Destiny laughed in surprise. “You know who Remy Rhodes is?”
Queen Raina looked mildly affronted. “I know Avondale seems like some little backwater country, but we do get streaming services. I loveWaverly Hills. That Queen Valerie is very entertaining.”
“Of course! I didn’t mean to offend.” Destiny blushed, but the queen waved away her apology. Destiny smiled fondly, thinking of the Rhodes Pack. “Remy is a dreamboat and a great guy. I didn’t turn him down. Pack Rhodes never made me an offer.”
Queen Raina watched her with ice blue eyes so like Natalya’s. And like Alexander’s, though his sparkled with charming mischief whenever he looked at Destiny. She pushed the thought away.
“But you would have refused them if they’d offered. You knew they weren’t for you.” It wasn’t a question, so Destiny didn’t respond. Queen Raina’s eyes twinkled with amusement, and now they were exactly like Xander’s. “I’ve found that it’s quite easy to recognize what we don’t want, but it’s much harder tofigure out what we do, and even harder to recognize what we really need.”
Destiny met the queen’s gaze, tilting her head curiously. What was it with moms? How had this stranger seen right through her perfect façade to the questions and emotions bubbling beneath?
“Life is strange that way,” Destiny agreed, trying to keep her tone light. “Things change so quickly. It’s hard to keep up sometimes—to tune out all the noise and listen to our instincts.”
Queen Raina nodded, looking pleased with Destiny’s response. “I couldn’t agree more. I do hope the snowstorm has afforded you some time to rest and reflect.”
They ate in companionable quiet for a bit, commenting on little nothings and sharing observations on the exploits of Aly and Ivan, who suddenly got a case of the zoomies and began chasing each other around the library. Destiny was surprised by how easy it was to talk to the queen. She had her son’s warmth and humor, without his more irritating tendencies.
“Get to know Avondale today,” Queen Raina told Destiny as she saw her out of the library after breakfast. “I think you’ll find both the place and the people to be quite wonderful.”
“I’m sure I will,” Destiny agreed. “Thank you, your majesty.”
To her astonishment, Queen Raina wrapped her in a warm hug, then pulled away and patted her cheek affectionately. “Thankyou, my dear. You have no idea how happy I am that you’re here. Now, just follow the sound of children. The fun is starting.”
Then the queen closed the library doors, leaving Destiny to ponder their conversation as she headed off to face the day.
Chapter thirteen
Hunter
Hunter scanned the room, watching Xander move among the families building gingerbread houses in the castle’s massive dining hall. His pack leader looked at ease, as he usually did when interacting with the people of Avondale. This was when he seemed most like the great leader he was meant to be—the great leader hewouldbe.
Even as Hunter surveyed the room for threats, his mind wandered. Xander had been his best self yesterday as well. Hunter had been relieved and surprised to see how hard the prince tried to connect with Destiny. The day had been the best he’d had in a very long time. Maybe ever.
Until that stupid article hit the web.
Hunter wanted to be angry with Xander about it, but he couldn’t. The prince was clearly remorseful. The pack bond had writhed with guilt all evening.
It’d been hard not to follow Destiny when she’d left, her face contorted with hurt and anger. Though she’d been more composed whenever Hunter caught sight of her during the endless PR meetings that took up the remainder of their snow day, she had avoided his gaze, had avoided all of them. Hunter wanted to give her space, but it physically hurt him to be away from her, knowing she was upset, and he couldn’t do anything to comfort her.
He may have walked past her room a few dozen times under the guise of security rounds, appeasing himself with snatches of her voice on the other side of the door. He’d felt better when he’d heard her laughing, and when he glimpsed her as Ivan slipped into her room. That had been enough to get him through the night.
But now it was a new day and Hunter craved her presence. He needed to see her, smell her, touch her. He needed to be near his omega.
So, he watched, hoping to see her appear in the crowd. He knew the PR teams had encouraged her to participate more fully in the Christmas festival. Hunter was grateful for that, because it meant that he and his packmates would have an opportunity to make things right.
Hunter usually enjoyed the festivities, in his quiet way, but this year felt different. It was like the entire celebration was for Destiny. It was their chance to show her the best of Avondale, to help her fall in love with it and see it as a place she could stay. To imagine it as her home.
Hunter had no idea how Destiny would feel about relocating to this small nowhere country. He’d had his own reservations when joining Xander’s pack, knowing it meant he’d live in Avondale for most of his life—at the very least until one of their future children took the throne. The royal life certainly wasn’t for everyone.
But Destiny was perfect for it. Of course she was, because she was theirs. She was already a queen, well-prepared for the public eye thanks to her long career. And, having been all over the world, surely she’d adjust to life in a new country. Or so Hunter hoped.
He tried not to worry about it. They’d figure it out. They could have a home in the states too, and they had the means to visit whenever she wanted. Hell, she could move her entire family into the castle if she wanted to. She could have anything, as long as she stayed.
God, he hoped she would stay.
Hunter steadied his breathing, wrangling his emotions into submission. He liked to be in control—needed to be in control, really. It was how he dealt with the world’s uncertainties. He found what he could take charge of, and he handled that shit.
Destiny made him feel out of control. He thought he wouldn’t feel right until they’d claimed her. But he had to be patient. Destiny was his and he was hers and that’s all that mattered. They’d figure the rest out. He would do everything in his power to make it so, and that would be enough.
