**** Alyssa **** "Alyssa? Is it really you? I heard you were missing. Where have you been? What happened? The news said you are the missing Princess. Is that true?" "Goddess, Melody, those are a lot of questions! Let's see.. Yes, it's really me. I have yet to learn about the Princess thing as I'm not ready to talk to them just yet. I ran away from my husband, who turned out to be my fated mate, and he's actually why I'm calling you. I was hoping to get some advice, and I think you are the perfect person to talk about my feelings with, if you don't mind?" "Of course, sweetie. I don't mind! You and your family were there for me when I needed you the most. It worked out well in the end, but I was a mess at first, and without you and your parents in my corner, I don't know where I'd be right now. So shoot, sweetie, I'm all ears," I recount my story for what feels like hours, sparing nothing. Melody oohs, ahhs and cusses in all the right places as she listened intently and occasionally
**** Alyssa **** "How did they work out their differences? Your father insisted on cutting my mother from the line of succession, didn't he? Was it a condition that he cut my mother, and me, off completely?" I ask. "Yes," Adrian answers, and I sit in silence for a moment processing this new information. My mother must have thought her father had given up on her. He must have felt awful for pushing his daughter away. Or at least I hope so. "Why would he agree to that? He's the King. Why not tell his brother to go frack himself?" I ask. "My father was a master politician. He was charismatic and managed to sway a lot of supporters. He used that influence to undermine many of your grandfather's decisions which crippled the government. "The King, busy and distracted, didn't realize the full extent of my father's meddling until it was too late. My father, though strong, knew he wouldn't win in a direct challenge, so he finagled and meddled to gain more power. The short story is the Kin
**** Alyssa **** I barely had time to register who my visitors were before finding myself crushed in Dara's arms. They are here. Dara, Marc, Nathan, and Emily all stood in the pack house foyer. Nathan looks suspicious. Marc looks indifferent. Dara looks excited. Emily seems nervous, as does Jayvon. "Welcome," Enzi greeted my friends politely, despite their evident uneasiness — I had to give Enzi some credit. But here Enzi was, welcoming these strangers, none of whom trusted him, into his home without reservation because of me. This pack had a reputation, and on top of that, Nathan and Luke would have told my friends everything that happened. Well, Nathan would have. Luke was not the chatty Cathy type. I could almost see Luke's cold glare while they tried to prize information out of him. By the time I'd finished reassuring my friends that I was fine — I had not been kidnapped, I was not a prisoner, and I was not in any way injured — it was time for dinner. Enzi told everyone who I w
**** Enzi **** I thought my heart would explode when she suggested staying in my room last night. It took her a while to fall asleep, I could sense her nerves, but I could also sense that she was starting to need me, want me. She finally rolled her back to me and tucked herself in as my baby spoon. Fracking perfect! "Is this alright?" she'd asked. "Yep," my answer was short because having her heavenly self this close to me set my soul on fire. I was desperately trying to think unsexy thoughts so that she wouldn't feel the rapidly hardening buddy poking her from behind. When I did fall asleep, it was the first time in a long time that I felt this at ease. Now, the golden glow of the sun is just tinting my room. I'm sure I didn't get much sleep, but having my gorgeous mate beside me, feeling safe and comfortable with me, made me feel fully refreshed regardless of how much sleep I had. "I love you, Alyssa. Even if you don't love me yet, I will always love you," I whisper while she
**** Alyssa **** Three dead. It hurts my heart to see three wolves dead because of me. One looks young, probably my age, and the other two look older. I recognize the older two from the files I examined years ago, but I only remember a little about them as individuals. And that just makes me feel worse. All three must have families who love them; I wonder if the young man had met his mate yet? Just then, a familiar and unexpected voice breaks my revelry. That is a voice I haven't heard in person in many years, and it takes a moment for me to fully register who it is. "Well, I never should have trusted a rogue to do a Luna's job." My brain was still grappling with her words, and I couldn't quite process what she meant. What the heck is she doing here? A heavily pregnant Carin steps out of the plane with a smug grin, and a gun pointed right at me. "Aunt Carin?" This does not make sense. If she's here, does that mean she had something to do with my parents' deaths? And how did
**** Alyssa **** As the plane makes to land on the small private runway in the jungle, I feel my nervousness spike. I don't know a lot about this grandfather of mine, and I've never been to South America before. I'd known, growing up, that my mother was Brazilian, and even though she shared some of her culture with me, this still all seem so foreign, yet at the same time, it feels oddly like home. "You're quiet," Adrian commented with a small, amused smile. We are driving down a road flanked by thick rainforests that I can't keep my eyes off; it is like the trees are calling to me. "I'm just… I want to explore." That's true, but not the full extent of my current feelings. "He's going to love you. He already loves you," Adrian answered my biggest fear without my having to express it. A surge of gratitude caused my smile to twitch. "Thanks," I said, not quite sure what else to say and definitely not willing to admit how much those words affected me. I know my parents loved me an
**** Alyssa **** "What about my friends?" I question, trying to sound calm, but I know I've just snapped, and I am well aware that my voice sounds higher-pitched than usual. "Oh, they are fine; everything is fine. Don't worry. I was going to tell you what we learned," he hastily says, obviously sensing my rising panic. "You could have started with that," I flop into the armchair and dangle my legs over the side, feeling slightly annoyed but definitely relieved. "Carin was right about my father taking Marc and Dara's pack and killing their father," he says. I had a feeling she wasn't lying about that. I suck in a breath, "How are they?" My voice is tight and whispery. I wish I could be there for them both. What a crappy way to learn about the father you never knew. "Well, I was just a baby when it happened, so I don't know much other than the basic facts as reported to me. We have a few old warriors in the pack we've been able to talk to. We've confirmed; theirs was one of the
**** Enzi **** In total, the labor was about two hours. I tried to ignore it, but with shifter hearing, it was hard not to hear the doctor's orders to push. I heard that humans often experience a whole day of labor, and I'm glad our Moon Goddess was kinder to shifter women. I've visited plenty of the packs' new moms here in this very hospital to know that the shifter labor can be anything between 1 and 5 hours. "She's had the baby." Simon's voice interrupts my thoughts, and I promptly leap to my feet. Usually, I would say congratulations, but that doesn't seem to fit this situation. "Girl? Boy?" They had wanted to be surprised this time around. "A girl. She wanted a girl," Simon says with obvious sadness. "Healthy, I assume?" "Yes. She's perfect." "And Carin?" I ask.. "She'll be healed by morning," he shrugs. Good. We still have questions. I pat Simon on the shoulder. I don't know if there are any words to heal his broken heart right now, and I've never really been good at