THIRTY-NINE. News

We follow Bryla through the house to a slender rectangular-sized room. The room is entirely white, with long white tables on both lengths of the walls. The only things not white were the black office chairs. On one wall, a screen was displayed with a picture of Liam, Danni’s mate, frozen on it.

I furrow my brows as I take his appearance in.

“Take a seat,” Bryla instructs as she touches the wall with her pointer finger, allowing the screen to unfreeze.

“Thank you, Ms Goldfern,” Liam says to Bryla, who nods in response before leaving us alone.

“Liam, what’s going on?” Elijah asks, leaning forward.

“I’m sorry, Alpha; I know you asked me to do this months ago, but I got distracted supporting Danni when Lillia got hurt, and then Aviary died, and I forgot to pick it up again,” Liam begins. I look over at Elijah, wondering what he is talking about.

“What did I ask you to do again?” Elijah asks. Ah. So, whatever it was, he forgot as well.

Liam looks at me before responding.

“I looked into Urban Wolves as you asked…” he begins, quickly looking at me with an embarrassed expression.

“And… they’ve been making some noise. Our hackers have found emails to different packs in their city asking if they have seen Aviary and Lillia. According to the emails, their reasons for looking for them is that Lillia and her mother owed the pack hundreds of thousands of dollars….”

I scoffed and stopped listening. We owed the pack hundreds of thousands of dollars? Everything we did was controlled by the pack; even our wages were controlled by the pack. And we got paid pennies. We lived of powdered soup, for goddess’ sake!

“Shit!” Elijah yells, breaking me away from my thoughts. I look back at the screen, where I see a wanted poster for myself and Mum. My photo is a school one. I’m surprised they had it. I remember having the photo taken, but we could never afford to pay for the printed copy. Mum’s photo was from her staff card, which she used to enter the laundry rooms and janitor closets in the pack’s building.

“This was in an email from Urban Wolves’ Beta to Alpha Marcus, asking if he wanted it sent to the Werewolf King and Queen. They want Aves and Lillia to be formally recognised as rogues,” Liam sighs.

“What did Brent say?” Elijah asks.

“He said to tell you and Dorian.”

“And Dorian wants you to go see him at the castle,” a voice says from the doorway. I look over and see Pim standing and watching us.

“Okay, we’ll talk to King Dorian and hopefully see you soon,” Elijah says. Pim nods and walks over to the screen, pressing the wall, which turns it off.

“Let’s go,” Elijah says, kissing my head and lacing his fingers with mine. We thank Bryla for lunch and for having us walk with Pim and Bear to see my father.

//\\//\\//\\

- That’s a telephone – Elijah links me once we sit in my father’s office. I look over at the rectangular object on Dad’s desk.

- Cool – I reply, wondering how it is used. I watch Dad take something off the box-thing and put it next to his ear before pressing some buttons on the box. Like a mobile phone, he begins to talk to somebody who I assume is on the receiving end.

Elijah squeezes my hand as we listen in to the conversation he’s having with someone named Wolfgang.

- Who’s Wolfgang? – I ask Elijah.

- Our King. King Wolfgang of the Werewolves –

I nod. I’d heard of King Wolfgang; obviously, I’m not that naïve.

“Well, that’s settled then. Thank you, King Wolfgang,” Dad says, hanging up the phone.

Dad looks at us and smiles.

“This is what is going to happen. I am sending you and Elijah in my place as official visitors from the Fairy Realm. Your story will be that you are touring packs as part of our Royal Pack and Fairy Realm alliance. Pim and Bear will join you as your personal guards, and I will send a small delegate. Wolfgang has agreed to send twenty of his Royal Guard as well. And…” Dad pauses, smiling, “Wolfgang will send the Royal Auditing Team along to investigate their pack further.”

I nod and look at Elijah, who squeezes my hand.

“Are you okay with that?” Elijah asks. I nod and take a deep breath. I’m going back to my old pack.

Two days later, Elijah and I were waiting in the royal garden where we arrived. Siofra and her family are also here, saying goodbye to Bear.

“I can’t believe you’re going to another realm,” Nyx complains as we wait for Pim to arrive.

“Nyx, I promise you will visit Elijah and Lillia in their realm!” Bryla groans, waving her arms in the air.

“Yeah, right; you’re just telling me that to shut me up!” Nyx complains, folding his arm across his chest and kicking his shoes in the dirt.

“I wish you would shut up!” Siofra complains, making Nyx grunt.

“No. You shut up!” Nyx tells her.

“Just shut up, Nyx,” Siofra bites, folding her arms and growling at her brother. They continued arguing, and I shook my head, thankful I had no siblings.

“Thank goddess, you’re here!” Bear shouts when Pim arrives. I chuckle and look at Siofra and Nyx, standing apart, both looking unhappy.

“Say your goodbyes, and then I’ll start,” Pim orders. I hug Siofra, hug her, and then say goodbye to Tansey, Petal and Finch. When I look at Bryla, she opens her arms for me, and I hug her.

“I’m going to miss you, Princess,” Bryla says. I nod in the warmth of her body.

“I’m going to miss you too,” I reply. And it’s the truth. I’ve loved every minute of my time with the Goldferns. Since I’ve been here, I’ve grown close with Siofra and her family, and Bryla has become like a mum figure to me.

“Ready?” Pim asks. Elijah nods and walks away from Nyx, who is now smiling. I don’t know what he said to Nyx, but I am pleased he looks happier now.

