-Mom, what are we going to do from now on? 

-We will take one step after another, sweetheart!

-Do you know anything about the house Alpha talked about? I've never heard about it! Honestly, I didn't even know about its existence until now. 

-It's a house...how to say...with personality; or at least that's what I heard. All I know is that it belonged to a former fighter who died a few months after his partner rejected him. For what reasons...no one knows...he was a good werewolf, who loved children and loved life. But, for reasons unknown to us, his mate rejected him and chose a human as a mate. I heard she moved into human territory.

-Is anything else known about her?

- No, just rumors...but rumors cannot be believed!

- Mom, why didn't you ever tell me that you are a hybrid? And even a hybrid between a witch and a werewolf!

-Honey, was it important? I just wanted to be your mother and nothing more.

-Yes, but some of my schoolmates laughed at me and said that you are nothing but a simple human.

- Do you see why I said that it is not good to give credit to rumors? I am not what I seem to many in this pack. Nor you. I hope they will not realize this too late.

-What do you mean, mother?

She looked at me smiling and said: 

-When the time is right, baby! Only then I will tell you everything you have to know! And only after you'll be trained! 

-But who will train me? We are not even omegas! 

-This is because we are way above them. Even above alpha!  And to answer your question: I will train you!

I looked at her in shock:

-What do you mean? How can we be higher than alpha?

- We are ....royals, baby! A very well-trained one! she said smiling at me without fear clouding her gaze.

- I beg your pardon! What do you mean we are royals? 

My mother looked at me and started laughing when she saw my terrified face. A heartfelt laugh!

-I see you are starting to talk like royalty! Honey, you learned that the royal family has the last name King! 

- That's right!

-And my maiden name is Anne King!

-I heard this at the trial!

-What no one knows, is how close I am to the royal family. They think I'm a distant relative, but ..... I'm the king's daughter, which makes me next in line to the throne, after my brother. And you, baby, are a princess.

- Are you saying that I saw my grandparents at the award ceremony a month ago, but I didn't know who they were?

- But they knew who you were!

-How so?

-They felt your blood! Do you remember telling me that, the king held your hand all night and that the queen held you in her arms?

-So, that was the reason? Wasn't it because they were happy to have such an intelligent child around them? I said pretending to be sad.

-They were proud of you, but the main reason was that they missed you. A lot! They never had the opportunity to hug and caress you. So, then they had it. And they were happy to see how smart you are!

- Well, have they contacted you since you married your father?

-They always took care of me, baby. They didn't abandon me, they just didn't trust your father. He marked me on the spot after he found out who I was, and this made them think that he was only after power. For this reason, they rejected me, but not entirely. They left me the possibility to return to my family when your father shows his true face. I would have preferred that this never happened, but...From now on it's just the two of us!                             

-But, mother...I'm afraid! Will I still be able to go to school?                   

-You will go, baby! You will go!               

She looked at me and smiled. She grabbed my hand and said:  

-We must pack some bags for our new adventure, don't we?                  

I smiled at her and answered:        

-Yep, we do! Just two suitcases, right?                

We arrived at the house where I lived for ten years. Two guards were already waiting for us.         

-I'm sorry, Anne! Alpha told us to come here and escort you to your new home! But we came with our truck, Anne! We and our families will be forever grateful to you and your daughter, for everything you have done for us.

- We're sorry, Anne, that we couldn't intervene during the trial, but you know that...- I Know! Thank you for your thoughts and appreciation! 

- Anne! Alexis! We will always help you. Count on us! Now, we should hurry, so it won't be too dark on our departure from this house!                

-It's ok, Nick! It is your duty and orders must be respected! The verdict says that we can only take two suitcases with what we consider necessary to survive. That's all we'll take!                           

-Could I take Mr. Simson?             

-Who?                   

-It's her favorite toy! A dragon...my mother said smiling.                         

-Well, I don't think it's a problem! Nick replied smiling at me.                      

-What do you say, Ted? The favorite toy is put as an important item, isn't it?                

-Yes...definitely yes!                 

I looked at them and I couldn't believe it. Where have these people been in the last two days? 

