Doe's POV:

Xander had gained a little habit since we started sleeping wrapped up in each other, that habit being exactly what I was waking up to.

It started with us laying facing each other on our sides, arms hanging around the other in some way.

From there, the second he began to slip back into consciousness, both of his arms would straighten, and his back would arc against me in a long stretch.

His claws made a short appearance during it every time and sometimes followed by a quiet strain in his throat from the feeling of a nice early morning stretch.

I'd learned to expect what came very promptly after.

His arms would wrap around my mid-back within a heartbeat in a very tight embrace while his legs took their turn for a stretch.

Which, on occasion, worked wonders in cracking my back.

Then he'd relax, releasing it all with a sigh that I could feel blow against the top of my head, fixing the blankets to make sure I was properly covered before settling back in.

Honestly, at this point, I'd more often than not fall back asleep for a little bit, but this time I mimicked his actions instead.

I caught myself nuzzling into his shirt -- and partially the skin of his chest due to the very loose-fitting tank top he wore -- While I stretched out my arms and back, not at all trying to fight my morning grogginess, and just instead let it do what it wanted.

The smooth-beating rhythm of his heart fell off-beat, mixed with a hitch in the rise of his chest

Maybe I woke him up a bit more than he woke me up.

Hopefully not to an un-fixable amount. It did still feel a little early.

I pulled the arm back that I originally had slacked over his back and used it to apply some pressure to his shoulder.

He understood my wordless request rather quickly, slowly maneuvering himself onto his back.

His hand never left the bottom of mine as I situated a good portion of the front of my torso onto his.

A tiny noise escaped my throat as I settled into him, curling my fingers around his shoulder to pull myself until my head was tucked under his jaw.

His breathing stopped for a few seconds that time.

Enough of them to make me peer an eye open in concern, and instead get distracted by those little dark red marks around his collar bone.

The sunlight peeking through the balcony doors was just enough for me to make them out.

All of the remaining ones from a few nights prior that he had yet to heal.

A warmth began to simmer in my chest.

There was just... an interesting thrill to it, knowing that I'd put them there.

My hand dragged down from his shoulder, using my middle finger to trace a soft line from one mark to the next.

I wonder if he felt similarly when he left the same things on me.

His purr started up again the second the question passed my mind as if answering it in his own weird way.

A small, sleep-ridden smile tugged at my cheeks anyway at the timing, lying my hand flat as I relaxed into the soft rumble.

His larger hand enveloped it, giving a little squeeze.

That small action over everything else was the one to cause a tug in my chest.

Weird.

A let out a small sigh, now being more awake than I would have liked, but became satisfied with the thought of just laying here until we decided to get up almost immediately.

Xander too gave away that he was in a similar predicament judging by the circles he was tracing with his fingertips against my lower back.

Okay, I guess we were awake then.

With that knowledge, I think my brain finally decided to fan away the grogginess and start making some coherent thoughts.

I already knew that I'd be grabbing breakfast with Khloe this morning, but I didn't know when that was happening, nor what to expect afterward.

I just wasn't quite used to planning my days this much.

"What's your plan after breakfast," I spoke quietly, ignoring the gravely sound in my voice.

His chest rose as he took in a yawn.

"I've got no clue," He exhaled, "If Mom and Dad have something for me to do today, they'll probably let me know at breakfast. They tend to give Nico most of the workload to help him prepare, so if they do have something for me, it shouldn't take that long."
"What time is your breakfast supposed to be?" I followed up.

I just wanted to know how much time we had like this.

Even though I knew this would happen again.

Right now that certainly didn't feel the same as knowing I could just keep having it now.

Keeping him here...like this.

He turned his head as he spoke, talking right into my hair.

"Around eight. They like to have their meals early-ish since mom and dad have stuff to do right at the beginning of the day."

The Lord and Lady have jobs to get to... wow, who would have seen that coming?

I lifted my head just enough to see the clock that sat above the fireplace.

"Xander, that's in seven minutes."

"What?!" Any trace of sleep was gone from his voice, pushing his head up to see the clock himself.

I took the liberty of removing myself from him to allow him to get ready as quickly as possible.

His purr dissipated as he lifted into a sitting position, a flash of panic showing in his eyes.

I felt a huff leave me at how short our time was cut, but I didn't blame Xander for that.

I had to give him the benefit of the doubt, even I wasn't used to the hour time difference between here and Bronwyn's territory yet.

It definitely felt earlier than it was.

