The Seduction of Jac Frost (by Tatienne Richard) novel Chapter 88

River Apologizes

Original composition by Tatienne Richard exclusively for My Fiction. If you’re reading this elsewhere it has been stolen from the platform.

Returning to the lodge with the twins in good spirits and Bar rolling his eyes at their pushing and shoving, Jacqueline was feeling nervous.

The first person she saw as she reached the lobby was River sitting in a chair alone looking utterly dejected.

“I guess this is where I start,” she muttered to nobody in particular. She walked up to River and kicked her foot, “hey

dumbass.”

“Jacqueline!” she jumped up from the seat and threw her arms around her neck and hugged. “Oh my god. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me. It was a dumb idea. I talked the guys into it, but I thought it was the perfect way to get her

to confess. Make her comfortable, give her some wine, have her all relaxed with us and then bam, we’d get info from her.”

“You do realize someday you need to be queen and this harebrained idea of yours is not something I would expect of

O

&

+18 Bonus

< River Apologizes

a woman of your age, experience or station in life.”

“I blame the very young influence of my mate,” River batted

her lashes at her. “It’s making me behave like a child.”

Jacqueline flicked her in the forehead with her finger and thumb, “not an excuse.”

“Forgive me, please?”

“Yes but only because I need your help.”

“Anything you want,” River squealed as she hugged her tight and rocked her from side to side. “Also, who is the ginormous

shifter standing with Rafferty and Wilder and why are my brothers both sporting black eyes and split lips?”

“They beat the shit out of each other as a way to make

amends to hurting each other over the last forty years or so. Something about a diplomatic situation involving a temple hot spring and an orgy where someone almost died.”

River giggled, “they told you about that? It was hilarious from my perspective, but my parents were pissed.”

“Yes, well it seems that is what caused the rift between the

2/13

11:17

< River Apologizes

twins.”

&

+18 Bonus

“And the big guy?” River narrowed her gaze, “wait, I know him. Bear shifter, second prince of the Bear kingdom. What is he doing here?”

“He’s the bear shifter who runs the bookstore.”

“Oh, the one the twins are jealous of.”

“He’s also her mate,” Wilder interjected as he tugged River’s

hair and moved to take a seat.

“No fucking way!” River gasped and then looked at Bar impressed, “damn girl! You get three mates?”

“It feels like a lot,” Jacqueline made a face. “My mother

feels it’s necessary. I’m not exactly freaking out but I was intimidated with having to learn to love two. Three is going to stretch me in ways I wasn’t ready for.”

“You aren’t kidding,” River said wickedly.

Jacqueline realized the inuendo and then groaned as Bar

chuckled hotly beside her.

3/13

11:17

C

+18 Bonus

< River Apologizes

“She’s not wrong, mate.”

“Nasty.”

“I can be as nasty or as nice as you like.”

“She responds really well to nasty,” Rafferty commented as

he sat next to Wilder on the sofa.

“Okay, so Jack was saying you actually died, went to the

Queen Mother, which is a whole other level of cool, found out

she was your mother and she placed you with Winika and

Jack and you are the Queen of Kings and Queens.”

“Of all the Kings and Queens. Fae and shifter both.” Jacqueline sighed dramatically as she flung herself into the space between the twins and leaned her head backwards

to look at Bar who stood protectively behind them. “I do not regret you. I am happy to have you. It’s simply a lot to take

in.”

“I know, mate. You do not need to explain to me.”

“I like him.” River said with a grin as she plunked down back

in the chair she was in. “So now what? What do you need to

do?” 4/13

11:17

33

+18 Bonus

< River Apologizes

“Jacinta needs to pay for her crimes. Winika and Jack will

have serious decisions to make. Jack has already made his.”

“He said he is on the side of the truth.” River commented.

“He seemed different when he came here today. It was as if

someone removed the blinders from him about his parents

and wasn’t taking anyone’s shit anymore. He’s always been a

dutiful son.”

“He loves very deeply,” Jacqueline smiled. “Have you met his

mate Aspen? She’s perfect for him.”

“I found her very quiet compared to his loud.” River nodded.

“Do you know why you have Wraith?”

“No.” River looked at Jacqueline seriously, “oh tell me you

asked and you have an answer for me because I’ve been bashing my head against the wall. The sex is incredible. The guy has the stamina of a racehorse but some of the things coming out of his mouth make me want to pull my

hair out. He went skiing and was going up on the hill where

professionals go to die,” she made a face, “and told me I should go with him because I only live once. My love, it is because I only live once I do not want to go to the ski hill

5/13

11:17

C

+18 Bonus

< River Apologizes

named the Devil’s Back with my intermediate skills. I am a

Southern Realm fae. I love all the outdoors. I love to ski and

snowboard, and I love to rock climb and hike. I however do

not like the possibility of crashing into a tree and dying.”

Jacqueline giggled.

“Oh, and let’s not forget him asking me if I ever smoked weed. No, Wraith, I will not get high with you.”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t like that either.”

“He’s so immature.” She made a face, “did I mention how hot

the sex is?”

“Yes.”

“Why did she give me a human boy? I already love him, but I’m exasperated.”

“You’re an old stick in the mud.”

“What?”

