warriors,” he said.
“But keep in mind the Alpha will always be the first warrior in the
Queen’s Guard. It is my honor to protect my mate.”
She smiled up at him. Vulfen or not, he was the original alpha male. He really was too predictable.
“Are you ready now to meet your people?” Rylek asked. “Yes, I am,” she said and found that it was true.
Her nervousness had disappeared in the first flash of aggravation
at Matsij’s comment. These warriors had everything their own way. It was time for a shakeup and Ellie decided she was just the person to do
it.
She let Rylek lead her into the crowded ballroom with her head high and a determined smile on her face.
“I think your expression would strike fear in the hearts of my
Cadre warriors if they even suspected what you might be thinking. As they are carrying out their duties in the normal way, I am certain they have no idea,” Rylek murmured as they walked through the center of the crowd and toward the dais where Valeri and Miros stood waiting.
“I’m going to be your queen, Rylek. And my first act as queen will be to drag these warriors into the twenty-first century. I hope you’re ready for this, because I’m sure the Cadre will be surprised to learn how far behind the times they really are.”
He chuckled under his breath and raised her hand to press a tender kiss on her fingers. “Ellie, I can hardly wait.”
They reached Valeri and Miros, who bowed and moved to the sides so that Rylek and Ellie could stand center stage and face the gathered people.
There were a lot of people. Ellie was surprised at how normal, how human they all looked. Well, of course, they had to know how to blend in to keep their furry secret, but she couldn’t detect a single thing to pinpoint the difference.
The Cadre members moved into position in a semi-circle behind them. Rylek bowed to Ellie before turning to the audience.
“My people, I present to you my mate and the vulfen queen,
Elizabeth Sidarova.”
Her name sounded so beautiful, so exotic when he said it with such pride. It sounded like a queen’s name.
He raised their joined hands high, and when he lowered them, the
people knelt.
Ellie noticed that even though everyone went to their knees, some were slow to do so. She wondered if Rylek observed the discrepancy and made a mental note to ask him about it. Did some of his people object to a human queen? Did they feel that she was inferior and resent having to kneel to her?
One of the last couples to kneel was a lean white-haired man and his companion near the back of the room. He was a tall man with broad shoulders, but he wasn’t part of the Cadre. Those warriors she had already met.
The vulfen people rose to their feet and one by one, they filed past the low stage where Ellie and Rylek stood.
Ellie liked this part of the presentation much better. The people introduced themselves, and some stopped to talk briefly with Rylek. Some of the women talked to her directly, but many just smiled. One or two of the younger females seemed cool toward her, but most of the vulfen people were very kind. She met so many people, the faces and names started to blur after a time.
One older woman who bore a startling resemblance to Eva took
Ellie’s hands in hers.
“My queen,” she said, and kissed Ellie’s cheeks. Ellie could almost feel the warmth radiating from her gentle face. The woman sniffed discretely. “I congratulate you, Rylek, on your excellent choice. Your mate is healthy and your scents blend well.”
Rylek bowed from the waist, honoring the woman.
“I am Mura Sidarova. Rylek is my nephew, and my two children are in the Cadre.” She glanced sideways at Rylek with a wink and said, “But if the rumors are true, perhaps I will have a son in the Cadre and a daughter in the Queen’s Guard?”
Ellie couldn’t hide her surprise. “How did you know?” she asked.
Rylek laughed. “Do not ask how Mura knows anything. She knew whenever
“But keep in mind the Alpha will always be the first warrior in the
Queen’s Guard. It is my honor to protect my mate.”
She smiled up at him. Vulfen or not, he was the original alpha male. He really was too predictable.
“Are you ready now to meet your people?” Rylek asked. “Yes, I am,” she said and found that it was true.
Her nervousness had disappeared in the first flash of aggravation
at Matsij’s comment. These warriors had everything their own way. It was time for a shakeup and Ellie decided she was just the person to do
it.
She let Rylek lead her into the crowded ballroom with her head high and a determined smile on her face.
“I think your expression would strike fear in the hearts of my
Cadre warriors if they even suspected what you might be thinking. As they are carrying out their duties in the normal way, I am certain they have no idea,” Rylek murmured as they walked through the center of the crowd and toward the dais where Valeri and Miros stood waiting.
“I’m going to be your queen, Rylek. And my first act as queen will be to drag these warriors into the twenty-first century. I hope you’re ready for this, because I’m sure the Cadre will be surprised to learn how far behind the times they really are.”
He chuckled under his breath and raised her hand to press a tender kiss on her fingers. “Ellie, I can hardly wait.”
They reached Valeri and Miros, who bowed and moved to the sides so that Rylek and Ellie could stand center stage and face the gathered people.
There were a lot of people. Ellie was surprised at how normal, how human they all looked. Well, of course, they had to know how to blend in to keep their furry secret, but she couldn’t detect a single thing to pinpoint the difference.
The Cadre members moved into position in a semi-circle behind them. Rylek bowed to Ellie before turning to the audience.
“My people, I present to you my mate and the vulfen queen,
Elizabeth Sidarova.”
Her name sounded so beautiful, so exotic when he said it with such pride. It sounded like a queen’s name.
He raised their joined hands high, and when he lowered them, the
people knelt.
Ellie noticed that even though everyone went to their knees, some were slow to do so. She wondered if Rylek observed the discrepancy and made a mental note to ask him about it. Did some of his people object to a human queen? Did they feel that she was inferior and resent having to kneel to her?
One of the last couples to kneel was a lean white-haired man and his companion near the back of the room. He was a tall man with broad shoulders, but he wasn’t part of the Cadre. Those warriors she had already met.
The vulfen people rose to their feet and one by one, they filed past the low stage where Ellie and Rylek stood.
Ellie liked this part of the presentation much better. The people introduced themselves, and some stopped to talk briefly with Rylek. Some of the women talked to her directly, but many just smiled. One or two of the younger females seemed cool toward her, but most of the vulfen people were very kind. She met so many people, the faces and names started to blur after a time.
One older woman who bore a startling resemblance to Eva took
Ellie’s hands in hers.
“My queen,” she said, and kissed Ellie’s cheeks. Ellie could almost feel the warmth radiating from her gentle face. The woman sniffed discretely. “I congratulate you, Rylek, on your excellent choice. Your mate is healthy and your scents blend well.”
Rylek bowed from the waist, honoring the woman.
“I am Mura Sidarova. Rylek is my nephew, and my two children are in the Cadre.” She glanced sideways at Rylek with a wink and said, “But if the rumors are true, perhaps I will have a son in the Cadre and a daughter in the Queen’s Guard?”
Ellie couldn’t hide her surprise. “How did you know?” she asked.
Rylek laughed. “Do not ask how Mura knows anything. She knew whenever
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