“Seems to be going well,” I replied, steering Zuri away from the south side of the castle from where she would be able to see people out at the pond.

  She leaned her head against my shoulder and sighed contentedly. “I'm happy to be home with you.”

  I kissed the side of her head. “I'm happy to be home with you. How are the rooms coming along?”

  “Good,” she nodded. “For some stupid reason there were like six meeting rooms. I kept the largest for the meetings since it can fit everyone, including someone as tall as Fredek. I've been converting the others into either little dorm rooms with a kitchenette and a small bathroom for those who come here solo, and then a few of them are a touch bigger for those with families. I'm trying to make it all neutral but welcoming.”

  I nodded, loving how thoughtful she was. “I love the fact you're making these available. And it's time this castle was made more accommodating and welcoming. I want any and all who come to feel welcome and secure here.”

  “Absolutely. I want the same. One of the taller areas is being sectioned off equally for ogre and cyclop. I want people to come to Kyna and know they are home.”

  I held her close to me, relishing her warmth and kindness. Since remodeling Kyna Castle, we had discovered how the castle was currently, wasn't how it used to be - walls were knocked out as if trying to demolish rooms and make it uninviting. Zuri and I didn’t want that. Kyna was huge, large enough to accommodate all kinds of beings yet how the previous alphas had dealt with the space, wasn't ideal at all. There were more meeting rooms than bedrooms, random empty rooms or storage areas than places for beings to occupy, gather and be merry. Now, with Zuri, Kyna was a home instead of a place. The home we were going to raise our pack in.

  “When are the cubs coming for a visit?” She asked, staring at the castle gates.

  “Tomorrow. I heard from Calder they’ll be here bright and early to make bacon donuts.”

  “Awesome! It's been a while since we've seen them. How much bacon we got?”

  I shrugged, “It's been a touch over a week. But I agree, I miss them too. And I think we got thirty pounds.” We glanced at each other and I smiled. “We’ll make it all.”

  “Perfect. I haven't heard from my dad in a while. I hope he’s ok.”

  I turned her toward me and folded her in my arms. With her zaglis powers, I didn’t want her catching sight of something and snooping. She wasn’t an intentional snooper, just more curious than a cat.

  I spied Darra scurry inside, a broad grin on her lips and the outfits covered in plastic bags in her capable hands. I asked her to get an outfit for tonight and another for tomorrow. And since Zuri mentioned she wanted to see me in more colors, I asked Darra to pick out whatever would be best. Once Darra made it inside the castle, I kissed Zuri on the head then let her go.

  “I’m sure he’s fine. The letter Jadiza sent said humans were welcome on their side. Maybe Syrus and Espe are settling in the Harrell Mountains with the other humans.”

  My mate shrugged. “I hope they are ok. Before we left Maluhia, I tried to get my dad to settle here. He said no, saying, ‘a newly wed couple needs their space away from family as they begin a family on their own’,” she finished with a roll of her eyes. “I appreciate his thoughtfulness but after all the crap that happened, I don’t want to lose him.”

  I kissed the side of her head, trailing down to her lips. “I'm sure he will come to visit soon. And maybe he will bring Espe so you and her can hash things out.”

  She shrugged, turning toward the metal statue being made. The sculptor hired was a blacksmithing ogre who was well known for doing beautiful work in quick time. Zuri wanted to have it done prior to the next meeting. Which was coming up shortly.

  In all, I was impressed with the progress made to accommodate more people here. Instead of being crammed and sleeping wherever there was an open spot, there would now be more beds, more areas and hopefully fewer cots.

  I laced my fingers in with hers, turning toward the west to where the sun waned. My insides vibrated excitedly, ready to show her what I had planned. I forced myself to wait for Molner to come back to tell me it was ready. I kept my gaze steady on the horizon line instead of Zuri. I knew if I looked at her, I would more than likely blurt it out.

  “Did you ever hear from Orlin or Resi about the baby?” Zuri asked. “We gotta get them a gift.”

