The Lost Queen

Ch. 16: Shifter or Fae

Rayne groaned as she leaned out of the trash can just outside the council's meeting room. Ronan, the perfect wingman, hid his grimace and held her gathered curls out of her flushed face after expelling all contents of her breakfast. She gratefully took the bottle of water he offered her as well as the toothbrush he now kept on hands for occasions like that, and she scrubbed her teeth with a minty paste. Two swishes of water later and she was good to go. Shaky, of course, but she wasn't going to get any better than that before the meeting.

Ronan offered her a sympathetic smile. "They've been relentless this past week."

"You have no idea," she winced, her voice hoarse from the rawness in her throat. "Thank you, Ro."

"Anytime," he said, patting her shoulder. "Ready to face the elders?"

"No," she admitted. "But let's get it over with."

She and Ronan walked into the council meeting room and found them in position, awaiting her arrival. Her father nodded his head to her first in greeting, and the rest of the elders followed suit.

"Alpha," they all greeted.

She nodded in acknowledgement back. "Elders, I'm sure you've all been anticipating this meeting since I called it a few days ago."

Elder Moors stepped closer to his side of the table and ran a hand over his silver chin. "Yes, Alpha Vance. We found your news to be most intriguing."

They all nodded in agreement. Her family already knew everything, so they were the only ones not sitting on the edge of their seats.

"There are two matters we are discussing today," Rayne continued. She proceeded to tell them about her meeting with the assassin in Jarrah's kingdom and offered a description of the woman in warning. Their surprise and questions were expected, and Rayne answered them as honestly as she could for the following hour.

Those same questions only increased with alarm after she shared her second set of news with them, consisting of her and Jarrah's plan to have a ball. Some saw it as a means of opportunity to figure out who the assailant was. Others didn't like the idea of being on another species' territory while vulnerable. But collectively, they agreed to go through with the ball for the sake of their future alpha.

By the time they finished making their own travel preparations, it was time for dinner with Rayne's family. She and Ronan gathered up the notes she and the Elders came up with for the ball and swept themselves away to follow some paces behind her family. She pushed out a soft breath of air, her shoulders relaxing just a little.

"What's up?" Ronan questioned, glancing down at her with a raised eyebrow.

She twisted her lips to the side. "The meeting went a lot better than I thought it would."

He snorted. "I think you've been hanging around those Fae people for too long. Our Elders may be older than rocks, but they know an opportunity when they see one."

Rayne giggled. "I know. Most of the Fae aren't that bad. It's just his mother can be . . ."

"This early and you already hate the in-laws?"

"I don't hate them, you jerk. His father isn't too terrible, it's just his mom can be a lot to deal with. I think I'm just not who they pictured for their son."

Ronan wrapped an arm around her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Well, it sounds like your boy doesn't give a shit about what they want. His parents would have to be out of their fairy loving minds not to love you, Raynie. Who wouldn't want a sick ass alpha for a daughter-in-law?"

A warm smirk overtook her lips. "Thank you. Actually, I'm glad the assassin didn't finish the job after all."

He laughed and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Raynie, you honest bastard."