the far corner of Maverley's room watching the little girl sleep peacefully. The war with the Hunters had ended and to celebrate their victory, the Lycans decided to stay in Boulder for an extra week. Picking up her book Aida flipped through the pages to get back to where her flimsy receipt was hiding. So lost in the life of Jo March, Aida didn't notice Maverley was awake until a small voice called out to her. With a gasp the Queen set the book and raced to the girls side. "Are you okay?" Aida asked frantically like a worried mother.

Maverley rolled her head to the side and winced. "Just a little sore. What happened?"

Aida let out a sigh and retold the story of how Maverley's brother was drunk and got a little handsy. "Listen Mave, Draco sent your brother to prison—King Jason will try him there. But in the meantime do you have any family you can stay with?"

Maverley shook her head. "My grandparents died before I was born."

With pursed lips Aida nodded. "I'm going to speak with Draco and then we'll talk again, okay? I shan't be long." Spinning on her heel Aida sped walk through the grounds and to the pack house. "Draco?" She called out as soon as she passed through the threshold.

The maid nearest the Queen pointed upstairs. "He's in his office, My Lady."

"Thank you," Aida said breathlessly before hurrying away. "Draco."

The King turned at the sound of his mate calling his name and smiled. 'I wasn't expecting you back so soon," he muttered whilst circling his arms around her waist. "To what do I owe the pleasure, hm?"

"It's about Maverley."

Draco leaned back and his eyes flickered across her face. He hummed and then drew her close again. The soft melody of a French classic played in the background as they began to sway. "You want to adopt her," Draco stated after some time.

"How did you know?"

"You forget that I know you better than you know yourself, Sweetheart. But," he sighed, "you have this look in your eye, the same one you had when you convinced me that we needed to adopt Adonis."

"Well it worked then didn't it?" She rested her head on his chest, listening to the sound of his beating heart.

"Yes, yes it did."

Aida smiled. "So it's going to work again now isn't it?"

Draco leaned down and kissed her nose before straightening up again. "It looks that way."

When they made it back to Maverley's hospital room, Aida was wringing her hands out nervously.

"Your Majesty," Maverley eyed Draco suspiciously as he walked into the room.

Draco chuckled lowly and collapsed into the chair beside her, leaving Aida to sit perched on the end of the bed. "Maverley, aida and I have something we want to discuss with you. If you would like to, you can come back to Greece and live in the palance. If you want to stay in your current pack you can—you would just be put into the foster care system."

"I could live with you?" Maverley asked quietly.

The King and Queen nodded.

"And you'd be my new parents?"

Aida choked back a sob. "We can be whatever you want us to be."

"I think I'd like that," the little girl whispered.

As much as Draco wanted to smother her in happy hugs, he knew Maverley was going to take awhile to warm up to him and he was just fine with that. Pressing a quick kiss to her hair, Draco left the room, leaving the two girls alone.

"You'd really be my new Mommy?" Maverley stared at Aida, her young brown eyes searching for a lie in the Queens.

"Yes Mave," Aida smiled. "I'd be your new Mommy."

Aida was brushing Maverley's straight light brown hair and humming a soft melody. Setting the brush on the table, Aida braided it quickly and patted her daughter on the shoulder. "Come on, Mave, let's get you into bed." Tucking her into the white sheets, Aida smiled. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, Mommy." Maverley whispered, watching as her mother began to leave the room.

"Good night, love." Cutting the light, Aida stepped out and turned around, "Daddy will be in to say goodnight in a minute." Slipping out of the room, Aida walked down the hall and kissed an already sleeping Adonis on the forehead. "Mave's waiting for you," Aida murmured resting a hand on Draco's shoulder.

He shut the book he was reading to Adonis and turned his head to the side to look at his mate. "Okay," he stood quickly and kissed her lips. "Go to bed, Sweetheart, you look tired."