His panic switched to something closer to worrying disappointment, eyes shifting to me.

I wanted to think he was sharing my thoughts.

"You better hurry," I apprised, slowly gathering myself together.

I was getting breakfast at the same time after all.

"Right," he breathed, and from there scrambled out of bed and into the closet.

I meandered into the bathroom to fix my hair and face, soon hearing him leave his closet and run into here.

I don't know why I was surprised by the lack of formality of what he was wearing, just some grey jeans and a blue sweatshirt.

Though to him, they were his family before they were royalty.

I guess I'd just been used to having to get all fancy for a Lord and Lady no matter what.

I don't know it just felt like something Brownwyn would make his kids do.

But knowing Xander, he'd take this casual over the 'really fancy things' he'd have to wear to the many events that took place here.

His words, not mine.

He threw himself together as quickly as he could and was impressively making decent time.

I watched him fight with his hair for about 10 seconds before wordlessly handing him one of the headbands I'd ordered when picking out my clothes. Most of which were actually for him, but he didn't need to know that yet.

He thanked me and situated it in the same place I always did.

In the perfect spot that got the hair out of his face, yet didn't make his hair completely loose that 'messy' look I was begrudgingly beginning to favor.

Emphasis on begrudgingly.

About a minute later, and he was set, stopping by my side before reaching the door.

His hand found my shoulder, "I'll come back- I'll come and find you after I'm done."

I just sent him a nod, feeling his hand move up my neck to my jaw.

My eyes flickered down, noticing the tenuous lowering of his head.

I sucked in a breath, paying little mind to the part of me that was now rejoicing at the intent written on his face.

Then he just suddenly blinked and drew back like he was caught off guard by his actions.

And then like he was embarrassed by them.

For just a second there, I could have sworn I saw his pupils thin, just for him to blink and make me second guess myself.

What?

I felt something incredibly similar to what happened before the first time we kissed.

When he placed his hand over my mouth and backed up.

I knew from the look in his eyes that's what he was going for, and he stopped?

It's not like we haven't kissed before, so why did he cut it short?

The one time it felt like he was initiating it...

His hand fell away from me.

Oh, absolutely not.

"Yeah, so I'll see you-"

I got up onto my toes, my first two fingers guiding his jaw into position before setting a quick kiss over his lips.

Or, It was supposed to be quick, but the sudden hand holding my waist made it about three seconds longer than what I was going for.

Which was completely fine with me.

I lowered myself back down, preferring the look he had on his face now.

That blush gave his face some color.

"Yup, see you later then," I replied, turning back to the mirror to finish getting ready.

His eyes lingered for a moment more before he must have remembered he was on a tight schedule and sped out.

