Bridge Of Legacy

Chapter - 23

Crystal’s POV 

The awkward atmosphere made my palms clammy, standing on the stage drawing the attention of the entire room crammed with people throwing curious and judgmental glances my way further built up my anxiety. My eyes scanned the mass of people trying to find the two familiar faces. Spotting them at the end of the hall beaming, Jay and Arabella sounded more like a family than the people standing beside me addressing the pack.

“Greetings to the members of the Moon Stone Pack. You must be curious why we have gathered here on such brief notice.” Father’s voice crackled through the microphone.

“Today, after twenty years of tedious search, we have found the Princess.” He announced pointing at me. The room fell into silence. One could hear the grandfather clock ticking on the wall, counting every second passing.

A single bead of sweat trailed the side of my face, several pairs of eyes boring into me, made me self-conscious. My hands shook as I lifted them to tuck away a piece of hair. 

“Are you sure she is the Princess?” Someone asked from the back.

“What if it’s a facade?” Another voice accused. Hushed whispers filled the room. 

“Everything will be fine.” Mother’s voice echoed in my mind.

My eyes darted to her to see her giving me a reassuring smile. 

“Are you judging my ability to recognize my daughter?” Father questioned, his jaw ticked, eyes glowing with rage.

“With due respect, Alpha, it has been twenty years.” One of the council members sitting in the front row spoke up, one of his eyebrows raised. 

“Tell me what will make you believe she is my daughter, Will?” Mother directed the question to the council member. 

Will opened and closed his mouth like a fish, his eyes darting towards the other members seeking help, but everyone turned away from him. Unable to form a proper reply, he took his seat, trying to save himself from the embarrassment.

“She was living among humans when her powers were discovered by one of our own. He took the liberty to inform us of her existence, and so we went and brought her back.” Mother addressed the crowd with a half-truth. It irked me she didn’t mention any of the warlocks, or even Jay.

“What powers?” Will asked, a knot forming in between his eyebrows. 

Mother gave me a push towards the front, ushering me through her eyes to show my abilities. I nodded at her and turned to face the crowd.

I channelled Fiona and pictured a raging fire in my mind; feeling the heat surge through my finger. I held up my palm for the people to see as a small burst of flames crackled around my fingers, engulfing my palm. 

Everyone stared at my hand, mouths agape before a clap from Jay broke the silence, followed by a series of applause. I stared at Will, closing my palm and pushing Fiona back. A smirk rose to my lips watching him visibly gulp, looking from my palm to my face, disbelief flicking in his orbs. 

The meeting diluted after the cheers died away with a promise from Father to hold a royal ball for the pack to celebrate my homecoming. The council welcomed me with solemn faces while a few of the elderly members showered me with parental love, tears glistening in their eyes. Excusing myself from the group of people gushing over the looks that I inherited from my mother, I made my way over to the balcony. The balcony overlooked the vast forest that laid behind the palace spreading across acres of land. A heavy sigh left my lips as I transferred my body weight onto the railing. 

I stared at the forest border in a daze, my mind drifting back to all the events that occurred in six months, wondering how my peaceful, simple life took a drastic turn of events. My mind worried about Mama and Papa, how they were coping with life. My abrupt exit from the pack was bound to leave a drastic impression on their minds. My heart yearned to return or at least visit them, but with my life’s current status, it would only attract unintentional threat towards them and the pack. Visiting them would also mean the possibility of bumping into Xavier, which I wasn’t ready to confront. 

The thought of Xavier reminded me of the mate bond and how I didn’t feel any pull towards it; maybe it was because of me being a purple spirit.

A sudden disturbance in the bushes followed by a rustling sound caught my attention. I gazed at the leaves moving, even though there wasn’t any wind blowing. The leaves parted a little to reveal a pair of grey wolf's eyes. Their eyes flickered around before meeting mine. They held the stare, eyes boring right into my soul. It seemed we were having a staring contest, neither of us looking away from each other, challenging the other to back down.

“What are you doing here?” Jay’s sudden voice forced me to look away. When I turned back, the wolf was gone. I tried to locate any movement among the thick bushes, but nothing caught my eye. 

“Nothing was just taking a breather,” I replied, turning my attention to Jay.

“The Queen is asking for you. Let’s go.” Jay swung his arm around my shoulder, ushering me inside. I could feel someone’s gaze while Jay guided me back into the hall.

 The sun had sunk beneath the horizon and stars were twinkling in the inky background when everyone finally decided it was enough socializing for one day. My feet were killing me, my body ready to enter hibernation. 

Walking up the stairs, Mother guided me through the vast corridors as we walked towards my room. Taking a left turn, we came face to face with a wooden door carved with golden patterns symbolizing something, but my droopy eyes couldn’t make it out. She pushed open the doors, revealing an enormous room that could fit my old home. Entering, I found it divided into three areas - a sitting area, a bedroom, and a library lined with tall shelves filled with unique books. 

“This will be your room. I had it designed when I received the letter from Marvis.” Mother beamed, looking at me with eyes filled with love. I felt a little bad that despite her trying hard to make me comfortable, I couldn’t feel the same connection I shared with Mama. 

“It’s beautiful. Thank you.” I nodded my head, smiling at her.

Her smile seemed to waver, probably identifying the awkwardness in my voice. “You must be overwhelmed by everything today. Get some rest. I will see you in the morning.” She masked her disappointment, her eyes not hiding her emotions well. 

I looked around the room, taking in the luxury and extravagance as it screamed. My body was too tired to praise the beauty and the little details that Mother added to the room. The bed placed against the left wall was pulling me like a magnet, dragging my feet on the fluffy carpet that covered most of the room. I flopped myself onto the bed, feeling like I was floating on clouds as soon as my body came into contact with the soft mattress. Mother paid attention to comfort, something I was grateful for at this very moment. I slowly knocked at the doors of dreamland as my eyes grew heavy, the blush pink ceiling being replaced by the darkness whilst the slumber engulfed me. 

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