It was a lovely night,” Emma said with a charming smile and a voice that sounded classically trained. I knew she had studied music since she was a pup, and I could tell from her bearing she’d had some lessons in posture as well.

She was a lovely young lady, I thought, wondering if she would like it if I introduced her to eligible bachelors or could handle all that herself. I thought the latter more likely.

She was tall and quietly majestic, with long brown hair and dark brown eyes, flawless skin, and slightly heavy eyebrows that somehow suited her perfectly. Her broad smile was quick and easy without seeming facile, and she enacted with a confidence that boarded on sexual precociousness. She’d be fine.

“You’re quite popular in the media as well,” I told her.

She rolled her eyes just slightly. “I loved being away from all that.”

Elroy had suggested the coffee meeting that morning while we met for breakfast. I had been reading the same Gazette, laughing to myself and enjoying a warm roll that my stomach wasn’t objecting to. He came in and put his hand on my belly as he gave me a quick kiss and said good morning.

It was all very domestic. I had no idea why I couldn’t fully relax into it, though I tried.

“Emma of Ravencrest?” I had asked. “The Alpha’s daughter?”

“Yes,” he said absently as he looked over the food on the table and selected some eggs. I had to look away for a moment as my stomach rolled a bit. “Did you see her at the rite? She’s back from overseas. I thought she must have some interesting stories.”

There was something about his tone I didn’t like, but I put it down to pregnancy hormones and took another bite of my roll. My stomach settled again.

“I’ll certainly have her over if you like,” I said. “I’ll see who wants to join us. Claudia, perhaps.”

Elroy hummed absently and picked up the Lunaris Times, which I had already been through.

Now, breathing in the flower-scented air coming through the windows, I looked at the young woman in question and asked, “So, I assume you studied music while you were away?”

She smiled. “Among other things. It was fascinating.”

“Tell us more,” I heard Elroy say from behind me.

We all turned to greet him, with Emma rising to bow slightly. He waved a hand.

“None of that, not while you’re sitting with my mate and mother and her friends.” He sat at the table, and I went about fixing his coffee the way I liked. I noticed Emma was watching my hands, but a quick check proved there was nothing on them. Perhaps she was really just looking at the coffee.

“Another cup?” I asked her.

“Please,” she said with another smile. “I couldn’t get a decent cup all last year in Albsraca.”

“Goddess bless you, what were you doing there?” Iris wanted to know. The human-populated territory was well known for choosing to be primitive. Even the simplest of technology was scorned there.

“They have an excellent program for studying aboriginal music,” Emma explained. She looked at Elroy. “You have to invite over their Moon Music Orchestra. You’ll be entranced, I promise.”

He frowned and sipped at his coffee, which I noticed he uncharacteristically didn’t thank me for. I told myself not to be sensitive.

“I’m not sure how we would accommodate them,” he said. “They’d want to live in some huts, wouldn’t they?”

“Of course, but the orchestra isn’t big, just twenty-five humans last I knew. They’d be fine in your Palace gardens or the forest, perhaps.”

“That doesn’t seem hospitable on our part,” he said.

She waved a hand and laughed like he’d said the funniest thing she’d ever heard. “Nothing is more hospitable, surely, than taking one’s guests’ needs into account? To the Albsracans, living in a stone house with running water and gas lighting is an abomination.”

Elroy scowled. “I see.”

“Oh!” She made a cute little face. “Not for others, you understand. In fact, they see such things as vital to Pack culture. They are only concerned about themselves and their own accommodations, and I’m quite serious, you will love their music.”

She looked around the table then, eyes sparkling. “They incorporate the music of the wind and sky, the earth and water in their compositions. At night, they play to the stars and to soothe their children to sleep. I’ve never seen anything more enchanting.”

She turned back to my mate. “Please, tell me at least that you’ll consider having them.”

Elroy frowned in thought and sipped his coffee again. “In time, perhaps.”

“Emma,” Iris said.

The alpha turned to her with her strong eyebrows raised.

“It’s such a lovely day today, and Claudia’s flowers are absolutely seductive. I wonder if you might like to go for a walk among them?”

Emma looked just for a second like she wanted to frown, but then the brilliant, easy smile was back on her face and she said with genuine-sounding pleasure, “I would love that.” She smiled at me and then looked at Elroy. “Would you be joining us, Alpha?”

Elroy chuckled. “Too many decisions, I’m afraid. We’ll be months mopping up the mess Denis made of things.”

Emma cooed sympathetically.

I stood and smiled around the table, a hand on my belly. “A walk sounds perfect, Iris. Claudia and Jordan? Are you in?”

“Of course,” Jordan said, also standing.

“I’m afraid I have a few meetings this evening,” Claudia said, sounding quite sorry. “But next time, please do ask me again.”

“And me as well,” Elroy said.

We all left the parlor together. It was indeed quite lovely outside, but I knew that wasn’t why Iris had made the suggestion of a walk, and I was pretty sure everyone else knew why as well, except perhaps for Elroy.

Iris offered me a hand as I stepped onto the path through Claudia’s lilies. “Thank you,” I told her while making eye contact.”

“You’re quite welcome,” she murmured, and then she made a face I had to work hard not to laugh at. “Alphas.”

I nodded, and we exchanged smiles before turning as one to look at the alpha lightly walking down the path before us.