The Sovereign Heir (Book 1)

“Eventually, you won’t be able to resist me, it’s only a matter of time before you give in to your base instincts and I will gladly oblige. Plus, you called me charming and good looking.” Keep on dreaming, your highness, I’ll have you screaming your head off trying to flee the state of California. “Whatever, keep dreaming on that, your highness. Maybe pigs will fly too.” Which is actually something we did in the realm; we were put on punishment for a week.

She is such a smart ass; she has no idea aggressiveness turns me on. I can’t believe someone didn’t pour her into her clothes with how they fit. Not one hair follicle on her arms or legs. The rumors must be true and if they are that means no hair down there too. How exciting! I’ll need to take some seriously cold showers from now on. I can’t believe she is still a virgin; Elaina is almost twenty-one, totally not what I expected. I bet she tastes just as good as she smells.

Elaina is snapping her fingers in front of my eyes trying to get me back to reality. “Did you hear what Ms. Brown asked you, Nolan?” I must have been really deep in my head not to have heard her. “I’m sorry, what was that, Ms. Brown? I was deep in thought and didn’t hear you.”

Ms. Brown is one of our many chefs, but my favorite one. I have known her since birth and couldn’t see myself ever going anywhere long term without her. “Would you like an omelet like Princess Elaina requested or would you prefer your usual poached eggs?” Thinking about my usual choice, I decide to go with what Elaina had requested. Surprisingly, she had an omelet loaded with mushroom, spinach, provolone cheese, red onions and cherry tomatoes. It looks delicious and couldn’t wait to get mine.

Elaina had her tablet propped open eyeing a design while putting jam on her popover. She was not even looking at what she was doing and smooths the jam effortlessly without one glance. My mouth was in heaven at my first bite of the omelet, why had I never tried something like this before.

Listening to Elaina and Ms. Brown discuss cooking techniques and different vegetables was a shock, this is the most she has talked since being with me and I had no idea she knew anything about cooking. Ms. Brown asks Elaina to show her a recipe she uses for gumbo and coxinha. My mother use to make saltenas during the winter solstice when I was younger, my father didn’t appreciate her behaving like a ‘servant’ as he put it. After my father’s insult to her culture, she never made anything ever again.

“I didn’t know you could cook, kind of unusual for a princess. I’d love to try out any dish you decide to make.” Elaina pondered my question responding, “I’ll think about it.” Truth is I researched as much as I could find on Elaina after I put a name to the face I saw a few years ago. Elaina is highly intelligent, likely more brilliant than Einstein. Very athletic, ambitious, and a savvy businesswoman. I would have never guessed in all my decades of being alive with the occasional woman for short lived physical pleasure, that she would be my mate.

There is still a significant amount I clearly don’t know about her. For instance, the gap between her 16th and 18th birthday is a mystery. Even our strongest seer came back with nothing. Granted she attended her classes but all other activity in this period came to a complete stop.

Elaina’s phone rang, getting up to answer it she went to the other side of the kitchen. “Yes, that’s perfect and thank you again being able to assist me in such short notice.” She came back, sitting down drinking the rest of her chai tea, playing with her necklace. If I wasn’t mistaken it is a shooting star, very rare to see and a very priceless gift.

I wonder which of her many suitors gave it to her, attempting to capture her heart or the throne. Without looking up she began speaking, “I assume you have pertinent business to attend to.” Was she reading my mind? She is right, I had a meeting with several Alphas in Stockton. “Yes, ma’am. That is indeed on the agenda. I will be back close to six. In the meantime while I’m gone, you are welcome to go anywhere in the mansion as well as outside of it with my personal guard.” Personal guard, please! I might end up having to save them if anything did go down.

I stood up with my phone and tablet in one hand and stacking both our dishes in the other and put then in the sink. Ms. Brown came rushing over to take care of them. “No need, Princess, I’ll handle the dishes.” I nod my head to her in appreciation. “Please call me Elaina, Ms. Brown.”

Nolan was behind me with his hand on the small of my back, ”Let me show you to the study so you can have your meeting.” He walks me to the opposite side past the kitchen, passing several rooms, until we stop at the last door on the right. He opened it, the room was circular with two levels and the walls lined with books. In the center of the room is an executive desk and a walnut-colored leather love seat directly in front of it. “I’ll see you later this evening, enjoy your day.” Nolan shut the door as he left for his appointment.

I couldn’t help but be nosey using my abilities to pick up anything I could later use against him in formulating my escape plan. Closing my eyes I picked up an excessive amount of activity in this room. There had been plenty of arguing with King Alder and Nolan. The main topic was honoring the arranged marriage, looks like I’m not the only one forced into shit that I never signed up for. Last thing I got was a clear picture of Nolan telling his ex it was over and he never wanted to be with her in the first place. That was a really ugly interaction to replay.

I sat down reviewing the files sent over from Bryant for all the data breaches. As I suspected they specifically looked at blood work and DNA files.

Dominic gave me some promising leads, but most ended in dummy fronts. Our tech team was setting up an algorithm to pinpoint what we were looking for, the source. This was getting tiring, and I was thirsty needing to wet my whistle. Ms. Brown was in the kitchen writing down a list.

“Excuse me, do you mind if I add things to your list that I would like to have in stock while I live with Nolan?” she pauses, “Certainly, tell me everything you’d like.” I list everything I desired and what I want to cook for dinner tonight, personally.

“Oh no, Elaina, I will take care of that. Don’t your servants take care of those things for the royal family?"

She was going to be in for a shock, “We actually don’t live in the palace, but a property attached to it. My mother, father and I pretty much cook our own meals, even my brother on occasion. We wash our dishes, clean behind ourselves and even do our own laundry. Those are basic life skills my parents instilled in us as my grandmother did with her.”

Ms. Brown looks at me like I just spoke a foreign language, “That’s very…different.”

“I’m sure it is not alike other royals, it’s just routine to me. If you could do this for me, I’ll be forever in your debt. Do not worry about Nolan, I will take the blame. Whatever you planned to make tonight could be given to the guards and other servants.”

“ Yes dear, I would be most pleased with doing so.”

“ Oh and could you add several bottles of pineapple juice.”

“I’ll have this all ready by 1 o’clock, Elaina.” She departed giving me a slight bow as I did the same in return.