Nodding, Aida stumbled out of the room and down the hall towards their bed. Peering over at Percy and Cai she was pleased to find them both asleep in their cribs. The moment her head hit the pillow, Aida let out a sigh and fell asleep.

Draco hadn't been asleep for very long, before a gentle push woke him up. Blinking rapidly, he rolled onto his other side and jumped at how close Maverley was standing next to the bed. "Maverley? What are you doing up, Princess?"

The little girl clutched her stuffed bunny closer, her chin wobbling.

Draco pushed the covers back and then froze when he heard his mate shuffling around in her sleep. He watched Aida's hand, finger around looking for his body, a frown falling on her face when she couldn't find him. Bending down, he kissed the corner of her mouth and then left with Maverley in tow. "Did you have a bad dream?"

Maverley sniffled and nodded.

"I'm sorry Princess," he whispered, ruffling her hair. "Can I pick you up?"

Maverley stopped and raised her arms.

Swinging her onto his hip, Draco led them to the kitchen. "It's okay," he muttered, when Maverley wrapped her legs around him tighter. "I'm just going to set you down and make tea, okay? I'll be right here." Her arms and legs loosened and when he set her on the cool wood counter, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. The water was lukewarm meaning the tea took longer to steep than usual, but Draco kept Maverley distracted. "Do you want to sleep with Mommy and I or in your own room?"

"You and Mommy," Maverley whimpered into his neck.

Rubbing her back, Draco walked them to the bedroom he shared with his mate. "Aida," Draco nudged his mate awake. "Hey Sweetheart, you gotta move over."

"Why?" She murmured snuggling deeper into his pillow.

Draco chuckled. "Maverley wants to sleep with us tonight."

Upon hearing her daughter's name, Aida's eyes were open wide as she looked around. Sitting up slightly, she took in the sight of Maverley snuggled into Draco's neck, her stuffed bunny hanging loosely against her chest. "Come here, Princess."

Hoping out of her father's arms, Maverley, settled into her mother's side. She could hear her mother singing a soft melody, and two sets of arms around her shoulders as she fell asleep. And for the first time in a long time, Maverley felt content.

It was nap time in the castle and all four of the royal children were sleeping. Taking two baby monitors down with her, Aida stumbled to the kitchen.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Aida."

"Hi Greta," Aida sighed as she slid into the barstool. "How are you today?"

Greta smiled. "Spencer comes home this evening," the head cook said excitedly as she thought about her mate. "I've missed her."

"I bet you have," Aida murmured. "I would miss Draco too if he was away for that long. Take the rest of the week off."

Greta shook her head, "no I couldn't possibly do that."

"Please," Aida pouted. "We've worked you hard enough."

"Three days," Greta waved her finger. "No more than three days." Turning back to the food she was making, Greta let a ghost of a smile kiss her lips. "How's motherhood treating you?"

Aida sighed, "it's tiring, but I love my kids and I wouldn't have it any other way." They continued to talk for the remaining hour before an alarm went off reminding Aida to wake her kids up from their hour nap.

"You go wake them up and then come back down for afternoon tea."

With a nod, Aida walked up the stairs and tiptoed into Maverley's room. Sitting on the edge of her daughter's bed, Aida gently shook Maverley awake. "Hi Princess," Aida smiled gently. "Come on you have to get up, Greta prepared tea for us. I'm going to wake your brothers, go wash your hands and put on your afternoon clothes." With both arms carrying the twins, Aida walked to the tea room.

"Here you go," Greta smiled at the family as she pushed a tray in front of them. "Ring the bell when you want the tray gone."

Aida scowled, "you know I don't like that thing."

"I know," Greta smirked, "that's why it's there."

~

when i was little, i was like super short (i am still short but whatever). anyways, i was barely taller than my parents bed. so whenever i had a bad dream, i'd just stand at by their face and breath on them until they woke up. scared the living shit out of them more than once

question of the day: how tall r u?

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