Page 27 of Royal Bite
The door opened with Bijou and Nezera entering. Hegna stood from her seat, glad to have them present so the topic could be changed. The matter of the human could wait.
“General. Captain.”
“We came as soon as we could,” Bijou announced.
The women strode forward. Hegna motioned to the round table for them to sit there. Corbin joined them. He eyed her, and she knew that wasn’t the last of their conversation.
“Congratulations on your matching,” Bijou began.
Hegna whipped her head in her direction. Not her, too. She sighed and closed her eyes, rubbing her temples. A slight ache was forming behind her eyes.
“Your mate will make a great princess and future queen.”
“And how do you know this?” Hegna ignored the congratulations. This was not a joyous occasion for her. Only a slight issue that she would figure out how to deal with.
“I’ve spent some time with her. She’s a very caring human who wants to make this mating work. She already has ideas that I think you should hear,” Bijou responded.
Hegna stared at her second-in-command. Had the woman been hit on the head one too many times? Bijou had fought at Hegna’s side for centuries and was as dedicated to their kind as Hegna was. Didn’t she understand why now was not the time for Hegna to mate?
“A lab test doesn’t mean that we are compatible. No one will tell me who is the right person for me. Only I get to choose that, and I alone will determine how my future will go,” Hegna ground out. She leaned forward, eyeing all three of them. These were the women and man who she trusted without a doubt. She would lay down her life for any of them and she knew they reciprocated the same feeling.
“What did I miss?” Nezera asked. There was befuddled look in her eyes.
Hegna sniffed. So only Bijou was dazzled by the human.
“Nothing for you to worry yourself about. I called this meeting because Azura interrupted the meeting of my family,” Hegna said.
The air grew tense.
“She attacked?” Nezera asked. Her captain was a deadly vampire who had worked her way up the ranks of the army and earned her title of captain. Her insight into strategic battle-planning was top notch, and the woman was a great warrior.
“No, but I wish she would have so that we would not be having this discussion because she would have tasted the silver of my daggers,” Hegna snapped.
The image of the lycan brought a snarl from her. She updated her team on what she had learned. They remained quiet, allowing her to finish uninterrupted.
“It goes without saying that you do not leave this castle without a personal escort at all times,” Bijou said.
“I can take care of myself,” Hegna assured.
“Be that as it may, humor us all. We are not going to take chances that Azura somehow finds a way to get her hands on you. The future queen is to be protected at all times.” Bijou narrowed her eyes on Hegna.
“Don’t forget who you are speaking to,” Hegna warned.
“My princess, my future queen, and my friend,” Bijou growled.
Hegna closed her eyes and rubbed her temples again. She and Bijou were two stubborn vampires. There would be no winning with the general.
“Fine. One guard at all times. We can’t waste resources with our guards and warriors coddling me.” Hegna was willing to compromise. What kind of warden would she be if she didn’t listen to her council?
Bijou stared at her at first as if she was going to argue but must have thought better of it. She gave a nod and relaxed slightly.
“Aubrey forwarded me information on the locations of all known packs across the country.” Corbin pulled out a tablet from his attaché bag and turned it on. He sent the file to the hologram device sitting in the middle of the table. A map of the North American continent appeared before them in the air.
Hegna growled at the amount of packs marked on the image. There were plenty in her territory, and she didn’t appreciate it at all. These filthy wolves needed to be stopped.
“How has this happened and we’ve not known?” Nezera murmured.
“I want increased patrols in every city and town. We are going to include the human government. Reach out to the mayors and governors and send a message,” Hegna began.
