Her Forever

Third Person POV

(Narrator)

The people of The Light Kingdom that had surrounded the gates were in awe. Their very own King and soon to be Queen had flown in on their very own wings. Smiles were gathered around while the older faes started to rip holes in the back of their tunics and dresses. Beautiful wings emerged from the bodies as you could hear the slight tear in the skin.

For many, it has been over hundreds of years since they had let down their wings. Fae that were taught at an early age not to have them emerge were standing in awe. Their eyes were all aglow, looking at their still young-looking parents and grandparents stand proud. The older fae encouraged, the younger as they let them emerge for the first time.

The first time was always the hardest, but the excitement grew in their bellies at the thought of taking flight. The air was the second home to a fae; it brought excitement and pride in their bodies to travel long distances without animal or carriage.

One could ask how it all started before and how they were ordered to keep their wings at bay. They were taxed and fined once the original Court decided it was beneath them to fly. The gods didn’t fly around the air as they did; they didn’t play with each other in the sky, nor did they have fangs and claws. The fae were said to have evolved from sprites to fairies and then to their own bodies. Not flying would have increased the process of evolution.

This was not so.

Small children laughed as they watched their parents take flight for the first time. It was rocky at first but they were able to get as high as the marketplace.

Little girls and boys ran around the market claiming they were the king and queen, “I have beautiful wings!” one girl cried as she tried to flap her wings. Her concentration on her wings looked more like constipation on her face as the others laughed in jest.

Word spread like wildfire, soon the outlining territories were joyous. They didn’t come to the capital that often and had already been practicing with their wings, but now, they could fly wherever they wanted.

For once, in a long while, The Light Kingdom was actually filled with light. The birds seemed to sing louder, and the flower petals were a brighter hue. Things were turning out for the better, especially for their King.

Orion’s face had always been stoic, but upon seeing his happiness, they all knew too well it was because of her, the light that snuffed out the grumpy king and brought forth his playful fae demeanor back. He was hard as stone, but she polished him up nicely as if he was the puppy he always was. The future queen may not know it, but she was loved by all, and they knew her story well. The servants from the palace talked about her polite and calm aura, how she looks at the King with all the love and affection, even though she wasn’t happy to give it in the beginning.

Willa made King Orion happy, and the love in their eyes only let the people realize one thing, soon an heir would be graced to the good kingdom soon and on such a day they would all hold feasts in the cities and territories.

However, even though they were happy for the royal affair and the soon-to-be coronation and binding ceremony, there was still something dark lurking in the shadows.

Willa’s POV

I’m a terrible liar.

Seriously, terrible. I remember Violet’s mother, Ivy, would come over in the evenings to check on me. “Have you had dinner yet?” I kept my mouth shut, so my voice didn’t waver. I nodded my head, “of course, I had dinner,” when I really hadn’t. Ivy would scowl at me and tisk her mouth and do the dreaded, “mmhmm,” most unapproving mothers did.

“Come eat,” she would demand and made me sit down at the table with her. She brought over food from their dinner anyway and watched me eat every bit. It was mostly meat and carbs, not a lot of vegetables, and come to think about it; I should have known so much sooner what they were. I slap myself mentally at the thought.

Then there was a time Violet wanted to go to a party with her. She nagged all during school and well into the afternoon. I g*****d and complained about it until I finally went. Ivy didn’t know about it because it was a human party and she didn’t keep up with those certain things. Violet told Ivy she would just spend the night at the cabin, lied straight through her perfectly white teeth she did.

The next morning there was banging on the cabin door, and Violet and I got up groggily. We didn’t get home until three in the morning to much of my protest of not staying out that late. Ivy walked in and took in our appearance.

“Have a fun sleepover, you two?” Technically she did sleepover, so we both nodded yes. “Of course, mother,” Violet’s voice was sickly sweet. On the inside my heart was pounding out of my chest. We were caught; I just knew it.

“So you didn’t go anywhere last night, you stayed right here in the cabin?” Ivy’s eyebrow raised with her hands on her h**s. Violet nodded again and smiled. Ivy looked to me and took a few steps forward, and my eyes widened how she could look at me and could see the lie written all over my face.

“What about you, Willa. Did you stay at the cabin all night?” My heart pounded several times harshly against the ribcage, and Ivy sat back up with a smile. “You both are grounded. Willa, you have to sleep in our guest room until your punishment is over.”

How she could figure it out every time there was a lie I couldn’t figure it out. Then when the werewolf secret came out, it was quite clear. They can hear heartbeats, they can hear the lies because they were all walking lie detectors. It was so embarrassing. Each lie I ever told, may it be white or not, they knew.

Orion and I had just arrived back in his royal study, Eamon, Brenden, and Fionn welcomed us back with wide smiles, even though there was a ‘criminal’ on the loose. My stomach churned as it dropped lower into my stomach. Fae’s couldn’t hear that well, not as well as werewolves, they can’t detect a lie or deception can they?

Sure, Orion read auras and look for deception, but I don’t think he reads mine that often. He can quickly glance at my face and can tell what I’m feeling. Panic started to rise in me; what if he sees?

“Darling? Are you alright?” He glances back at me as he sits at his desk. Fiddling with my fingers I nodded. “Yes, just a bit hungry. We didn’t eat breakfast,” I mentioned quickly.

Orion ordered servants to bring in a wide array of food, and to be honest it smelled amazing. Maybe my mood can change a bit while I stuff my face with some lotus sponge cake.

