The weekend was finally here, and although I already missed Pia and El, I was never lonely anymore. I even had Mintie to keep me company now.
I skipped over to Emily and Sam's place at their invitation for brunch, definitely not passing up an opportunity to eat Emily's food, and bringing Mintie with me to see the pack.
"Well good morning, your majesty!" Embry called as I entered the house.
I glared at him playfully, greeting everyone else.
"Mintie! Come to daddy, boy." Jared called from the other side of the room.
Paul and Quil silently joked about Jared calling himself daddy. "Um did I just get replaced by our dog!?" I questioned, pretending to be hurt.
"No baby of course not! Come here you," he called, attempting to backtrack his priorities as I was laughing at him but acting mad. He came over and bowled me over with a bear hug, assaulting my face and arms with kisses as he mumbled "I love you I love you I love you" over and over until I finally broke and laughed, accepting his kisses.
The pack laughed at us while Seth busied himself playing on the floor with Mintie.
"So Jules, when are you going back to the nest?" Leah offered as we sat around the table.
I smiled. "Whenever I can. June said my powers grow each time I'm there, because it's technically home." I hesitated. "They also said I could bring you guys one day...if you want."
I trailed off, nervous at the invitation that they may not have been keen.
"ARE YOU KIDDING YES!" they all screamed, talking over the top of each other about how cool it would be and what they're going to do while they're there.
I laughed hysterically at their yelling. "Baby steps, I should probably go back alone once or twice more. And you guys know you can't swear or anything there, I had to adapt to their language and remind myself I wasn't hanging around you animals!" I warned.
"Pft, please. We are proper gentlemen." Jared claimed, half of the group playing along and the other half laughing at his blatant lie.
"Yeah, righto. I walked in on Paul sitting on Seth and farting on him until he passed out last week. And that's not even mentioning the fact that Embry was on the other side of the room counting your armpit hairs!" I quipped back, laughing fondly at the memory of...whatever that was.
Emily and Leah broke into hysterics, always loving when we called the guys out on their bullshit.
"It was for science!" Paul and Embry shouted at the same time, only making us laugh harder as Sam face palmed questioning his entire life choices.
Once breakfast was done, I was sitting on the couch with my legs on jared, leaning up against Embry for support.
Leah walked passed and I managed to catch her eye. I sent her a message through my mind, SOS, and she got the hint, signalling for me to follow her outside.
"Where are you going?" Jared asked with a sad face as I stood up.
"Girl talk," I responded, leaving him with a kiss on the cheek.
I made my way outside and found Leah waiting for me. "You okay?" she questioned instantly.
"Yeah all good." I answered quickly as we walked to the beach, Leah clearly understanding I was working up the courage to speak yet, so we filled the gaps with small talk.
Eventually we approached the water and both picked up small stones, skipping them along the water together. It was actually the first time I'd hung out with Leah alone, and it was really peaceful.
"So what's going on? I got your SOS," Leah began, prompting me to open up.
I skipped a stone before taking a breath. "Something was said yesterday, it's got me panicking a little, I haven't told Jared yet. I wanted to talk to you first."
Leah picked up another stone to skip, catching my eye and nodding encouragingly, signalling she was listening and here to support. "Ok, something about the nest?"
I nodded. "In a way, yeah."
"Tell me," she lightly pushed, recognising my apprehension.
Here goes nothing. "So when my mother was Queen, my father never knew about it, because he was human. Apparently that's been our entire history - human mates, hence why they've never had a King. Because whilst they allow the fays to breed, they've never been let in on the secret. So they've always had Queens with oblivious soulmates."
Leah nodded along. "Okay, what's your point?"
Skipping another stone, I continued. "Well. This is the first time a wolf has ever imprinted on a fay. Ever. And it just so happens that I'm also royal, their Queen now. Because Jared is apart of the supernatural world, it's okay for him to know what I really am. It's my job to protect him and unite supernatural beings, right?"
She nodded again, still not catching on.
"Yeah, so he can visit the nest with you then? That's a good thing, right? It means you don't need to keep everything a secret like your mom did."
"Yeah, that's true, but..."
She stopped throwing stones and looked at me. "I'm missing something, aren't I? Just say it, Jules. It's me." she reasoned.
