the porch. And teaching and Nick and all the rest. I do. I choose them. I need them.”
She wrapped him up in a warm hug, even though it was weird and a water hug, but still, it worked. He got it. Hers was the purest of magics, and he was truly blessed to be brought into this world to meet her.
“So what are we going to do now? How are we going to take the bull’s-eye off us while still keeping us safe? I’m just a human, so I’m not going to try to guess what the answer is, but I know you have one. There has to be one. And for once, I don’t have to be the one who finds the answer. I just have to do my part and… love my mate.”
His eyes stung, and Toby blinked. “I do love him. How did that happen? It snuck up on me. I’m still scared I’m going to disappoint him. So damn scared. And don’t even get me started on what it’s going to take to get all of the kids ready for what life has in store for them. They have so much to learn. But I’m excited to try. I think they need someone young and not so set in their ways to help them. And that sounds like me. We’ll figure it out together, won’t we?”
Something bumped against his back, and Toby realized he was at the shore. He sat up and looked out over the water. “Thank you, Lady. I’m looking forward to seeing what adventures we have next. You’ll let me know if there’s something I need to do, right? To make all of this better for them?”
He ran his fingers through the water before standing. After one extra moment, he turned and walked back toward the children. All of them slept peacefully. Germanà glared at him and grumbled, waving her fingers until his clothes were dry.
“Thank you, Germanà.”
She grunted.
He sat down beside her and kept watch. His talk with the Lady had helped restore his energy. Or maybe that had more to do with his swim. But still, his sleepiness was gone. He’d stay awake for as long as it took, watching over his pack and keeping them safe until their alpha came for them.
He should have known the peaceful moment wouldn’t last. Germanà alerted him first with her small hand on his arm. She glanced toward the trees, then up at him with a grim expression.
“The prince approaches.”
Toby rose and hurried over to the children. He stood between them and the spot where Germanà was staring.
“The prince is here,” Toby whispered. “I’m a little nervous.”
Jeremy wiggled his way out of the pile and stood beside him. His hand went into Toby’s and squeezed.
“You’re a really cool kid, you know it?” Toby said quietly.
“You have to say that.”
“No, I don’t.”
Jeremy made a face at him but continued holding his hand. Then he turned toward the trees, and Toby knew the prince had arrived.
He turned that direction as well and tried to keep his nerves from showing on his face. The prince and his entourage of gigantic guards—were those satyrs?—cleared the tree line, and then the prince stepped onto the sand. The satyrs, on the other hand, seemed to have walked into an invisible wall.
“My prince,” the biggest and scariest of the guards barked. The prince turned, his long blond curls swirling as he realized his guards hadn’t been allowed to cross the barrier. He turned back to Toby, his ice-blue eyes not hiding his annoyance.
“You block my guards from attending me?”
Oh shit. Toby’s knees threatened to collapse, and he squeezed Jeremy’s hand.
“Not me, Your, um Highness? I’m human. I can’t block anything.”
The prince scowled. “Human?”
“He’s human,” Jeremy confirmed. “The Valkyrie said only our pack could come ’cause the Lady said we were in danger, so only Toby could come with us ’cause our alpha was at the mean-alpha meeting.”
The prince glanced down at Jeremy, and his eyes widened for a brief moment. He turned back to Toby without betraying any other emotion. “We have informed the Smith pack, as well as the hellhounds, that we will rescind their ability to come to our realm if the privilege is abused.”
“Believe me, I get it,” Toby said. “But… pretty sure it was the Lady herself who sent for us this time? It’s all really confusing, but we were being attacked by Erlkings, and then