Chapter 3

"Dame Mydriana, it is your contention that Squire Trianam purposefully drove his swine over your garden with the express purpose of causing you harm? It could not possibly be an accident as he insists?"

"No, King Thorn. This was no accident. My gardens are in no way between his sty and the river. If you saw the damage done and where it was done at, you'd see that truth."

"I know every square inch of my Kingdom, Lady. You would do yourself a service and remember to whom you speak. Squire, you will pay for the damage caused and clean up the mess made by your swine before the second stage. I want no more of this constant squabbling brought to my attention. Is that understood? Find a way to stop this madness twixt you." King Thorn's voice was scarcely above his normal range of speech but all knew it was only when he spoke thus did his people know he was good and angered.

He brought his fist down upon the arm of his throne. He caught Heath's eye and with a shake of his head, rose, turning and strode down the aisle toward where his one true love, his mate, Ramilla waited. "Please, steal me away. I beg of you, I don't think I can handle another moment of those two. Say you have need of me and steal me out of here."

Ramilla chuckled, her fingers sliding down her mate's cheek. "Begging is beneath you, my love." She reached out and caught his hand, tugging him behind her. She had to bite her lips as she saw the look that passed between Heath and Thorn. "I think we should do something nice for Heath since you've deserted him twice this moon. As to those two--perhaps you should force marriage upon them. They might be able to work this out between the sheets." Ramilla began to giggle as she saw the shocked expression upon her mate's face. "Are you saying you didn't know?"

"Know what, woman?"

"They were lovers before her mate was killed. She thinks he did the deed so that he could claim her. There hasn't been a civil word spoken between the two since." Ramilla giggled again, the sound a charming tinkle of silvery bells.

"How do you do it?" The king chuckled, just being close to his wife was a balm to his senses and made him as happy as she did when they were first mated.

"I keep my ears open. It doesn't hurt that Margaret is one of the biggest gossips in the kingdom. You know, we could find me a new maid and then you could hire her on as your newest advisor. She could give you information that would make your fur curl, mate."

Thorn reached out and took her hand, pulling her into his arms and bent her back, his lips parting hers. Their tongues fought and twined. Ramilla moaned, her arms wrapping around his neck.

When Thorn lifted his head, she was flushed and her breathing was erratic. "Perhaps I should let Bryce and Heath handle this afternoon's offenses. He's going to have to learn how to deal with these disputes." His voice was husky as he glanced down at her and then cocked his head. "What is it, Milla? What has you upset?"

"Our sons, my mate."

"Ahh, it wouldn't happen to involve Bryce and Blaise and the girl they fished out of the river would it?"

"Perhaps you have no need of my Margaret after all. It breaks my heart watching how Blaise hides inside himself and doesn't realize what being Beta means. He's so ready to just give Bryce whatever he wants because Bryce is Alpha. I don't think Blaise realizes that he has Alpha in him as well."

"I think he knows, love. Truthfully, I believe that if our two oldest would communicate more, life could get pretty interesting when it becomes time for me to step down."

"But that won't be for years and years. You are still very much in your prime, love. What should we do about them now?" She trailed her long fingers over his cheek and tunneled them through his still dark hair.

"What have you learned about the girl?"

"Nothing. It is strange. She says she has no knowledge of who she is or from which kingdom she belongs. Have you heard of this strange malady?"

Thorn pursed his lips in thought. "Yes. It is often due to a blow on the head or a sudden shock. If memory serves me, her memories should return with time." He shrugged.

"She seems a sweet girl." Ramilla sighed and let her hands slide down Thorn's chest. She glanced around the throne room and smiled at Heath before giving him a nod. "Come with me, Thorn. I have need of you."

Thorn's lips parted in a lusty grin. "Oh, my love, and of what need is this?"

Ramilla sighed. "I could tell you but I am more of a show than a tell girl. But the choice is yours."

"Can I have both?" He slid one finger over her cheek and down her neck, pausing at the hollow of her throat. "I love you more with every passing moment, my love. I don't know how I got so lucky that you choose me."

"I don't think there was a choice. You rode in on that black devil of a stallion and swept me away. I saw you and I forgot how to breathe. My heart tried to beat out of my chest for you."