I preferred not to think anymore and rushed to my room. I put two large suitcases on the bed, where I started throwing clothes and shoes. I also put my backpack, books, notebooks, and some supplies.                               

-I finished packing mom! Can you please come and help me take them down? I called her looking for the very last time to the room where I grew up and where I dreamed of going to my mate. But, it was just a dream.

"You'll make others, kiddo! Better ones!" Leya said.                               

-I'll help you! I heard a voice behind me.                               

"Did he come to finish what he said?" I have wondered. 

"I don't think he's that stupid! If he wants to try, so be it! But this time I don't guarantee that I won't kill him! Long before your mother will come!" Leya said.

-Beta Tim! No need to bother! We can handle ourselves! answered my mother.

-We'll help, kiddo! Anne! said Ted, looking at my father disapprovingly.

I was shocked when I saw that my father, always proud and confident, allowed such an insult. Such a look, a few days ago would have meant a few days in dungeons, but now... my father, the mighty Beta, he put his head down and did not react. As if he agreed with that insult, and wanted to be punished by the rest of the pack.

-Anne! Alexis! Please don't live! I'm going to talk to Alpha and I'm going to ask him to let you live here. This house is too big, just for me!

-Beta Tim! This is not our problem!

-At least, let me go there and you too stay in here!

-Beta Tim, where my daughter and I would live it's not your problem anymore! So please, leave us in peace!

-That house is too far from the pack, and it is not safe! Who will defend you if you are attacked? I heard panic in his voice.                     

-Beta Tim! Did you already forget what I am and who I was before I met you? Please remember this and allow us to take what we have been allowed.                                       

-At least let me come with you! We can put more things in the trunk of my car than you were allowed!                                         

- We will only take what we are allowed and nothing more. When I came to this pack and in this house, I came with only one suitcase of clothes. Now I'm leaving with two! I think that's an improvement!           

-Anne, please! Forgive me! I don't know what got into me! It was not me!                           

-You should have trusted us! Me! But you preferred to ..... Beta Tim, please allow us to live! It is late and the guards are waiting for us. So, please excuse us!  

 -I want to tell you only one more thing....after the trial, I went to Alpha Cedric and gave up the role of Beta. I am not worthy of this position. Not after what I did! And I don't want to be Beta, if you're not by my side, Anne! I can't! Please, stay with me! I can't let you go! I can't live without the two of you!

- This is your problem, Mr. Nomi! Not ours! answered my mother.

- Please, call me Tim! As you always did.

- Mr. Nomi, that Anne died!   

I saw my father bending over and his body starting to shake. I realized that he was crying! Again!

"What a kitty!" Leya scoffed making me smile.                           

-Alexis, baby! he said through sobs.                      

- Yes, Mr. Nomi! How can I help you?                   

-My baby, please! Don't go! Today is your birthday!                    

Flashes of what he said and did came back to me in that instant.            

- Mr. Nomi, thank you for remembering, but I already received the gift from you! I said with sorrow in my voice.                            

-Alexis, you are my daughter!              

-Really?  A few hours ago I was a freak, someone who needed to be killed, a.....nobody! Mr. Nomi, my father died the moment he told me for the first time that I was a .... freak! I said with tears streaming down my face.          

 -Alexis baby! It's time to go! my mother said. 

-Alexis! Anne! Please, don't go!                                 

Nick took my two suitcases and said:                                 

- Come on kid! Let's go!                             

I walked for the last time through the front door of the house where I was born and grew up until the age of ten. I felt like something was breaking inside me and I realized that, at that moment, I broke any link I had with the child in me. Unwillingly and without wishing for, I was heading not only toward a new house and a new life but also toward adulthood.

As Nick's car drove away from the house, I heard howls of pain. I knew then, that he shifted and that his wolf took over. I heard the sound of the windows shattered and I looked toward the house. And there, in the middle of the road, I saw a big brown wolf. He looked for a long time after the car, let out a long howl of pain and started running after us.

-Honey, it will be hard for all of us, but when life gives you lemons, make lemonade out of them! said the mother, looking long at the wolf that was running after the car we got into.