Chapter 8-Allies

“We need to start her training as soon as possible. With Prince Coro’s antics becoming even more dangerous than the next, who knows what can happen in the next few years.”

A voice with a musical lilt floats through the air, reaching my ears as consciousness slowly returns.

“Trust me, Crysta can take anyone down.”

Matrix retorts with a huff to this mysterious person.

“I believe she can, but her brother is a trickier person. He has ways of killing without a trace.”

Another voice, one I recognize as Geminie, argues back.

“A year after we learned that Lupus was actually Coro, many smaller packs were taken over by Soulless. Not one person from the three packs he attacked survived.”

A deeper voice chimes in. I frown, deciding that now is a good time to wake up if the wolves in the room decided to continue talking about me and my brother. I need to know what they know in order to prepare myself for whatever fate has in store for me.

With a sigh, I open my eyes and am met with a ceiling of red fabric above me, realizing I am laying on a canopy bed.

The room smells like lavender and mint, the bedding holding the same scent.

It both calmed and invigorated me, clearing the fog of leaving the dreamscape from my mind.

Turning to the sounds of the voice, I notice Geminie with her mate sitting close together on a loveseat, her pup playing on the floor with Amberle's pups.

On a separate couch, Dominic sits watching Amberle pace the floor, his mate’s movements full of agitation and anger.

“Fire, come sit. You can’t let what happened get to you.”

The Alpha of Blood Moon sighs out, holding a hand out to his fiery mate. Watching her pause her steps, Amberle runs a finger through her locks before joining her mate on the couch and curling into his side.

“I’m sorry, Ice. I just can’t understand how a father can treat his pup like the way Alexander treated Crystalline.”

At her statement, I feel a pang in my chest and clutch my fingers around the necklace, taking a moment to calm myself before making my presence known. My eyes sting with unshed tears as I think back to what Spirit, my real father, told me.

“It’s because Alexander isn’t my father.”

I state, the room growing silent as I push myself off of the bed and into a sitting position. Six pairs of eyes stare back at me. A woman with long black hair and pale skin sitting in an armchair watching me curiously captures my attention first.

“But I have a feeling you all knew this.”

I state, the women before me each giving a slight nod.

“All but me, apparently! For Goddess’ sake, your mother said she was pregnant with you!”

Matrix cuts in, practically throwing himself from the chair and running to my side, wrapping me safely in a hug.

I take in his comforting scent, allowing a few tears to fall as my arms wrap around him.

He had defended me, prepared for our escape and stayed loyal to me. If only he had been my soulmate and not Narin.

“I am so glad you are okay, Crystalline; you’ve been asleep for eight days.”

He whispers, relief flowing through our bond.

Hugging him back, I take a moment to collect my thoughts and just enjoy the embrace of my best friend and accept the fact I was asleep for eight days since the ball, since the rejection.

I am happy that Matrix is here, keeping his promise to always be by my side, through thick and thin.

He may not be my mate, but he is definitely someone I can rely on right now, someone I can trust wholeheartedly while we figure out the mess I got myself in.

“King Spirit, my real father and the first Alpha King, called my soul to him.”

I answer, feeling Matrix gently wipe the tears from my cheeks.

“I had a feeling a Royal called you.”

Geminie sighs, giving me a sympathetic look.

“How was your first trip to the dreamscape?”

“Enlightening. My father said he would have my mother Luna and your mother contact you for my training.”

I answer, slightly confused.

“It has something to do with you being able to stay in the dreamscape longer than me.”

I continue. Geminie groans, running a hand through her hair as she leans back against the love seat, turning to look at her mate who smiles at her amused.

“Sorry, love, but Goddess work will be taking my time away from you.”

She tells him with a sigh, Ariven chuckling.

“I had a feeling that may happen. Alex already said he will handle the pack while we are away. Just make sure you and our unborn pup stay safe.”

He reassure her, placing a soft kiss on Geminie’s forehead.

“You are the best, and so is Alex. We should definitely give him, Missy and Lizaria a vacation after this.”

A pang of jealousy at their affection forces me to look away. They look so happy and in love and I wished I had that with my mate. Instead I am left to deal with this pain of rejection and being turned Rogue.

“The Queen lied, didn’t she.”

A statement, not a question, pulls the conversation back on track and away from what Geminie and Ariven were discussing. Pulling away from Matrix, I look towards the owner of the voice and notice the black haired, pale skin woman staring at me with deep indigo eyes.

“Yes. Alexander is sterile and can’t have pups. I always thought it weird that the pack whores he kept never gave him another pup, and now I know why.”

I stand from the bed and make my way towards this mysterious woman. Holding my hand out to her, she stands and takes it in her own, shaking it firmly.

“Crystalline, but you already know this.”

I chuckle.

“Ira, Priestess of the Temple of the Moon Goddess.”

Ira greets me, a smile on her face. I nod, happy to know that we were in a neutral area. The Temple of the Goddess is the safest place for me right now with news of me being rejected and disowned as the heir to the werewolf throne.

“So your mother lied about being pregnant with you?”

Ariven asks, directing the conversation back to the previous topic.

“No, my mother was pregnant with me.”

I answer, confused. I just explained that I was King Spirit and Queen Luna’s daughter.