  I grinned, kissing her left cheek, “We will. They’re probably still settling in with their child. What do you think we should get?”

  “Diapers in all sizes, wipes, and a few teething things.”

  “Then we’ll get double. A set for them and a set for us. Might as well buy in bulk at the store and get the ten percent discount using the credit card.”

  “I love the way you think,” she beamed. “And while at the store, we can get you colorful shirts like plum, salmon, or maroon.”

  I blinked, forgetting that she wanted me to wear something different than gray or black t-shirts and denim jeans. I also forgot I promised her a shopping trip. “Oh yeah,” I swallowed. “Good thinkin’.”

  Zuri blew her lips, rolling her eyes. “Good Heavens, I’m fucking with you. But a shopping trip would be good. I want to check second hand stores for kid items. Why pay full price for something the kid will outgrow?”

  I nodded, agreeing with that aspect. I had not much experience with kids but I did notice they grew a lot and if babies did the same, then new wasn’t very practical.

  I stared at the portcullis, watching people wrap up for the evening. The ogre dusted off his dark blue hands, stomping inside the courtyard. He grinned ear to ear, revealing the swine-like tusks protruding out from his bottom jaw. My pack spoke to him, clapping him on the shoulder and he seemed to relish it. Molner and his wife Darra, whom I didn’t notice went back outside, passed under the raised gates. He raised a hand to me, giving me the thumbs up in between his waves in case Zuri was looking. I glanced at her to be sure but her gaze was elsewhere.

  “Borris is really talented,” she said.

  I nodded, feeling momentarily guilty I forgot the ogre’s name. “Yeah he is. I'm grateful he came.”

  “Me too. He's really nice.”

  “Let's go get ready for dinner. I wanna see you in that coral dress.”

  She turned toward me, giving me a sly sexy smile. The twinkle in her eye promised more later. “I'll be ready in ten.”

  I tucked her hand in the crook of my arm. “Why rush when we gotta head to the same place together?”

  She bobbed her head, conceding my point. “I'm excited for dinner. I'm starving.”

  “Hi starving. My name’s Evander,” I finished sticking out my hand to shake hers.

  She laughed, taking my hand with a roll of her gorgeous honey brown eyes. “Oh gosh, dad jokes already. Have you been workin’ on that for a while?”

  I snorted, shaking my head and leading her down the steps to the courtyard. The sky was darkening further, quieting the blue of the day for a dramatic finish in purples and pinks before fading completely to black. My stomach quivered, so excited to give her a date night, followed by many more after we dealt with the dragons.

  We walked inside, passing many smiling people. The scent of paint and sawdust struck my nose. Zuri chatted away, detailing how she wanted everything to be, for the most part, completed before we launch our attack against the dragons next week. Since we were rallying again, she wanted everyone to be comfortable while staying here.

  I opened the door to our room. Zuri zoomed off to the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. I released the breath I held, going to my dresser drawer to retrieve the ring. I smiled, watching the diamond glint in the light. I tucked it back away for tomorrow at the reception. Keeping all these details a secret was wearing on me but thankfully it was only for one more night.

  Zuri came out of the bathroom, her make-up done and her hair braided around her head in a crown. I blinked, amazed she got it all completed in a matter of moments until I noticed the proud smile and her chin tilted slightly back.

  “Magic?” I asked.

  “Fuck yeah!” she announced, heading for the closet. “And to think it used to take me an hour or more! I can now abra-cadabra myself shaved legs, make-up, and a hairdo. No need for a wand. I can bippity-boppity-boo myself some badassness.”

  I smiled broadly at her and the excitement she exuded. She was always so excited for anything new and I admired that about her. I watched her wriggle herself out of the jeans and white sunflower blouse she wore, admiring her figure. She schucked her black panties and bra in the laundry basket. My mouth salivated, desiring to kiss every inch of her body and never leave the room until she was more than satisfied in many ways. I ran a hand over my face before taking off my charcoal gray shirt.

