<b>Bottled </b><b>Up </b>


    Larissa’s p.o.v.


    I wake up with a very sated feeling, a feeling that doesn’t juste from myself. Leia has enjoyed <b>our </b>time with our Mates as much as I did and she is fast asleep in the back of my head..


    Quin is softly snoring when I feel someone gently pushing against the block I put up on my mind–<b>link</b>.


    “Is it safe to bring some breakfast into the suite?” Das asks when I have lowered the block.


    “Yeah, we are in our bedroom. Make sure you keep it quiet, Quin is still sleeping.” I answer her and pull up the block again.


    I want to enjoy this for a bit longer and give myself a chance to grasp the consequences of my current situation. I don’t think it has sunk in yet, and I would rather panic in the privacy of my bedroom.


    All I have learned about the true Mate–bond and the connection to finding a true Mate–bond hase from reading books. No one ever took the time to teach me; to them, I was a nuisance and not worthy of their time and attention.


    I will be forever grateful that Caitlin had the chance to teach me to read and write, because if she hadn’t, <b>I </b>would have never known any of this.


    Four days ago, I found my connection with Quin and left my family and Pack without a second of regret. Now, I am marked by our future King and I have a future ahead of me that I had never thought possible.


    I am not talking about bing the Queen, but finding a man who loves me for me and doesn’t hold my deafness against me.


    Having a family who will do whatever it takes to make me feel a part of that family, a baby Brother who makes me feel loved. Everything I never had was handed to me when I found Quin and I will never


    regret turning my back on my family.


    “What is wrong, Sweetness? Why are you crying?” I hear Quin ask and I realize that I have been crying, but these aren’t sad or angry tears.


    “Nothing is wrong, I just realized how lucky I am to have you and your family in my life.” I answer him as I wipe away the tears.


    We stay in bed a little longer, but then Quin’s stomach decides to inform us it is time to eat. It is nice to have breakfast with Quin, and I enjoy being seated on hisp while we share breakfast with each


    other.


    After taking a shower and getting dressed, we walk around the suite to gather our clothes from the previous day. I ce everything in the suitcase and pull it with me as we walk out of the suite, looking to


    find the rest of the family.


    I get jumped by Everett as we walk down the hall. He lifts me in the air and starts spinning me <b>around</b>.


    <b>“</b>It is official. I have a Sister.” He says through the mind–link and the chuckles from down <b>the </b>hall <b>tell </b><b>me </b>


    that it was open to everyone.


    Quin has grabbed the suitcase and moved down the hall to get pulled into a hug by his Mother.


    “Congrattions. I am so happy for both of you.” I hear Queen Eliza say and from the corner of my eye<b>, </b><b>I </b>see Majandra standing near the elevator.


    Life is so much easier for me with her or one of the other two by my side. I no longer have to worry about missing anything.


    “Larissa, you’d better lose the titles. Our first names will do and once you arefortable with it, I suggest you call us Mom and Dad.” I hear King Vaughn… No, Vaughn… No, that sounds ridiculous. I suppose it will be Dad from now on.


    “What are you smiling about, Sweetness?” I hear Quin ask and I exin what had shot through my


    mind.


    Das swings her hand to the left and hits Darius full in his chest. I have no idea what he did to deserve


    it, but if Das figures she needs to do it, then you definitely deserved it.


    “What did I do?” I hear Darus ask. “I was only kidding when I said she could call me Your Highness.”


    This time, it isn’t just Das who smacks him; even Daxton takes a swing at him. Not hard enough to knock him out, but still. Getting hit by two Lycans at the time isn’t a pic either.


    “Let’s call him Your Highness until he is sick and tired of it.” Leia says as we walk into the elevator and I know she will remind me of it every single time.


    I lean against Quin’s chest as we ride down and I know I will love this man until myst breath.


    Together, we will start a family and one day take over the Throne.


    The drive to the Pce passes quickly because I had fallen asleep and Quin woke me up only minutes


    before arriving. I can’t wait to go for a run through the forest in my Wolf form. It looks so inviting and


    huge.


    “Your Majesty, wee back.” I hear a woman say as Quin helps me out of the SUV. She frowns at me


    as she sees that Quin is holding my hand, but I just give her a small smile.


    “Elder Dawn, where is Elder Via? I asked for her presence when we arrived at the gate.” I hear Dad ask and for a moment, I see her demeanor change.


    “She is busy with the Servants and has been neglecting her duties a little.” I hear Elder Dawn respond, but


    something tells me not to trust a word she says. Quin told me a few things about her <b>and </b><b>it </b><b>didn’t </b><b>give</b><b>. </b>me a good impression of her.


    “Das, can you link Elder Via? I doubt anyone gave her the message.” I ask Das through <b>the </b><b>mind </b>link.


    I don’t know why the message never got to Elder Via<b>, </b>but if she is anything like Caitlin, she would have been here. This isn’t sitting right with me and Leia; we need to keep an eye on the Elders and determine if they work for or against the Royal family.


    “Your Majesty, I am so sorry I wasn’t here to greet you. Somehow, the Warriors at the gate didn’t inform me of your arrival.” I hear Elder Via say.


    There is no doubt in my mind that this is Elder Via, because she looks so much like Caitlin. I throw protocol out of the window when I spot the only Shifter who ever cared about me as a child.


    I run into Caitlin’s open arms and let the tears flow that I bottled up inside for all those years.