Page 2

Chapter

Two

“My girl!” Mom shouted as she ran out of the house and tackle hugged me, sending us rolling across the grass.

Laughing, I squeezed her and nuzzled my nose into her neck to inhale her scent. “Hi, Mama.”

“I missed you,” she whined as she hugged me.

“Stop strangling our daughter,” Dad said and pulled her off of me, only for him to immediately scoop me up under the armpits and crush me against his chest in his own hug. “Hello, Lily.”

“Hello, Caleb.”

He growled, hating when I used his name.

“Where are my other fathers?” I asked. Mom was Queen of the Hybrids and had four mates, including Caleb who was King of the Hybrids. Having so many dads made referring to them difficult, so most times I had to use their first names as well. Her other mates were Riddick, Branson, and Triston, all hybrid shifters. Caleb was the only one I called dad, though. When I’d gotten older, I’d asked them if it bothered them that I only called Caleb dad, but they all swore it didn’t bother them and they liked the nicknames I gave them.

“Your other fathers are busy with preparations for the party your grandparents decided to throw together last minute,” he answered as he released me.

“Yes, Ezio informed me about it,” I said and turned to see him carrying my suitcase up to the porch. “Ezio! Let me do that.”

He growled at me. “Don’t start with me. I can still throw a car with ease. I’m not that old.”

Dad snickered. “He’ll get a lot of that treatment from Kayden soon enough.”

“Soon enough?” I asked, my heart starting to beat faster and my hair shimmering a bit.

“You think your best friend would miss your birthday?” Ezio asked with a scoff and shook his head.

“I’m her best friend,” Maya countered as she walked over to me, putting her arm around my shoulders. “Kayden lost his chance –”

I elbowed her stomach, making her stop talking to grunt an exhale.

“Something happen between you two that I should know about?” Ezio asked.

Dad folded his arms across his chest and Mom stood from the grass, eyes wide.

Shit.

“No,” I said quickly. “It’s just been a few years since we’ve seen each other, so –”

“Years?” Ezio asked, scowling so hard his forehead wrinkles deepened. “You didn’t see each other at Christmas?”

“Uh, no, um, we happened to miss each other,” I lied. I had purposefully hidden and avoided him the three days I had been home.

“Come on, I’ll help you unpack,” Maya said, grabbed my hand, and dragged me and my suitcase inside.

When we got into my room with the door closed behind us, I exhaled in relief. “Thanks.”

“Well, it was sort of my fault they started badgering you, sorry.” She winced. “I know it’s been hard to keep all that a secret from them.”

Flopping down onto my bed, I shrugged and said, “It was bound to come out eventually.”

She tossed the suitcase onto my bed, forcing me to roll off with a yelp to avoid getting hit by it. “Let’s get you unpacked.”

“What news is there since I left?” I asked as I unzipped the suitcase.

“The demon attacks are continuing to increase,” she said as she threw the clothes from the suitcase into my hamper. “From what I’ve heard, Kayden, Trey, and Mason have been traveling around the various continents to help out where the most demon attacks are happening.”

Kayden, Trey, and Mason were strong alphas and their dads ensured they were epically trained fighters, so it made sense to send them out to fight the demons. It did not do my heart and anxiety good to hear that, but I also knew it was necessary.

“What new couples are there?” I asked, knowing Maya loved gossiping about relationships and wanting to steer the topic away from the trio of males.

“Actually, none, it’s been a pretty boring spring. I’ve been trying to set Jaeden up, but he just tells me he is too busy with his games. Nana Jolie is helping him and apparently testing out his game for him.” She sighed dramatically. “I know the games are his obsession, but he needs someone to date, too. He can’t just end up alone.”

I hid my smirk from her, not wanting to have the same conversation about her liking him and not wanting to admit it. Jaeden was a sheep shifter, a bit timid, and every time he was around Maya, they orbited around each other without technically interacting. It was hilarious and Mom and I would huddle together to laugh about it. Someday, I was sure they’d admit their feelings and get together, but in the meantime, we ignored the topic.

“What about Ezra and Tomlin?” I asked. She’d been talking about them a few months ago.

