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Until We Go Down - Ruelle
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I'm tapped repeatedly on the face. Right on my nose, which is extremely annoying and slightly frustrating.
"Wake up," a familiar voice whispers to me. Either I'm dreaming - or I'm crazy. And at this particular point, after being cooped up in this castle for a week. It wouldn't surprise me.
"Cece, move your ass before I dunk a bucket of water over you." The same voice angrily whispers to me, rummaging around. But wait....it couldn't be?
I open my eyes. And burst out laughing.
Before me stands Emmaline, staring at me with a large blue bucket which I assume is filled with water. Freezing water. She always did had a soft spot for me.
I suddenly snap, Em's here. She's in my room, she's here with me. I lunge out of my bed and wrap my arms around her, but instead - she's looses her balance and we both go flying backwards. Gravity takes its toll and the bucket that goes flying into the air falls down on top of us.
"Em! I've missed you so much!" I scream as I wrap my arms around her. Suddenly the memory of why she left enters my brain, but I'm too busy screaming at the pile of cold water that is showered over me.
"Cece!" She shrieks as the cold water is thrown over us. We then burst out into a victorious laughter as we pull ourselves up from the ground.
"Did you get what you were looking for?!" I almost scream. I hadn't seen her since the night Catori's men captured me. That was now a few months ago.
She smiles lightly at me a she gets up from the ground."No, Cece, I didn't. I'm still completely mortal." Em sighs, "but it's really no big deal - I've learned to live with it for now."
I sigh and hug her tightly, letting her know how much I really care.
"Em, I don't care if you are human, an alien or even a ghost. You're still my best friend. No matter what." I smile at her as she laughs.
"Anyway, how come you're in my room?" I ask as I begin to put on clothes, my stomach aching for food.
"Oh I'm sorry, do I have to ask for your permission?" She laughs sarcastically, shaking her head.
"Anyway, the Northern-Moon pack wants to see you, you've been here for a week now. It's time they got things sorted with you." She rolls her eyes.
"Huh," I respond. What she says is making sense, but for some reason, I seemed to completely forget about it. The last week has basically been me being shown around the castle, being taught basic things and updated on what was happening.
I learned of the Northern Moon pack, and how the pack started of with my ancestor leading it. It was the biggest and strongest pack, not having many wolves involved. After my ancestor had two alphas to succeed, the oldest was given the throne over all werewolf's, the first King. The youngest was given Alpha of the Northern-Moon pack, and total control.
Every Alpha was given control of their own packs, but the royal was given ultimate control, the ultimate Alpha over all. Those who refused were thrown out as rogues, there were many packs of them and their growing numbers were dangerous. But their numbers were tiny in proportion to the entire werewolf kingdom.
Since my father had been unable to keep his position up as king, Alpha Anaka was forced to take control which caused tensions between all packs, even now, they were on the brink of a war with no royal to keep the peace.
I learned that even today the Northern-Moon pack were one of the strongest packs - but they weren't the biggest. The biggest by far were the Batail Wolves, fierce warriors filled many murderers and outcasts. Their alpha had never shown his face, but let's just say they' weren't very friendly with the Northern-Moon pack.
I sigh and smile at Em, deciding how to voice how I really feel at the moment.
"I'm also here on business," she mumbles under her breath.
"I bring news," she speaks formally, turning away as I get changed. "Some of your friends crossed the border last night, they want to see how you're doing...but we can't let them into the castle, unfortunately - it's against regulations."
"Also, I think there's something you should know." She turns to me as I walk towards the bedroom door.
"What is it?" I ask as we both leave my room through the gold-encrusted door. Em stops walking and sighs as she leads me to another area in the castle.
"Someone didn't make it through the border."
"What do you mean someone didn't make it through the border?" I ask, completely shocked as my mind begins to debate who I could've been.
"Ce, to get through the border you have to be a werewolf, preferably from the Northen-Moon pack." She swallows. "I know you've been told of the Batail Wolves?"
I nod as we continue walking.
"Well then you know that they rival the Nothern-Moon pack..." She continues. "Somehow, one of the wolves wasn't even a proper wolf."
""Are you telling me that one of then isn't a wolf? How can that be? Catori took wolves because we have more supernatural energy than humans, what could one of them possibly be?" I panic, realising that one of them could be a traitor.
"Cece, one of them isn't a wolf. Because one of them is half-human."
*****
"All rise." An older man shouts as I am dragged into a large room filled with wolves on both sides. Both males and females are seated and directly in the middle is Alpha Anaka. His daughter is sat by his side and I faintly smile at the equality between their positions. She was next in line to ruling over the Northern-Moon pack after all.
I'm being stared at as I walk through the large room. Some stare, some bows their heads in respect, and some gasp.
