Orians P.O.V.
After leaving the ladies to catch up in Rain's room, I walk across the hall to Zions Suite. As I get to the door, I knock and wait for him to call for me to come in before entering and making my way to his suite office to the right of the entrance, hearing giggling and then the sound of a laptop closing. When I get to his office, I sit in the chair across the desk from him with a knowing smile.
"What?" Zion says after a moment.
"When will you be talking to her yourself instead of getting me to do it or simply watching the security footage? I ask.
"What makes you think I've been watching?" He asks.
"I heard the same giggling from Rains' room also coming from your office when I walked to your door," I said with amusement laced in my voice. "Is she really your mate?"
"I really can't get anything past you, can I?" He laughs. "And yes, it would seem so. Either that or she has put a love bond spell on me. I've been racking my brain, but that's the only thing I can come up with."
"Both she and Jess have said she doesn't have her magic. That's why they were on their way to New Orleans." I respond. "Dosha, Rains wolf thinks the witches down there could help her with her magic."
"And you really think she's a hybrid? That she has a wolf?" He asks curiously.
"I didn't believe it at first. But I'm beginning to lean towards believing it's true now." I say. "Jess is completely sure she has a wolf. And the pup Odett, Jess believes she's also a hybrid. Though she doesn't have any idea what kind."
"So, two hybrids living in the castle?" He says, full of amusement. And I could swear I saw a smile briefly. He opens his laptop back up the video feed pops up with the sounds of Jess and Rain's laughter. Making me smile at the sound of my mates voice making me smile. I look at Zion and find what looks like a small on his face too.
"If I didn't know any better, I would think you were smiling." I point out, and he rolls his eyes at me. "So what are you going to do?"
"I want proof that she has a wolf. Until then, I don't plan to do anything." He says. As much as I want to protest, to tell him he is crazy for ignoring his Goddess-given mate, I drop it instead.
"I'm sure Ryker is already giving him hell," De'von says, and I can't help but agree with my wolf. "He'll come around."
"I just hope it's not too late," I tell my wolf.
******************************
Rains' P.O.V.
Ater Beta Orian leaves us to catch up in my new room. Jess, Odette, and I sat on my bed and talked and giggled for a while, reminding me of our conversations at the orphanage. At some point, Odett fell asleep, so we tucked her in on my bed and moved to the couch so we didn't wake her up.
"So you and the Kings Beta?" I ask, and her face turns bright red.
"Yea... I hope it doesn't make you uncomfortable." She says with her head down.
"Jess, look at me!' I demand, and her head pops up quickly. "I am so happy for you. If anyone deserves a happy life with the mate of their dreams, it's definitely you! It sucks that my mate rejected me, but it's for the best. I wouldn't want to be stuck in that horrible pack anyway."
And with that, she burst into tears and wraping her arms around my waist. After a few minutes of crying, she falls asleep with her head in my lap. I gently run my fingers threw her hair while humming the lyrics to The Hanging Tree. After humming for a few minutes, I hear a knock at the door. I respond with a faint come-in so I don't wake up my girls. Beta Orian pokes his head into the room, and his eyes instantly fall on his mate asleep in my lap. He walks into the room, sitting in a chair across from the couch we're on, with the biggest smile on his face.
"She's perfect." He states.
"Yes, she is," I agree with him. "She deserves nothing but the best."
"It's refreshing to see two females care so much for each other instead of thinking of each other as competition," He says, and I don't think I could ever think of her as competition.
"She's my sister. The only one that was ever there for me." I say with a smile. "She was the one to clean me up after Ms.Leana would beat me and give me lashes. She even tried to get in between Ms.Leana and me once to stop her. I felt so horrible she got hurt, so I begged her never to do it again. I couldn't handle seeing her get hurt, let alone get hurt because of me."
Beta Orian talked about how Jess and I lived in the orphanage a little more in-depth than we did while I was in the cell and more about Odett coming into our lives and how I felt about her. Finally, he decided it was time to get them in bed.
"I'll send the Gamma to get Odett and take her to her room." He said, but I shook my head.
"No, she can stay with me," I respond. "It's going to be lonely in this big room, and I don't want her waking up alone and scared knowing I'm not allowed to leave my room and comfort her."
"I understand. I'll have someone bring ya'll some breakfast and clean clothes in the morning." He says as he effortlessly picks Jess up in his arms.
"Thank you, Beta Orian," I say. "Can I ask you something?"
"You can call me Orian, and yes, you can ask me anything." He says, looking at me with such kind eyes.
"When will I be able to leave?" I ask, and I can tell he's surprised and even a little taken aback by my question.
"You mean your room?" He asked.
"No sir, I mean the kingdom," I say after shaking my head lightly. He's speechless for a moment, and the thought crosses my mind that maybe he thinks I'm gonna try taking Jess and Odett with me. I instantly feel like I should explain myself.
"Don't get me wrong. I am extremely grateful to ya'll for saving Jess, Odett, and myself. And I don't plan on taking Jess or Odett with me. It's too dangerous for either of them, and I won't risk their lives again. I also won't take Jess away from her happiness." I say before taking a breath and continuing again. "But I need to find a witch willing to help me with my magic. Not to mention it would be nice to find my true mate, If he's out there. I've never felt like I belonged anywhere, and it would be nice to find my place in the world. Somewhere I can help others and have a purpose."
He stares at me for a long moment. He then looks over his shoulders at something in the corner of my room before turning to face me again with a sad smile. And for a second, I feel bad for asking him.
"I understand. I'll talk to the King about it first thing in the morning." He says, and I thank him as he walks out of the room.