"Stay right here." He spun and quickly strode to the thrones.

Heath rose and then waved him away. He grinned at Ramilla and gave her an impudent wink.

It sobered Ramilla for a moment, once more thinking of Blaise. How could they show her second son, second only by a few short moments, how important to the kingdom that he was? There had to be a way. But the answer escaped her and furrowed her brow.

A finger touched her forehead. "We shall figure it out, love. Between the two of us there is nothing that we can't do. You know that, right?"

She rose on tiptoe and pressed her lips against his before taking his arm and leading him out of the room. "We shall, but not now. Now I have other needs of your time, my king."

"I will always be available for you. Always and for whatever you need of me. You saved me that first day I saw you in the gardens. I will never forget how beautiful you looked in that pink gown. Your hair was like fire around your shoulders and your breasts pressed against the edges of that gown's silky neckline. I thought I would die if I couldn't have you."

Ramilla grinned and leaned against his arm so that he could feel her breasts, still young looking and perky even after suckling four lusty wolf pups. "Which is why you have me. I couldn't let you die of your need, my love."

Thorn growled, his heightened senses picking up on the scent of arousal coming from his mate. He swung her up in his arms, her laughter trailing behind them as he hurried down the corridor and then up the stairs to their bedchamber. A slamming door cut off the sound of her moans.

Blaise ran leaping over ditches and fallen trees, climbing ever higher on the mountain that sheltered the first kingdom, the Mountain Moonstone that gave the kingdom its name and it's people, their livelihood. He finally slowed to a stop as he arrived at his favorite outcropping over the kingdom. The outcropping overlooked the gates of town and was virtually impossible to reach unless you were wolf-kind.

Leaping to his favorite perch, he stretched out and watched as his younger brothers practice with the sword, chasing each other around as if they were still pups. He snorted at their antics, trying to let their foolishness help, healing the empty hole that was in his soul.

She had looked so incredibly gorgeous, even wet and rumpled. He growled when he thought of his brother's hand upon her soft breast. Bryce had it all. He would sit in their father's throne; he would have the control, the authority and the woman that Blaise wanted.

With another mournful howl, he rose and jumped the first boulders that led to the shortcut back to the palace. He changed back to his human form and walked through the hallways of his parent's home, pulling on the clothes he'd left in a pile by the gate. Bryce, Micah and he had left the palace to own their own pieces of the mountain. They'd had their own homes built but all three brothers knew that their mother liked to have all four of her children around the dinner table and since the cook in the palace was sublime, it wasn't that hard returning home when they could.

He wandered the palace, his mind more on his thoughts of the sweet, frustratingly gorgeous girl than on anything else. When he stopped in front of a door he glanced around to find that he stood in front of the girl's room. The girl, he sighed heavily. Why couldn't he get her out of his head? She was even haunting his subconscious. He'd gotten only one quick look at her, but what a look.

Even as she stood in his brother's arms, he couldn't help but wish he was with her, that she looked into his eyes the way she had Bryce. The thought of his brother's hand against her slender body and naked breast almost drove him to knees. Why the hell did he have to give up what he wanted, who he could love and be mated to for his brother who was five minutes older than he was? Aargghh!

His heart was pounding in his ears but he had to talk to her, to be in her presence, to just see her. He knocked lightly on the door and then he waited. When he received no answer, worry caused a line to form between his eyes and his broad shoulders to tense. He opened the door slowly, quietly, and then the breath caught in his throat. She was so incredibly beautiful. Just looking at her made his chest feel tight and another part of his anatomy grew until he had to covertly adjust the tightening fit of his breeches.

She turned her head slowly and a sleepy smile crossed her face. "Hello," she mumbled.

"Hello, milady." His voice was husky, almost a low growl in his chest. "I hope I'm not prying but when no one answered my knock I feared that something might have happened to you."

"You look so much like Bryce," she said, tilting her head to stare up at him. "But you aren't he." She held her hand out and tried to sit higher up in the bed. "Are you ... Blaise?"

"I am, milady fair." He sank down onto the very edge of the bed, ready to jump up if she showed any sign of not wanting him here. "But how do you know my name? I fear you have me at a disadvantage."