The staff was downstairs making lunch when I walked into the kitchen.

“Sir.” They nodded. The Americans hadn’t gotten used to addressing me with royal titles. I wondered what it would be like to like to live in a world where I wasn’t His Royal Highness.

I was riding a high I didn’t know existed. It was better than any binder I had been on. Why had I lived like that when this natural euphoria existed? Why hadn’t I had happiness in my life before?

Elena was pregnant with my cub. I wanted to shout it from the rooftops. I wanted to tell the chef. I wanted to run outside and tell Kurtis while he waxed the car.

I was swelling with pride. Something that shouldn’t have been a surprise was somehow an amazing shock. What did I expect? I fucked her day and night. We made love in the shower. On the deck. In the middle of the night. I couldn’t get enough of her. I loved every inch of her body. I loved every thought in her mind and emotion from her heart. Of course we had made a baby. There was another royal shifter on the way.

And now that she was pregnant I wanted to keep showing her how much I loved all of her. Our little pregnancy celebration this morning was only the beginning. I was going to worship her body for the next nine months. She would have everything she wanted. I swore to that.

I grabbed a few grapes and tossed one in my mouth.

“What’s for lunch?” I asked the chef.

“Chicken salad,” she answered. “Would you like something else? I can change the menu, sir,” she offered.

“No. That sounds good. Elena likes chicken salad.”

I walked to the deck. There was a family on the beach a few houses down, making sand castles. The kids chased each other, while the parents kept trying to take pictures with their phones. I thought about the hundreds of pictures I already had of Adaline on my phone. In no time, it would have pictures of our new baby. I shook my head. Life was unbelievable.

Elena appeared on the balcony. “You know when I was in Freychon I wondered what it would be like to be one of those people.” She pointed to the parents on the beach. “I thought I could never have a life like that.” Her eyes turned to mine. “But I think we can. I think we can have that life here, Cor.” Her fingers threaded through mine.

I nodded. “I think you’re right.”

Her eyes widened. “What?”

“I said I think you’re right. Let’s do it. Let’s buy the house. Let’s have the baby here. I’ll move the D.C. office. Adaline can have her own room. Let’s do it.”

I picked her up and she squealed. “This is crazy.”

“It’s fucking nuts. And my brother is going to kill me.”

I put her feet on the deck. “Should I call in a favor?” she asked.

My brow knitted together. “Let me guess. Eden?”

She shrugged. “If I tell her about the baby, I don’t see how they can say no.”

I palmed her belly. Nothing made me happier than knowing she was pregnant. Her hands clasped mine.

“You’re willing to give up the palace?” I prodded. “The grounds? The maids? The meetings? Awkward dinners with my mother?”

She laughed. “I’m afraid there will always be awkward dinners with your mother.”

“And what about the rest?”

“Adaline changed everything.” Her arms circled me. “And Sophia.”

“Did I hear that right?”

“Yes. I’m never going to agree with what she did, but we wouldn’t be here if she didn’t upend her life and move to South Carolina. She somehow found a way to tear you away from the crown. It’s ironic, really.”

“I don’t think there’s anything more ironic.” I smirked. I didn’t want to give Sophia that kind of credit. But here we were.

We had somehow managed to untangle ourselves from the palace and because the ambassador was willing to resign, I had a strong strategy to make a play for the U.S.

“If this is what you really want, I’ll make it happen. There’s nothing the king can do to stop me from giving you what you want.”

“Is there any other way?” she whispered. “Truly? Can you think of a better plan?”

I exhaled. “No, not if I’m going to have any chance to raise Adaline. We aren’t leaving the Marquis clan. We’re starting our own on this side of the pond.”

“Do you think you’ll miss it?”

I huffed. “No. I think we’re going to be ok here.”

I kissed her on the forehead.

The door opened and the server stepped on the deck. “Lunch is served,” she announced.

“Thank you.” Elena smiled. “Let’s eat. I’m starving.”

I took her hand in mine and held her back for a second.

“What is it?” She searched my face for answers.

“I think I was like you. I had something planned for dinner. And maybe I’m ruining it.” I dropped to one knee.

She gasped. “Oh, Cor.”

I reached into my pocket. “I bought it here in the city.” I held the diamond in the sun and it sparkled, throwing rainbows all around us. “It seemed fitting. Like this was our place. Our fresh start. Nothing royal about it. Just you and me.” My throat tightened. “And when I was picking out the diamond all I could think about was a future with you. A life that was ours. I think all along I knew we were going to stay here, Elena. You, me, our baby, and Adaline. I knew we weren’t going back to Freychon.”

She held her finger forward as I threaded the band over her knuckle.

“I want what we have every day. Every night. Will you marry me? Will you become my princess in every way?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

I stood and pulled her into my arms.

She giggled.

“What’s so funny?”

She scrunched her nose. “At the library you read one of those sappy fairytales.”

“Yes. I remember. I think the knight had to slay a dragon that guarded the tower of Freychon.”

“Right. And I thought it was complete bullshit.” She held the ring in the sun.

“And now?”

She blushed. “I might have changed my mind a little bit.”

“Because of the ring?”

She laughed. “No. Because you have to tell Wallace we’re moving to the U.S. If that doesn’t qualify as dragon-slaying I don’t know what does.”