Chapter 451: Chapter 451

Chapter 451

Lanie It felt strange to be back in Constantine.

I hadn’t lived in the mansion very long, and so I’d never really managed to think of the big house as “home.” There were a lot of memories here, for sure, and they weren’t all good. I’d entered the mansion mated to Xander and Zane when they were in love with another woman, and none of us had been happy at first.

But we were happy now. I rolled over to quietly get out of the bed that would need to be replaced as soon as possible, since it was way too small for the four of us. My three mates were still snoring away like they didn’t have a care in the world, and I paused to look them over. My heart stilled as I pressed a hand over it, and my eyes filled with tears of joy to see them all asleep. Without worry and fear for the first time in so long I couldn’t recall just how long it had been.

The household staff was already bustling in the kitchen when I went down to see if I could grab a cup of coffee before I had to face the day. No enclavian spiders to lead my way this time. I had to follow the scent of freshly baked bread and other delicious smells. The Constantine mansion wasn’t nearly as big as the enclave had been, but it was still enormous, with multiple branching wings, and I took a few wrong turns before I ended up where I wanted to be.

“Luna,” the cook greeted me with a hint of surprise in her voice. “It’s an honor to have you here. Are you looking to inspect the kitchen?”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Oh, Goddess, no. I just desperately need some coffee and maybe a piece of whatever smells so good. Cinnamon?”

“Cinnamon buns,” the older woman said proudly and also sounding a bit shy. “I’m happy to serve you one. They just came out of the oven.”

“And coffee’s here,” said another staff member from across the kitchen. “I’d be happy to pour you a mug. Do you want to take it in the dining room? We’re setting up the breakfast buffet. And…Luna…”

I waited, watching the young woman’s eyes light up as she clearly struggled with what she wanted to say.

“Luna, we are so happy that you’ve all returned to Constantine!” Her voice rose into a squeak, and she blushed so fiercely I could almost feel the heat in her cheeks from all the way across the room.

My own flush warmed my throat and face. It was going to take some time for me to get used to being called Luna with such respect and admiration—and that little touch of intimidation. All of this was going to take some time to get used to…for everyone.

“I’m sure I speak for my family and not only myself when I say that we are all very, very happy to be back.” I tried to sound gracious and also approachable, the way Gabriela had always sounded.

She’d had years to perfect her Luna attitude, though. It was going to take me some time to get it just right.

The staff didn’t seem to mind. The cook and the maid both grinned at me and bustled around serving me up a cinnamon bun the size of my head and an oversized mug of coffee. In the dining room, I wasn’t sure where to sit. The long table had seats for twenty, more if people squeezed in.

Nobody else was in there yet.

“Traditionally, if this was a formal dinner, you’d be at that end.” The maid from the kitchen cast her voice low and pointed. “The Alpha would be here.” She touched the tall, throne-like chair at this end of the table. “But you’re of course welcome to sit wherever you like, Luna.”

“Thank you…what’s your name?”

“Karys, Ma’am.”

“Thank you, Karys.”

She beamed. “Will you be wanting to set up a meeting with the staff today, Ma’am? Or will you be settling in first? We’re all pretty eager to find out about any changes you’ll be making to the household operations.”

Changes? Household operations? All of that, I guessed, was going to fall under my control now. As the Luna Constantine, I’d have to oversee the running of this entire mansion.

A chill, anxious sweat trickled down my spine. I’d survived multiple attacks on my life, fled more times than I could count, discovered I was a hybrid, gained and loved three mates, and gave birth to extraordinary children, all while serving the Moon Goddess, and this was what made me want to bite my nails? I had to laugh, and Karys looked at me curiously.

“I think I’ll have to call a meeting later in the week,” I started to say, but I was cut short as the big double doors at the far end of the dining room flew open with a bang.

There was a scream.