Chapter 105

“I told you not to,” Nicholas said. “I gave you reasons.”

“You don’t understand,” I said.

“What is there to understand? You are endangering yourself –”

“Her sister is involved,” Julian cut in. He was coming closer to us.

Nicholas’s mouth snapped closed. He furrowed his brow like he didn’t know what to believe. “How do you know?”

I looked to Julian. “Show him what you showed me.”

Julian took out his phone, prepped the surveillance video again and turned the screen toward Nicholas. He watched the entire thing.

“So she bought fabric. What does this prove?” he asked.

“She was at the second ball. Julian matched a feather that I found from her dress to the feathers in the store. Then he found this footage. That’s where he’s been the past few days,” I explained.

A muscle ticked in Nicholas’s jaw. “She was at the party?”

“She was,” I said. “And she…”

“Piper,” Julian said, and it sounded like a warning. Maybe he didn’t want me to tell Nicholas the whole truth. Maybe he wanted to keep things between us.

But I couldn’t do that. My secret-keeping from before had led to me losing my wolf, and while I didn’t regret doing what I did to save Elva and my sister, now I wondered how things might have been different if I had been more honest with Nicholas from the start.

Maybe he could have thought of another option.

Maybe we could have survived together these past three years.

I didn’t know. But this was so much bigger than me now. Nicholas needed to know how deep my sister’s involvement was so that he could protect all of us.

“She has my wolf, Nicholas. I don’t know how. But I saw her, and I felt it.”

Nicholas frowned. “Could it be her own wolf?”

I shook my head. “She never showed signs of having her own. If a wolf ever materialized within her, it was likely weak.”

Nicholas’s arms were still around me. He held me, unwaveringly, like he wasn’t planning on letting go. I wanted to melt into him for comfort, but I knew it wasn’t my place.

He lowered his head, and spoke softly to me. “This is so dangerous, Piper. If this is real, your sister is likely involved in some nefarious stuff. If you keep on this path, you are going to get hurt.”

“What else can I do?” I said back, matching his low tone. “If she’s a pawn in this, I have to save her. If she’s not…” It hurt me to even think of it, but I had to. I had to face the very real possibility that my sister might now be a threat to me and Elva. “If she comes after Elva…”

Nicholas’s arms tightened around me waist as if on reflex. “That won’t happen.”

“Only if we stop her. Stop them. You see now why I can’t give up. While I can never give up.”

His eyes met mine and I could see the war waging within them. He didn’t want to agree with me, but he couldn’t deny that I was right.

Slowly, he nodded. “I understand now.”

“So you’ll help us?”

He sighed. “I’ll help protect you.”

“That sounds like a yes to me,” Julian said, coming closer. He patted us both on the back. A wide grin split his face. “Guess this makes us some kind of wonder trio.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Nicholas snapped.

I lowered my forehead to Nicholas’s shoulder and allowed myself to finally breathe.

I didn’t want to go back to the celebration, especially after what I’d learned, and after what I’d experienced with Terry. Nicholas offered to walk me back to my room instead.

“I want to talk to Mark and the guards,” he said. “We’ll need to strengthen our security measures.”

“I’m worried about Susie, though,” I said. “She’s still in the ballroom, and Terry might target her.”

“She’s smart,” Julian said. “She knows how to fade into the background. I’ve seen her do it.”

“Even so…”

“I’ll keep an eye on her. One of us should head back to the party anyway,” Julian said with a wink. “The ladies are probably missing me, the most handsome of us anyway.”

Nicholas gave him a flat look.

Julian smirked and disappeared.

Then Nicholas took my arm and led me through the hallways. By now, my nerves were getting to me. I just wanted to see Elva, to hold her and know she’s okay.

Nicholas was texting Mark with one hand.

“No issues today,” Nicholas said, which gave me a measure of comfort. I still would feel better if I could see it all with my own eyes.

When we reached the hallway of rooms, I was walking very quickly. Nicholas, blessedly, was keeping pace. His guards were keeping watch outside my door. Nicholas stopped to speak with them.

“Go on inside, Piper,” he said.

I nodded and walked in.

Elva and the nanny were sitting on the ground, playing with their dolls. Mark stood nearby, watching. They all turned to look at me when I came closer.

“Mommy!” Elva jumped to her feet and rushed toward me.

I immediately dropped to my knees, opened my arms, and scooped her into a big hug.

It was well past her bedtime but I wasn’t complaining.

“She wanted to stay up to see you,” the nanny said.

“They said we get to stay, Mommy,” Elva said. She rested her head on my shoulder, clearly tired.

I kissed her forehead. “We do.” For a bit longer, anyway.

Nicholas came into the room, then, and Elva lit up once more.

“Nick-lass!”

She squirmed in my arms and I had to lower her back down to the ground. She ran into Nicholas’s waiting arms instead. As he lifted her, he spun her around and she giggled.

The sound healed my heart in ways nothing else could. That Nicholas had been the one to bring such joy out of her made me feel all the lighter.

Yet before long, another yawn burst out of Elva. It really was late for her.

I locked eyes with Nicholas and then motioned toward the bed.

“I think you need to get some sleep, little princess,” Nicholas said as he carried Elva over that way.

“Will you tell me a story?” Elva said.

Nicholas lowered her down onto the bed. I joined them there and helped tuck Elva in.

Nicholas ruffled her hair. “A story, huh? Okay.” He thought for a moment. Then he gave me a sideways glance. “I’ll tell you a story about the bravest woman I know.”

“A princess?” Elva snuggled under her blankets, bringing them right up under her chin.

“No,” Nicholas said, smiling a little. “A Queen. She gave up her crown to save her little girl, a princess just like you.”

“Did she fight a dragon?” Elva asked.

“A huge fierce, fire-breathing dragon,” Nicholas replied.

“Wow…” Elva’s eyes were growing heavy.

“She works hard every day,” Nicholas continued. “She fights anyone who would harm her daughter.” He took a breath. “There’s also a King who searching for her. He wants to make sure she and her girl are safe. He’d do anything for them.”

“Anything?” Elva’s eyes are closed now.

“Anything.”

I watched the two of them quietly. Nicholas watching Elva with fondness in his eyes. Elva sleeping so peaceful under his care.

I knew it was impossible, but I wished everyday was like this. That we could be a perfect little family that loved and cared for each other, crown or no crown.

But, unfortunately, that wasn’t reality.

In real life, this was only a temporary moment of peace. Someday, we would go our separate ways. Elva and I would see Nicholas on TV or on our money, but he’d never see us.

Someday, Elva and I would have to find a way to live without him.