River & Her Royal Mate

##Chapter 14 - Pomp and Circumstances

The word stung.
River tried to hide her shock, but it felt like Kai had just slapped her across the face.
Annalise?!
That was the other woman's name. The one who had clothing in the private jet's closet.
"River," Kai started, speaking slowly and deliberately, "Before I met you, I will admit, I used to be a bit of a playboy. I liked to flirt. I traveled and partied. I even kissed a lot of girls. But ever since I set out working in my princely capacity, going to look in on packs, I haven't done anything."
River scowled in disbelief.
"Because I felt you out there. I knew I had a mate waiting for me. I only want you."
Oh, how she wanted to believe him.
"Then why are Annalise's underwear and all of those other clothes in that closet, Kai?"
"Because she has a problem with clothes. And going to foreign countries to shop. See, she's really picky." He rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable. Well, he should be uncomfortable!
Lecherous pig.
"Great. So she's a rich court-type wolf? I should have known." How could River ever compete with that?
She wanted to crawl under a rock and die.
After she got done punching Kai in the face.
"I guess you could say that..." Malachi had that semi-smug little smile on. How could he mock her like this?
"Annalise is the princess, River."
A princess?! It just got better and better.
Wait...
"As in-"
"As in my sister." Kai snorted a laugh as he said it.
"Which is why she uses the jet as much as you do." Her words came out flat and dry. River felt that horrible mix of stupid, embarrassed, relieved, and anger all dog-pile over each other in her mind.
The other girl was his sister. As in there was no other girl.
Yes!
Don't let him see you get too excited!
"And she doesn't bother to hide her unmentionables. I am always picking up after her. She's kind of a slob."
River found herself laughing. Kai joined in softly.
Kai tentatively reached out and grabbed her and she let him pull her into an embrace across his lap. He placed his lips on her forehead and his warmth spread through her.
"I only want you, River."
"Good, cause that idea is definitely starting to grow on me."
Maybe she'd let something else of his grow on her too...
Her wolf emerging seemed to have tripled her sex drive.
Maybe they had time for-
The intercom beeped twice and the captain's voice announced their landing just as the plane began a descending pattern. River and Kai laughed as they lost their balance and rolled over the bed.
Quickly, they both dressed and got to their seats to buckle up, still teasing and giving each other looks.
River felt a little giddy.
Oliver poked his head out of the office for a second, scowled and shook his head.
From her window, River watched as they descended through the clouds and down over lush hills and stunning slopes of incredibly old trees and manicured forests. From above it was harder to tell, but it reminded her of wine country from her aunt's magazines on Italy.
They had flown all night.
Maybe it was Italy?
But of course, no one would tell her anything about where they were going.
They couldn't.
Almost on cue she spotted the first vineyard, then another, followed by a huge orchard as they flew lower, nearing the ground.
Then suddenly, there was paved ground as they touched down.
River breathed deeply as they stepped onto the smooth asphalt. The air was fresh and crisp with the smells of fruit and life. The heady scent of flowers filled her up with memories of Aunt Klara and the plants that had surrounded her home her whole life.
This place felt...right.
Malachi seemed to feel the same way, a serene and peaceful sigh escaping his supple lips. He gestured for her to follow him to the edge of the slope of the far side of the airport runway. Behind them a car crunched to a halt.
The view took her breath away.
Rivers and lakes dotted the rolling landscape, poking like glittering diamonds through the emerald blanket of orderly orchards and wild forest. A fine haze suffused the bright sunlight over the scene as it broke through the clouds.
One beam cut across the plateau.
And shone directly on the castle.
River very appropriately snorted like a buffoon. Kai pulled her close, an excited thrill coursing between them emotionally and mentally.
"Welcome to my home, Riv," he sent through her thoughts.
It looked like something straight out of a princess movie.
Multiple levels tiered the structure with colorful roofs over parts of it. Several towers and spires accented the profile above the walls. Banners fluttered in the breeze.
And it was Kai's house.
Where she would be staying. Real life suddenly didn't feel so real.
The drive was just as beautiful and as short as Kai attested. Oliver pulled the dark blue impossibly expensive car into the sprawling round driveway outside the castle's gates and opened the door for River, offering his hand very properly.
He was dressed in some sort of formalwear, a deep blue coat buttoned across his chest with a short cape over one shoulder and dark crimson gloves.
The effect was very regal and made her give the quiet male a second look.
"Lady River Landon, Matron Lucy Landon, be welcome by moon and blood to Lycan Hold. Be at home as our guests," he stated smoothly. River marveled at his change in demeanor. It wasn't fake.
Kai really had a point.
Oliver was very different when he wasn't on guard.
Suddenly, a blur of blonde hair and flailing limbs exploded through the archway of the castle as Kai joined River and Lucy outside the car. The female nearly tackled the prince to the ground in a fierce hug.
