Chapter 25 - The Palace

The plane landed on a small airstrip in Maine. Xavier led Luci and her mother off the plane and into a waiting limo. He was nervous about seeing his parents. They were good people towards lycans, but he wasn't sure how they would be to his mate. If they didn't accept her, he wouldn't accept being king, simple as that.

Luci stared in awe at the massive palace they were pulling up to a couple of hours later. It was hidden deep in Maine near Saddleback Mountain. It was so remote that most humans couldn't get to it even if they tried. However, there were discreet roads that only those who had been there knew about.

The palace was made of dark brown stone and was many centuries old. It looked about four stories high, and each wing seemed to go on forever. There was ivy covering most of the front, giving it a mystical charm.

Luci saw several servants come out of the palace's front door and stood waiting near the car. She wondered what they were doing. It wasn't like they had bags or anything.

"Get ready for the chaos. You'll see why I don't like it here. Whatever you do, ladies, don't leave my side. I don't care how much they try to take you somewhere else. Are you ready to get this over with?" Alessandra and Luci nodded, still struck by the sight of the massive palace.

Xavier got out first and then reached to help the other two out. He had them each take one of his arms because he meant what he said about staying with him. The servants tried to lead Luci and Alessandra in another direction, but Xavier told them the two women were staying with him.

When they walked into the palace, Luci was once again speechless. There was a large foyer, and two massive staircases that went up either side. The railings were shining like they were pure gold.

Two tall men in suits that Luci could tell right away were Lycans walked up to the trio, stopping in front of them. Luci didn't like how they were scowling at her and her mother.

"Prince Xavier, The King, and the Queen wish to speak with you at once. Please have your guests wait elsewhere." Luci started backing up. She would feel better in the car rather than with these men who clearly didn't want her here.

"I want to see my parents as well, but my guests will be coming with me." Xavier started to move forward, and one of the men stopped him.

"I'm sorry, Prince Xavier, but they are requesting to see you alone." The men looked toward the two women in disgust.

"You can tell my parents that if I have to come alone, then I'll leave." Xavier was getting angry; he knew he would get this reception, but he didn't care. Their future queen was with him, and they needed to treat her with respect.

The men finally nodded and led the trio through the palace. Luci marveled at the intricate stone designs and marble floors. She felt like she was in a museum. They were escorted to two double wooden doors with gold handles. When the doors opened, Xavier, Luci, and Alessandra walked in.

King Malik and Queen Reina sat in the large round room on their thrones. There was no one else there, which made Luci sigh with relief. If the king and queen forced her and her mother to leave, she didn't want a bunch of witnesses.

"Son, you have returned to your home. We're glad to see you, but why are you in the company of two vampires?" Luci relaxed a little because King Malik seemed more confused than upset.

"Father, mother, this is my mate Lucinda and her mother, Alessandra." Xavier smiled at his parents as he wrapped an arm around Luci.

"Son, is she your fated mate or chosen mate?" Queen Reina asked in question, eyeing the woman her son had his arm around.

"It doesn't matter, but she's my fated mate." Just as Luci had almost relaxed completely, there was a loud bang. She didn't know where it came from until she looked at the royal couple. The king had banged his fist on the table next to him. Luci tried to step backward in fear because it was apparent the king was not happy about his son mating with a vampire.

"Congratulations, son; I'm glad you finally found her. Welcome to the palace, Lucinda." King Malik smiled at her warmly, and she realized he wasn't mad. He had hit the table because he was happy for his son.

"Thank you, your majesty." Luci gave a slight bow, and Alessandra did the same.

"We need to talk to you about why we came here now." The king nodded at Xavier, who explained what Luci had witnessed, causing them to run all over the country to evade being caught. He also told them about the vampire acid and how they had to escape her father. The king and queen nodded while Xavier spoke, and they looked at Luci and Alessandra with compassion when he was finished.

"Luci, Alessandra, I'm sorry for the ordeal you both have been through. You will be safe here in the palace while we figure out what to do. Son, please settle in and show our guests around. I'm sure you're all tired and hungry. We'll talk tonight after dinner." Xavier nodded at his father and led the women out of the room.

Xavier took them to one of the large staircases, and they climbed up to the third floor. He then showed Alessandra to a bedroom and said he and Luci were in the one next door. Luci could tell it was Xavier's bedroom as soon as they walked in.

"That went better than I expected. I thought they would make you reject me, but they seemed happy you had found your mate. I feel better already just being here where Nolan and my dad can't touch us."

Luci was looking around the large bedroom as she spoke. There was an enormous bed in the center of the room with red and black bedding. All the furniture was black but classy and comfortable. It was very neat and tidy.

She could see a bathroom the size of an average person's bedroom through one door, and she assumed the other door was a closet. She turned to Xavier with a smile.

"I like your bedroom. It's very you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him when the door suddenly opened.

They both looked at who had caused the interruption, and Xavier groaned. Luci stared at the tall, curvy, beautiful Lycan in front of her. She had wavy black hair that fell almost to her waist and large green eyes. Her face, however, was not so pretty as she glared at Luci.

"Who the fuck is this, and why is she in our room?" Luci looked at Xavier and felt tears in her eyes. Had he lied to her all this time? Was he really with someone else?

"Belinda, this is not our room; this is my room. No matter what you think, you're not my mate. Luci is my mate, and she will be my queen. Now get the hell out of here before I call the guards." Luci sighed in relief, so the little dog was trying to get her man. She wasn't having it.

"Maybe you should call the guards. I think it's time to let the dog out." Luci put her arm around Xavier and kissed his cheek.

"Get away from him, you blood-sucking bitch. While he was away, the king announced that I would be his chosen mate and queen. So you need to take your claws off him and go back into whatever cave you flew out of. Xavier is mine."