She blew a raspberry. “Epic failure. They flirted a bit, but then stopped talking completely.”

“No other rumors floating around?” I asked.

“Nope,” she said, making the p sound pop. “So, boring.”

“Well, I’m back now so I can help entertain you,” I said.

“Right, how long until you start getting set up on blind dates?” she asked with a smile. “I know Mom was teasing you about that when you came back for Christmas.”

I flinched. She had threatened, but I was fairly certain she wasn’t serious. Mom hadn’t found her mates until she was almost thirty, so I didn’t think she was actually worried about me as I was only twenty-four, twenty-five in a week.

“Hopefully, that won’t be necessary,” I muttered.

Maya laughed and shook her head.

A dark envelope on my desk caught my eye. Who would have sent me such a fancy envelope? I stood to head towards my desk.

“Dinner!” Mom yelled from downstairs.

“Coming!” Maya and I called back. The envelope would have to wait.

“Do you have a dress picked out for tomorrow?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Mom Two said we could go shopping tomorrow morning for one together.”

“Perfect,” I said, and rolled my now empty suitcase into my closet before we jogged downstairs and to the dining room.

All of my fathers were back and they took turns hugging me and telling me how much they missed me. Branson, who I called Bran Bran, my bear shifter father, hugged me the tightest and longest. He and I had been the closest after I came to live with them and was raised by them, and he was also the one that could withstand my hugs the most.

We sat down at the table and I threw my head back as I laughed at the sight of chicken nuggets on the table. It had been my favorite thing when I first came here at four years old.

“Welcome home, Lily,” Mom said and smiled wide. “We’ve missed you, and while we are so proud of you and the degree you’ve earned, we are very happy to have you back home with us. Now, let’s eat and play some games!”

Being surrounded by the chatter and warmth of so many of my family eased the hole that had been growing while I was away. While I was a snake, which was a solitary creature, I as a hybrid shifter craved being surrounded by my pack. The darkness within me became more suppressed and I breathed the first full breath in months.

“No, red is not your color,” Maya said and shook her head at the dress I was trying on. “That style is cute, but not that color.”

“I think I preferred the previous style on you better,” Mom said and canted her head as she watched me turn in a circle. “Up to you, sweetheart.”

“What about the previous style in that color?” I asked and pointed towards a nearby dress.

Maya and Mom both nodded and shouted simultaneously, “Yes!”

Finally finished with our dress purchases, we stopped at our favorite restaurant, Brickhouse, happening to find my Great Aunt Leona and one of her mates, Prince Silverowl of the Elves, eating.

“Hey!” she shouted and rushed over to hug me. “I’m so glad you’re home!” She pushed me back, set a hand on my chest, closed her eyes, and after a moment smiled. “That darkness is wrapped up nice a tight. Well done, girl!”

Preening at her praise, I admitted, “It helped coming home.”

Great Uncle Silverowl hugged me and tapped the middle of my forehead. “Your snake wants out. I can feel it.” He had come over at least once a week to train with my fathers and subsequently, we had spent a lot of time training together as well. “When’s the last time you shifted?”

“Snakes aren’t exactly people’s favorite animal,” I reminded him. “Pretty sure the girls in my dorm would have burned the building to the ground if they’d seen me.”

“Are you bigger?” Great Aunt Leona asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, a lot.”

“Define a lot,” Great Uncle Silverowl said with a frown.

“Come over after we eat and she can show you,” Mom said. “We need to eat.”

“Oh, were you shopping?” Great Aunt Leona asked and waved at the server, Tim, who immediately rushed over and added the empty table next to theirs to make a combined larger table so we could sit with them. One of the perks of being royalty was having people make accommodations for you that they wouldn’t normally for others. I tried to avoid doing it because I felt bad to inconvenience people, especially since I’d been adopted into the family.

“Yes, buying dresses for tonight,” Mom answered and sat. “Tim, can we get four of that sparkling wine that I like and our usuals?”

Tim was always our server when we came to this restaurant, so he was used to our requests. “Of course, Your Majesty. Are we still not eating onions?” he asked and looked at me.

My face scrunched as I said, “Of course I’m not eating onions still. They’re gross.”

