What are you doing awake??
I checked the time. It was about three in the morning for them.
Chico:
Triplets all decided they were hungry at once and no one is taking the bottle tonight so we’re all awake
And before you ask again, Jax is still doing just fine while you take your belated omega leave
They’d coordinated carefully so I could take this time with my pack. Dylan and Eduardo were each performing one night a week, and Chico was helping with management things from home two days a week. Jax was good at his job, but it was necessary for them to step in. Dumping the running of the whole show on Jax, plus performing and riding lessons, wasn’t a possibility. We were a team, but it was still tricky navigating life events people traditionally took a lot of time off for.
“You’d better not be worrying about work.” Jude appeared at my side after taking probably two hundred photos of the intricate details everywhere, leaning to kiss my cheek. “Jax hasn’t panicked in my direction, and Jazz hasn’t tattled that he’s panicked in hers, so you can be chill, I promise.”
He pulled me and Alve along to where Madison was recording methodical details on the queen’s bed while Nathan was eyeballs deep in a conversation about the palace’s construction.
“I’ve never seen anyone get so excited about fabric.” Jude grinned, swinging our joined hands as we walked closer to them. “Or anyone so excited about architecture.”
The museum guides looked absolutely delighted to have someone so interested in the intricacies. “I don’t think they have either.”
Jude let out a happy sigh. “I’m glad we came. I’ve never been overseas before, and this is a good first pack trip. She’s wanted to come here for as long as I’ve known her.”
I had traveled a bit over summers in college, but that was a long time ago. Getting to travel with my pack now was a treat I hadn’t anticipated. Nathan had lived a lot of years on the road, and seemed perfectly happy to dive back into that, especially when we had a home to come back to. Alve, surprisingly, dealt with the chaos and change of travel quite well.
Madison bounded over, rising on her toes to kiss each of us in turn. “Their wallpaper is incredible. I might have to redo my nest with replicas.”
“Get a replica of one of the dresses too.” She’d look beautiful in one, but I was more interested in the sheer amount of space she’d have beneath those skirts. We could probably fit the whole pack under there. “I’ll be one of your many royal lovers.”
Her lust curled through the bond. “I’m gonna go ask where I could find something like that.” She darted off to talk to the guide again.
Nathan swept over, his lively study of palace architecture apparently over. “You’re all over here looking unfairly tempting. Which of my kings wants me to get on my knees and swear fealty to them?”
“Oh my fucking god,” I whisper-hissed. “Nathan! Don’t you dare make me get a boner at a historic site.”
Nathan purred, tilting my chin up so he could brush his lips over mine. “I’ll try to restrain myself until we get back to the hotel, but I’m not making any promises.”
“You’re a menace.” My cheeks were blisteringly hot.
“Mhmm, but a menace you love, right?”
It was truly, deeply unfair how his confidence never wavered when turning that charm on us. He knew we wanted him, now he would know something else, too.
“Idolove you.”
He blinked, blue eyes bright, his cheeks flushing. “You do?”
“Have you met you?” Now it was my turn to be charming. I slid my fingers through his hair, giving him that same light, teasing kiss he had given me. “What choice do I have except to be head over heels for you?”
“No choice,” Jude agreed. “This is a pretty snazzy place to get confirmation that two of your packmates love you.”
Nathan’s gaze slid over to Jude. “Two? Are we counting Madison in that?”
“Three, then.” Jude’s grin was a mile wide.
Delight slid down the bond from every direction.
“Four,” Alve added. “But if a palace is going to be the place for love confessions, then I’ll have to make a couple more. Unless you would each like your own palace for the experience.”
I didn’t know what exactly was going on, but I sure fucking liked it. “I’ll share a palace if you will.”