“You’re so set in your ways you’re forgetting life is meant to be enjoyed, River. We went skiing, you and I this week and we

6/13

11:17

C

144

+18 Bonus

< River Apologizes

had a fun time. How often do you let loose and do things like that?”

“Never,” Wilder called out. “She never does. She’s boring

as dirt. She came out of the womb with a pencil and paper ready to take notes on how to be the best queen ever. We would try to get her to play with us and she would supervise instead. She was so responsible that she rarely played as a child.”

“She gave you a mate to make you realize you need to let go a bit, River. I’m not saying you need to ski down the Devil’s

Back or smoke weed but you need to let go of the stick wedged up your backside.”

“Hey!” River folded her arms over her chest. “That’s not nice.”

“And yet it’s accurate. You could do with a bit of Wilder’s

wildness.”

“It’s hard to relinquish control of myself.”

“I’m not saying be scandalous, but you need to live, River. Your mother is going to rule a long time. Are you really going to let yourself be nothing more than the girl who waits in the

wings?” 7/13

11:17

+18 Bonus

< River Apologizes

“I’ve never thought of being anything other than the

princess.”

“Maybe you need to think of what it’s like to be a fae first.”

“I guess.” River grunted, “I’m not sure where to start.”

“I have a great idea.” Jacqueline looked at her mates, “why don’t we do something together? I mean, definitely not skiing because we saw how bad I am at that.” She looked at Bar with big eyes, “I spent more time on my back than on my

feet.”

“I see nothing wrong with that,” he grinned down at her, his fingers tracing her cheekbones as she looked up at him.

“Agreed,” Wilder commented as he put his hand on her thigh.

“Yeah, I don’t think that’s what I’m thinking of when we do a group activity with the family.”

“The family?”

“Yes. Your parents. Jack and Aspen. Me and my mates. You

and your mates.”

8/13

11:17

O

< River Apologizes

“What do you have in mind, Jacqueline?”

“Let’s do something absolutely childish.”

“Childish?”

+18 Bonus

“Childish. River needs to let go of her need to be in control of everything all the time. I need to get to know my mates better and laugh more. Jack and Aspen need to start preparing for the arrival of a little one, they need to learn to play. Your parents, well, I just feel they would like it.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Let’s do exactly what an ice princess should be doing?”

“What is that?”

“Let’s have a snowman building competition but,” she held a finger up, “adult snowmen only. It doesn’t need to be sexy or anything, but it can’t be three round balls. You can use your magic and your powers to sculpt and create. You can involve any mediums you can conjure up but there needs to be snow

in it.”

9/13

11:17

+15 Bonus

< River Apologizes

“You’re right, it is childish,” River said seriously. “Snowmen?”

“Snow animals, snow women, snow flowers! A team building thing to make you collaborate with your mate, laugh with your mate and be with your family. I’m hoping it helps me open up a bit with my mates so I can feel the bond. I need

the connection to the snow and the ice.”

“I’m in.” Wilder raised his hands. “I will warn everyone now, I want to sculpt the Queen of Kings and Queens naked.”

“Oh, I am there for that!” Rafferty agreed.

“I agree,” Bar was laughing at Jacqueline’s frown.

“We will not be sculpting my naked body.” Jacqueline frowned

at them.

“I haven’t seen it yet. We need to let me study the subject first,” Bar commented as the twins raised their fists towards

him for a fist bump.

Jacqueline looked at River with disgust, “you might have a manchild, but I have three grown ass men who have decades of experience over me. I’m going to be outnumbered and outfoxed constantly. Look at them. They’re already bonding 10/13

11:17

< River Apologizes

with each other more than I am with them!”

+18 Bonus

“Aw, that’s not true, mate. We simply know that the best way to make you feel the bond is for us to get along. We can’t be at each other’s throats if we need you to feel loved and secure enough to let us into your heart.” Bar smiled at her

softly.

“Did I mention how much I like him?” River commented and then said with a wicked grin, “Jacinta is going to be so freaking jealous! You get three mates and she gets none. She was in a full–blown hysterical mess earlier when you dropped the bomb about her not having a mate. She believed you.”

“Good because it’s truth.” Jacqueline grunted feeling the familiar anger rising up. “She tampered with my bond with my mates because she saw me in a vision with the twins. She also,” she looked at River with an annoyed glance, “was jealous of her brother’s mate and tried to chase her off. She made Aspen feel insecure.”

“Gosh she’s a bitch!”

“She really is. Mother feels there is room for redemption in her but I’m struggling to see it, but I’m also biased. Her

11/13

11:17

+18 Bonus

< River Apologizes

actions affected me more than anyone else. I was removed

from a loving home, lived in poverty most of my life and

believed I was on the cusp of dying. That was her doing.

She has shown no remorse and isn’t prepared to make

restitution.”

“You’re getting angry again, Jacqueline. Let it go.” Rafferty said from beside her. “She’s not worth the hurt in your heart.”

“I need to laugh,” Jacqueline said. “I want to laugh and have

fun, the way I did the other day when we went skiing, River. Please say you’ll come building snowmen with me.”

“Fine!” River threw her hands up. “It will need to be where

humans in this town aren’t going to see us using magic and

powers to make snow creatures.”

“Yes!” Jacqueline cheered excitedly. “I can’t wait.”

“What is going on here?”

The sound of Jacinta’s voice made all five of them cringe.

“And here we go,” Jacqueline groaned.

9