“Take a seat. Let’s be comfortable for this discussion.”
We do as he suggests, and Gryffin continues. “We don’t care what he is, only that he is missing. We were told by a seer a few years ago that we would have another bond mate. I have been searching for him ever since. In fact, I was here, in this village, a few days ago, looking for him. The alpha I saw denied knowing a shifter with the same mark, but I now know he wasn’t the rightful alpha.”
“He wouldn’t have known anyway. Even though equines are welcome here—or were—Nox is gun-shy from his treatment in the village we lived in previously, so he kept it to himself. Not all of them were bad, but a good portion of his friends turned on him once they realized he was going to be a pegasus or a unicorn,” Santos explains.
“Yes, they hadn’t understood there wasn’t a chance he would be a dragon until they learned about dragon mating in high school shifter biology, and then it all went downhill from there,” Johan adds.
I nod, remembering my brief lesson on dragon matings.
“And then not only was he a pegasus, but when he first shifted, he was pink because of my genetics. They never let him hear the end of their torment,” Lena admits, tears streaking freely down her face.
“He’s a pink pegasus?” I ask carefully, grabbing Gem’s hand while trying to control my excitement. He gives me a small squeeze.
“Yes,” Christos confirms warily, a frown between his eyebrows.
“What color was my pegasus?” I ask the guys with excitement. I don’t think anyone mentioned it, and I can’t remember.
“She was a beautiful white with a gorgeous pink mane and tail,” Brodie says cheerfully, and Nox’s parents gape at me.
“You’re a pegasus too?” Johan asks carefully.
“Amongst other things,” I confirm, and they look confused. I sigh. It’s probably time to come clean, and maybe they will trust me a little more. “I have multiple forms. In fact, I have one for each of my mates as well as a hydra,” I explain.
Santos stammers, “A hydra? Holy crap. And a multi shifter as well? You really are impressive, Queen Colbie.”
My cheeks heat with embarrassment.
“How many mates do you have?” Lena asks, her eyes calculating as they move from me to each of the guys.
“Eight in total, and Nox is one of them,” I tell her, and she shakes her head adamantly.
“No, bond groups are never eligible to be mated to the queen.”
“Well, this time I can tell you that isn’t the case. I have their mate mark on my back, otherwise I would show you,” I state firmly.
“We can confirm she’s telling the truth. We would never have gone against the goddess and mated her if it wasn’t there,” Liam growls, sounding just as annoyed with her as I’m starting to feel.
“Eight mates,” Johan murmurs. “I don’t think there has ever been a royal with quite so many.”
“And there won’t be again.” Gem puts an arm around my shoulders and tucks me in next to him. “The goddess told Colbie that she will be the last chosen human, and that the title will be hereditary now.” Gem takes the time to remind them of the long conversation we had the night before.
“So essentially you need to finish gathering your mates so you can be crowned and take on the human and shifter factions that are plotting against you?” Johan crosses his arms and slumps in his chair. “And you need our son to do that.”
“Yes. Challenge day is coming soon, and although she’s powerful, she can’t be crowned if they kill one of her mates before they are mated, and then the power will be free to grab,” Micah replies, and Lena looks at him.
“How many mates does she have left to bond with?”
“Me and two others,” he answers. “We need a body of water for us to use, otherwise I would have already sealed the deal,” he says boldly, and I feel my cheeks heat at his declaration. His confidence is sexy, and he isn’t wrong. I want to go swimming with him so badly.
“So Nox and one other…” Christos looks at me. “Do you know who it is?”
“We assume it’s a fairy because of some choices the queen made, mainly to include the three outcast breeds on the council,” Gryffin replies, “but we were hoping once you track down who has the children, you could track her final mate.”
“You don’t want us to track the mate first?” Lena raises an eyebrow in surprise, and I shake my head vehemently.
“No. Those children and their parents need your attention first.” I think I surprise her, but she looks pleased.
“But some might say the future of the shifter race lies with you, so it’s important that you find your final mate,” Santos counters, playing devil’s advocate, and I grimace.
