Chapter 99
Monday 28th September, 2020.
Holly
It was the Witching Hour, some time between midnight and three in the morning, and the Prince was not in his bed. I had not been given my own room. The Prince had taken me back to his own chambers from the very first night. He had held me then but he had not touched me. He had been respectful. Now, we were more intimate and I craved his touch. I missed his caresses. I sighed, slipping out of bed. It was so cold without the Prince’s intense heat. I did not know how to adjust the temperature in the room. There was a device I had seen the Prince use. I picked it up and pressed a button. Cold air began to blow into the room. I squealed and pressed other random buttons. The room was getting colder and I was afraid to break the device. What if I had broken it already?
I stole out of my room. The hallways of this huge castle were intimidating enough in the daylight hours. The room opposite Harper’s chambers belonged to Princess Star. I took a deep breath and knocked on her door, softly at first. I got desperate and banged on her door.
“PRINCESS STAR!” I called. “Your highness!”
The door swung inwards and I was faced with a disgruntled Lord. I gasped, my cheeks flushing. I had interrupted something. The Lord was shirtless under a jacket he had clearly thrown on. This was one of the four. I did not know which one.
“Alpha…” I began, not knowing who this was. “Alpha of Princess Star, I am sorry to interrupt but I must ask the Her Highness something.”
The Alpha smirked. He snickered at me, leaning against the door. I kept my eyes on his face. He was indecent, shirtless, in underwear and barefoot.
“Chill Holly,” said the Alpha. “It’s Jonah by the way,” he said grinning.
He took his jacket off and I squeaked and covered my eyes. He put the jacket around my shoulders. I had not realised I had been shivering. My teeth had been chattering. I pulled the jacket around me. It was very warm like the sheets when Harper was under them. Alpha’s had a lot of body heat. My Prince was also an Alpha. I gave Alpha Jonah a grateful nod.
“Thank you,” I said softly.
He raised his eyebrows at me, staring at me expectantly. I realised he meant for me to come into the Princess’ chambers.
“No thank you, Alpha Jonah, I will wait here,” I said.
“No way! Harper already hates me. Think I’m gonna leave his Luna in a dark hallway alone when she’s asking for help. Tell me what’s wrong.”
He gripped the sleeve of my nightgown by my wrist and ushered me inside. He shut the door. Another sleepy Alpha was sitting up in bed. Star had put her robe on. Her cheeks were redder than mine were. I was not alone in my embarrassment.
“Princess Star, Alpha,” I said to the Star and the other Alpha. “I am so sorry!”
The Alpha laughed.
“Holly, it’s me, Noah,” said Noah.
“Oh!” I said, smiling.
I knew this one of the four a little better. Noah and Eli made me less nervous than Jonah and Zaya.
“Holly, you know, you’re a Luna too, you don’t have to address us as Alphas,” said Noah.
I nodded.
“You’re also our Sister-in-Law practically,” said Jonah.
Star raised her eyebrows at him.
“I didn’t know I was married,” she said.
Jonah grinned “Well, now that you’re probably pregnant you should marry me. I don’t just wanna be your Baby Daddy,” laughed Jonah.
Star rolled her eyes.
“You’re frightening Holly,” she said. “What’s wrong? Come here!” Said Star, motioning to the bed.
I moved closer to her. I whispered in her ear. I didn’t want anyone to overhear and wolves had good ears.
“I broke the air contraception in the Prince’s room. I’m so sorry. Can it be fixed? Don’t tell the Prince! I know he won’t be mad but I…I’m embarrassed,” I revealed.
Star chuckled.
“Aww, Holly,” said Star, giving me a hug. “Let’s go look at it.”
“We heard everything you said,” said Jonah.
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“Jonah, leave her alone,” said Noah.
“She’s hilarious,” said Jonah to his brother.
“I’m calling the air contraption police right away!” Barked Jonah.
I gasped.
“Jonah!” Snapped Star.
Jonah was beside himself, doubling over with laughter.
“I’m kidding Holly! I’m sorry!” Said Jonah.
“Yes, you talked about the Baby already,” I said.
Kidding probably meant with child. Star and Jonah were to be parents.
“Congratulations,” I said, placing a hand on Star’s tummy gently. “Blessed be.”
Jonah burst into another fit of laughter. He was so filled with mirth, so joyful because he had an heir on the way.
“I am not pregnant, Holly! Not that I know of. Jonah is joking. And you are not in trouble. You could probably break every air conditioning and heating unit in the kingdom and Harper would not blink an eye. He adores you. I am surprised he didn’t come back yet,” said Star as she marched me across to the Prince’s room.
Jonah and Noah followed shirtless and barefoot, wearing nothing but their undergarments.
“Oh Holly!” Exclaimed Star. “You poor thing! You put on the AC on high and it’s already cold! You must be freezing!”
“Nah! My jacket was really warm,” Jonah said as he pressed buttons on the device that controlled the air.
The cold air stopped filling the room. Warm air began to fill the room. I sighed in contentment.
“Thank you, again,” I said to Jonah.
“I’m going to check on my Dad and my twin and Eli and Zaya,” mumbled Star, heading down the hallway.
I scurried after her.
“May I walk with you?” I asked.
“No,” said Jonah.
I gasped.
“Jonah!” Said Star indignantly.
“Sorry, Holly, I couldn’t resist,” said Jonah.
“Jonah’s always jovial like this when he gets laid. He thinks he’s a standup comedian or something,” muttered Noah.