“What Ariven means is did Queen Clarice lie about being pregnant?”

Ira explains, chuckling at my confusion. My eyes widen with realization and I quickly apologize for the misunderstanding. I had accepted the fact that Queen Luna is my birth mother, but my heart will always consider Queen Clarice as my mother as well.

“Yes, my adopted mother, Clarice, lied about being pregnant. She was also infertile and could not have pups. When Alexander went to war eighteen years ago just after his mate found me hidden in a moonflower meadow, she faked her pregnancy. On the day she supposedly gave birth, she came and gathered me from the meadow.”

I answer, running a hand through my messy hair and realizing someone had take it down some time between passing out at the ball and before I woke up.

“How is that even possible?! My mother was a lady-in-waiting for your mother!”

I turn to see the disbelief on Matrix’s face, his head held in his hands as he realizes his mother kept a secret from him for eighteen years.

“She was sworn by a royal order to keep my real birth a secret. Your mother and the other ladies-in-waiting could not tell a soul or they would be killed.”

I answer Matrix, sending him a sympathetic smile.

“So how did Clarice find you, Crystalline? Everyone has been searching for you for centuries.”

Ira asks, her musical voice catching my attention. I frown, trying to remember the conversation with my father, my mouth opening and closing as I try to word the answer that I am still trying to wrap my own mind around.

“Long story short, Coro had a Dark Witch kidnap me in hopes of killing me and removing me from the throne. But Morai intervened, and I was saved by the Goddess of Destiny.”

I begin, closing my eyes and letting out a long sigh.

“Unfortunately, I fell into the moonflower meadow, and with magic being abundant then, the flowers hid me and put me into a stasis where I never aged, stuck as a newborn until the time was right.”

Being the only explanation I can give everyone, I feel Matrix shift from the bed until he is behind me, placing something over my shoulders that I soon realize is my bear skin blanket before pulling me into his arms once more.

I let the information settle as silence takes over everyone and I lean into the comforting embrace of my friend. We grew up together, our mothers were best friends. It doesn’t surprise me that his mother Lianna was sworn to secrecy when it came to the safety of the heir to the throne.

“Well, now that we know what happened to our Lost Princess here, I think it’s time we start preparing.”

Ira breaks the silence that settled in the room. Turning to look at the wolves gathered, I catch a knowing look passing between Amberle and Geminie, concerned for what this means.

“What are we preparing for?”

I ask the Priestess warily, my hands clenching Matrix’s shirt. I just want a few days to settle my broken heart and mind, and some time to write out the information my father gave me when he summoned me to the dreamscape. I don’t think I can handle anything more thrown my way.

“For war, Princess. You will need to take back your throne and kill Coro. And for that, you need allies.”

Ira answers, her indigo eyes staring right into my own.

“I think Crystalline can use a few days to settle in first. She has already been through a lot.”

Dominic chimes in, winking a blue eye at me and taking Ira’s attention away from me. I mouth a silent thank you, pressing closer to Matrix.

“She also needs to train.”

Ira sighs.

“Ira, Crystalline must be in shock.”

Geminie chimes in gently, climbing to her feet and taking the Priestess’ hand in hers.

“Do you remember when I learned I was the daughter to the Moon Goddess, how I needed to take in the information before meeting my mother and father?”

She continues, Ira letting out a sigh of defeat.

“I guess you are right, Little Wolf. Fine, Crystalline, take a week to get yourself settled. But do know that a war is brewing because of your brother. The sooner you train, the sooner we can get you ready to defeat him.”

With that, Ira leaves the room and a weight feels lifted off my shoulders.

“I know you slept for eight days, but the rest of us barely have. We were all communicating with our allies explaining the details of your rejection and return. Lets just say Alexander has lost a large amount of support.”

Geminie states once Ira is out of the room. Now that she is closer to me, I can see the dark bags under her eyes, and I frown.

“I do need some alone time, if that’s okay. Why don’t all of you go get some rest, then?”

I suggest, taking my cousin, no, niece’s hand and smiling gently at her.

“I am not leaving you, Crysta.”

Matrix protests, his arms tightening around me.

“Fine. Alone time plus Matrix.”

I sigh, getting a chuckle from Geminie and a smirk from everyone else. Geminie says her goodbye, squeezing my hand as Ariven gathers their daughter in his arms. Amberle comes towards me, leaning forward to nuzzle her cheek against mine and promising that everything will be fine in the end before she leaves with her own family. Dominic carries their son and the twins wave happily at me. Now it is just Matrix and I left standing alone.

“You need sleep, Trix.”

I whisper softly, breaking the silence between us. His face has a shadow of stubble along his cheeks, and the bags under his eyes are so dark that I worry he may lose his sanity and turn Soulless.

“Only if I can hold you in my arms.”

He states his voice deep and holding emotion that I do not want to decipher right now. There is already too much going through my mind to deal with Matrix and I’s relationship. I sigh helplessly, agreeing to letting him hold me and quickly find myself being carried to the canopy bed with Matrix covering us in my bear skin blanket. Before I can even yell at him he is already fast asleep.

“You’re an idiot.”

I mumble, my fingers moving through his messy hair.