The Lycan Queen

Chapter Eight

As I rushed to my suite, I ran into my best friend and second in command, Edmund. He was flirting with a maid. The maid had her hand on his arm and smiled up at him while pressed against the wall. Edmund had his hand on her waist, leaning down, whispering sweet nothings to her. The maid looked over at me as I approached them, and she excused herself, running down the hallway.

“When the hell are you going to leave the staff alone?” I asked him, placing my hand on his shoulder. “You should look for your mate and save yourself for her.” Edmund is a player, sleeping with any woman he can get his hands on, mainly the palace staff. Easy access, he keeps telling me, even though he lives on the second floor.

“As soon as I find my mate, I will stop,” Edmund smirked, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. “I heard you got your mother worked up again this morning. What did you do to her?”

“Come, I will tell you while I get ready,” I told him, placing my arm around his shoulder. We walked up to my suite, talking about the gossip from the ball. Some socialites found their mates. Some were upset that their mates were from a lower status, and some accepted theirs with no problem.

We walked into my suite, and he plopped himself on the sofa while I headed into the bedroom so I could start packing.

“So, what is going on?” he finally asked me, yelling from the other room. I grabbed my suitcase from my closet, set it on my bed, and opened it. He came into my bedroom, saw the suitcase, and wondered what was going on.

“I think Charlie is my mate,” I told him as I placed a dozen T-shirts into the suitcase. “Last night at the ball, I went upstairs to get some quiet time. Rypere caught my mate’s scent, started going crazy, took over my body, and took me to Charlie’s old room. When I walked in, her scent was faint, but still there after all these years. Once we went into the room, Rypere calmed down, and wanted to find Charlie.”

“Charlie? Charlotte?” Edmund asked me. “She has been dead for years.”

“You can’t be mated to someone who is dead,” I explained, placing shorts next to the T-shirts. “She is still alive. I’m going out to find her and bring her home.” Edmund shook his head, sitting on the bed.

“It’s a lost cause,” he told me. “She could be anywhere! It’s an enormous world out there.”

“That is why I am going to find her,” I told him, setting the jeans next. I paused and looked over at my best friend. “Why don’t you come with me?” I asked him, hoping he would say yes. “This way, you could find your mate, too. Plus, I could use the company on my trip.”

Edmund sat there for a minute, thinking about my offer. He looked up and smiled. “It has been boring being cooped up in this place,” he said. “A change of scenery would be nice, and finding some new p***y would be great until I find my mate.” I couldn’t believe my ears, shaking my head at him.

“That is if she doesn’t reject your ass when she finds out that you are a man w***e,” I scolded him, throwing a pillow at him. “If you are going, pack for about a month. Nothing to make you stand out. We need to blend in.”

“So, we are taking the Wrangler?” he asked me, getting off the bed, and smiling. The Wrangler he is talking about was a project we had that lasted for several years, and we just got it done a few months ago.

“Of course,” I told him. “I told you we don’t need to stand out from everyone else. Just out road tripping and checking out the world before we start our lives.”

“Well, technically, this would be one last trip before we start our lives,” Edmund said, walking to the door. “When do you want to leave?”

I sighed and looked at the time. After the argument I had with mother in the dining room, it was already after ten. “Let’s head out first thing in the morning,” I told him. “There are some things I need to take care of before we head out.”

“Going to make up with mommy?” Edmund joked, chuckling a bit. I glared at him and threw a shoe at him.

“No, I need Mary to do some research for me before we head out,” I explained to him. “There have to be reports of two little girls appearing somewhere alone, no names, no identification, nothing. Someone has to know something.”

He left, and I continued to pack my bag. Since we are going to be gone for a while, I ended up packing two suitcases and a duffle bag full of stuff. I made sure I had credit cards and the Royal Debit Card so I could access cash while we are out on the road. Once everything was ready, I went to look for Mary.

She was in her office, at her computer, typing away. When I entered, she rose and bowed her head.

“Your Grace, I already heard, and this is what I have found so far,” she informed me, handing me three pages. “These are the names and places where families placed or adopted two little girls matching Charlotte and Carolyn’s descriptions.” Since we were in Maine, there were a few dozen locations across the country that had these girls show up. One of them was on the list of Mountain Moon Pack.

“Is this right?” I asked her. “Why is Mountain Moon on here?”

“They found a prison full of children several years ago,” Mary explained to me. “The pack took in a dozen children because no one claimed them. Charlotte or Carolyn might have been one of the rescued children,” she explained. That might be one good place to start. Mountain Moon is a large werewolf pack, but it is clear across the country. I will start my search locally, then work my way out, hoping to find Charlie and her sister.

“Thank you, Mary,” I said, smiling at her progress. That is what I love about having Mary as my assistant. She listens to the palace and does her job to make sure I stay on top of things. While I was arguing with mother about finding Charlie, she went to work before having her breakfast, compiling information I would need for my search. I turned to leave her office when she cleared her throat.

“One more thing, Your Grace. Your mother would like to have a going-away dinner for you. She has already invited the Duke and Duchess,” she informed me. I smiled because I will get to see Aunt Katie and Uncle Harry before I leave. “She also invited the Livingstons’, too.” I turned and growled. My last night at home and the last thing I want to do is spend it with Sarah Livingston hanging all over father, listen to Richard brag about how much money he has, and have Rochelle try to weasel her way onto the throne with me.

“Tell mother I will not attend if they are coming,” I ordered Mary. “I don’t want Rochelle’s grubby hands all over me.”

“She insisted it is mandatory,” Mary said to me, handing me the email from mother. I read over the email, then crumpled the paper.

“f*****g b***h,” I mumbled under my breath. I sighed and tossed the email into the trash can. If I don’t go to this dinner, mother will cut my funds off for this trip. What she doesn’t know is that I have my own account she can’t access. I have more than enough money in it to live on it for several years. Plus, father would send money to me when I needed it.

Since it is required for me to go to this dinner, I went up to get cleaned up and change. I put on black dress pants and a black dress shirt, then I folded up the sleeves. When I entered the parlor, Aunt Katie and Uncle Harry were already there. Katie was happy to see me, and I kissed her cheek. Then I shook Harry’s hand.

“Are you seriously going to look for the girls?” Katie asked me with hope in her voice.

“I am not guaranteeing anything, Kate, but I will try my best,” I answered her. I didn’t want to give her hope and disappoint her in the long run.

“I know you will,” she said, giving me a small smile. We were all chatting quietly in the parlor when chaos broke out in the foyer. Great, the Livingstons are here. I rolled my eyes as they always make a scene wherever they arrive.