Chapter 0396


    “Yes,” a few girls said. The rest nodded. I just watched, a bit in shock.


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    “Good,” Nathan said. “Do not bete.” Then he left us.


    The girls all looked at each other again. And then, at once, in a rush, they stood up and headed for the


    door.


    “What are you going to wear?” Tiffany asked Veronica as they too made their way out. I didn’t hear


    Veronica’s reply.


    Elva and I were thest to leave. We would need time to pick and n our outfits, but I wasn’t overly


    worried. Likely Charlotte already had everything handled. And if she didn’t, a simple sundress would


    do. I was not quite as knowledgeable about outfits as the other girls.


    As we walked through the hallways, I paused when we spotted Nichs and Julianing toward us.


    “Nickss!” Elva shouted and ran forward. “Jul–an!”


    Nichs hugged her, and then Julian scooped her up into his arms and swung her around. She giggled


    andughed, then hung onto him around his neck as he pulled her closer.


    “Have you been practicing what I showed you?” Julian asked her.


    Elva nodded her head grandly, but after spotting me watching, she stopped. She leaned in and


    whispered too loudly to be kept secret, “Mommy doesn’t like it.”


    I had to talk to her about thatter. It didn’t bother me so much, anymore.


    With Elva so thoroughly distracted in a discussion with Julian, Nichs came


    closer to me.


    “I take it you’ve heard the news?” he asked.


    “Yes. Do you have any idea what’s going on?”


    “No. We’re just as much in the dark. The King is likely nning something


    drastic to help bring the royal family into a better light with the public. Julian and


    I have spected what that could be, but we’re just guessing.”


    “What are your guesses?” I asked.


    “I don’t want to worry you,” he said.


    That didn’t make me feel any better. “Nick…”


    1/2


    “I’ll protect you, Piper. Whatever it is, you have nothing to fear.”


    “But who will protect you?” I asked.


    He smiled a little at me, but didn’t say a word. I knew what he was thinking, an old tenant in werewolf


    culture: an Alpha protects his family.


    I wished he would say so allowed, but I knew he couldn’t. We weren’t really a family. We never would


    be.


    But his desire to protect me and Elva made me want to protect him too. I had strength now. If worse


    came to worse, I would find my own ways to keep him safe.


    Two hourster, I, Elva, and the rest of the girls were led to stand in a line out front of the pce.


    Nathan waited until we were in ce.


    The cameras were already set up and rolling. The King and Queen were missing, but Nichs and


    Julian were there as representatives, standing beside Nathan on a tform.


    The protesters outside of the gate were held back a fair bit from the fences by security. The roads were


    clear.


    Nathan, holding a microphone, addressed the cameras. “To add some excitement to ourpetition,


    and to spice things up, the royal family has decided that a new contender should be added to the


    lineup.”


    On the road, a limo pulled up to the gate. The gate opened, and the limo pulled through. It slowly crept


    up the driveway and came to a stop right in front of the tform.


    My mind was reeling. A new contender? Was that allowed? Though if it was the royal family’s decision,


    I supposed anything was.


    The limo came to a stop. The door popped open.


    I held my breath.


    A woman stepped out of the car, a blonde with a big, practiced smile. I recognized her from television,


    but also from the pictures in Nichs’s room.


    This wasn’t just another contender.


    This woman was Bridget.