The Cowgirl Rogue

Chapter 34

After finishing reading the paperwork and signing, I looked at the king with a blank look on my face. "Shall we get her checked out then?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question, and the king nodded in confirmation.

I cleared my throat and nodded while I set my jaw. "Ok," I said before I shifted in my seat slightly.

"Was everything up to your par?" the king asked while he looked at me with a raised eyebrow, and I nodded in conformation.

"I wouldn't have signed it if it wasn't, Your Majesty," I said, and the king didn't say a word about my "attitude" but shook his head, unamused.

"Of course," he said. He cleared his throat and shifted his seat, not phased. "Now, let's go see her new room then get her, and you, checked out. She will be boarding with Tally and Clemson." He gestured to the two of them, who were cuddled on the couch.

"Yes," Tally said with a small grin on her face. "That means that I can train you in private too. Clemson, of course, will be our guinea pig." She grinned at her mate, and her mate shook his head.

"Unfortunately, I will have to decline into being your guinea pig, Tal," he said softly, and the grin turned into a frown. He pecked her nose, and Tally scowled and wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Just for the time being, Love," he said while he offered her a small smile.

I narrowed my eyes at the male before me and frowned, silently wondering if someone had tried to control him or if he was worried that someone would try.

As if he knew my gaze was on him, Clemson looked at me and stayed silent. Silently, he told me not to push, and he would answer my concerns as soon as the kid was taken care of and safe in her new room.

I set my jaw and slowly nodded, making sure that I kept my face sort of blank and emotionless. I wasn't fond of the quiet between the two of us, and I had a feeling that the others in the room were curious too.

"Should I be concerned with this?" the king asked while he looked between the two of us with a raised eyebrow.

"No, Your Majesty," Clemson said and broke eye contact first while he looked at the king. "There are no concerns here." He made a slight gesture that I caught and looked at the king to see that he understood what Clemson meant.

The king nodded but stayed silent, not bringing any attention to the gesture, and I didn't either.

"Well, let's go then," Tally said and cleared her throat, interrupting the silence that had fallen on us. She tapped on her mate's leg and the couch cushion before she stood, and her mate followed suit. "After this, we can see what sweets you like to eat and get you started on them. Lukas is supposed to be coming over sometime today, so you can meet him and watch our lesson. Because Clemson isn't going to be our guinea pig anymore, for some reason, we have to find a new one." She looked at the king with a raised eyebrow and grinned.

"Uh, no," I said and stood while I set Hailey on the ground. "I am not going to be changing my order nor am I going to add something different to it. You're going to have to find someone different from the king or queen."

"I know," Tally said before she rolled her eyes and scowled. "I was looking to see if he had any suggestions on who to use for the time being. I mean, I could just use Cap..." She grinned wickedly while Corbin snickered at something I couldn't hear.

"I take that as a no, Tal," Corbin said, and she shrugged and looked indifferent while she smirked. "Think of someone else."

Tally groaned teasingly and rubbed the bridge of her nose while she shook her head and tried to think of someone else who could be under her control. "Can we go with the newbie then?" she asked, and I raised an eyebrow in question. "His name is Tyrece, but we've been calling him newbie because he's new to the group that we're in. He's doing quite well for himself, and I do respect him."

"No," I said, vetoing it instantly with a shake of my head. "He doesn't know what you are yet, and I do not want to scare him away. Once he knows and trusts you, then you can, but do not push him into it, Talilah."

Tally grinned playfully. "Awww, look at you trying to tell me what to do," she teased. "You do know that I am older than you, right?" She raised an eyebrow in question, and a spark of mischief appeared in her eye, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes and scowl.

"We could ask Simon," the king said, interrupting me from trying to say another word, and I closed my mouth and pursed my lips in annoyance. He glanced at me as if to say "cool it" before he looked at us. "I am sure that he will be more than happy to do it. He knows about the Vespers around us, respects both you and Tally, and I am sure if he was asked, then he can be a guinea pig for the two upcoming Vespers."

I pressed my lips into a thin line, weighing the pros and cons.about having him be the guinea pig. "The only thing I am worried about is the commanding part," I said and rubbed the bridge of my nose while I shook my head and sighed. "I don't think he will like it when there is pain involved, and because he is so close to this pack, I don't want there to be any animosity or whatever."

"Then you ask him," Clemson suggested, and I looked at him. "He respects you a lot, especially after you've risked your life on more than one occasion to protect him, his pack, and his family. He knows the risks about being in pain, and I know that you don't want him in pain."

"We also are going to be near there anyway to check on the Hannessee Rogue Group," Corbin added. "It'd be like killing two birds with one stone."

I slowly nodded and pressed my lips into a thin line. "Then we shall see," I said. "Now come on, let's get her settled in and then do everything else that needs to be done."

"And after you are done, you two can leave, and you can nap on the way to the other pack," the king said and stood. "We'll make sure that she stays safe here."

I nodded, not fond of the idea of napping but knowing that I wouldn't be able to change his mind. "Yes, Your Majesty," I said, letting him hear the disapproval in my voice. "I will take a nap to the pack and then half way to the pack we're residing in."

"And hopefully, I don't get a black eye," Corbin said and stood. He held out his hand for the queen to take, and the queen gladly to his hand and let him help her stand.

"And after all of that, me and Ro can have a little fun," the queen said with a grin and a spark of mischief in her eyes. "We can play games and stuff."

I didn't respond and shook my head, not wanting to know what they were planning, but the look in the king's eyes told me what I needed to know, and I prayed that it wouldn't happen while I was in the palace.

I did not need the image of them making out in my mind or hearing it.

Goddess, please let them wait, I silently prayed while the king led us out of the office. I pursed my lips in disgust while I squeezed Hailey's hand reassuringly. Please.

I don't think I could take it.