  I joined her in our open closet. I grabbed a lighter blue-gray button down shirt, taking it out of the plastic. I found the coral dress hanging up, handing it to her. Her face beamed while she made appreciating sounds and quickly unzipped the plastic. I got my shirt on and rolled the cuffs on the sleeves.

  “Evander!” she exclaimed. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Nothing will ever be as beautiful as you. But I wanted to dress nice tonight for dinner with you and wear a little color.”

  She stood up on her toes, kissing me on the lips. I put a finger under her chin, holding her there with her lips on mine.

  “Color?” she checked my forehead with the back of her hand. “Are you sick?”

  I spanked her, hearing the slap of my hand on her ass echo across our room. “Put that on and let’s go.”

  Zuri stepped into the dress, pulling up the three-quarter sleeves over her arms. The dress accentuated her curves and the plumpness of her breasts. Without her having to ask, I zipped it up in the back and loathed it. I wanted to take the dress off of her already.

  She slipped her feet into cream flats and turned toward me. The coral dress complimented her skin tone and my beautiful mate herself in a manner that I articulately expressed as: awoooo; like the dog I was. The sleeves were rhinestone and lace that came up around her neck and then flowed down her body from there. I hadn’t a fucking clue about fabric, dresses or anything but holy hot damn, Zuri was magnificent.

  Zuri beamed, taking my hand in hers. “That was quite a howl.”

  I gathered her in my arms and dipped her low. “Because you are mine, now and forever. But we must be off because I cannot wait to get you back here and ravage your body.”

  “Why not just stay?”

  I picked her up and carried her in my arms. “Because… I must see this through.”

  My blood was boiling hot but I needed to do this for her. For us. The cold night air struck my skin. It did little to abate the desire for my mate. I carried her out of the castle, turning left where solar lights turned on to light our way to the pond out back.

  I continued carrying her, not wanting her to ruin her shoes or dress, but also because I loved holding her close to me. Ever since the war, I selfishly had her within the castle though I didn’t think she minded.

  “Where are we headed?” she asked as we passed under scraggly maples that were bare for the winter. During the summer, they would offer a shaded path to the pond.

  “Somewhere.”

  “Is it a secret?”

  “Only for you.”

  The path opened up to the manicured grass and a concrete path to the dock overlooking the pond. A table for two sat out on the dock, complete with champagne colored cloth cushioned chairs and matching table cloth. Chefs stood under a pop-up tent, cooking something that made her stomach rumble. A waiter stood to the side, pulling out a chair for Zuri.

  I finally relinquished, setting her down. Taking her hand, I folded it into the crook of my arm, leading her to the chair the waiter stood behind. Upon scooting her in, the waiter then lit the candles and poured the drinks. Since she was pregnant, I had her favorite summer drink made for her. I recalled her calling it a lavender refresher though I had no idea what it was.

  Lights hung about the pond, illuminating it like stars. The soft light gave her a more beautiful, goddess-like glow. I had to remind myself to keep breathing as I stared at her.

  Her eyes shimmered. Delicately, she wiped away tears that made their way down her soft pink cheeks. I reached out, taking her hand in my own.

  “Welcome to date night,” I said softly, letting go of her hand as I spied the waiter.

  She hiccuped. “I love you.”

  The waiter came back over, serving a prime rib dinner complete with mashed potatoes, asparagus and zucchini, and a basket of dinner rolls. She paused for a moment, dabbing her eyes with the cloth napkin. I smiled, appreciating her emotion of how much she loved it. I silently vowed to do something like this once a month or more to show her just how much I loved her.

  “I can’t express how much this means to me,” she whispered.

  “You just did,” I replied, taking my glass and raising it. “I love you Zuri Akselsen. Here’s to us, forever and always.”

  ZURI

  I practically danced everywhere around the castle, still reeling from last night. The thoughtfulness of my mate made my heart swell. I couldn’t even begin to express how much it meant to me. Every time I saw him today, I planted long kisses on his lips. It was still early in the morning, maybe eight, yet I was the happiest woman alive.

