Chapter 5 : They Share Everything

An hour later, the view of the palace gardens as the sun dips below the horizon is a balm to my senses. A frosty lemonade in my hand, I stretch out on a chaise lounge on my private balcony and read the file on Rollo Seabrook.

He’s fifty-five years old. Alpha of the once-great Olympic Howlers. Twenty years ago, when Rollo lost his family and went bananas, his shifters abandoned their kingdom. It got absorbed into the Ruby Nightclaws’ biggest rivals, the Stealth Furs Pack. It’s common knowledge that the Stealth Furs Alpha, Reed Bainbridge, could give mean lessons to the Leavenworths, so that’s probably why the Olympic Howlers have chosen to go after the Ruby Nightclaws. The rogues aren’t completely off the leash, so to speak.

Rollo Seabrook still looks deranged, from the old photo of him. With crooked teeth from gnawing on bones and a face that looks like he’s spent one too many sleepless nights, he might have been handsome once. His muscles ripple and he could break bricks with his hands. He wears a black T-shirt like a bodybuilder.

Rollo’s Beta is Tyler Lorch, who’s just muscle, and loyal, unquestioning muscle at that. Your typical thug. Rollo keeps everyone in line with the promise of conquering some other kingdom, and in the meantime, stealing as much as they can.

I’m here to put an end to the Leavenworth dynasty, but if I take down the Olympic Howlers while I'm at it, I’ll have done enough good for a lifetime.

Catching my eye, butterflies dance in the gardens below while sparkling ponds and fountains make the scene even more appealing. It’s hard to tear myself away, even though I know I’ll have to start getting ready for my evening with the kings soon.

Dad approved of the kings rolling out the red carpet for me. “Just pretend they’re charming you, like everyone else,” he instructed me. “Their reign is about to end.”

“I didn’t know you had these ambitions of being king,” I said casually.

“Always. I just never said anything to you or your mother. Why not seize the opportunity, especially since we’ll be delivering justice?”

I can’t argue with that. My wolf is silent, which must mean she agrees.

“You’ve obviously impressed them,” he continued.

“You know me, Dad.”

“That’s my girl. They’re fooled by a pretty face and you pretending to be as charmed by them as everyone else. Those pampered royals won’t know what hit them!”

I had to object. “Pampered they might be, but they don’t look soft in the least.” I didn’t tell him about stepping into Wiley’s booby trap. “And you made it sound like they rule with an iron fist. Everyone says that they’re warriors.”

“That may be, but they still live in the lap of luxury and all the arrogance that goes with it,” my father said, with approval in his voice. “You know your target, Aurora.”

I snorted in the mind-link. “Naturally.”

“What’s your plan?”

“Shadow them for several days, maybe even weeks.”

His voice had an edge. “Why so long?”

“Is there a deadline I should know about?”

A pause. “No. I just don’t want you to run the risk of being discovered.”

“That’s why it’s worth taking the time to gain their trust. These rogues are as hard to track down as we’ve heard, so I have the perfect excuse to stay here for as long as it takes. Once they drop their guard completely, I’ll make my move. Trust me, Dad.”

“Always.”

A loud knock on the door startles me, and I leap up guiltily.

Nothing to be guilty of. I’m just sitting here enjoying the splendor of the view, reading a file. I cross back into my rich bedroom and say casually, “Come in.”

It’s Lucas. As promised, he has the files from Kent.

“Thank you, Lucas. Remind me never to get on His Majesty’s enemies list.”

He relaxes. “They like you.”

“Oh?”

I cock my head towards him, inviting him to tell me more. This is too easy.

“I know them like members of my own family,” he confides. “I can tell when they like someone. And they ALL like you.”

Interesting how he emphasizes that word.

“So, the rumors are true? They’re joined at the hip?” I ask. “What about with women? I haven’t heard about any scandals.”

“The Queen Mother would kill them,” Lucas reveals.

Interesting. They’re scared of their mother. I file that fact away.

“There was a problem with a girl a few months back, but it was because she only wanted Jordan,” Lucas continues, unaware of the gold mine of information he’s providing.

My stomach flips. “You mean … they share women?”

Visions of eager and dazzled shifter women hopping from bed to bed, passed from one brother to another like a box of chocolates, make me ill. I don’t know why. It’s not my business. If it’s true, it might be a way to take them all out.

“No, no, no! Nothing like that,” Lucas says, visibly offended. “I told you, their mother would kill them. Besides, women usually prefer just one of them anyway. That’s the problem. The brothers are so close that they don’t want drama and fighting over mates to come between them. It’s been known to happen.”

I think I know where he’s leading me.

And the revelation makes my knees tremble. I’m not sure why.

“Are you telling me what I think you are?”

He looks around as if expecting the kings’ spies to jump out of the shadows. “You didn’t hear it from me. No one knows except me, the Queen Mother, and our beta.”

My head is spinning.

Lucas is solemn. No way he’s making this up. “They want a Luna soon, and they all want the same fated mate, so there’s no conflict.”

I stay neutral and calm because the wildest, most harebrained, most outrageous idea just entered my head. I need more information first.

“I suppose there would be advantages to that,” I muse. “No jealousy or fighting.”

“Right. It means lots of royal heirs and little Leavenworths running around,” Lucas says. “Even if not all of them become Alphas, the royal family won’t care.”

Suddenly my mind is picturing miniature versions of Jordan, Kent, and Wiley running around this enormous palace. They would be completely adorable. And if my dad thinks the kings are pampered, their pups would be the most spoiled princes and princesses in history.

“Are there any prospects?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “Not serious ones. Believe me, half the Alphas have sent their daughters here, and they’ve all been sent home with a polite ‘thank you for coming.’ The female they pick would have to be incredibly special.”

“Not to mention the fated mate of all three, which is like catching lightning in a bottle,” I say.

It couldn’t be faked. Could it? You can’t usually fool someone’s wolf, let alone three wolves. On the other hand, if they wanted their shared Luna badly enough, maybe they could be convinced. It would take a lot of charm and winning their trust.

“Well. I should get ready for dinner,” I say. “I can read these files before I fall asleep.”

He seems unaware of the gift he’s just given me. “I’ll send someone in to help you get dressed and arrange your hair.”

I guffaw at that. “I’ve been dressing myself and doing my hair for mate balls and pack feasts all my life. I think I can manage.”

As I thank Lucas, my mind is racing ahead.

I cross to the bathroom, and I swear the scents of soaps, shampoos, and lotions will stay with me for days. Fresh flowers surround me. Gold is everywhere.

During a quick shower in which the warm water eases all the aches from the road, I think about the possibility that Lucas dangled in front of me.

I could pose as the kings’ fated mate. I could pretend I felt the pull, and convince them that they feel it too. A little flirtation and spending time together can go a long way. Plus, we’ll be working to track down the rogues together. Sometimes, people feel the heat when they’re working on a shared mission, especially when it’s exciting and risky.

And Wiley, at least, finds me beautiful. The others didn’t say anything, but maybe they rely on him to do the sweet talking. But do they find me beautiful?

As I step out of the shower and wrap myself in a towel softer than a cloud, I stare at myself in the mirror. I have stunning silver hair, my best feature. My eyes are a pretty turquoise shade while my body is toned and fit from hunting most of my life.

I could entice these men. I could trick them into thinking I’m their fated mate. It would be a more challenging plan than just locking them in a room and disposing of them.

A riskier plan, too. I heard the ice in Kent’s voice when he warned me about betraying them.

Maybe Wiley wasn’t kidding about the boiling oil.

Do I have the guts and killer instinct to pretend to be the kings’ fated mate and then murder them all?