My gaze got lost on the ornate tile work in a multitude of colors that adorned every inch we walked, the marble archways, and even the stained glass windows along the way. This place was unreal, absolutely breathtaking.
We made it to his mother’s faster than I expected. Hannes stopped before a set of huge double doors carved in mahogany wood and the nerves returned, twisting my stomach.
“There is no need to be nervous. Mom is the sweetest person you’ll ever meet.” Lifting my chin and placing a kiss on my lips like he’d been doing it his entire life, Hannes turned to leave but stopped. “Just don’t piss her off. Vampiresses are not the only ones with a bad temper, and youdo notwant to get my mom riled up.”
My eyes widened and he wickedly grinned, leaving me there.
Asshole.
“Well, are you going to knock, or…?”
My hand lifted, but the door opened to reveal Queen Luna.
“No need for you to knock, honey,” she assured, stepping aside so I could enter.
24
“What the?—?”
“She has Wolf Shifter senses, you Ninnyhammer!”
“Stop calling me that or I swear—".My threat faded when I looked beyond the queen to find Isis standing there—next to the sitting area.
“Isis!”
Before I realized what I was doing, I ran to her, pulling her into a fierce hug.
“Shit. You are actually hugging someone? Who the hell are you and what have you done with the bitch?”
“I’m sorry,” I offered Isis, beginning to let go, but she shook her head, pulling me back into the embrace.
Her arms squeezed me tightly and I felt the darkness around my heart squeeze, stirring the emotion it kept locked inside…. Natasha’s emotion.
I hated to admit it but, we missed her.
“You never have to apologize to me for anything, baby girl,” Isis assured, kissing my cheek and finally letting go. Not beforeshe cradled my cheek and admired me for a moment—as if I had changed since she last saw me.
“Where is Bjørn?” I asked, sitting down in the chair Queen Luna gestured for me.
“He had to leave.” Holding my hand, she sat next to me. “He’s helping the Knight Force track down the hidden RavenWolf encampments.”
“That makes sense.”
“He’s been very helpful,” the queen assured, joining us in the sitting area, and reaching for a pitcher on the table. “Sparkling pink lemonade?”
“It has sparkling wine, and it’s delicious,” Isis whispered mischievously.
“If it doesn’t have wine or coffee in it, I don’t want it,” Hannes’s mother added, making me chuckle.
“Oh, I like her…”
“I’ll have a glass. Thank you.”
Pleased by my answer, she poured me a glass, handing it to me. “Thanks for coming.”
“Of course. It’s the least I can do after what happened with Hannes.”
A sliver of regret cut through the queen’s expression. “Allow me to apologize again for how harsh I was with you when we first met. I was scared for my son, and even though I should have known better, the she-wolf mama in me was too strong to pull back.”
