Pregnant With Four Alphas' Babies: A Reverse Harem Romance Chapter 280: Home in Green Mountain

*Weeks Later*

*Damon*

We all stand on the deck as we approach the Green Mountain docks. It’s quite a sight to take in the hundreds of vessels in anchorage offshore so they can take turns at the docks. Ours has priority with the Alpha King and soon-to-be other Alpha Kings and Luna Queen aboard, so we head straight in.

I can see as we disembark that the castle has sent the royal escort, and thankfully the main car is large enough for all four of us.

“It’s strange, being on land after being at sea for so long,” Trisha muses. “I felt this last time. I think I’d rather fly for my visits, if that’s all right.”

I chuckle. “The Luna Queen can travel any way she wants.”

“It’s going to take me a long time to get used to that title,” she says.

“It’ll feel like second nature sooner than you think,” I add.

We climb into the SUV and the driver heads toward the castle. It’s good to see the familiar scenery pass by, and I’m happy to be able to experience it with my mate, especially now that the weight of war is off my shoulders, though we still have a reckoning with the families who have lost loved ones in the battle.

My main concern is how my father is doing. I link with Daniel as soon as I’m in range and this time, I remember to include Trisha from the start, as well as the other Alphas. “How is he doing?” I ask.

“Oh, good. You’re home,” he says. “He’s awake sometimes, and when he is, he’s distraught. Damon, he’s starting to come back, and it’s hitting him what he’s done.”

“I’ll be there soon,” I say. “Please get the Council together for a meeting as soon as possible.”

I close the link as Trisha squeezes my hand. “We’ll get him through it,” she says.

Alessandro speaks up. “We’ll convince him that it wasn’t his fault. He had no way of knowing he was being poisoned.”

“He had it rough when your mother died,” Braden adds. “It was probably easier to trick him if that herb the witch used helped him forget.”

“I’m guessing it did,” I say.

“Damon, I didn’t know your mother had passed away,” Trisha says. “I’m so sorry. So much has happened that I haven’t had time to ask anything about any of your families.”

“Thanks,” I say, giving her a light kiss. “It was very hard on me at the time. I was a teenager. My father pretty much checked out. I guess that’s why I never thought twice about a strange ‘healer’ showing up. I figured she was treating him for depression and the loss of his mate.”

“It’s not your fault either, Damon,” Trisha says. “You were hurting as well at the time.”

I nod, though it’s hard to really agree. I guess it’s going to take some time to forgive myself as well. I have a beautiful, smart, kind, loving mate now though, and that gives me so much to be thankful for. I know she’ll be the one to help me heal from all that.

But right now, my focus is on securing our future. The Council is waiting in the receiving hall when we arrive, and we all go straight there.

“Alpha King.” The chairman bows his head, and the others follow suit.

“I need your counsel,” I say without wasting any time. “This woman, the princess of Dark Forest, will be my Luna Queen. My friends are also her Moon Goddess-given mates. I need to know the protocol for such a marriage.”

Elder Aerona, the only woman on the Council and a highly respected member of my cabinet, speaks. “Polyandry was once quite common among royals before the split.”

“The split?” Trisha asks.

“That is the time when Green Mountain split from Dark Forest,” Aerona explains. “It’s been a few generations now, but then, the Luna Queen had two mates. Each loved her in their own way, but unfortunately, they loved power more. Travel was slow then. The journey was too long for her to go back and forth, and eventually, she chose to remain with the Alpha King of Dark Forest. Our king severed all ties, halted all improvement projects, and forbade anyone to ever go there again. He died with no heir, and the Barlowes stepped up.”

“Oh,” Trisha says. “Well, that makes sense then. We’re told in Dark Forest that the old king went mad when his mate died of a broken heart. He ruled harshly because of it. That family ruled until my dads took over. King Gene was the last of them, though his parents were really nice. Maybe the mean part skipped a generation.”

“Thank you for telling us that,” Aerona says. “With the disconnect, we never knew what happened.” She looks at me. “But it’s clear that polyandry is legal and acceptable for royals, so long as the mates are true.”

“We definitely are,” Alessandro says quickly.

“All right,” I say. “Well, we need to plan the ceremony. Trisha, we’ll send messengers by plane to alert your family.”

Her face lights up at the thought of seeing them again. I know we’re going to have to take a lot of trips in the future. That should be easy with three of us to take turns going with her. I notice the bag she’s holding and remember the statue.