Only hearing the door shut to confirm his leave, I got dressed and headed out to my plans

~~~

"Oh, so you worked like... close with the royal family," I spoke, taking in what Marcus had just told us.

Khloe got to the dining room about the same time I did, and Marcus ended up being there as well at the same table he was at last time.

So Khloe and I joined him at the table in the corner, bombarding him with the questions we'd already asked each other.

His upbringing wasn't as long

Or maybe he just gave us the abridged version.

He was born into his job like I was and given a daily job at the castle at 13. From there he made his way up the rankings through the trusts he'd gained and the reputation he built from it and eventually had Bronwyn giving him the opportunity to handle the more trusted things and work on the royal floors. While still giving help everywhere else it was needed.

Until it all went downhill, but I got the gist of that already. By now we both did.

What I did gain from his story was that he had knowledge, and I for one was nosey... when it came down to this family.

After hearing about the big secret, now it was like every little detail just added and added to it.

"Yeah, as close as most can I would say," He replied.

He'd finished his food a while ago, meanwhile Khloe and I were still picking at our's

Lily had made me some crispy seasoned hashbrowns, three thick strips of bacon, and two waffles topped with a strawberry spread and a lot of whipped cream.

And every single bite was delightful.

"Was he... I mean was it... stressful?" I could tell that Khloe was treading very lightly over the topic.

"It was at times, but not as much as you might think. The work itself wasn't, but it was when things got more personal with him and his family that things would get... tense."

I paused mid-chew.

It felt weird knowing what I did, and I wondered for a moment if Marcus too was in on the family's secret.

"Did you have to work with his kids too?" I prodded.

He was quite open with all of this, and even in just a few days, I could see this place changing him for the better too.

With a few trips to Nico to treat his wounds, he was carrying himself normally.

"Sometimes, yeah, but they were all relatively nice."

"Really?" Khloe and I spoke at the same time, with the same, flat, disbelieving tone.

We exchanged knowing looks to each other before turning back to Marcus.

"Even Layla?" She asked before I could get to it.

"I find it hard to believe myself, knowing what she put you two through, but she was always just... quiet and shut away whenever we crossed paths. I never stepped foot in any of their rooms, so I can't say for certain what she's like behind closed doors."

My lips pursed out, giving that a very minimal amount of thought.

"Releasing her psycho tendencies on a human that wasn't me if I had to guess," I muttered, speaking it with the cold feeling I had towards her, but also with a tone that let them know that it was okay to laugh.

I didn't want to take her seriously anymore. In any way.

"Yeah, she was definitely the strangest of the four," He confirmed.

And she wasn't even the one suffering the most from that biological mishap.

"Does he make his kids dress up all fancy for family meals?" I asked, entertaining my thought from earlier.

He thought for a moment, an odd look coming over his face.

"Kind of, but I never noticed the specifics until now. I didn't stand in on too many of their meals, but the two older daughters were always dressed normally, and the younger two wore formal attire in every one."

The two kids that weren't his.

Yikes...

I kept my eyes peeled on Marcus as he spoke, trying to pick up anything that I could to give me a hint that he knew what was up with their family.

And I didn't come to a single conclusion.

I had to come to the quick realization that just because I could read Xander, that didn't mean that I could read every one.

Sadly.

"And what about the son," I wanted to try one more thing to see just how much he knew, though it took me a second to remember his name, "Lucien."

"Son?" I heard Khloe quietly speak.

Even living there as a citizen, she didn't know much about the family.

She was gaining a different interest in this very quickly.

His lips pulled to the side at the sound of Lucien's name, eyes reflecting something piteous.

Oh, he had to know something then.

"He's... strange, that's for sure. It always felt like Lord Bronwyn had some kind of vendetta against him, and their quarrels were," He winced, his hand rubbing over an area oh his wrist I knew a bruise still had to be, "Difficult to watch. something about him was just... not right."

"Not right?" Khloe thankfully repeated

Marcus struggled a moment for the right words, a crease forming between his brows.

"It was like every time I saw him, he was carrying himself a little differently than the last time. His overall disposition was never consistent. He looked exhausted ninety-five percent of the time, and was locked away in his room more often than not."

He took a moment to flip through his thoughts, slouching his shoulders with a sigh.

"He looked mean, but I think him and the Lord were the only ones who could call me by name. His pet was kind too... I didn't interact with him too much, only saw the ugly feuds the Lord would start with him for what felt like no reason."

The irked image he was displaying at a lack of an answer at least showed me that maybe he didn't know as much as I thought he did.

If they really wanted to keep the secret close, then there would be no need to drag Marcus into that.

"I don't know, that whole family is a hidden mess just ready to reveal itself." He concluded, leaning fully back into his chair, "The only normal one in that family is Adeline, and thank god she's the heir, or else that territory would go down in flames within the next generation."

I couldn't possibly agree more, though I never met nor knew too much about the older sisters.

"Maybe it would be better if it did," I quipped.

"I certainly wouldn't be opposed, and I grew up there," Khloe added.

"Seeing what it's like here, puts it into the perspective of what it could be like there. Either way though, I am very happy to be out of there." Marcus finished.

The three of us shared a laugh and our agreeance, bonding over the worst of what we've been through.

As strange as it sounded, it felt... relieving.

Though all of our experiences were different... I don't know it just felt as if each of us understood where the other was coming from.

I guess us humans understood it better than the vampires could, though I know they do a good job at it too.

Marcus was the first to stop laughing after doing a double-take right past where I was sitting.

The calmness I'd only ever seen in his eyes turned into a hardened glare, aiming it right behind where I was.

Khloe and I caught on pretty quick, turning to follow it.

As we did, at least 10 of the boys behind us promptly put their heads down, acting as if they weren't doing anything at all.

One, though, didn't move a muscle and kept his eyes right where they were from the beginning.

Right at me.

Reddish-brown hair, and a small mole by one of the eyebrows that rose once he saw me looking.

His head gave a little tilt and a confident little smile.

Meanwhile, I was just confused.

Did he want something or...?

I turned back around at the sound of Marcus' sigh, seeing him place his elbows on the table and give a little shrug.

"No place is perfect."