“Ahh you are well-rested, Jonah, from laying down so now you jest,” I said with a smile, following the three of them down the hallway.
Jonah was really in a good mood. He began to laugh again.
“Holly, you make me wanna study my old Autumn Fae books,” remarked Noah. “Luna, you know Autumn Fae have several luddite communities. They use lanterns. They churn butter. They don’t have vehicles, electricity or anything. They live like it’s centuries past.”
“We are few nowadays,” I said.
Many Autumn Fae enjoyed the comfort of technology and left their simple villages for the bigger Fae cities with their flameless lights and their horseless carriages.
“What I don’t understand is how your grandfather became a good enough doctor to be able to see to Hesper. She was such an important person. Surely your grandfather used technology. He wouldn’t compare to modern doctors if he didn’t. No offence by the way,” said Noah.
“Grandfather knew many things. He could use technology. Grandmother hated it though. She liked the simple life,” I said.
“And what about you?” Asked Noah, seemingly fascinated.
“I like technology,” I whispered lest someone from my home village somehow hear me. Some of them worked at the castle as servants. I had already been the subject of scandal and reproach for stealing the Lotus.
I had a piece of technology with me. Harper had given it to me before I left the room earlier to avoid seeing the c*e. I showed it to them.
“Harper got you the new iPhone,” said Noah, smiling.
“It is very pretty,” I said happily.
I was keeping it safe and not touching it much so it remained shiny.
“Holly, it’s off,” said Jonah as we descended a flight of stairs.
“They’re in the dungeon,” said Noah.
“It came with a book. I have yet to read it. It came with a white cord too! They’re both safe in my room, hidden,” I told them.
“Holly, you have to charge your phone and put it on,” said Jonah.
“Of course,” I said, feeling silly though I was not sure what he meant still.
“I am waiting for the right time to charge it,” I said.
“Now is the right time,” chuckled Jonah.
“We should have put on shirts,” said Noah, stopping in his tracks.
“Star’s Dad,” said Jonah, looking worried. “You’re right. Shit.”
“I’ve already seen you,” said Lord Heath, walking up to us.
He ruffled my hair.
“Harper was just getting worried about you. I was heading to check on you actually,” said Lord Heath to me.
I smiled.
“Truly?” I asked.
“Truly,” he replied, smiling.
I was so grateful he approved of me even though I was not royalty.
“What’s taking so long?” Asked Star, her eyes worried.
Heath shrugged.
“They don’t have much reason to tell us where your mother and the others are,” said Heath, looking at his daughter with sad eyes. “They want to take it to their graves as their final offence against us all.”
We were standing in a long stone hallway. The cells of the dungeon was just beyond this. It was eerily silent.
“Lord Heath, are they all still alive?” I asked.
“Holden is dead,” admitted Heath. “I lost my temper,” he said.
“He literally ripped his head off,” muttered a voice I would know anywhere.
“My Lord!” I squealed jumping into Harper’s arms. He held me close to him.
“You smell so good,” he purred in my ear. “I must reek,” he said.
“No! You always smell good to me,” I answered honestly.
“I was expecting you to call me. Were the instructions hard to follow?” asked Harper.
I had not read the book he gifted me with the delicate device and white cord.
“I…I am sorry, Harper,” I said, using his name. He liked for me to say it. “I have yet to read it.”
“Don’t worry! I’ll show you,” said Harper, kissing my forehead.
I could tell there was some tension between Lord Heath and Prince Harper. They had quarrelled.
“Dad killed Holden a little while ago and we still don’t know where Mom is,” said Harper, pressing his forehead to mine.
I heard a door open and shut. The other two Alphas belonging to Star appeared.
“Alpha Elijah!” I said, waving.
“Hey Holly,” he said smiling.
He kissed Star’s forehead. The other one must be Alpha Isaiah. He sniffed Princess Star.
“Someone has been naughty,” he growled at her.
Star blushed and swatted him playfully with a wary glance at Lord Heath, her father. I held onto Harper tightly. I was so dependent on him now. I breathed in his scent and clung to his warmth. The dungeon was cold. I had feared being dragged down here by the castle guards for stealing the Lotus but my Prince had pardoned me. He had even chased down the guards when they ran after me. He had barely even knew me then. We had only just met and he had defended me. I remembered that day so vividly. I had literally hid by hanging onto the ceiling fixture after I used some levitation magic. I could see it all in my mind’s eye. I gasped. Everyone looked at me.
“Harper! Do you remember when we met?” I asked.
“Of course, Baby!” He murmured, trying to k**s me.
I kissed him hastily and then pushed against his chest.
“And the guards chased me for stealing the Lotus,” I added.
“Yeah,” he said slowly.
“And you found me in a hallway where I was holding on to the ceiling fixture!” I said excitedly.
Harper nodded.
You wanna play hide and seek in the castle? Or cat and mouse? Suggested Harper, his eyes bright.
“I want to go to that hallway! Take me to it please!” I requested. “All of us actually! Please!”
Harper looked at me curiously. “Ok,” he said with a shrug.
He put his arm around me and led out of the dungeon. The others followed. My face broke into a huge smile when I saw the statues of Hesper and the Queen. Just as I had suspected, there was a new addition. Prince Asriel stood on the other side of the Queen! Hidden in plain sight. There was one missing person unaccounted for. They could hardly put a werewolf unrelated to this Castle in a statue. It would be too strange, too obvious. I looked at Prince Asriel closely. He was holding a rose.
“Everyone is here,” I said softly.