Chapter 29 Ch 29

Three nights of being ravaged by either Matt or Basileus reflected off me like a new penny's shiny face. I had long ago learned to look past my own faded acne scars and funny pores, but this inner glow beaming out of me made all those things so much easier to ignore. My eyes stared glossily back at me in the mirror.

A knock at the door interrupted my self-admiration before Lee let herself in. She tried not to let her disappointed face melt into a smile.

"I heard you turned away the makeup artist I hired," she pouted.

Turning away from the vanity, I grinned at her. "I don't want to cover myself in front of my people. They deserve to see me like this. Besides, it's not the human part of me they care so much about."

She crossed the floor in her black and scarlet sheath dress, a proud glint in her eye. "Okay. I respect that. Will you at least wear the dress I picked out for you?"

I just smiled.

"Ugh!" she complained. Then she smiled. "Fine. Not your style, I know. You're Queen Bee so I guess you're free to do as you will."

"That's absolutely right." I stood up and straightened out my robe. "I do appreciate everything you have done for me, you know. I couldn't have made it in this world without you."

The right side of Lee's lips tugged up. "I know. But Basileus wouldn't have made it without you. So I guess we all have each other to be thankful for." She leaned in and wrapped her arms around my waist, still shorter than me in heels.

"Now," I said, patting her soft tuft of straightened hair, "I was definitely thinking jeans and plaid."

She groaned and pulled away. I flashed her my biggest smile.

—(—)—

A flock of wolves encircled me and Matt where we stood just inside the wood line, concealed from sight. The field of abandoned farmland stretching for acres beyond us was teeming with activity. Wolves walked around in their human husks, dressed in suits and dress, or stalked and sniffed about in their canine chassis. The integration of both halves blended seamlessly. Everyone was on their best behavior. The packs, from what Tandan had been saying, were eager to please. Most of them, anyway.

I was still getting used to fitting in with wolves, but I felt at home here. This was ironic, considering most of my audience had been wolves since birth. I didn't know that they would accept me with open arms, but I did know Basileus wasn't giving them much of an option.

Moist, hot lips rubbed against my exposed neck. Sighing, I relaxed into Matt's lean body.

"I'll see you in a few days, okay?" he murmured.

My heart pattered a little as I turned to face him. He wasn't pouting but I could tell he wasn't happy. The whole power struggle between him and the big guy was still ongoing. They likely would always fight for dominance. We were all fortunate that they got along most times. I was glad Basileus let Matt through.

"I'll be waiting for you," I said with a promising smile.

He kissed my cheek. "And I, you. I'll be watching and cheering you on from inside. You're gonna do great, Anna."

"Thanks. That means a lot to me." I took his jaw in my hands and kissed him deeply, penetratingly on the lips. "The next time I see you, I'm taking you to meet my family."

"Yeah?" he asked, brows shooting up with a surprised grin. "I'm touched. I didn't know when I'd get to meet the parents. Should we tell them about the fluff ball?"

"Eh," I joked with a shrug.

Matt wound an arm around my waist and peered into my eyes. The luminous strands wrapped around his pupil brightened. My insides felt buttery and tight, making me want to lead my sexy man off into the forest. I decided I could venture down that idea afterward. That didn't mean I wasn't about to think about it every second following this.

"Goodbye for now, my beautiful queen."

He kissed me again and slid his tongue along the seam of my mouth. I greeted him with my own until he groaned. Pulling back, he narrowed his eyes on me. Then the air grew thick and staticky and the human flesh split open. A bundle of black sinewy animal clawed its way to the forefront. I watched in amazement, somehow always equally shocked and aroused.

Within a blink, Basileus knelt before me on his clawed hands. He lifted his head to gaze at me without standing. I smiled and brought my palm to his muzzle. The fur was soft and fuzzy. Matt had just shaved again, the second time in a week after the housewarming party, and I was experimenting to see if it affected Basileus' appearance. Evidently, it did.

"My coat is short," the beast burbled in annoyance.

I chuckled. "His beard was too prickly! It kept scratching me."

Basileus rose to his full height and jabbed my neck with his wet nose. "Oh, I know, Flower. I was watching."

"Okay, love pigeons. Showtime!" Tandan barked, parting through the sea of wolves around us. He made a visible effort to look Basileus over. "I see the human has been stowed away for now."

Lifting my lips into a menacing smile, I offered him my middle finger. He returned the gesture with an equally menacing scowl. Basileus growled and smacked his hand away. Tandan mostly joked about his distaste for Matt, but Basileus didn't like our bickering regardless.

"Shall we?" he said in that deep bass that turned my lady parts to mush.

"We shall." I slipped my arm through his.

Tandan nodded and took his place behind us. I looked around for Lee, but she wasn't in sight. Basileus led me forward with surprising grace for his cumbersome size. Conversation and motion gradually slowed to a standstill. Everyone around us became faceless blurs. Soon there was silence. My skin felt warm at knowing so many eyes were watching, but I didn't shy away. I leaned into Basileus' furry arm. He kept his head high, ears pointed astutely up, and eyes sweeping about. He looked as raw and delicious as ever. Just like that, on guard and proud. His nose twitched and a warning side-eye was directed at me. I smiled sheepishly, knowing what he smelled.

Once we had walked through the gathering, Lee came into view. She stood at the helm of this ship, this vessel of powerful bodies and minds. Her makeup had been artfully painted on and her hair fell around in loose honey-colored ringlets. For a moment, I felt self-conscious. She looked the part as queen way more than I did. When I looked at the sea of faces, though, they were all focused on Basileus and me. What did it matter how I dressed anyway?

We came to stand with Lee. Once she was joined by Tandan, they both faced me and Basileus with a bow. Everyone else followed suit. Basileus released his arm from my hold and lowered himself onto all fours. He gazed out at the wolves, a small portion of his complete kingdom. I knew there would be a gleam of pride in his glowing eyes if he turned to me.

Basileus broke the silence by lifting his head and breathing out a howl. The noise was loud and thunderous, even despite the ring of loneliness. The King of Lycans had been displaced from his throne for too long. I wanted to reach out to him. It wasn't me he needed, though. The body of wolves lurched as figures shifted into their canine bodies. Resounding howls filled the air in response. Soon the whole afternoon sky seemed at capacity with the sheer magnitude of their cries.

My own bones itched to howl. My wolf wanted to be set free, to be on the forefront. I forced myself to wait. Not my turn.

Eventually, their rallying voices quieted after several minutes and silence blanketed the field again. Basileus turned towards his Beta and Beta Female. Two of the most important people in his life, in his reign. He tilted his head again and howled. The hairs on my arms and neck stood. Tandan and Lee knelt down into their wolf figures before howling back. At last, my knight in shiny, black fur turned towards me. The one he loved most.

His blazing blue eyes beheld me in silent adoration. I wanted to wrap my hands around his neck and kiss him. I wanted to push him down to this soft grass under my bare feet and make love to his magnificent spirit.

His eyes fluttered shut. Then stretching his front paws out in front of him, he bowed down in front of me. My breath caught. A wave of white-hot passion and pride surged through me. I gave in to the itch in my bones until, at last, my wolf pierced through. I immediately howled up at the unseen moon with more delight and joy than perhaps any wolf had ever. My call of support and obedience was followed by a chorus of hundreds more. Basileus rose up and nestled his face into my neck.

"My flower and my queen," he whispered throatily.

Beyond us roared the crowd of wolves reunited again with themselves and their roots.