I couldn't believe I was possibly hugging and possibly saying goodbye to my only best friend. We decided Spring Break was the best time to meet with Emperor Conrí. It had been Mom's suggestion. 

"I wish I could go." Clara pulled back to pout at me. "I would really love to get in on that coming fight."

I tilted my head, hoping my face gave her an 'Are you serious' look. "There might not be a fight. What would you do then?"

"Go sightseeing with my best-crybaby-friend and drink some good England alcohol. What else?"

"You do realize everything about health will be your lifestyle soon?"

She threw her head back, sighing out loud. "Oh gosh you're right. No worries, I'll advise my clients that one drink rarely is healthy." 

I hugged her again. "I hate that you can't go too. If you didn't count a raging king, we could have crossed England off our adult bucket list."

"I'll address that adult bucket list comment when you get back because I have so many ideas now that I know you're on board." After I pulled back, she held me at arm's length. "If I didn't have vampie work to do, I would have hidden in Daddy Dearest's trunk." 

"I would have snuck you on the plane," Dad said as he walked up with mom beside him. "You're my strongest pup after all."

"I'm older by a month, Dad." I knew he was trying to give Clara that fatherly experience, but I felt like he was either neglecting me a little or trying to push me to focus more on training by using Clara. The latter one wasn't happening, and he wasn't going to know that. 

"Not my fault Clara is physically stronger than you, Amelia," Dad said, grinning.

"I really think I should go, Romulus." Mom looked at her.

I didn't like seeing mom sad, but I understood why she couldn't come. Dad explained that her presence could make the emperor sentence her to death. He wasn't going to let that happen without a fight, and neither was I, so it was best she stayed behind. She would be safer here. Not to mention the fact that mom was an outspoken mom when it came to me. She would probably give the emperor a piece of her mind the moment she saw him. I, at least, wanted to go out in a good way and not because my mom bad-mouthed a king for my sake. 

He turned to her, a frown etched into his features. "We talked about this, Maya. I won't risk you dealing with someone like him."

"I know I'm human, but I can protect her too." She crossed her arms, leaning to one side. "There's nothing worse than a mama bear."

"This mama bear will be staying safely here until the protection of Pack Eclipse. I will keep our daughter safe." He looked at me, smiling proudly. "This time I choose the family I've created." 

I looked at Clara, who looked back. We shared a grin until we both looked back at them to find them kissing. I heard Clara squeaking like a fan girl beside me, but I was trying to figure out when they became a thing again. I mean I've been waiting to see the exact moment for months now. I've been keeping up with every little development too.

He broke the kiss and placed his forehead against mom's for a few seconds. When he turned, he winked his right eye at us. "Let's get going, Amelia. Put your eyes back in their sockets while you're at it." 

I can't believe he had the nerves to walk toward the car and joke about it. There was no way I was letting him get away with it. He was supposed to tell me stuff like this. I literally was rooting for him. 

I hugged mom, but the goodbye had been lost. Thanks to their reunion. I was way too excited to learn how they got back together as I got into the passenger's seat, making a point to stare at him.

"Clara, I expect you to have that uppercut down when I get back," Dad said, leaning to look out my window. "Maya, don't forget to head over to Edward's tomorrow." 

She leaned at the waist. "I won't. Be safe." 

Dad started the car, and I leaned to my window, waving to the two most important people in my life. "I'll see you Saturday. Bye Mom. I'll bring you something back, Clara "

"You better. Send pictures too." Clara returned the wave, smiling.

We were soon off and on our way. We didn't even get to the end of the street before I was bugging dad for the inside scoop of mom and him. We didn't stop talking until we pulled up to a small, private airport. A 'K' themed crest was imprinted on the small plane that came into view. 

"They own an airport?" 

"The Knights are the eyes of the wolf or as I've dubbed them sky eagles. Night Walkers ran a motorcycle club, among other businesses, if that surprises you," he said, pulling the car to a stop.

"It doesn't, but it does." I stared at the plane a moment longer before unlocking my seat belt. 

Dad grabbed our luggage from the backseat. Together, we walked toward the small plane. I saw Lucian standing beside the ladder to the plane entry once we were close enough. 

He nodded his acknowledgement to dad, but smiled at me. "Welcome to the Knights Airline. Hopefully, we can accommodate your needs."

"Do you have strawberry milk?" I knew I was wrong for asking, but I couldn't help it.

The look on his face was priceless. It gave me my answer way before he could say it. 

His eyes went to dad briefly before he answered. "No, but we can get you some."

I grinned to keep the laugh that wanted to bubble up from coming out."That's alright. Your face was enough."