This was good, I needed Leah's persistence to get it out.
"Ok so technically, because Jared is my mate and he's supernatural and can access the nest beside me...and we're destined to be together..."
Leah's eyes went wide. "Oh my god... Are you saying....HAHAHAHA" Leah bent over laughing harder than I'd ever seen the girl laugh. She was inconsolable as I stood there with my hands on my hips awaiting her episode to finish so she could actually help me.
"ARE YOU TELLING ME JARED IS KIND OF A KING!?!?! JARED CAMERON!?!?! AAAHHAAHAHHA" in between words she went back to wheezing, her hands on her knees to support her.
I got sick of her teasing after about a minute of straight laughing, and used my powers to grab a ball of water from the ocean and aim it for her, cutting her off instantly.
"Hey!" she complained, looking up to see me standing there waiting. "Ok ok I'm sorry...That's just the literal, single funniest thing I've ever heard in my life," she giggled, allowing herself a few more stray chuckles before consoling herself. "I'm calm. Sorry."
"Thank you." I shook my head. "I haven't told him. And I don't know how I would even go about it. June said that it's only like that if we get married, you don't 'date' your way into a royal family. You're either born or you marry into it. So for now, he isn't..."
"Well obviously you two will get married one day, I've seen it in his imprint visions." Leah assured. My heart skipped a few beats at the thought of marrying Jared. The idea itself made me smile and blush like a little girl.
I shrugged. "Well that's kinda the assumption, yeah. And I mean I love him more than anything so if everything goes to plan, it's safe to say that will probably end up happening. So I'd be dragging him into this world with me, making history, what if that isn't something he wants? What if it doesn't align with what the pack and Sam need? I mean he's already beta of the pack, that's enough on his plate. This has never happened before, there's no one we can ask for guidance. It's just us."
Once Leah heard that perspective she realised why I was worried and retired her amused face, ready to support me.
"Okay first thing's first. Jared would literally follow you into a steaming ball of lava if it made you happy. Your happiness IS his happiness. There's no question about it. He would do it." she began, reminding me of how important I was to him.
"Second, the pack is kind of meant to stop phasing at some point, move on and allow the next generation to takeover. We won't be on patrol forever. And besides, you said yourself your life won't change too much. You could always take the reins and do your bit and have him there more for official moral support. If it makes you feel better, he doesn't have to uproot everything. Not even you have to do that, so get that thought out of your head."
Leah was right, it didn't have to be as big of a deal as I was making it. "I guess you're right, they did say that our royalty was a lot more laid back than human royalty."
"Exactly. Now you're gonna have to tell him at some point. You don't wanna take him for a trip to the nest and have it come out the wrong way, so just tell him casually, don't hype it up too much, and don't give it an opportunity to be weird. You know?" she spoke bluntly.
I nodded again. "Okay. Thank you Leah," I responded, pulling her into a grateful hug.
"Anytime, Tink." We began walking back to the cottage.
"So you and Jared's kids will be like wolf/fay hybrids?" she said out of no where, making my head shoot up and catch her smirk, playfully shoving her for trying to freak me out.
We ended up hanging around the house all day, which was a really nice change of pace. I was at the dining table working through some homework and daydreaming about the nest with a smile on my face and a hand in Jared's, and the guys napped, played Xbox, ate a lot. It was a welcome chance to have everyone together but not in order to plan to kill a red headed vampire.
"What are you smiling about, little miss?" Sam pointed out as I was caught daydreaming.
I giggled. "The nest. I can't wait to take you guys. There's this adorable little girl, Rose, she reminds me of Pia in a way." I recounted fondly, thinking about Rose's little freckles and confidence.
"It sounds like you really found something special there, I'm so happy for you, Jules." Emily spoke as she sat opposite me.
Jared squeezed me knee lovingly and pulled me onto his lap to cuddle closer.
Leah walked behind Emily and sat beside her, shooting me a look encouraging me to remember what we talked about earlier.
I cleared my throat and approached the subject.
"So you know this is the first time a fay has ever been imprinted on? Never happened before." I said, Jared smiling at my words.