Alpha Anaka awaits with his daughter Alek and demands that I sit. Happily, I accept. And I do as I am told - I'm making a first impression of myself here.
"Cecelia Lake." He pauses." Cecilinda Darkfall." Alpha Anaka speaks loudly, alerting any idiot that hasn't seen a painting of me to my presence.
"Our dear princess..." He smiles lightly, turning to his daughter that looks nervous but also extremely happy.
"We have called you here to discuss the matters at hand, and we believe that you should be here to hear what we have to say," he begins.
"It has been brought to our attention that we believe you should be Queen of your people," he states. Everyone is looking at me but I feel confident. I'm not scared - but in fact, empowered.
"Princess, would you like to take this position?" Alpha Anaka asks very bluntly, already knowing my answer.
"Yes, I would like to take my rightful position as leader and queen of my kingdom," I state, standing up from my chair and smiling widely at him.
Alpha Anaka then nods and proceeds to walk over to a group of older men who are seated together. Their conversation is so quiet that I cannot hear a word they are saying.
But the alpha looks worried ever so slightly, but all glimpse of that is gone and he regains his posture. Why does he seem so familiar?
Alpha Anaka clears his throat and once again speaks loudly.
"An issue has come to my attention." He turns to me, seeming happy but also upset. Like something hasn't gone like he planned it but instead turned out better.
"Due to the recent return of my own son, James Anaka," he looks at his daughter who's eyes are filling with tears. "The elders have decided that in order for the princess to become queen, she will need to marry in order to rule." He sighs, "for a stronger kingdom...requires two strong leaders. It is our tradition and it shall not be broken."
"And with our current status with the Batail wolves, we need the strongest possible rulers in preparation of a war."
I turn to Em and look at her in confusion. She gives me the same dazed look back - she has no idea what is happening either. Are they telling me what I think they are?
I decide to speak up.
"Alpha Anaka, are you telling me in order to be queen - you will have to make my mate king?"
The room goes incredibly silent and Alpha Anaka looks at me worryingly and regretfully.
"I'm sorry, that was the case as we had no eligible royals nor high placing pack members or alphas..." He sighs, preparing himself for his next statement.
"No, Cece..." He says bluntly, "In order to become queen, you will have to marry the next in line for alpha of the Northern-Moon pack." He Looks to his feet.
"You will have to marry my son James, or you will be made to leave." He regretfully states. I know these aren't his words from the way he is talking - and I glare over at the elders. It's them that has done this. It's them I have to blame.
"Why! Why are you doing this? Why can't I just lead my people! I did not die and come back a thousand years later just to be told I will not rule because some old guys have told me no!"
I slam my hand down on the table in rage.
"You can't do this! I did not go through everything I went through just to be kicked out my own kingdom!"
"Cece..." Alek speaks warmly as she stands up. Trying to calm me down." I get that you are upset, trust me I do. But think about it, you cannot rule alone - you need to have someone by your side, and who better than someone that grew up in this world. Someone that you can learn from..."
"James was trained for this from the day he was born." She finishes.
What she was saying was making sense, but it didn't fill the void of knowing I wouldn't be with Hunter.
"Think of it like a job," she sighs. "He will be like your workmate, you don't even really need to like him,"Alek whispers to me quietly, reminding me of her own parents.
Em then comes forward and places a hand on my shoulder. I may only have a few weeks worth of memories with Hunter, but with those few weeks I've felt things that I've never felt with anybody else in my entire life.
"Ce, it's up to you," Em reassures me. I can tell from the way these people act that if I was to ask for some time to think about it, they may just kick me out.
Reincarnation or not.
Heck, I mean if it wasn't for me then none of them would've been here. Yet this is how they treat me? All of our individual whispers are stopped when the large doors behind us open. A large deep voice introduces them before I turn around.
"James Anaka, Son of Alpha Anaka and next in line for leadership over the Northern-moon pack." They shout to everyone.
Alek squeals and runs over to her brother that I assume she hasn't seen in years. But I remember that he's not just her brother, but her twin.
I can't properly see him, he's too busy squeezing the life from his twin that's half the height of him. I only can see a glimpse of light hair.
He releases his hold from his sister and looks over at me. I freeze.
I realise now why all of this time, Alek and Alpha Anaka remind me of someone. Because that one person is standing in front of me, looking just as nervous as me.
"Cece...." He calls out as he walks towards me.
"Jay..." I practically whisper.
Sorry for the shorter update, I've just trying to plan and change certain things. Damn, I've been dropping hints like crazy at who the mysterious missing brother is. And only one person even seemed to catch on aha.
Ooohhhhhhhh, it's about to get so much more dramatic in the next few chapters, I can't wait!
Til the next one.