Does he mind? That sly cat. I should’ve known he would take this opportunity to show off with such lavish gifts. He probably anticipated this exact request, knowing he’d be allowed to touch her. Red fills my vision as his hands linger a bit longer than necessary at the nape of her neck.
To my surprise, Cash and Finn offer her a pair of earrings to go with it. Those devious chipmunks must have collaborated with him on these gifts.
They confirm my suspicions a moment later when they smile and then dip their chins at him, and he does the same in return as she clips the earrings on.
Never one to be outdone, I glance down at her shoes. These will not do for such a fine gown. I summon my possessions for the items I’ve been saving for my mate. I know now that I will never have one, because no one else will ever compare to Ella.
I hold out a pair of glass slippers to her. She stares at them in wonder. “Are these made of glass?”
“Not just any glass,” I tell her. “Enchanted crystal. It will mold to your foot and allow you to move with ease as you walk.”
I kneel beside her, and she carefully lifts her skirt just enough to extend her delicate feet out to me. Shamelessly, I cup her calves with one hand while I fit the shoes with the other.
Her skin is soft, supple, and smooth beneath her silken stockings, and I long to skim the tips of my fingers up her legs to her thighs and—
“They’re lovely,” she exclaims, pulling me back from my errant thoughts. “Thank you, Kai.”
Cash and Finn narrow their eyes behind her, for they know I have outdone their gift by far.
While I am happy to give her gifts, I can hardly bear to think that the things we offer her are to help her catch his eye. It feels wrong to lead her to the prince in this way, especially when everything inside me screams that she should be mine.
I look to my bond brothers. No. She should be ours.
I force myself to focus. It is Ella’s destiny to marry the prince. Not us. “We must leave,” I tell her and usher her to the door.
When we reach the carriage downstairs, I smile in greeting to the peacock shifter, Rina, and her mate, Malen. “Thank you for helping us,” I tell them.
They bow low. “It is our honor to help the Chosen One.”
I help Ella into the carriage, and we all climb in beside her. We are fortunate it is large enough to accommodate us in our human forms so that we may ride with her in this way.
As we bump along the road into town, I study each of my bond brothers. Concentrating on the connection between us, I want to make sure Ella cannot hear me before I reach out to their minds.
I gaze at Cash and Finn, the twins looking more somber than I’ve ever seen them before. “Tonight, if all goes well, everything changes. You all understand this, right?”
“Yes,” they each respond, although I note Cash and Finn are a bit hesitant in their reply.
“I know it has only been a few days, but it seems we are not immune to the pull of the bond. We are not the first guards to feel possessive toward our female as if she were our mate.” I pause. “But the prince is human. They do not tolerate other males being so familiar with their wives. We are her guards, and that is all that we are. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” they each reluctantly agree.
Chapter 12
Ella
I look out the carriage window, marveling at the grandeur of the castle before me. Tall towers capped with silver peaked rooftops reach up toward the sky. The whitewashed stone seems to gleam beneath the last of the golden rays of the sun. If everything goes right this evening, soon this will be my home.
But as I glance at each of my guards, I can’t help but feel a sharp pang of sadness in my chest. I don’t know if it’s the bond that makes me feel this way, but I would not choose the prince if I had the choice. I do not want to give up the close relationship I have already formed with my guards.
They claim it’s my destiny to marry the prince and unite our two kingdoms. Perhaps I would have been excited by the prospect before I met my guards. But now that I have them, I can’t deny the deep longing I feel in my heart when I think that I’ll soon be married off to the prince. That I’ll never sleep surrounded by my guards. Never touch them. Never...
I shake my head to clear my thoughts. They probably wouldn’t want me anyway. I’m human, and they’re shifters.
With a heavy sigh, I turn my attention back to the window. We are almost inside the palace gates. I’ve never been this close to the castle before. It’s much larger than I thought, and as we circle into the courtyard, I notice all the royal guards dressed in their fine black and silver uniforms standing sentry just outside the massive glass and silver doors.
Golden light spills out from inside, casting a soft, ethereal glow to the gardens that surround the entire space. Fine carriages with gold and silver trim line the drive, and I watch in wonder as ladies dressed in elegant gowns line up outside the doors, waiting to be called upon to enter.
I look to my guards. I wish they were coming with me, but Kai says they will guard me from hidden positions throughout the ballroom. He doubts any of the wolf shifters will come for me here, but he wants to remain vigilant just to be certain.
My gaze drifts to Cash and Finn. Although I understand the bond makes me feel close to each of the bonded brothers, I