"Brother! You're home! What did you bring me?" A melodious voice crooned.
"Nothing this time, Anna, unless you count my mate and her grandmother." Kai presented River with an arm around her shoulder.
"Oh! That's wonderful! Welcome to you both!" To say the princess was stunning was a gross understatement. Her smile made River think of toothpaste commercials.
She suddenly felt more than a little self-conscious.
Not that Kai would compare them, as it was his sister.
But still.
Before she could follow any of her angst down that path she was being hugged tight by the girl as Kai introduced her. Annalise tilted her head, looking strangely at River. Then she sniffed once.
Weird.
"So nice to meet you," Grandma Lucy added, giving River a little look that told her she might be acting a bit rude by not saying anything. Fortunately, Annalise did not seem to be aware of any of it.
"You were one of grandmama's handmaidens. What an honor to meet you, Matron Lucy," Annalise was solemn for a moment and bowed deeply. Grandma returned the gesture graciously.
River needed to have a serious chat with her grandmother about a few things.
Anna already moved her attentions toward Oliver.
She looked him up and down, appraising his uniform like a drill sergeant.
Oliver remained aloof.
"Hmm. And you brought Ollie back. Not that he wouldn't follow you back like the puppy dog he is," Annalise's bubbly warmth shifted slightly colder as she tossed her head and sniffed primly at the dark haired bodyguard.
Oliver didn't even flinch. He simply stared at the princess, then bowed his head a fraction.
"Your Highness. It is good to see you are just as...yourself as ever." His words sounded so smooth that River swore he was mocking her. But he sounded sincere. His scent was sincere.
And something else.
River was absolutely positively certain that Oliver was madly in love with the golden-haired younger female.
"Anna, be nice to Oliver. He's just doing his job," Kai scolded.
"That's all he ever does. No. Fun. At. All." And with that, she was bounding back into the castle like they didn't exist.
Malachi shook his head and motioned for them to follow Oliver as he walked stiffly ahead of them.
All thoughts swiftly evaporated as they passed through the arching gate and into the most magical garden courtyard River could have ever imagined. The soaring towers of the keep hung high overhead, not darkening the yard but reflecting the sun down in a golden glow.
And that was just the start of the eye candy.
As they entered the grand entryway of the castle proper, servants stood to either side of the columned hall, first saluting Oliver, then bowing deeply to Malachi.
It really hit her for the first time what he was.
She should probably start calling him Prince Malachi.
At the end of the hall a sweeping staircase rose and split up to either side. It may have seemed cliche in any other circumstance, but the marble and filigree was too real, too exquisite.
This was a honest to goodness home of royalty.
She could feel the power of their station in its walls, in its foundation.
And she felt oddly at home here.
Her anxieties quieted to a dull murmur in the back of her head as she slid a hand unconsciously into the straight backed and proper prince next to her.
She even managed to ignore the fact that she was horrendously under-dressed.
At the base of the stairs, a finely suited butler-type raised his hand in a sort of formal greeting stating loudly, "His Royal Highness Prince Malachi Lycan, Steward of the Were-Realms, heir to the throne. May he be welcomed home and thrive!"
The sentiment was repeated throughout the staff and guard who stepped forward in unison to either side of the steps.
"Gelder. It's good to see you well," Kai spoke without any of the propriety he displayed in his elegant movements. He dropped the prince routine for a moment to rest his hand on the butler's shoulder.
Gelder blinked once and tilted his head, a very, very faint smile quirking his lips for an instant.
"As it is wonderful to see you in good health and spirits, Your Highness. Were it that we were all so hale." A hint of worry flickered as a shadow across the sharp, regal older male's face.
"Is he worse?"
River felt a jolt of fear and sorrow surge into her from Kai.
"I am afraid you will have to see for yourself, Malachi." Gelder's tone lost some of its crisp edge as he dropped the honorific. This was a family matter. "The doctor has limited even the staff's presence in the royal quarters.
Kai scowled and nodded.
Without another word he ascended the steps, only vaguely gesturing River and Grandma to follow him up. They did, understanding the severity of whatever was going on. No one made any move to stop them.
Oliver stayed behind.
After a rather confusing journey through halls and up spiraling staircases they arrived at a set of colossal double doors, gilded in gold. Two guards flanked the door. Malachi waved his hand and they opened the doors.
Inside they hurried through the apartments of the King, barely having time to notice the opulent decor as River and Grandma struggled to keep pace with Kai.
They turned the corner and found him stock still, standing in the wide doorway to what appeared to be a massive bedroom suite.
A frail, sunken looking male lay in the bed.
River stepped up beside Malachi, looked up to see a tear slide down his flushed cheek.
"This is why..." River sighed, resting her hand on top of Kai's. "Why you've taken over as steward."
"Yes. My father is dying. The King is dying."