"I'm just so special like that, can't help but make history." He teased, puffing out his chest proudly.
"Of course babe. Very special." I scrubbed his hair softly and he pretended to bite the air to scare me off. God I love this man.
Leah noticed I wasn't going to get it out myself, and I sent her a look of help hoping she may assist me in making the conversation flow.
Thankfully, she was a boss, and stepped in. "Well yeah, and seeing as you're royal, I'm guessing it would be the first time another supernatural creature in general has been linked to the nest?"
I nodded, taking her lead. "Yeah, exactly. My mom had to hide her existence from my dad, all of the past fay royals had to. They weren't supernatural, they couldn't know."
By the looks of their faces, Sam and Quil were the first to begin catching on. I sent them a look to keep them quiet.
"So I'll be the first ever non-fay to visit the nest then?"
I nodded again. "Correct. Thankfully, they're overly accepting of supernatural creatures in all their forms and are really excited to have a shapeshifter connected to them through me."
Silence overtook the room and I let myself glance at Sam and Quil who were sharing looks. They knew where this was going.
I looked back to Leah, shrugging in cluelessness as to how to proceed. The pack was clearly a bit slower than Leah, and needed it written out in large letters to get it through their heads.
She didn't know either.
But then a clumsy, word-vomiting Seth interfered and saved the day.
"Wait a second..." he whispered, all of us turning to him.
Jared and Paul stayed focused on their chicken drumsticks while they listened, Jared's free arm resting around me as I sat on his lap.
"So if Juliet is the Queen, and her and Jared are together...does that make Jared King?" Seth wondered out loud. We don't give that kid enough credit.
Paul spluttered chicken everywhere, coughing and laughing and wheezing all at once at the remark. "Ja-HAHAHAHA- KING!!???!??!" his laughter bellowed and cackled throughout the house as Jared nervously laughed as well, until they both realised I hadn't yet disputed Seth's theory and I remained quiet.
"Wait, seriously?" Jared questioned, turning to look at me.
I looked down at him with a worried look.
"Maybe..." I whispered.
He eyed me curiously. "Maybe or yes?"
I looked down. "I'm sorry, I didn't know, and I mean technically you aren't cause we're not married or anything so you're fine. And even if it wasn't I would do all the work, I know you're crazy busy with pack stuff and I would never pressure you into picking something like this up, you don't have to have any responsibility it's just a formality, and I'm so sorry I've completely ruined everything, I totally understand if you wanna pretend it isn't real and not go there, I-"
I was cut off from my excessive rambling with a kiss from Jared. Worked every time. He held me close and shut me up, before pulling away and looking at my eyes.
"Juliet, I wouldn't care if being with you meant I had to burn off my skin twice a week. Alright?" we laughed together as he rested his forehead on mine. "If this is what it takes to be worthy of you, then consider it done."
I heard Emily and Seth 'aww' but ignored them.
"You're not mad?"
"Mad? Why on earth would I be mad? You just told me I get to share this incredible life with you, go to the nest, experience a world no one else has ever been able to, and be apart of it in my own little way, and you think I'd be mad at you?"
"I don't know, I just feel like I've dragged you into it and you didn't know it would happen when you met me."
He caressed my cheek and kissed me once more. "I love you. Remember, we're a team. And plus, Jules I dragged you into a wolf pack, an imprint, AND a vampire war. I think we can handle this."
I laughed again.
"I love you so much." I whispered as he tightened his grip around me supportively.
The pack watched on with smiles on their faces.
"Righto, Charles and Camilla. Should we start bowing down to you now?" Jacob teased.
"You know Sam, this kind of means Jared would outrank you. You're alpha but Jared's king of supernatural beings." Leah pointed out, making Paul laugh even harder than he did last time.
Sam shook his head. "Please, he isn't King. He's just a boyfriend, honorary fairy, they ain't married." he teased back, attempting to secure his authority with his deep voice.
"One day." Jared whispered in my ear, making my heart race and butterflies invade my tummy.
AN // Shorter chapter today, sorry about that. Can't wait to introduce Jared to the nest next chapter.
Also I finished designing that special surprise that will be coming up soon! I'm absolutely in love with it, can't wait for you to see it :)
Libby x