Page 8

ELLA

E lla sat on the sofa and watched the vibrant and beautiful females around her. She felt like she was having an out-of-body experience. Princesses Willow and Isabella, Brianna, Madison, and Anna were clearly all best friends and for some reason, they’d invited her into their fold.

For tonight, at least.

“Look at these silver eyes, just like her daddy’s.” Brianna swooped Issy, as they called her, into the air.

“If Aunty Bri makes you sick, she’s cleaning it up.” Willow said in the same baby voice, mockingly.

The two females shared a look and giggled. Then Brianna sat down and handed the baby over to Ella.

Again?

Ella wasn’t sure the fates were on her side, that much, to be trusted holding a Moretti royal a second time.

“Oh.” Ella found herself under the spell of the little princess as she gazed down at her. “You really are the most beautiful baby in the world.”

“Until mine comes along.” Brianna shrugged. “Can you imagine a little baby Craig?”

“Christ. The world is not ready.” Willow blew out a lungful of air and Anna laughed.

“Rude.”

“Truth.” Willow shrugged. “ You can barely control your mate.”

Brianna snorted. “All I do is whisper in his ear and he’s putty in my hands.”

“Sex talk doesn’t count.” Anna sipped her vodka and lemonade.

“Trust me. It does.” Brianna grinned then turned to Ella. “Anyway, I’m dying to know about you and Mack. Is he your lover? Tell us everything. He’s such a flirt, but I knew there was more to him.”

Shit.

Ella almost dropped the baby, so she quickly handed her back to her mother.

“She likes you.” Willow smiled. “If you want a babysitting job, let me know.”

Ella laughed. “That is way too much responsibility. Actually, I have a job. A business actually.”

“Ooh, what do you do?” Willow asked, propping Issy on her knee.

“Social media stuff. Content creation.”

“No way!” Brianna sat up. “I specialize in communications. Marketing stuff. At least I did when I was human. Now I’m the king’s bitch.”

Willow snorted so hard she bent over.

Ella glanced from one female to the next as they all laughed so hard they had tears running down their faces.

“Except at Christmas, when he’s our bitch,” Willow roared.

Brianna flopped her head back and almost couldn’t breathe she was laughing so much.

Then they told her the stories, and Ella couldn’t believe they would risk the king’s wrath. She was certainly learning things were not as they seemed inside the royal family.

“Wasn’t he mad?”

“Yes!” Madison held her stomach as more roaring ensued.

Issy began laughing, copying the females. Ella couldn’t help her giggle then. These females were ridiculous, and she liked them immensely.

A moment later, the door opened, and a little boy ran in with his arms flailing and little feet pounding on the thick carpet. “Wantie Willow!”

The most graceful female Ella had ever seen followed him inside. She wore a black pantsuit and on her finger was the biggest emerald she’d even seen.

Ella almost stopped breathing.

Holy hell, it’s the queen!

“Lucca baby, come to Aunty Willow.” Without pause, she handed Isabella back to Ella.

Grabbing the princess, Ella sucked in as much oxygen as she could so she didn’t drop her, while trying not to pass out at the queen standing before her.

Meanwhile, oblivious to her panic attack, Willow crouched on the floor. Prince Lucca threw himself into the princess’s arms, and she swung him into the air, twirling him around.

“You saw her two hours ago, Lucca.” Kate shook her head and smiled. Then she spotted Ella. “Oh, hello. We haven’t met.”

Gulp.

Ella opened her mouth to speak, and nothing came out. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment, but...she was the queen. If the king walked in right now, she would absolutely die.

“This is Ella. Mack’s...friend.” Brianna bumped her shoulder.

“Hi,” she squeaked.

“A pleasure to meet you, Ella. Mack is a valuable member of our senior warrior team.” Kate Moretti smiled warmly. “Are you staying with us?”

Ella shook her head. “No.”

That was two words. She was doing well, in her opinion.

“Well, you are most welcome. Mack should know that and have extended the invite.”

Telling the queen that he didn’t seem to want her around seemed like the wrong response. Fortunately, she was saved by the ever-chatty Brianna.

“Right now, the male is having kittens because I stole her and made Craig call him to the team meeting early.” Brianna giggled.

Kate shook her head and winked at Ella.

“You girls are troublemakers. Then again, it’s why your mates chose you.”

“Hey, I’m a mom now.” Willow argued, placing Lucca on the ground. He’d lost complete interest in her and was off to get a fire truck, which was on the floor nearby.

“Fruck.”

“Exactly, little prince.” Brianna grinned.