"Trevino, good. You're on time." Edward stood in the doorway of the plane when we looked in the direction his voice came. "Come on up. The plane's ready and we have a lot to discuss before we get there." He ducked back off to the side as if he was in a hurry. 

"Alpha's orders." Lucian offered to take one of our suitcases, which Dad gladly handed over. "Let's get on before he pops back here. He tends to act like a mother hen when he gets impatient."

"Yeah, hear that Little Brother." Edward threw a middle finger in our direction, since he only had his hand sticking out. 

Dad and I chuckled while Lucian smiled. I was the first to climb up the ladder. I was eager to see the interior. 

"I always wished I had a sibling," Dad said as he climbed up after me. 

"No, you don't," Lucian and Edward said at the same time, adding to our amusement.

Once we were situated in our seats and the plane was soaring in the air, I looked at Lucian's brother. "So what are we discussing?"

“What else? Meeting the emperor. We came up with an escape plan,” Edward said from his seat across from Lucian and to the left of dad.

“Oh! Before we do, just answer this: That creature you talked about when we got the letter from this emperor– What did you call it? Um..a hound?

“The wolfhound?” Lucian asked with an arched eyebrow.

“Yeah." I nodded my head, looking at him. "Is there a dog shifter in all of this?”

Lucian shook his head. “Unfortunately, no. Those kinds of shifters are usually bad news. Usually witches who have been reduced in their magic by their superiors can take the form of less harmful animals.”

“Wolfhound is a nickname given by us, werewolves, for the gaueko. It started as an insult to those beasts, but it stuck and now represents their position.” Dad's voice drew my attention. 

That still didn’t answer my question though. “So what are they?”

“They are creatures made from blackness. Darkness.” Lucian looked at Edward. 

“They’re demons if I ever saw one.” Dad muttered, but I don't think he was trying to be quiet about his opinion.

“It’s rumored Emperor Conrí has ties to the gods themselves." Edward shrugged his shoulders. "I was never really a believer in a lot of gods, so I say the man just has a lot of strong connections." 

"Whatever ties he has, we know he might be manipulating magic." Lucian closed his eyes as if he was thinking. "He doesn't share his secrets which makes him unpredictable at the worst times. We do know that werewolves who got on his bad side have disappeared." 

Frowning, I looked down at my knees. "This emperor sounds like the bad guy if I'm being honest with myself." 

“He’s shady, but he gets his points across.” Lucian's voice sounded almost bitter, which grabbed my attention. 

“Crossing him hasn’t been an option yet,” Edward ran a hand through his red hair, which had been styled back giving him an intimidating look. “But someone should go in and throw him off his high horse.”

"He’s not even a great fighter.” Dad looked at Edward. “I’ve seen a Head Lykaios go at him once. His fighting style is average at best. I wasn’t at all impressed when I was fourteen.”

“Now I want to hear how that went,” Edward’s face lit with interest.

“Glady." A smile formed on Dad's face. "For an emperor, he was flipped on his back in the first seconds of the match.” 

“Men, we can talk about how lame a fighter that guy is later." Lucian held up a hand that he soon used to gesture to me and Dad. "Let’s fill Amelia and Romulus in on the plan for when we get there.” 

We went over the plan in details. Ideally, we were going to go in and hear all the emperor had to say. Hopefully, we got the chance to tell our story. If not and the guy ordered us to be killed, we were to get out and make our way back to the plane. From there, Edward had made arrangements for Mom, Dad, Lucian, and me to go some place out of the emperor’s reach. The go word for our escape was 'All said is done'. I had no idea how we were going to get away from a man that seemed to be very dangerous, but I was willing to do whatever to protect everyone. 

It wasn't long after our discussion ended, that I started to drift off to sleep. I had taken a few pre-England pictures to send Clara once we arrived, and it was a long overdo rest time for me. When you have a hyper best friend and an overbearing mom, one night turned into a going away party. With their faces and a good many new ones, I allowed my eyes to close. 

“Amelia, wake up. We're about to land.” Lucian said to me while he nudged my arm.

“Who’s bright idea was it to go on a flight that’s longer than nine hours?” I sat up, reluctantly, stretching my arms out. “I definitely have to rethink traveling abroad with Clara in the future.”  

I noticed that Dad was smiling at me. When he mouthed to me to look out the window, I smiled my thanks. Opening the window curtain, I look out to see a gorgeous stretch of greenery. Dad said we were going to a forest that was sitting on the border between Norfolk and Suffolk of England. 

"So this is where the werewolf emperor lives."