“Gosh, I’m glad kneading bread keeps my arms toned,” I mutter as I turn around and look at myself in the mirror for the first time. The girls worked miracles, and I don’t look like myself at all. In the mirror opposite me is a gorgeous, curvy goddess. The dress accentuates my perky breasts, and the pair ofspanks I have underneath makes my waist look slimmer and my tummy flatter. The skirt hides my hips and thighs perfectly, and the heels they forced me into give me a height that pulls off the whole look.
“Pfft, you’re gorgeous. I’m jealous of your curves,” Gretchin says, plucking at the teal blue mermaid dress she has on that looks stunning against her dark complexion. “This would look so much better with some junk in my trunk, but I can’t get any weight to stick. It’s the dreaded shifter metabolism at play.”
“And the fact that you’re in the military and always working out probably doesn’t help either,” Gracelin teases as she puts the finishing touches on Violet—another small tiara that she told Violet only had semi-precious stones in it when she freaked out and refused to wear it.
“Will that happen to me? Will I lose some of my weight? That would be awesome. I’ve always hated my thighs and ass.”
“Who knows? It’s different for humans who are changed. Some keep their original figures, and some don’t, but with the energy you are using, I wouldn’t put it out of the realm of possibility. Okay, done. Come on, we need to hurry up. We’re already running late, and Dad will lose his shit soon. He’s still pissed about your Mom from this afternoon. If there wasn’t an amnesty on council positions during the transition, Councilman Tideman would have been out of a position after his stunt.”
She hurries us out of the room and through our wing until we get to the public wing where the ballroom is located. “Right, you need to make an entrance, so wait here, and the three of us will go first, and then you will be announced and make your big entrance. You will be escorted down the stairs by your bodyguards, and Dad will meet you at the bottom of the stairs. He will then escort you to the head of the table. We will have a meal where you will be watched like you’re a circus act, and then the tables will be cleared, and the mingling will occur. Momsand Dad will introduce you to our society’s elite. There will be dancing and drinking, and you will feel like tearing your hair out by the end of the night,” Gracelin tells me in a rush of words as she looks me over to make sure nothing has changed on our hurried walk from my room.
“We have a safe word. If you text any of us the word ‘pineapple,’ we will know you need to be rescued and swoop in to run interference,” Gretchin tells me, producing my phone and handing it to me.
I gape at her. “But where do I put it?” I ask as she tucks hers into the top of her strapless dress. I can’t do that in this one.
“Pockets, my dear, pockets,” she replies and gestures to the skirt. I feel around and am slightly giddy with glee when I notice that the dress indeed has pockets.
“This is awesome. I always tell Mom she should put them in her dresses. She told me I was stupid and we didn’t need pockets when we had dates who have jacket pockets.”
All three of them scowl at the mention of my mom, and I don’t fault them for it.
“Okay, let’s go. Good luck,” Gracelin says, and Violet gives me a jaunty wave and allows the two princesses who have quickly worked their way into my heart to drag her along. I’m so pleased they’ve taken her under their wing as well. She’s like the younger sister we all wanted.
“And remember to smile. You’ve got this.” Gretchin winks as the doors open, and Violet slips through. I hear the herald announce her.
“Presenting Lady Violet Marsden, advisor to the queen.”
There is an outbreak of whispers at this announcement, and I only hope that Hunter’s brother and sister are somewhere close by to her at the dinner table. I did make that request, and hopefully being queen gets me a few perks.
“Presenting Princesses Gracelin and Gretchin, secretary to the queen and bodyguard to the queen respectively.”
When Bryson appointed Gretchin to be one of my bodyguards, I was stunned but pleased. I did double check if it was something she wanted and not being forced on her, and she assured me she’d ask for the position herself. I quickly agreed, happy that I have someone guarding my back I can trust. I was a little less sure about the secretary to the queen position for Gracelin. I felt like it was a downgrade, but it’s what she was doing anyway. She lives for organization and did it on a small scale for a large shifter company prior to having Archie. She’s been a stay-at-home mom since then, but she is ready to get back into the workforce. This way, she can bring Archie with her when he doesn’t have school. It worked out perfectly for everyone, and she’s dying to start bossing me around.
“Presenting Her Majesty, the new queen of the shifters, Colbie Karridge.” That’s my cue, and I step up just as the doors fling open.
The lights blind me slightly, but I resist the urge to shade them with my hand. Instead, I move forward so everyone can see me, pausing for effect on the staircase landing. The five rows of tables are full—one across the top for VIPs and then four perpendicular to it. Each table apart from the VIP table is able to sit upwards of seventy shifters. All of those eyes are on me. My stomach rolls with nerves, but an even stronger feeling of reassurance from my animal gives me the strength to keep going. I’m wearing my pendant, but it doesn’t seem to dull my connection with my animal now, only dulling everyone else’s sense of it.
I smile serenely as Watch Team One falls in around me, all resplendent in formal suits, and then as one, the six of us move down the stairs in sync, almost like it was rehearsed, but it wasn’t. I haven’t seen any of them since the drama at lunch.I’m dying to ask one of them how my mom behaved when they escorted her to the neutral zone, but it will have to wait.
I hear whispers, and with my new hearing, it’s easy to make out what is being said.
“She doesn’t feel very strong. What was the goddess thinking?”
“I heard that no mates have shown up at the palace, none at all.”
“Gosh, I bet that skirt is hiding a giant ass.”
A growl from my side has someone yelping in fright, but I don’t dare turn my head to look. Despite some of the whispered words being my own fears, I know the truth—I am powerful, and when I can finally show them, they are going to wish they had kept their mouths shut.
I’m sure they know I can hear them, but they are trying to get me to react, so I tune them out and smile at Lucas as he holds out his hand. I place mine in his, and he bows over it before pressing a kiss on top. I dip in a curtsy, giving Lucas the kind of respect he deserves.
“Shall we?” he asks, holding his arm out, and the two of us move toward the table. Once we are seated, everyone else takes their seats.
Dinner is served, and thankfully, I have people surrounding me whom I know, so I’m not forced to suffer small talk with strangers during my meal. It would be a damn shame not to be able to focus on all the delicious food that is being presented to us.
I hear the occasional, muttered bitchy comment aimed at me though.
“Look at how much she eats. No wonder she needs such a big skirt.”