Kate shot her an unimpressed look, then returned to Willow. “I wanted to check that you and Bray will be joining us for family breakfast.”

“Yes. Did you invite Sage? She’s working so hard. I am worried about her,” Willow replied.

Ella recognized the name, but she wasn’t sure who Sage was. She’d have to go onto the Moretti intranet and do some digging when she got back to the house. If she was going to be spending time with Mack’s friends, she didn’t want to come across as uninformed.

If he let her visit.

While the queen had invited her to stay, she didn’t want to cross that line. Mack had rented the house, after all.

“Crap!” Kate nodded and vamp-sped across the distance to stop Lucca from smashing the truck into a glass table. “Uh-uh, gentle.”

He wasn’t happy. “No, momma. Bash, bash.”

“Jesus,” Brianna muttered beside her quietly. “Maybe I want a girl.”

Ella wondered what it would be like to be mated and carry a child. Vampire pregnancies were rare and precious. That the two royals had birthed two babies so quickly was huge news across the race.

“Yes, we are headed down to see Sage now,” Kate said, then sighed. “With four of our guards.”

Willow sat back down on the sofa and tucked her legs under her. Her lips pressed together as she reached for her glass of sparkling water. “It’s a pain, I get it. But trust me, the alternative...”

“I know, sweetie.” The queen gave her a loving but sad smile. When they all went quiet, Ella sensed it was because she was there.

Suddenly, she felt like she was intruding.

“I should go.” She shuffled to the edge of the seat and handed Isabella to Brianna.

“Is Mack taking you home?” Anna asked.

She’d caught an Uber to the castle, so she would need to do the same on the way home. “No, I’m fine. I just need someone to show me the way out.”

The castle was huge.

It had taken them almost twenty minutes to get to the royal wing from where she met them by the entrance.

“No. I have a night off and it’s early,” Brianna said. “The other girls are at Max Bar. Let’s swing by there and one of us can drive you home later.”

“Yes, let’s go. Cassy telepathed ten minutes ago, asking where we are.” Madison nodded at her as if she knew who that was.

“Do you have any plans?” Anna inquired.

Ella bit her lip and shook her head. “No, I just arrived from Seattle today, so stopped by to see Mack. Then”—the words just fell out—“I saw the prince and almost died, and then you all invited me in here, and I’m now sitting with the princess and queen and don’t know what is going on anymore.”

Shit.

That wasn’t what she meant to say.

Kate picked up Lucca, who kicked his legs around dramatically, unaware of the awkward situation around him, and smiled at Ella. “You are among friends.”

She really wasn’t.

She was among royalty.

“I remember the first time I met Vincent and Kate,” Willow said. “I was human, so I didn’t have the same concept of the Moretti family as you do. But the king was bossy, and Kate was beautiful.”

“Some would say I still am, thank you very much.” Kate said so sternly, Ella’s eyes widened.

Then the queen laughed.

The room seemed to light up with her smile and joy. She’d grown up admiring the royal family like most vampires. The photos of the king and queen had been displayed in her home, but it was rare to see live footage on them.

“I think you are the most beautiful female I’ve ever seen in my life, my queen.” Ella sighed.

All the females smiled as if they agreed.

“God. Sorry. I don’t mean to fan girl on you. But—”

“She is.” Anna leaned and patted her knee. “I totally get it.”

Kate graciously accepted the compliment with a nod and soft smile, as only a person fully in their power could.

“Make sure Ella gets home safely, and if you'd like a room here while you’re in Maine, please tell Mack to arrange it.”

“Thanks.” Ella blushed.

Brianna jumped up and handed the princess back to her mom. “Okay, nicey-nicey stuff aside, let’s go drink!”

Kate and Lucca said their goodbyes, while Willow said she was going to put Isabella down for a nap. But wouldn’t be joining them.

As Ella picked up her handbag, Briana suddenly let out a moan. Then she crossed her arms.

Then glanced at Ella, her brows lowered.

“You sure this male isn’t your mate?”

Ella nodded, confused.

She wasn’t at all sure, but this wasn’t the time, place, or audience to be sharing her whole stupid life story when it came to Mack Mazzini.

“Well.” Brianna sighed. “I’ve been instructed to take you to the entrance in thirty minutes.” Ella must have looked confused still, because Brianna then added. “By, and I quote, the commander of the army . Who will be getting his ass kicked in the morning.”

“Liar. You love him ordering you around.” Willow snorted.

Brianna’s smile stretched from cheek to cheek.

“You going to let that male boss you around?” Madison asked.

“Never. Let’s go girls.”