Being the princess of all werewolves is not easy, but finding a mate is harder. Annabeth's royal life is turned upside down when she meets her mate, Kate.
Soon, she finds herself stuck between two choices: her duties to her family, and her love for...
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I'm late and I know it. I also hate the fact that I can already see Father's stern look on his face and Charlie's smug smile when I arrive at the King's Office. Father hates it when I am too late for the meetings, he chose for me to attend, and every time I fail to reach his expectations, Charlie is there trying to convince Father to take him instead of me.
I shouldn't have started that stupid second book in the library. I know I'll always lose track of time when studying after school and I always end up running most of the way home. I could call for a driver or ask any wolf on campus to bring me home though. No one would dare turn me down if I had a request.
I'm after all; if I want it or not; the princess of all werewolves. What a shitty title to go by. I always feel like I sound like a brat when I'm telling people.
So, I choose not to tell a soul when I first entered this school almost four years ago. It was a hard piece of work to convince Father to let me join the regular werewolf school at the Triangle - Mother helped a lot too.
Sadly, all of it was in vain when Charlie entered the school two years ago. The little brat had to brag and tell everyone who would hear him out that he was the one and only prince and, in the process, he told everyone about me.
I liked the quiet life at school. No bows, no unnecessary politeness, no special treatment. Of course, my teachers knew who I am, but they were told to shut up about it and just call me Ann.
I really hate Charlie for that.
I liked my friends the way they were. Just like real people are supposed to be. On bad days they would talk shit to me and apologize after and I would talk shit back and we would compete at sports real hard and play dirty while trying to win.
But now everything feels much more distant. They sit with me during meals and talk to me, but they are always cautious about what to say as if I'd hang them for a bad word about an awful outfit I wear.
Lost in my thoughts I make the hike through the woods a quick one, after all, I was used to it and my physical condition is way beyond other kids my age.
As I raced through the halls and floors at the "Palace" I brace myself for the scolding that is to come. As I arrive at my Fathers office, I lift my chin and straighten my shoulders.
I can already hear my mother's words playing in my head. I've heard it a thousand times by now. "A princess can't be late. That isn't proper. If you're just five minutes early, you're already too late." Her favorite phrase to say is 'That isn't proper.' I've heard it all my life.
After a deep breath, I push the doors open and I am met with a familiar sight.
"You are late." he simply states, looking stern and grumpy as always.
"Again!" My nightmare of a twelve year old little brother squealed standing beside Father with a wide grin showing his missing teeth.
His blond short hair standing in all directions makes him look even younger despite his height. He is almost one head taller than me already but there are no muscles. That's why I started calling him Charleek and he hates it.
"I'm sorry Father. I lost track of time while studying," I tell him honestly there is no use in lying to the king but even though I apologized I never lower my gaze. I'm after all the fucking princess and will rule this race in the distant future. Very distant if it is up to me.
"You always say that!" Charlie blurts out almost screaming.
"I'm not talking with you Charleek," I am careful to emphasize the last part of his name while walking towards the king who is by now starting to be annoyed with our bickering.
"It's not my fault you are too dumb to read a watch," he mumbles insulted under his breath, his face getting red.
While opening my mouth to answer him I unintentionally snarl, making him jump back and run with a high-pitched shriek. Or Nora did that, my wolf, I can't really tell.
"It's enough now Ann," Father rebukes me, but his grey eyes betray him. I can see the pride in them. I am a she-wolf at the age of 14 and I already have my wolf and my cycle – not that I am particularly happy to have that last one.
Having a wolf so present at that age is impressive, it's incredibly early and even more unusual for a girl. Our wolves start being present on our 14th birthday. On this day we can start using the mind link too or start trying to use it. It's way more difficult than I thought, to be honest.
Of course, I can not shift yet but the fact that my wolf told me her name and occasionally tries to talk to me or through me makes Father almost burst with joy. And my little brother can't do shit about that and the best thing about Nora is that she really doesn't like Charlie at all.
"What do you remember from the revolts in Europe?" He asks, leaning back in his big brown leather chair which awfully reminds me of a throne, folding his hand in his lap and meeting my eye. I've had to attend a few meetings with him this month regarding Europe and I try to organize my thoughts before answering.
"There is some deranged alpha who lost his nuts and went crazy on some freezing island. If I had to guess I would say Iceland." I chew my lower lip while trying to remember more but these meetings are just so boring that I tend to doze off a bit.
"Well..." he purses his lips "Every single word of what you said was awfully picked and would make your mother cry," he continues while I roll my eyes. He asked me a question and did not demand a status report for the high counsel.
"But otherwise, yes. There was an uproar in Alpha Richards pack, and it got out of hand. Lots of lives were lost." He pauses and shoots me a look that says 'be better next time'.
"Oh..." I feel a little dumb for taking it not seriously but I try to shake the feeling and ask in return "Did we do something about that?"
My father nods in agreement. "Yes, my dear, we did.," he pauses again, breathing in before he goes on with a more mysterious tone "But some things better be kept secret for a while. Now come."
He stands up towering over me with his 6.6 feet tall figure as his gaze goes blank for a second and I know someone mindlinks him.
"Go where?" I ask curiously after being sure he is here with me again.
"To greet your new Beta," he says with a mischievous grin, catching me off guard with this gesture. Gaping at my father with my jaw dropped open I almost have to start running to keep up with his long strides.
We hurry through some corridors behind Father and keep bombarding him with questions. Questions he merely ignores and goes to the main entrance of 'the Palace'.
It's not a real Palace. People just like calling it that. Maybe it gives them a sense of importance when speaking about it. 'The Palace' is just some really big and really fancy Packhouse that's all.