“Oh, and I need a scholar who can tell me something about this.” I motion to Trisha to hand me the bag, and I pull out the wolf statue. “This is the Luna Queen’s personal possession, so it’s only to be examined in her presence.”

“I suggest having Reginald take a look,” the Chairman says.

I nod. “Have him get in touch with me. Okay, I think all that’s left is planning the wedding.”

“I’d be happy to perform the ceremony,” Aerona says.

I nod, grateful. “That would be perfect, thank you. Please have the events coordinator contact me.” I look at Trisha. “How soon do you want to get married?”

“However soon they can get this together.” She smiles at me, then Alessandro and Braden. “I just want to get started on our future.”

We head into the dining room and enjoy a great dinner before settling into the parlor to talk to the wedding planner, Briana.

She asks Trisha about her ideal wedding and takes notes as Trisha replies. “I can put all this together in a month, if that works for you.”

“Wow, that’s quick for a wedding,” Trisha says. “But that would be incredible.”

“I can have the dressmaker meet with you tomorrow.” Briana made another note.

“Oh. I really need my mother’s input, I think. And I’d like my sister here as well.”

“We’ll get them here as soon as we can,” I say. “I’ll send the messenger tonight and ask them to return with him.” I look at Briana. “Schedule the dressmaker for the next day, please.”

We talk about a few more things but decide to make most decisions when Trisha can have input from her mother, so I call the household coordinator to talk about logistics in the castle.

“Alpha Alessandro and Alpha Braden will need their own permanent suites in the castle,” I say. “The Luna Queen will need her own private quarters as well.” I figure that regardless of who stays with her each night, Trisha should decide whether she wants to stay in their room or her own. It’s going to be a different kind of marriage, so there should be a place where it’s just Trisha’s things for those times when she just wants to be alone.

“For now, you can stay in the guest suites,” I tell them.

“Actually….” Alessandro turns to Trisha. “I need to go see my pack and my parents to work out all the arrangements back there. I don’t want to leave you, but since it’s Damon’s turn to be with you tonight, maybe this is the best opportunity to get that done.”

“Same here,” Braden says. “I’ve got some logistics to handle, plus I need some time with my parents. I really don’t want to leave you either.”

“It’s okay,” she assures them. “I’d love to meet your parents and see your packs, but we’ll have lots of time for that. It’s probably best for you to handle things like that so the people of your packs don’t worry.”

I stand aside while she kisses them both goodbye, and after they’re gone, she takes my hand. “Let’s go see your father now.”

By the look in her eyes, I can tell she knows I’ve been stalling, and I’m not even sure why. But I nod and start heading toward my father’s room where we find him in bed.

Myla, one of our healer’s assistants, sits by his side reading a book. She closes it and stands when she sees me enter the room. “He wakes up now and again then goes back to sleep,” she explains. “The poison has been exhausting for him, and the sleep is necessary for healing.”

I walk up to him, afraid to make noise.

“Wake him,” Myla says. “It’ll do him good to see you.”

“Father,” I say. I wait for a response before touching his shoulder and repeating it.

“What?” He awakens a bit startled, but after a few moments, he seems to have his bearings. “Damon… my boy.”

It’s the same thing he said to me last time, and I’m afraid he’s going to start asking me for candy again.

But he doesn’t. “Damon, they’ve been telling me everything that happened. You stopped that stupid war I started?”

“Yes,” I say. “Everything is fine now.”

“But they said… they said we lost a lot of warriors,” he says. “That’s all my fault.”

“Father… Dad. No, it’s not your fault,” I insist. “You were given poison for decades, and it was bound to affect you. We found the antidote, and that witch will never be allowed within a thousand miles of this castle again.”

“Coraline,” he says. “You know, she was a pretty young thing when I first met her. Maybe that’s why this old fool bought into her lies. She dyed her hair purple and said she was going to be the world’s greatest healer.”

“It doesn’t matter now,” I say. “She’s gone, and you’re getting better, Dad.”

“Changed her name too,” he says, continuing as though I’ve never spoken. “It used to be just Cora. She really hated Dark Forest. I’d swear she was from there if I didn’t know better.”

He closes his eyes and goes back to sleep instantly. Myla says that’s normal and promises to keep watching him, so I turn and take Trisha’s hand, walking her back to my room.

I truly need to sleep in my mate’s arms tonight.