Vulfen Alpha's Mate by Laina Kenney Page B

permission to steal Eva from his Cadre to recreate the Queen’s Guard. Mura, do you know anything about the Guard? Is there some procedure I need to follow, or a certain number of people I need?”
    “I have heard this news. My daughter has spoken to me of her excitement. She is honored.” Mura smiled. “Although, she is young and in her words, excited came out as ‘blown away.’ As a mother who wants her daughter to be happy, I have learned to appreciate these terms.”
    Both women laughed.
    Ellie was happy to find one person at least who would call her by name. She thought with enough time in her company, the daughter might be persuaded to shed some of the protocol as well. At least, she hoped so. Rylek was wonderful, but she needed some female friends in this new world.
    Mura leaned her hip against the long table.
    “Ellie, my dear, the Alpha’s Cadre is twelve warriors, as you know. They are the first line of defense, and stand for the Alpha if he is wounded outside of a formal challenge. In ancient times, the Queen’s Guard was one female warrior. But that gradually changed. Rylek’s mother had six, with five of them females. In the case of several of the members, it was a ceremonial position, not necessarily granted because of excellence in combat. But my daughter, Eva, is a warrior. She would be an exceptional Queen’s Guard.”
    “Valeri said Eva is merciless when she’s training with the men,” Ellie said, and Mura’s smile was luminous. It was obvious she was very proud of her warrior daughter and son.
    “The last Guard all died at the hands of human assassins in defense of Rylek’s mother. My sister was in the Queen’s Guard. The last queen was killed as well that day. It was many years ago.”
    Mura wiped away a tear, and Ellie winced in sympathy.
    Ellie’s head was throbbing, but she never got headaches. Surely
     
    the pain would pass. She tried to concentrate on what Mura was telling her.
    “I am sorry. The queen was my sister-in-law and my dear friend, and I lost my sister that same day. I was the only woman left in my family. As soon as we got the news, Vasily went to get Rylek, and he came to live with us. Rylek was sixteen and had just made it through his First Change. He was proclaimed Alpha of the three clans within weeks. Even then, no one could stand against him.”
    Ellie hugged her. Mura returned the gentle hug.
    There was a knock on the door, and the young blonde woman who had brought their tea tray stuck her head in.
    “The queen is summoned to the kitchens. The chef is looking for her opinion about the midnight buffet.”
    Mura straightened and ushered Ellie to the door.
    “You must go with Nasja. Don’t keep my Vasily waiting,” she said with a wink.
    Ellie nodded. She knew Vasily from the restaurant.
    “Yes, I remember Vasily and his mouth-watering chocolate mousse. Yum,” she said, trying to ignore the rolling of her stomach.
    “Yes, his ambition in life is to make women swoon and crave his chocolate desserts.” But the older woman’s smile was intimate, and Ellie understood that Mura was very much in love with her mate.
    Mura waved as Ellie followed the young woman from the room. They walked through the atrium before they descended a staircase and turned down a dark inner hall.
    “Is the kitchen this way? I must be turned around. I thought this was the way to the bathing room,” Ellie said. She was paying attention to their route. The house was large and had several wings. She wanted to be able to find her way around eventually without needing an escort.
    “Yes, it is this way.”
    They turned again. This hallway was in an older part of the house. It was narrower, and the walls were bare stone.
     
    Ellie was beginning to feel ill. She needed to lie down. She was about to make some excuse when Nasja stopped and withdrew a large old-fashioned key from her pocket.
    “You keep the kitchen locked?” Ellie asked, feeling perspiration break out on her forehead. She