“Give me the briefing,” Orion spoke to Annan, who was by his side.

“It happened about twelve hours after we released Sibille. I don’t think the two are linked; however, Sibille seemed pretty thankful to be released. Even when I mentioned her status demotion, she took it well.” I internally scoffed. I can’t believe they would throw her off like she couldn’t do anything. If it weren’t for my time in high school watching evil, knifing queen bees of the school, I wouldn’t have known either. Her artificially sweetened demeanor was repulsive. Any woman could smell her stench of lies.

I snorted and everyone in the room looked at me. Popping a grape in my mouth like I had nearly choked they went back to speaking. Too close. This is too much, I can’t handle it. If Orion finds out, he is going to spank my a*s so red a demon himself would like he was blushing.

“Darling, are you sure you are alright?” Alright? I’ve been keeping a secret from you for days, and it is burning a hole in my heart! Now I don’t know how to tell you!

“Yup!” I popped the p and threw another grape in my mouth. As long as no werewolves show up and ask me about Violet directly I should be fine.

Alexo then bursts into the room.

CHEESE AND RICE.

I exhaustedly laid back in a nearby chair with my plate of grapes. “Where is my mate?!” Alexo growled. “She is supposed to be in the dungeons; only the guards told me she escaped! My mate would never do such a thing!”

“Think again,” muttered lightly to myself. Alexo whips his head around to stare at me. His eyes blazing in a fury.

Fudge nuggets. Stupid hearing.

“Do you know where Violet is at, Willa?” He starts to walk closer to me, but Orion and the brothers immediately stand up to guard me. I feel it; my heart is bursting out of my chest, and before I can even lie and growls at me.

“You dare growl at the Queen of the Light Kingdom?” Orion roared as he got into a fighting stance. “She is my mate! We have been gone the past 5 days. What makes you think she would know anything.”

I swallowed the big lump in my throat and discarded my plate beside me. Standing up as straight and regal as I could, I folded my hands together. “I..I do.” Everyone whips their head at me as I feel the heated gaze cook me like KFC’s extra crispy chicken.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything before,” my voice becoming meeker by the minute. “But I didn’t trust Sibille, and you were going to let her go.” Orion sighed as he sat back down in his chair rubbing his temples with his fingers.

“What did you do, darling?” He wasn’t angry, more disappointed, and that hurt worse than anything. I kept a secret from him and I knew it stabbed him in the gut. I didn’t have a choice though, the time the plan came to mind, she was already in the dungeon, and we had mated, but he hadn’t bitten me. He was acting too possessive. I wouldn’t have been able to reason with him!

“I swear, I didn’t mean to hurt you, Orion. You were acting so possessive, and you weren’t thinking straight. I knew you were planning on releasing Sibille soon, so I did the one thing I thought was best. For Violet’s punishment, I told her to find out if Sibille had any other ulterior motives or plans and to follow her and act like she was angry with me putting her in prison. I wanted to know her plan, if there was one at all.” The room grew silent as everyone took in the information.

“So you sent my mate on a dangerous mission without consulting me or anyone else?” Alexo heaved with his shoulders defeated.

“I did, for the kingdom. Violet and are like sisters and she replied to me that she would do anything to help me. She may get on my nerves and push my buttons and boundaries, but that is what sisters do. They also take care of each other, and I did that not letting them whip her twenty times with silver shards.”

“Silver?” Alexo questioned while Orion nodded. “Twenty lashes to a werewolf is silver, to a vampire dogwood, and to a fae is iron.” Alexo sighed and sat down in the chair next to mine. I put my hand on his shoulder.

“Violet is cunning, smart, witty, and an excellent actress. She will be safe. Once she knows the plans, we can halfway execute them and capture Sibille along with anyone else helping her. I think we all know this isn’t over yet.” Alexo nodded in agreement, and his face was now in his hands.

“I haven’t had her that long, and I don’t want to lose her, I hate not being in control,” he sniffed and stood up. “I’m a damn warrior, I should be proud of her!” I rubbed his back.

“She’s stronger than you think Alexo, you are just getting to know her. It’s only been a little over a month?”

The doors were slammed open again, and an angry pair of wolves walked in. At this rate, we are going to have to replace the doors or the guards, one of the two more than likely both, because they really suck. I’m going to have to talk to Orion about that.

Sammy and Caleb walked in, both with worried and frustrated faces. “Where is Alanso?” Caleb spoke as Sammy trailed behind. “We haven’t heard or seen from him in two weeks. Alpha Seth is getting angry his star tracker isn’t back yet. They are trying to track down some coven that is trying to infiltrate the dragon shifter territories in the mountains. We need him!”

Eudora in full size, walked into the room with a cart full of tea. Her dress was higher up her thighs since she was slightly bent over pouring azalea tea for everyone. The large growl in the room startled her as she went to put two sugars in Orion’s drink, and the cubes toppled over to the floor. Not thinking anything of it, she bent over only for all of us to gasp as Caleb growled again while palming his manhood.

Cheeses.

“Mine,” he said playfully. Eudora popped back up from the cart and looked around; surprised everyone was staring at her. Caleb started to take a few steps closer while Eudora stepped back.

“Mate,” she whispered as she darted her eyes at the open window and back at Caleb. He tilted his head with eyes full of mischief just waiting for her to make her move.