Pim has started picking petals off flowers, and the air around him is turning pink. We move closer to Pim as the pink colour thickens. Suddenly Pim raises his arms and pushes his hands down. The pink colour dissipates, and as I look around, I see the familiar jacaranda trees around the edge of the garden we followed Dad into to come to Fairyland.

Pim bustles us into the awaiting cars, with Bear looking bug-eyed at everything around us.

“The sky…” Bear says in awe. I chuckle. Yup, the sky here is blue. On our trip to the Redwood packhouse, Bear commented about all the strange things he saw. What are the houses made from? What do you call the hard rock you walk on? How does this thing I’m in move? How is it made? What’s petrol? He’s like a child learning everything for the first time.

The convoy of cars makes it to the packhouse, and I notice Grandad, Danni and her family and another man waiting outside for us. I go to open the door myself when Pim opens it instead.

“Lillia!” Grandad calls out, opening his arms for me. I smile and walk over to him, enjoying the warmth of his embrace.

“Your Majesty,” I hear Elijah say from behind me. I see Elijah bow to the man standing next to Grandad, who smiles and shakes Elijah’s hand.

“Alpha Elijah Hillcrest. The honour is mine, considering who you will become,” the man greets.

“Lillia, this is our King’s father, Elder Diomedes,” Grandad introduces.

“Oh!” I say, surprised. I wasn’t privy to who our Royals were; being an Omega, it was none of my business.

“Princess Lillia, it is an honour to meet you as well,” Elder Diomedes greets.

“Shall we take this to my office?” Grandad asks. The men all nod their heads, and we all head inside.

//\\///\\\//\\

I was pleased to learn we would wait to go to Urban Wolves. It gave me time to mentally prepare myself. The wait also gave my grandfather, Elijah, Pim and Elder Diomedes time to plan.

It was decided that Urban Wolves would be the ‘first’ pack we would visit, using the story that my father, King Dorian, wanted to get to know all the packs in Matraville, starting at the smaller packs. Really we were going there to confront Alpha Marcus and Luna Cheryl. If I had a debt, I would pay it happily, but if I didn’t… well, then Elder Diomedes would step in.

Elder Diomedes explained that he had already sent the royal auditing team to Urban Wolves. He said that Urban Wolves was a reasonably young pack and subjected to extra monitoring, although he admitted there were a lot of small packs, and it was sometimes challenging to get to them all. When I asked about Urban Wolves were last monitored, it was revealed that they hadn’t been visited in a while, so our visit would not look too unexpected.

I was concerned they wouldn’t get any accurate information because the omegas in Urban Wolves were kept in the dark regarding other packs and their conditions. I grew up thinking the way we omegas, we ordinary wolves, were treated was the norm.

“You’ll be fine,” Elijah assures me as we drink our orange juices at breakfast. I shrug my shoulders. I’m not sure what t expect. Today I am getting measured and fitted for a dress or two to wear for my trip to my old pack.

“I guess I’ll find out what it’s like when I get there,” I explain. I don’t have a sense of clothing style. I haven’t picked the clothes I’ve been wearing, as other people have chosen my clothes for me, but I have learned that I prefer pants to skirts or dresses. They’re pretty but impractical.

“Okay, well, I’ll see you tonight,” Elijah says, sliding off his chair and walking over to me. I wrap my arms around him and peck his lips to say goodbye.

“Yeah. See you tonight,” I say glumly. Elijah just shakes his head and smiles.

“You’ll be fine,” he says again, winking at me before he leaves. I sit there and contemplate the leftover pulp in my glass, trying everything I can to make an excuse not to go.

Finally, I get off my seat and make my way out of the dining hall. People greet me as I leave, and I dutifully smile and greet them back.

Grandad and Elder Diomedes organised my fitting to take place in the Alpha Wing, and I headed my way over there. The door opens as I arrive, and I nod at the guard who lets me in.

“Oh, Chang Ki, this is Lillia, my Alpha’s granddaughter and our future Alpha,” Danni says as I walk into the living room. A woman a few years older than me, who looks like she’s just stepped out of a magazine, walks over to me with a massive smile.

“It is an honour to meet you, Your Highness,” the woman says. I nod, scenting her smell as I take her in. She has a metallic scent, and I can tell she’s not fay or a wolf. The woman takes my hand, and we shake, and I notice her hand is surprisingly cold.

“I’m a vampire. You’ve never met one of us before?” the woman asks, laughing. I’m surprised. I’ve always imagined that vampires are tall and skinny and wear all black, but Chang Ki is of Asian descent, with slanted brown eyes and long black hair. She’s also wearing a floaty summer maxi dress with strawberry prints all over the light pink material.

“No, sorry,” I apologise.

“It’s okay. I guess I don’t look like you expected. Let’s start. I can tell you’re a little uncomfortable,” Chang Ki says. I nod and look over at Danni, who nods encouragingly.

Chang Ki claps her hands, and suddenly, two women pull out clothes racks full of dresses.

“This is my favourite part of the job!” Chang Ki sighs.

Four hours and many clothing changes later, I have a new winter wardrobe. Not only did I get a dress for meeting Alpha Marcus and Luna Cheryl, but I also got a wide range of jeans, blouses and knitted jumpers. Chang Ki tried to get me to add skirts and dresses to my collection, but I shook my head and refused. I complained to Danni that most of these clothes were not for a visit to my old pack, but she just laughed and told me to enjoy the experience. I don’t know. It was strange.

“How do you feel?” Danni asked once Chang Ki and her team left.

“Scared.”

~

Edited with Grammarly