~Jeanette’s Point of View~
I ran away from the stupid faced prince that thought too much of himself. I pitied Trixie immensely, as if she didn’t have enough on her plate she had to deal with that egotistical sack of crap.
How could she stand him?!
*Let’s run it off,* Hannah said, and I nodded. That was the ticket.
I made my way to the far side of the lake and I saw dozens of press setting up cameras. They weren’t gonna pressure me into anything. I hadn’t even talked to my mama yet!
I found a big tree and stripped then Hannah took over. I tried like all heck to be quiet so nobody would know what I was doing. I needed to think and that wasn’t going
heating up! Was it about time for these guys or should she have made him sweat a bit longer?
~Trixie’s Point of View~ “Thank you all for coming and joining us today. We couldn’t be more proud to formally announce that both Prince Dawson and Prince Damien have found a true fated mate. And actually their mate is the same female. You know her as the golden wolf, but now she is also Princess Beatrix,” the Queen said, applauding. I stood between my mates and took their hands, giving a small nod and smile. I blushed, hating the attention. This thing had just started and I already wished it was over with. The crowd looked shocked and I could tell many were dying to shout out questions. “I know the burning question many of you have is why didn’t we announce this when Trixie was in the news before? Well there are many reasons for that, things were still very new to us
~Draven’s Point of View~ My whole life I felt like no one saw me, no one gave a damn what I did. I’d never be king so there was no point in teaching me, even really watching me . My accomplishments, my gains … all for nothing if no one saw them. Sometimes Damien would come to my basketball games, cheer me on. I’d feel so powerful when I had an audience, important and needed. In the palace I was just a fly on the wall, someone who was summoned for family photos and big announcements. No one ever asked, “Draven what do you think about… What would you do in this instance…” No, it was all for Dawson, everything. I resented him for so long, he was perfect and there was absolutely no measuring up to him. There was no possible way to be as great and flawless. Get the hi
~Trixie’s Point of View~ “You’re not being left alone with her,” Dawson said, matter of fact. He was being unreasonable. What else was new. “The last time I was alone with her, the goddess showed me a bit more and it was helpful in nailing her,” I insisted. Any chance I had to trigger a vision I was absolutely going to take. There was too much on the line. I was beginning to feel like my mates were afraid of my gift. At first it was fun, seeing Victoria’s future and giving a happy couple good news. But what happens when the visions are not always pleasant, when they get a bit too real? When they show the completely awful side of humanity? They tho
~Trixie’s Point of View~ I kept walking. I very well heard Sally’s words. I couldn’t let her know they affected me. I could never give her that, even if I was crushed. My mom. The princes. She told them my mom was alive and she knew this whole time? They’ve known … for how long? I kept walking down the long hallway until I reached the guard’s office and I threw myself inside. The man looked at me confused but I couldn’t speak. “Would you please give us a few minutes,” Draven said, trying to dismiss him. “Sure, take your
~Damien’s Point of View~We’d had our most trusted guards and investigators raid not only Sally’s hotel room but her house and her boyfriend’s house. The sheer volume of her ‘excellent record keeping’ would have us buried in paperwork for months. When we realized what we were up against, we put together a team of five people to work on nothing but her records.I wanted to know every child that came and went from her house and what happened to them. There were just so many, I’d never had a clue as to how many orphans there truly were in all the kingdoms. And I’d certainly never given much thought as to what happened to them. What kind of lives they led. This wasn’t some pet project, this was my mission. We couldn’t let this continue. Child slavery right under our noses &helli
~Dawson’s Point of View~ “I need some damn answers now! Someone knows where that woman is! She didn’t just disappear into thin air,” I screamed into the phone. The investigator that I sent to Kingdom 6 to look for this female named Hendrix was coming up with nothing. But oddly enough, a neighbor did mention that she disappeared not long after Beatrix the golden wolf was plastered all over the news. The neighbor said she seemed exceptionally surprised by the news and was gone the next morning. This was no coincidence. She’s clearly on the run, hiding something. Is the woman actually Trixie’s mom? I had to know and I needed answers now. I sent out a pick up on sight order for her and her vehicle. It wasn’t enough and I didn’t handle sitting idle very well, not with a ser
~Jade’s Point of View~ When I heard the howl, my Andrew’s howl … my heart nearly exploded. I hadn’t heard it in so long, far too long. I knew it couldn’t be so, there was absolutely no chance it was him. But there was only one other who could know his signature howl. Someone that I should have tried to find, but my shame and my pride wouldn’t let me. I owed it to him, but I simply couldn’t. I was wanted, stalked for my pelt. He would have been as well. I didn’t want to trust it, I had my pups to protect. I wouldn’t leave them. But if what Alma said is true, if my Willow has shifted and is now under the protection of the palace albeit with some bogus old lady’s name… I don’t have any clue what to expect from what lies in the darkness. What to believe.
