of his jaw. Everything in me went liquid and warm as his soft gaze met mine. “I think he’s perfect.”
I could hear Nikolai start to chuckle as Remy dipped his head and kissed me gently, his lips barely tasting mine. The lights turned on as I started to open my eyes.
“Ouch,” I muttered, blinking rapidly against the sharp sting of the fluorescents. “Bright lights.”
Remy’s nose nudged my forehead as his arms tightened. “House or cabin? Your choice.”
“House,” I said immediately, needing the feeling of my pack around me. People started to get up and move around.
“Maybe Mom should crash with us tonight,” I added, looking at where she was still sleeping.
“I’ll take her home,” Nikolai said quietly, sweeping back a lock of blonde hair from her forehead. “Don’t worry.”
“Okay,” I sighed. After a second, my nose wrinkled and I looked up at Remy. “Actually, is just staying here an option? I’m comfortable. You make a good bed.” I yawned at the end of the sentence and cuddled against him more.
He snorted lightly. “Lucky for you, your bed is portable.”
“Huh?”
I squeaked as Remy stood up, still cradling me in his arms. He started walking down the aisle, and I caught the grins from my friends as we walked by.
I lightly slapped at his shoulder, embarrassed. “Put me down. I can walk.”
“I like carrying you,” he said simply, stepping through the open side door and slowly going down the stairs.
“Being carried around doesn’t exactly scream, ‘badass Alpha female,’” I pointed out.
“No,” he agreed, grinning, “but it does scream princess.”
I groaned, letting my eyes fall shut as I buried my head against his chest. “I’m the farthest thing from a princess.”
He laughed as he walked towards the waiting car. “On that, we can agree.”
Someone opened the passenger door and he settled me into the seat, stepping back and staring at me with unflinching intensity. “You are no princess, Skye Markham.” He leaned into the car and kissed my forehead. “You are my queen.”
I hid a smile as he closed the door and headed for the driver’s side. The butterflies in my stomach were still rioting as he climbed inside and started the car.
Clearly I wasn’t the only sleepy one, I realized as we waited for our friends to appear so we could drive home together.
Rhodes stopped halfway to the car to carry Larkin the rest of the way when her tired feet stumbled. Ryder was propped up between Tate and Dante, his head lolling sleepily on the latter’s shoulder. Katy was the only one who seemed remotely awake, but even she looked tired.
Tate got into the backseat, awkwardly catching Ryder as Dante passed him to her before climbing into the back bench with them. Rhodes wound up in the middle seat between Katy and Larkin, who each promptly turned his shoulders into pillows.
Yeah. We were all drained.
“Wait,” I said, dropping my hand on Remy’s arm as he started to turn the steering wheel.
I lowered the window and leaned out, watching worriedly as Dimitri carried an unconscious Lulu towards a different car.
“Is she okay?” I called, my throat sort of scratchy from all the crying earlier.
Dimitri gave me a tense nod. “She will be. She’s going to need to rest for a few days.”
I bit my lip, wondering if this was my fault. It had been my idea.
“Skye, don’t,” Dimitri said, shaking his head. “She would’ve done it with or without you. It’s who she is.”
I exhaled, still not happy with it. “But she’ll be okay?”
He nodded as Alexei came up on his other side.
Alexei nodded to me with a smile. “Printsessa.”
“Queen,” Remy murmured under his breath. I could hear the affection in his tone.
My lips curved into a grin as my fingers twined around his. “We’ll regroup tomorrow and figure out our next move. If you need anything—”
“—we’ll call,” Dimitri promised. “See you tomorrow.”
I rolled up the window and looked over at Remy. “Take me home, please.”
With a wink, Remy turned the wheel and drove us back towards the Alpha house. At some point I drifted off again to the quiet sounds of Remy, Rhodes, and Dante talking. Occasionally Katy would add in something, her dulcet tone blending into a hypnotic cocktail with their deeper tones until I was sliding in and out of sleep.
I missed our arrival back home, only waking up when the passenger door was opened and the cool night air snuck in to caress my body.
“I’m up,” I mumbled, starting to kick my feet out.