“It’ll most likely be a week or more. Ice will be the real problem until it warms up a little,” Hunter added. “Even once it stopssnowing, it’ll be hard to keep the runways clear of ice or keep planes from accumulating it in flight.”
Though he appeared as stoic as always, Xander knew Hunter well. His head of security wasn’t as calm and sympathetic as he was putting on. If Xander didn’t know any better, he’d say Hunter was pretty stoked about the weather.
“A week! Fucking hell, I can’t stay here for a week!” Destiny looked stricken for a moment, before remembering her manners. “I mean, I couldn’t impose on the crown for so long. And during the holidays, no less!”
Xander didn’t mean to laugh but it was funny to see the popstar flustered. She’d been perfectly composed since she’d arrived. He liked when Destiny Duvalle thawed out a little and swore and even treated him like an annoying, regular guy instead of a prince.
She scowled at him. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself, your highness.”
Xander grinned. Her voice was full of disdain, but for some reason that didn’t irritate him like it had before. Maybe he’d earned some of it. He’d been wallowing in insecurities that he needed to deal with, and he’d projected them onto her. Now, he thought he’d like to try and get to know who she really was.
“I’m sorry you’re not enjoying yourself, Miss Duvalle, and I’m sorry for the part I’ve played in that,” Xander said sincerely, though he couldn’t suppress a grin. “Why don’t we try to turn your visit around? Hang out with us tonight, let us show you a good time. I’m convinced that somewhere underneath your whole ice maiden vibe, is someone who can have fun, yeah?”
Destiny put a hand on one of her deliciously wide hips and arched an eyebrow at him. “You’d know. As you so kindly pointed out, I have a wild streak, so you know your shenanigans last night were small potatoes compared to what I’ve gotten into.”
Beside him, Hunter winced. Grey closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Xander raised his hands placatingly.
“That was a dumb thing to say. I was being an asshole. It’s not easy being in the spotlight, and I should know better than to believe everything I sort of skim while scrolling the web at three in the morning.” Xander gave her his best smile. “Be as frosty as you like. It’s Christmas, after all. Just come hang with us for a few hours. I’ll try my best to be less vexing.”
Destiny’s cold glare didn’t waver, and for a moment Xander began to doubt his charms for perhaps the first time in his entire life. He’d been enjoying the idea that he was getting under her skin—past her icy demeanor to the fire beneath. Xander didn’t want her keeping her cool when he’d been constantly riled since the moment he stumbled into her room last night.
Finally, Destiny exhaled a huff of air that made a few strands of her dark hair flutter around her face. “Why the hell not? It looks like we’re going to be roommates for a while. Or whatever you call it when you’re cohabitating in a giant castle where I could feasibly avoid you if I tried hard enough.”
“Great! It’s settled then.” Xander felt triumphant and he wasn’t sure why. He just knew he wanted to spend more time around this adorably irritating omega who smelled like Christmas morning. “Sasha and Mina will handle the arrangements and plot world domination. Damon will take a break and go videocall his pack, who are missing him and are probably worried sick if they’ve heard about the storm. You have my word Miss Duvalle will be perfectly safe with us.”
Destiny tilted her head, studying him with a furrowed brow, no doubt confused by his familiarity with her bodyguard’s situation. But Xander liked to know the people around him. He liked getting to know the staff, and the citizens of Avondale. It was his favorite part of the whole royalty thing. So, he’d made ita point to talk to Damon whenever they’d crossed paths, asking him about himself and the family waiting for him back home.
“You good with that Destiny?” Damon asked, looking a bit torn. Xander admired the man’s dedication to his job, even if it was overkill. He had to know she was perfectly safe in the castle.
“Of course! Go and spend some time with your family,” Destiny assured him while emphatically shooing him from the room. Mina and Sasha followed, after a few more last-minute directions.
And then Pack Stepanov was alone with Destiny Duvalle.
Chapter eight
Destiny
Nothing was going to plan.
Destiny wasn’t sure what she’d done to earn her current karma, but she was sorry for whatever it was. All she wanted to do was go home, be alone, and think about her life. Instead, she was five thousand miles away and trapped indefinitely with rich, influential strangers, including a cocky alphahole prince and his infuriatingly attractive packmates.
Okay, maybe that last bit wasn’t as terrible as Destiny was making it out to be. She didn’t want to admit that, beneath her frustration, there was an insistent whisper of excitement at the thought of spending more time with Pack Stepanov. Maybe that’s why she’d agreed to hang out with them that evening.
And why she found herself standing in the wing of the castle designated as their packhouse, attempting to focus on her futile web search for other transportation options out of Avondale, and trying her best to think straight through the haze ofalpha pheromones. It was damn near impossible. Their scents permeated everything, enveloping Destiny in cedar and cypress, pomegranate and patchouli, and all the other irresistible fragrances that were uniquely Greyson, Hunter, and Alexander.
If this is what other unbonded omegas felt around alphas, she was glad she’d been broken for so long. Destiny wouldn’t have been able to function, let alone perform, if she’d been this distracted and aroused every time she caught a whiff of available alpha. Was she going to have to deal with this all the time now that her instincts had awakened? If so, her mother would have no choice but to cut back her schedule.
“Destiny? You’re still a vegetarian, right?” Hunter Li was looking at her curiously, making her wonder if this wasn’t the first time he’d asked the question.
Destiny smiled, putting away her useless phone, and forcing herself to focus. “Yes, but how did you know that? I mean, I’m sure the kitchen staff was made aware, but you’re security, not sustenance, right?”
One corner of Hunter’s mouth quirked up in a smile, a slight flush spreading across his high cheekbones. “I told you I was a fan.”
Destiny laughed, remembering the old magazine he’d had her sign. “You actually read the articles, huh? Most guys bought those magazines for the posters.”
Hunter kept his intense gaze on her as he expertly chopped vegetables. When he’d offered to whip up some snacks for the four of them, Destiny hadn’t expected him to put on a culinary show. Seated at the bar that separated the kitchen and living rooms in the open main area of the packhouse, she watched him throw together a fresh charcuterie tray with practiced ease.
“I wanted the posters, too,” Hunter admitted, lowering his head bashfully. A lock of black hair fell into his eyes, and Destiny fought the ridiculous urge to smooth it back into place. “Mygrandmother fussed that I was as much of a sucker for a pretty face as my dad, but she was the one who kept buying me the magazines.”
