Chapter 9
1958 Words
Chapter 9
Satisfied with her talk with Ramses, Arden headed for the West Garden, her snack wrap in hand. She had about an hour of downtime before she, Kealan, and Hennesey were due to depart for the airport, and she intended to spend it in total solitude.
Finding an isolated picnic table tucked away from the main paths, she unwrapped her meal and finally checked her phone. Warlord’s previous cliffhanger about Fury was still burning a hole in her pocket.
Arden: Sorry for disappearing. Had to handle some barracks bullsh*t.
Warlord: Anything I need to worry about?
Arden: No. Just Kealan giving me a heads-up about Doucherman.
Warlord: Anything new?
Arden: Same old story, different day. But back to what you were saying... Fury actually went to meet his mate? The one who rejected him?
Warlord: Yeah. When he showed up for morning training, I pressed him on where he’d disappeared to last night. He told me Margot came by the territory to talk.
Arden: And? What did she have to say for herself?
Warlord: She said she’s willing to date him.
Arden’s brows shot up as she stared at the screen. Date? After a rejection that visceral, the word seemed almost insulting.
Arden: Date? That’s it. Just out of the blue?
Warlord: No, not out of the blue. They had met once before, and it didn’t really go all that well. At least, that’s what I gathered. But I guess things with this fiancé of hers aren’t any better, so she’s taking a chance on the mate bond with Fury.
Arden: That’s crazy. But I guess it’s a good thing, too. Right?
Warlord: I guess we’ll find out soon enough.
Arden: Will you let me know?
Warlord: I’ll tell you what I know, but nothing in detail since it really isn’t my place to share someone else’s private life.
Arden: Understood. I have to go now. I need to finish this wrap and head out to get the Princesses. Talk later.
Warlord: Sounds good. I love you.
Arden: I love you, too.
Arden made quick work of the rest of her wrap, the news about Fury’s "dating" situation still swirling in her mind as she tucked her phone away. She’d have to get the rest of that story tonight. Right now, she had a schedule to keep.
She jogged toward the tactical garage, where the kingdom's fleet of sleek, black SUVs sat gleaming under the industrial lights. They were taking two vehicles—standard protocol to ensure the Princesses and their children had plenty of room and separate security cordons.
Kealan and Hennessey were already there, tossing their bags into the trunk of the lead car, but they weren't alone. Standing by the driver’s side of the second vehicle was a figure that made Arden pull up short.
Magnus.
The Commander wasn't usually one for airport runs. His role was typically rooted in the command center, overseeing the kingdom’s broader security net. Seeing him in his full field gear, checking the sidearm at his hip, sent a ripple of unease through the garage.
"Commander?" Arden asked, her eyebrows trekking upward. "I didn't realize you were joining the escort."
“That was always the plan, Arden,” Magnus replied stiffly. She shrugged a shoulder, a silent whatever you say, and moved toward the lead SUV. She circled the lead SUV and climbed into the passenger seat. To her surprise, Magnus didn't head for the second vehicle. He walked straight to the driver’s side of hers, pulled the door open, and slid behind the wheel with practiced precision.
The engine hummed to life, a low, powerful vibration that filled the cabin. They pulled out of the garage and began the descent toward the kingdom's hidden gates.
Arden stared out the window, watching the lush, enchanted greenery of the interior kingdom begin to blur. She could feel Magnus’s gaze flicker toward her every few miles, though he never fully turned his head. He was observing her.
“Yes, Commander?” Arden asked, turning to face him.
"It’s been brought to my attention that you’ve been distracted and that your performance isn’t up to par,” Magnus replied, keeping his eyes on the road, his voice low and devoid of its usual booming command.
"With all due respect, Commander, that’s bullsh*t, and you know it. I'm performing my duties as expected, if not better,” Arden replied, her expression stoic and her voice firm.
“Yes, I do. I’m letting you know what was brought to my attention. I never said the accusation had any merit.”
“Then why bother telling me?”
“Because you deserve to know that someone has it out for you.”
“Arden felt a surge of cold irritation. "Let me guess: Douglas."
"Names are irrelevant," Magnus said, though the slight tightening of his jaw suggested otherwise. "What is relevant is that he, or whoever filed the report, is looking for a reason to have you sidelined. By being in this car, I am the witness who shuts down that report. But you need to be impeccable today, Arden.”
“I always am,” Arden turned back to the window, the weight of the situation settling in. Magnus wasn't just babysitting her; he was acting as her shield, even if he was doing it with the warmth of a glacier.
“See to it that you are,” Magnus replied.
“Yes, sir.”
The sleek, dark-silver private jet bearing the Alpha’s crest was already stationary on the tarmac, its engines let out a dying whine as the turbines spun down.
“Are we late?” Arden asked Magnus.
“No, they’re early,” Magnus muttered, the SUV barely coming to a complete stop before he threw it into park.