~Trixie’s Point of View~ *Not that I’m complaining, especially since the hunting has been totally off the chaaaain with our sexy mate, but are you ever gonna shift back,* Mila asked. It had been three days that Dawson, William and Brad were gone. I wasn’t stupid. I knew Dawson was trying to do something big, likely find my mom. Try to be a hero so I’d forgive him. Does a good deed fix so many bad ones though? And what about one as epic as finding my mom? Even if all he found was a grave, I’d have closure. *I don’t know. I think this is pretty cool staying on four legs,* I said, looking over at Hannah. Jeanette was standing with me in solidarity, and also refusing to shift back. Victoria kind of went back and
~Two Years Later~ ~Willow’s Point of View~ “It’s so dang hard to believe isn’t it,” Jeanette said, as we watched our mates and pups swimming in the lake. We made a pact that every year, during our birth month we would come back to camp, if only for the day. You can do that kind of nonsense when you’re a royal with a helicopter at your disposal. Of course there were so many of us now the poor pilot had to make two trips. Maybe three depending on how many people wanted to come. “It really is,” I said, shifting my son Dylan in my arms. He was only a month old and certainly not ready for swimming. But we’d get him there. Thankfully he slept through anything and everything, and if he woke … well a boob in his fac
Ten Weeks Later ~Willow’s Point of View~ Trying to find a new normal when so many of us in the palace were still totally new to this life must be what it’s like for a first grade teacher. Kids that are somewhat eager to learn but mostly want to play with their friends and just have lunch and recess. Only us pregnant hippos loved our nap times. It seemed like all we did was have meetings and eat. I wasn’t complaining since I knew it was all important stuff. But it definitely seemed like we were all just making it up as we went. We had some “guidance” but no real adult to stand there and say ‘this is what you do’. Jeanette and I often joked that we were playing house and the real owners would be home soon. It
~Dawson’s Point of View~ The ladies had now been in mom’s room for nearly an hour. Watching them on the cameras made me absolutely sick. They also gossiped freely, truly believing no one was listening. They trashed mom, talked about how she didn’t appreciate her fine things. But oh, they would. They would take better care of her stuff. They were all far more deserving. They already had plans for certain gowns, for upcoming events. I hoped they truly enjoyed their last minutes of freedom and complete indulgence. I was ready to reign down absolute fire on these damn females. At least five pieces of jewelry had been pocketed. They did it without a second thought, and bragged about it. I had to leave the room several times because I got so pissed off. I just saw red. Befor
~Willow’s Point of View~ I absolutely felt this was an all hands on deck situation. I was currently standing in my mates’ office along with Draven, William, Victoria, Jeanette, Brad, Mom, Nicholas and some others that Dawson insisted were their top security people. He was confident they were absolutely trustworthy. I quickly told them my vision then my plan and everyone stared back at me in shock. “Those raggedy bitches,” Dawson said, slamming his fist into the desk and causing splinters to fly. He got one stuck in his hand and my mom quickly went to work getting it out. “I just had this feeling there was something more we were missing. Some
~Willow’s Point of View~ Draven arranged for Victoria, Jeanette and myself to meet with Delia’s girlfriends. I wasn’t sure exactly why it had to be us specifically but I supposed they felt it would grease their wheels. It would be easier to talk with three pregnant she-wolves than with four huge and intimidating lycans. Two that have big crowns on their heads whether they actually do at the moment or not. I supposed talking to anyone with the word ‘King’ in front of their name would be nerve wracking. Although I really enjoyed the talks I had with Dante. He was very easy to speak to, but maybe that was because I was mated to his son. He may not have been as warm and welcoming with everyone. Now, I would certainly treasure them. The tender moments we shared.
~Draven’s Point of View~ For three days now I’ve been an orphan. My entire life the big legacy of the Dubois Drexel families was drilled into my mind until I could recite our family tree by heart. In some regards I felt as if it was all slipping away. I looked at my brothers and our mates and knew that wasn’t true but it still seemed that way. You can take all the precautions in the world, have the finest security. Live in a damn palace and it doesn’t matter. Feeling safe is just that, a feeling. It’s not real. I put my head on Jeanette’s shoulder as the minister began to speak. Our family believed in cremation, at least half your ashes were to be carried by the wind. The rest could be buried or kept b
~Damien's Point of View~ By the time I got back to my mom’s room, dad had fallen asleep. His heartbeat was a bit slower than I liked and his color was off, but I didn’t see what we could do about it. I ordered another bed to be brought in and I didn’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner. It took my brother and I along with two male nurses to get him into the bed and situated. We pushed the beds together making one. Draven then joined their hands. Dad seemed just as lifeless. I wanted him to wake up and fight with me, argue with me about staying out all night. Tell me I wasn’t going to amount to anything. Just say something, have life behind his eyes. He looked nothing like the virile and strong King he was just a month ago. I knew Draven was having the same thoughts.
~Willow’s Point of View~ We literally had no way to get an unconscious Dawson out of the medical ward without anyone seeing. It was bad enough I just ran through like someone was dying, people would want to know why. I hated having to be so accountable to people, having to explain myself. It was quite a burden to shoulder. *Can’t just walk around naked huh? That sucks. Guess what I can do that,* Mila said. I nearly snorted. Like I didn’t know. Ever since the incident where she almost made me pee my pants during a rather important time, she’s been constantly reminding me of things she can get away with and do that I can’t. *What’s wrong with our mate,* she asked, as I stroked his hair.
~Dawson’s Point of View~ She couldn’t die, I wouldn’t accept that. For all her faults she was my mother, the only one I’d ever have. She gave her entire life to her children, to the crown. To the Drexel dynasty. Half the palace was gathered outside the medical ward, desperate for word. The word was, she was in a coma and it wasn’t likely she would wake. The staff loved mother, they were all highly devoted. When Willow brought to my attention that Maxwell could have potentially poisoned something in her room, we literally gutted it and sent all her products for testing. We were still waiting to get the results back, I’d just gotten off the phone with the lab and after some choice words they promised to have it all done today.