I stopped short.

It was them.

The other mates.

There stood Prince Chase, Princess Evangeline, and of course, King Vito.

I didn't want to see them. I turned to Jackson and raised an eye brow. He shrugged. "I didn't knw that they were coming"

I looked to them. "The maids let us in. It's not like they could really reject us" 

Prince Chase. The cocky and snarky boy who I had never liked. He thought that he was better than everybody else, and I didn't like people like that. I mean, I didn't before...

And I was stronger now.

"Well, we weren't excpecting guests. It will be my first night staying here as well, seeing as I lived away the past two months." I bent down to Petal. "Could you go tell Mary that we need another three rooms prepared"

She smiled and ran off to go and find the old women.

We all stood there awkwardly. Nobody said anything for a full few minutes before Vito spoke up. "Which one did you choose then? I know its not Luke obviosuly, but out of the other two"

I scoffed.

"I haven't chosen anyone. If you didn't know, I've been in isolation for the past two months grieving my dead husband. But oh yeah, you wouldn't know because you weren't there for me".

Vito flinched.
He physically flinched.

"I'm not the same girl that I was before; maybe shes inhere some where, but she's close to dead becuase of all of you. You know, I was going to come back to you after that day... I told my self that I could leave Blade for you as long as he was okay... that Vito wasn't that bad. I was wrong"

I walked off into the castle leaving them all behind, until I heard Zach call after me. I stopped and lookd back at them all.

"Shall we put the triplets in the nursery with the other pups?" I just nodded, thinking he was done, but he ran to me.

"I'll walk you to where ever your going"

I smiled at him, letting him join me.

As we walked, I just wanted to break down right then and there. I still was that weak and fragile girl, I just didn't let anyone see her... and I needed help. I wasn't actually a queen. I wasn't as strong as I made out, but I had to pretend. 

I had to.

Zach took my hand in his. I didn't realise that I had actually started crying as we were walking. 

"Mi amour" he started, wiping away my tears with his thumb. "Do you realise that you just went on a rant to me fo the first time ever?"

I looked at him with wide eyes. "I said that out loud?"

He nodded, pulling me into his chest. 

"Be the girl that you are. That is who you really are. You don't need to act like a queen when you already are one. Just do you, okay?"

I nodded into his chest, not sure what else I could do. 

"Let's go," he said, holding my hand and pulling ma along.

He held my hand the whole way to my room.

*****

Zach left once I got to my room. 

I needed to alone and think about some stuff.

I was only seventeen and my life was already set. I was the Queen of a kingdom. The mother of four. The mate of six. And most of all, a teenager.

I wasn't even an adult yet!

I sat down on a chair and sighed. My life had gone to shit, to say it plainly. No, I didn't regret having my children. I adored them, they were my life. But, in some ways, i wished I just would have done somw things differently.

For starts, I wished that I would never have walked Luke to that dinner hall. Of the royals would have left the following day without knowing I was there, and I could have gone on living... but then the Alpha King, Jack and Luke already knew that i was their mates.

I wished that I just didn't go to the castle at all, I guess. Maybe I and Blade would have made our way together naturally? But then again, if that was true, then all my other mates would have found me too. 

Why couldn't I find a happy ending?

It was then that I heard a knock on my door. I opened it to reveal a very timid looking princess.

Princess Evangeline.

I smiled lightly. I hadn't even talked to her before, and yet she was probably going through bad times without her mate. 

"Can I help you?" I asked, opening the door for her. She coughed awkwardly before stepping into my room.

She played with her wispy blonde hair for a few seconds before sighing rather loudly. "Peral, I'm your mate. But, I already know that you will never accept me. So, will you allow me to reject you?"

I looked at her with a blank expression. Evangeline was hurting and it couldn't go on. She should have done it a lot sooner. Luke had already rejected me, for Layla of course."Princess, you should have done it sooner"

She nodded. "I couldn't bring my self to... I'm not into girls, but I thought that maybe it could work one day..."

I just shook my head at her. 

"I, Princess Evangeline, reject you, Queen Pearl Brown- Smith"

She sighed smiling lightly. "That was easier than I thhought..." 

She slowly walked up closer to me and pecked me on the cheek. "I have no reason to stay now. May I leave?" 

I nodded as she left, dismissed from the castle. 

Only four left now.

*****

I strolled into the dining room to see that nobody was seated. They all stood near the door way. I rolled my eyes, straightening out my dress. It was made of white lace and hung down losely from the waist, several ruffled layers. It was tighter at the top, but not uncomfortable.

"Just sit" I muttered, not really up for playing with formalities. 

They all did, me taking the end seat. On my right was Jackson of course, as he was my beta. On my left was supposed to my husband... Luke was sat down next to Jack, with Layla. But the rest of them?

They all just looked like lost puppies.  

"None of you will be sat there," i spoke slowly, turning to Mary who was serving us. I smiled widely. "Mary, could you please go and collect the children? I wish to have Petal by my side, and the triplets in high chairs.

Chase and Vito practically growled, but Zach just smiled proudly.

I wonder why?

Petal came sprinting in the room all dressed up. I laughed at her. She looked so grown up; she had a long dress, much like mine, but in the shade of blue. Her hair was loosely down, very mess; 

But I excepted nothing less from her.

"Mum, Mary said that I get to eat with you!" 

I smiled, patting the seat next to me. "Of course you are, you are a princess now. Nothing less".

I got up to help put the triplets in their high chairs by me, whilst the rest of the guests took their places around the table. 

Once I was back seated, I noticed Ruth and Peter sat down near the bottom of the table. I smiled at them, me and Ruth waving before I told everyone to eat.

the food was lovely, but it was very much like that of the packs. I looked down at my hands, trying my best to hide my feelings.

"So, we do have some matters to discuss" Jackson started, looking to me to continue. My mouth made an o before I took over with a cough.

"Well, of course there is the matter of my dear brother and wife" They both instantly looked up at me, alerted to hear them mentioned.

"I wanted to ask what your plans were because I would be more than happy to help you set up a life somewhere."

Ruth looked to Peter for a short minute, before looking back to me. "I don't want to cross a line, but I have always wanted to be a school teacher. Buta ll children are taught are werewolf stuff, none of which helps the norma- I mean, human children."

I looked at Beta Jackson. "That is still occurring?" He looked down ashamed, clearly realising the mistake that he had made.

I coughed and looked back to my sister in law. "We'll set up a school in the pack nearby?" I said as a question, meaning the pack that I was supposedly Luna of. "We want to have an equal amount of humans and wolves in that pack, and I'm sure that you would be very happy there."

Ruth just nodded, Peter smiling in agreement. Then I looked at my Petal. "Petal, how would you feel about restarting school there? I want you to get back into schooling soon" 

She nodded eagerly. I knew that she desperately wanted some friends, and needed to get out of the castle. There was a lot more to talk about, but I didn't care. I stood up from my seat, and sighed. 

"I'm going back to my room" I turned to Zach. "Could you have her tonight?" 

He nodded eagerly, and I went to  the triplets. "I'll help you take them up."

It was Vito.

Words: 1562

Thanks for reading! 

Question of the day: Does Vito deserve a second chance?

Mia x

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