Destiny frowned. “I’m not the one excited to play tourist.”
Sasha rolled her eyes, hooking elbows with Destiny and steering her toward a small group of women. Damon followed them inconspicuously, a constant shadow keeping her safe. “Honestly, I don’t know how you can be opposed to spending an extra night in a castle. It’s going to be so fun! I think you’re just cranky and need a nap. Come on.”
Mina and Genesis turned to them, breaking away from the other women. Mina smiled brightly, and Destiny decided she definitely needed that nap if she was going to withstand the aggressive combined cheerfulness of both beta assistants. Genesis gave her a sympathetic smirk.
“Miss Duvalle, I’ll show you back to your room. Miss Valentine if you walk with us a bit, I’ll reunite you with your brother on the way,” Mina announced, clapping her hands briskly.
“Valentine?” Destiny’s attention snapped to Genesis’s face. “You’re Greyson’s sister?”
Genesis’s smirk grew. “The one and only. I take it you met my esteemed younger sibling today. What did you think of him?”
Destiny’s cheeks felt suddenly warm. What did she think of Greyson the outrageously gorgeous, obscenely delicious-smelling alpha with the dreamy British accent? She struggled to find an appropriate answer.
“He’s…nice,” Destiny said feebly, cheeks growing hotter. “Very charming.”
Genesis gave her a knowing, amused glance. “Extremely charming and pretty good-looking. I’m not just saying that cause we’re siblings. We have different mothers, and we don’t knowwhich of our fathers sired us, so I can’t claim to share his genetic gifts. But he is objectively handsome, wouldn’t you say?”
Destiny laughed at the bluntness, shaking off her embarrassment. “Anyone with a pulse who’s attracted to men would say Greyson is an absolute babe.”
“I sure would,” Sasha piped up, breaking off her conversation with Mina midsentence. “He looks like a thousand women wished upon a star for the perfect man and he appeared.”
“Sasha! Genesis is his sister!” Destiny scolded through her laughter.
“I’m just agreeing with her!” Sasha exclaimed, lifting her hands innocently. “She said it first.”
They were still laughing when Mina led their group through a heavy door and into a massive gymnasium. At its center sat a boxing ring, which was currently occupied by two men. A third stood just outside the ring, talking over the sound of punches and grunts.
Pack Stepanov, all in one place.
Destiny abruptly stopped laughing as she caught their combined scents, the air thick with pheromones from their exertions. Her stomach clenched and she swayed on her feet, overwhelmed by the heady combination of their scents: cedar and sage and nutmeg, cypress and pomegranate, magnolia and patchouli and home, home, home. For a moment she couldn’t do anything but struggle to breathe.
The alphas stopped in unison, turning toward their unexpected audience. Destiny’s mouth went dry as she took them in. Greyson had removed his jacket, wearing only suspenders, a tailored dress shirt, and slacks. He’d rolled up his sleeves to reveal forearms corded with muscle.
Prince Alexander looked even more annoyingly attractive than he had earlier, his sweaty hair disheveled and falling into his electric blue eyes. He was shirtless, and looked more like aViking god than any mortal man should with his chiseled chest and huge biceps.
Hunter Li was, as expected, the most beautiful man Destiny had ever seen. What was it with these guys? Did they have no decency? Must they hoard all the attractiveness in the universe? It was positively unfair.
The prince’s head of security was the tallest of the three men, with a model’s bone structure—high cheekbones and a strong jaw offset by dark hair and smoldering hazel eyes. He had broad shoulders and narrow hips, but where Prince Alexander was bulkier, Hunter was more finely sculpted. His sweatpants hung low on his hips and Destiny couldn’t help but trace his eight-pack with her gaze, swallowing hard when she reached the v of muscle that disappeared below his waistband.
Mina cleared her throat loudly, breaking the intense stare off between Destiny and Pack Stepanov. Destiny blushed and lowered her eyes as Mina bowed to each of them.
“Prince Alexander, Prince Consort Hunter, Prince Consort Greyson, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she said cheerfully. “I was just taking Miss Duvalle back to her room and Miss Valentine was searching for her brother.”
“Of course, Mina, thank you,” Greyson replied, his easy charm smoothing over the awkward moment. “As a reminder, you don’t have to use our ridiculous titles. I hope that we’re all becoming friends here, so there’s no need to stand on such formalities.”
“He just doesn’t like the idea of consorting with me,” Prince Alexander interjected, with that lopsided grin that made Destiny’s stomach flip. “You’re in my pack, old chap. You’re my consort. Get used to it.”
“Don’t be a prat, Xander.” Greyson looked so elegantly above the prince’s foolishness that Destiny would’ve laughed if she wasn’t still involuntarily huffing their pheromones. “MissDuvalle, Gen, this is my packmate, head of security, andconsort, Hunter Li.”
“Nice to meet you,” Genesis replied.
“We’ve met,” Destiny said at the same time.
Hunter’s olive skin reddened a little, indicating he had strong feelings about their unceremonious introduction last night. He’d been perfectly polite but hadn’t spoken more than five words to Destiny as he took care of the prince’s mess. But his eyes—they’d been as intense as they were now, boring into Destiny as if trying to dissect her, and root out her secrets. He gave her a slight nod, then turned to Genesis and did the same.
Genesis looked between them, then at her brother and the prince, that familiar knowing glint in her eye. “I’m so jealous Destiny is staying for the beginning of the festival. I would’ve tried to weasel my way into an invitation if I’d known but I’ve got to get back to the states to cover the White House’s holiday concert. Y’all be sure to show my new friend an extra good time, won’t you?”
“I assure you we’ll takeverygood care of Miss Duvalle,” Greyson replied, dark eyes fixed on Destiny, his voice laced with a promise that made her feel warm all over.