  I went to each new crafted room, making sure the beds were all put together and sheets were on. According to some gossip, I apparently wasn’t supposed to overhear, guests would be arriving today, starting with the cubs. It felt nice to be able to give them a familial room with Calder and Monika that was large enough to accommodate them all. I was even more thankful they were coming.

  In all, the rooms we had been building were all squared away and put together. I strode down to where Evander and I shared an office area. Since things were, for the most part, heading back to some semblance of normal, I would be going back to medical billing after we dealt with the dragons. I was excited to head back to work and get back into a routine. Evander even built Luell a place by my desk for her to occupy though I didn’t think she would stay on it since for some reason, she loved my keyboard.

  I can’t wait to get back to normal, I thought. Morning coffee on the balcony, meals together, the normal stuff families do. I sighed, smiling with content that this bullshit was almost over and I could live a peaceful life.

  Evander was the alpha of this castle and the wolves in the area, from what I gathered, made this like a monarchy of sorts; where the people worked and paid taxes, and he took a small slice of the gross. The other alpha, prior to Evander, essentially robbed their people of money. Evander changed that, putting more in their pockets and less in ours. And me regaining my job was mainly for emergencies for the pack. We calculated we could live just fine how we were without me working but the planner in me wanted to have a safety net. Especially with a kid on the way.

  Everything was falling into place. The new castle plaque I had made out of redwood and steel hung outside. The beautiful piece was lacquered to a shine. I was grateful it was done in such a timely manner for all to see when they gathered here to plan for a stand against the dragons.

  Part of me didn’t give any fucks that the dragons had that side, since Quivleren was large enough for all with many parts still unexplored. But the fact that Jadiza threatened to kill anyone should they enter their side, pissed me off. OKimma and Maluhia were large cities where all races lived and prospered. Cutting everyone off from the diversity and commerce was idiotic. Everyone needed commerce to sell their goods and make an income. It was all simple as fuck logic but apparently it escaped Jadiza and her dumb as fuck lizard brain.

  I shrugged, lizards have small brains. Makes sense she would be a dumbass. I stopped mid-step, pursing my lips and tilting my head to the side. A burning question entered my head. I wonder if she could lick her eyeball with her tongue like lizards do. I gotta ask next week when I see her.

  I pushed the thought from my head and entered the office. My eyes landed on Evander hanging a photo of us from last night on the wall. Without turning around he said, “We need a proper photo.”

  “We need photos of us in general.”

  “That too. I plan to take so many pictures of us.”

  I beamed. “I love that. We can make scrapbooks about our adventures.”

  “As long as I get to pick the stickers, that’s fine with me.”

  I circled my arms around his back as he straightened the frame, grinning from ear to ear. He can pick out all the stickers his heart desires. Once satisfied, he spun around in my arms and embraced me. I loved how he kissed the top of my head and left his lips to linger; and while doing so, how he inhaled deeply only to sigh contentedly. We stood there embraced for the longest time.

  Evander pulled away, the smile was gone from his face. He sighed, sitting in his office chair with a heaviness. I bristled at his change in demeanor, wondering what in the span of those few moments had him changed so greatly.

  “I got letters from the outlying wolf packs detailing how they want to remain as they were - subpacks of the Vilkas. That part I don’t mind. Royan Pright,” he said the name vehemently, “is still alive, though he is no longer alpha. My former contact, Iorgas, is now the alpha,” he finished.

  I nodded, my own scowl coming to crease my face. I was confused as to what he was getting at. Wolf packs grew and split up all the time. And hooray the dumbass Royan wasn’t an alpha. In his greed and lust for power, he unleashed hell. None of us in that courtroom that night wanted Royan to unleash Diomedes.

  “Let them be as they are,” I said, not really understanding how it was an issue. Royan was an idiot, not necessarily a threat. And Evander’s former captain wasn’t a threat either. “Are they with the dragons?”

  “That I don’t know. And I don’t care if they want to remain as they are. I’m just incensed that Royan is alive and goes unpunished.”