Everyone laughed, including Tim.

He winked. “Just checking, Your Highness.”

Mocking him silently as he walked away, I sat between Mom and Great Aunt Leona and leaned my head on her shoulder. “I’ve missed you, Great Auntie.”

She leaned her head over to rest atop mine. “I didn’t miss you reminding me of my age.”

Chuckling, I said, “Well, it has been about twenty years since I came into your lives.”

“Ouch, way to make us feel old,” Mom said and sighed. “I’m no longer part of the youngest generation of shifter adults.”

Great Uncle Silverowl chuckled. “You don’t look a day over twenty-five, Rubyhare.”

Rubyhare was Mom’s elven name, a descriptor of her animal form, a white rabbit with red eyes.

She smiled and said, “You’re lucky, Leona. Any way you could train your nephew a bit better?”

I rolled my eyes. “Dad is super sweet to you.”

“There’s always room for improvement,” Great Aunt Leona said as she shook her fork at me.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said.

“Speaking of that,” Great Aunt Leona said in a higher pitched voice, “any prospects on the horizon?”

I scoffed and shook my head. “You’re as bad as Maya.”

“Hey!” Maya said with a hand to her chest.

“She’s got time,” Great Uncle Silverowl said softly. “You two mated ladies didn’t find your mates until you were older than she is currently.”

Tim returned with our glasses of sparkling wine, giving me time to take a sip before responding.

“If you want grandbabies, go bother my brother,” I told Mom. “He should have even more prospects than me.”

Maya scowled and took a large drink of hers.

Busted! She did have a thing for my brother. I knew it!

“He’s much like your father,” Mom said and shook her head. “Completely ignoring women, which I hope means he has a fated mate out there somewhere.”

Maya’s scowl turned into a frown of sadness. Oh, boy. She liked him even more than the last time we’d discussed him. Interesting.

“So, what time does the party start tonight? Will I have time for a shower?” I asked to change the subject.

“We’re going to finish eating here and then head home so you can shower and change,” Mom answered.

Tim brought out our food, and we ate the delicious chicken pasta and got one more drink before saying bye to Great Aunt Leona and Great Uncle Silverowl, and teleporting back home.

I hurried upstairs to shower, but the envelope I’d forgotten about last night caught my attention again. Walking over to it, I examined the black envelope with no return address listed. Opening it, I pulled out a card, my eyes widening at the letter’s contents.

Dear, Princess Liliana Rubyserpent of the Hybrids.

Although communications have been sparse as there seems to be an issue with our phones, the upcoming date has necessitated that we correspond by letter. Our sworn promise is now at the time of enactment. I hope you remember the promise, but if you have forgotten, we promised that if both sides are unmated upon your twenty-fifth birthday, we shall become mates. Although the promise was made when we were younger, it is still binding and as such, we will return to enact said promise. See you at the party, Princess.

Your friends,

Kayden, Trey, & Mason

Dropping the letter like it was on fire, my heart beat so wildly that I could hear it in my skull. My breathing became ragged and I slid to my knees, the darkness swirling within me quickly. My hair cast rainbows around the room forcing me to close my eyes against the brightness.

Yes, we had made a promise when we were kids, but that was it, a promise between kids! They couldn’t seriously think that I would follow through with that silly promise now. Especially not after what had happened between us!

“We have to leave in thirty minutes!” Mom shouted from downstairs. “Hurry up, Lily!”

Taking a deep breath, I thought about it logically. They were all grown adults, warriors who fought and killed demons to protect the world, and had lived away from their parents since they were eighteen. They had been jokers when we were younger, playing jokes on each other and me often.

This was probably just a joke. Their way of getting one more over me. It had to be a prank. If I brought it up, they’d likely laugh in my face and ask how I could possibly have thought they were serious.

Shaking my head, I hurried to shower and change for the party. It took me right up until Branson stomped up the stairs to get me to finish. Throwing my door open, I said, “I’m ready!”

He scowled at my glowing hair. “You okay?”

I nodded. “Just rushed.”

He stepped to the side and let me out, scowling at the obvious lie, but not saying anything, thankfully.