If there was one person who couldn’t possibly give me shit about my relationship with Elena, it was my brother. I was on my way to his residence. Elena’s resignation letter was in my hand. In my jacket, I had the folded letter about my daughter. Elena insisted I tell him both things at once. I couldn’t keep secrets from the king. I knew she was right. She always was.

The guard nodded when I arrived.

“The king is expecting me,” I explained.

I pressed the button on the private elevator and rode to the upstairs apartments. Eden was in the study surrounded by notecards and papers. She had a cup of tea and her glasses were on her head.

“Good morning.”

“Oh, Corbin. Hi. Alaric just got out of the shower. Do you want some coffee? Tea?”

“I’ll take coffee,” I answered.

“How about some breakfast?” She smiled. “We have the best chef.”

“That’s ok. I had breakfast with Elena.” What was the point of making up stories? I was going to start the day with the truth. I wondered if Dr. Garcia would be proud of this new version of me.

“Oh?” She raised her eyebrows. She handed me a cup of coffee.

“Thank you.”

The bedroom doors closed and Alaric walked into the living room in a fitted black suit.

“Good morning, love.” He kissed Eden fully on the lips. I noticed how naturally his hand slid to her belly.

There was a sudden welling of jealousy in my chest. I never had that with my baby. I never saw Sophia’s body grow with our cub. I wasn’t there when she was born. I didn’t see her first smile, or know what her first word was. My brother and Eden had what mates were supposed to have.

I cleared my throat.

“Good morning, brother.” He slapped me on the back. “You’re up early.”

“Well, I have something important to talk to you about. It’s going to affect the palace and I needed to discuss it with you before Wallace goes on a tirade.”

Eden looked between us. “I’m going to get back to my research.” She reached on her toes to kiss Alaric’s cheek.

“Let’s go to my study.” He guided me down the hall and into his personal office.

I sat in a leather chair across from his desk.

“You look happy, so I’m confused. Whenever someone says Wallace and palace I assume it’s going to be a shitstorm.”

“It is. But one that makes me happy.” I smiled. I held up Elena’s resignation. I placed it on Alaric’s desk.

“What is this?” he asked.

“Read it.”

He skimmed it. She had been particular about every word. I knew it was meticulously written.

“What the hell? Elena is leaving the palace? And you’re happy? She’s invaluable.” I saw the anger in his eyes.

“It says she’s leaving her post as royal manager. It doesn’t say she’s leaving the palace.”

“Cor, what is this?”

I rubbed my jaw, placing the coffee cup on the desk. “I don’t know how else to say it except that I love her.”

“You what?”

“I’m in love with Elena. Probably have been a lot longer than I was ready to admit. But it was glaringly obvious when I got home. I want her to be my mate.”

“What the fuck, Cor? You’re insane. She’s a royal manager.”

I raised my eyebrows. “She was a royal manager. Now, she is mine.”

“Have you already claimed her? Does she know our family secret?”

I shook my head. “No. She doesn’t know. We haven’t had that conversation yet.”

He leaned against the chair, staring at the ceiling. “Fuck me. This is not what I was expecting this morning.”

“Before you figure that one out. I have another one.”

He groaned. “Great. What the fuck is this one about?”

“Secret love cub on the loose.”

He huffed. “Don’t joke.”

I unfolded the letter and slid it toward him. “It’s not a joke. Sophia was pregnant when we broke up. She had the baby in the U.S.”

His forehead creased. “She did what?” He read the contents of the letter.

“I’ve enlisted Johannes Montclair’s help. He has located Sophia and the baby. They are in South Carolina.”

“In Eden’s home state?”

I nodded. “It appears so. Although, just a strange coincidence.”

“Have you spoken to Sophia? What are her terms?”

I shook my head. “There are no terms. She doesn’t know I know. It was clear she never wanted me to know. If it hadn’t been for the nurse who wrote this letter, I never would have known I have a child.”

“There is a Marquis in the United States. Our shifter line is across the ocean.”

“I want to bring her home. I want to know my daughter. I need to teach her about what she is. Who she will become. What it means to be a princess and a bear shifter.”

He looked at me. “You have to. She belongs in the palace with her family. I know now more than ever what it means to have a child. She needs her family, Cor. Sophia can’t possibly handle a cub.”

“So you support it?”

“You have my full support.”

“Good. Then, I’m going to get her and bring her back, no matter what it takes.”

He pushed the lodestar out of the way. “And Elena?” He shook his head. “I should have seen that one. She has loved you for years.”

“Wait. You knew?”

He huffed. “Everyone has known. Though I’ve never once questioned her integrity. But why else would a woman put up with your drunken debauchery? She has loved you longer than you deserved.”

I felt the guilt claw at me. He wasn’t wrong.

“Elena knows about the baby. She wanted to stay on as my manager to coordinate everything, but I couldn’t let her be subjected to that kind of judgement. We need to stand beside each other. I need her support. Not her subservience. This resignation will show the palace I see her as an equal, not as my employee.”

He clasped his hands together. “Wise move. You know, Eden once accused me of labeling her as a royal concubine.”

“Did she?” I chuckled.

“And a number of other choice words.”

“You probably earned them,” I jabbed.

“I always do.” He grinned.

“I’ll be pleased to tell Elena we have your support.”

“You do. And Eden is going to be excited. I think she was kind of expecting Juliette to be around. And you know that disaster with her roommate and Russel LeRoy. I think she’s been missing her girlfriends. And she’ll finally have someone to talk bears with. I think it will be a comfort and a relief to her. It’s a hard secret to bear for a human.”

“I can see that. The queen hasn’t had anyone. And Elena wouldn’t either if it wasn’t for their new sisterhood.” I paused. “Cosette is Eden’s manager?”

“She is.”

I shook my head. It was a tangled incestuous mess. Cosette and Elena were close friends. Things would be awkward between them with our new arrangement.

I rose from my seat. “I need to get back. We have a lot of plans to make. And even more people to tell. I wanted your blessing first, brother.”

“Well, you have it. And we’d like to have you both over. Soon.”

I nodded. “Maybe when we get back.”

“Are you going to South Carolina that soon?” he asked. He followed me through the doors and to the elevator.

“Goodbye, Your Majesty.” I waved to Eden in the dining room and turned to my brother. “We are. I’d like to leave by morning. I’ve been waiting two months for this.”

He pulled me into a hug. “It makes sense now.”

“What’s that?” I looked in his eyes.

“Your sobriety. It’s for her. Your daughter.”

I lowered my head. “They say there is always the moment when a man realizes it’s time to take a stand. The morning I woke up drunk with this letter next to the bed was my moment. I had to do better for her. I knew I could.”

He slapped me on the back. “And you have. I can’t wait to meet my niece.”

I grinned. “I’ll do my best, Your Majesty.” I mocked a bow and skirted onto the elevator.

My brother laughed. “Bastard.”

“You know you love my curtsy.”

The doors closed and I had the king’s blessing. Now I could finally claim my mate.