The SUV tires screeched to a halt on the asphalt as Magnus and the guards scrambled out. They moved with practiced precision, forming a perfect reception line at the base of the stairs. Seconds ticked by. The hydraulic ramp stayed down, the dark interior of the cabin gaping open like a silent mouth, but no one emerged. There was no sound of children’s laughter, no rustle of silk, and no heavy, rhythmic footfalls typical of the Alpha’s security detail.
Kealan glanced toward Hennesey, his brows furrowed in confusion. They both looked at Arden, who had also furrowed her brows by this point, and tilted her head, wondering where the princesses were. All three look at Magnus simultaneously.
“Uh…Commander? Where are they?” Kealan asked.
“That is a very good question, Officer Kealan,” Magnus replied, just as bewildered as his guards. He looked at his watch and then at the flight plan. The details lined up. He checked the jet’s tail wing, and it was the crest of the Yellow Moon pack.
Magnus and the guards stood in stunned silence, scanning the empty doorway. Just as the tension reached a breaking point, movement flickered at the top of the stairs. They braced themselves, only to see the Captain stepping out, looking entirely too relaxed.
“Oh, hello,” the Captain said with a bright smile, descending the ramp toward the bewildered reception committee.
“Captain, where are Princess Evelyn and Princess Eileen?” Magnus demanded, his voice tight with a mix of authority and sheer confusion.
“They’re inside the airport eating,” the Captain replied.
“Eating?!” Arden, Kealan, and Hennessey shouted in unison, their voices echoing across the tarmac.
The Captain paused, looking at the four fairies with genuine surprise. “Did they not tell you?”
“No!” all four barked back.
“Oh… well, we arrived thirty minutes ahead of schedule,” the Captain explained regretfully. “Alpha Deacon’s triplets were all hungry, so Luna Evelyn and Eileen took the pups inside to find a meal while they waited for you. I honestly assumed they’d reached out.”
“They have four hungry werewolf pups between the two of them,” Arden said, a small, knowing smirk tugging at her lips as she defended the sisters. “I think it’s safe to say calling us wasn’t exactly their top priority.”
“Arden, always the one to see the logical side of things!” a familiar, melodic voice called out.
The group spun around to see the two Princesses approaching from the terminal. The air seemed to brighten as their vibrant pink and purple fairy hues caught the light. Evelyn’s three-year-old triplets were trotting alongside her. Their baby-blue, amber-orange, and light grey tones made them impossible to miss. Eileen followed, carrying her one-year-old son; he lacked the fairy colors of his cousins, but he was undeniably handsome, clearly taking after his father, Apollo.
“Princesses, why didn’t you inform us you were arriving early? We expected you to be on the jet,” Magnus chastised, though he looked more relieved than truly angry.
“Commander Magnus, I don’t recall a rule saying we had to answer to you,” Eileen teased, winking playfully as she shifted the toddler on her hip.
“I mean, you technically don’t,” Arden added from the side, unable to resist the jab. Magnus shot her a sharp glare, which only made Evelyn and Eileen snicker.
“Princesses, your parents are waiting for you,” Magnus said, clearing his throat and attempting to steer the conversation back to professional territory.
Evelyn just shook her head, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “Still business as usual, Magnus. Some things never change.”
Magnus ignores the jabs coming from Evelyn and Eileen, completely used to it. He and Kealan want to get their bags from the jet while Hennesey and Arden accompany everyone to the two waiting SUVs, which were already equipped with car seats for the children: three in one for Evelyn’s triplets and one in the other for Eileen’s son.
As Arden stepped forward to help Evelyn wrangle the triplets, she felt a sudden, insistent tug on her tactical trousers. She looked down to find Nora, the second-born triplet, staring up at her with wide, inquisitive, amber colored eyes.
While the other two pups were busy playing tag around Magnus’s legs as he tried to load up the luggage, Nora seemed captivated by Arden.
“Natasha! Naomi! Get over here, now!” Evelyn called out, her voice rising over the two pups’ high-energy antics. One by one, she scooped them up and hoisted them into the SUV. The two scrambled for their favorite spots before Evelyn leaned in to buckle them into their seats.
When she turned back to Nora, however, she found the third triplet standing perfectly still next to Arden, staring up at the guard with a look of pure, wide-eyed admiration.
“Nora… Come to Mommy, sweetie,” Evelyn urged, reaching for her daughter.
“Mommy! Birdy!” Nora squealed, pointing a tiny, insistent finger up at Arden.
“What did she say?” Hennesey asked, tilting her head in confusion.
“I think she said I’m pretty,” Arden said, her expression softening into a rare, grateful smile. “I’ll take the compliment.”
Evelyn quickly gathered Nora into her arms and tucked her into the SUV beside her sisters. Once the toddler was securely buckled, Evelyn stepped back and turned to Arden, her eyes wide with a sudden, sharp realization.
“What?” Arden asked, her smile faltering at the Princess's intense expression.
Evelyn leaned in, her voice dropping to a low whisper meant only for Arden’s ears. “She didn’t say you were pretty.”
Arden blinked. “Then what did she say?”
“She said you’re a birdy,” Evelyn corrected, her gaze searching Arden’s. “As in a bird.”
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