Natalia’s P. O. V

My chest heaved as I looked around at the crowd, the sound of my own heartbeat rushing in my ears muffling their cheers.

Marjorie announced me as the winner then promptly released my hand, shooting me a curious look as she glanced at her red palm.

With the adrenaline from the fight, my skin must have heated up. I shot her an apologetic look as I tried to calm myself down. I was just grateful that I hadn’t set anything or anyone on fire.

Before I knew it, Kaesha and I were sitting at a table, attending to the small queue of Werewolves wanting to join our pack.

“We need to do something about your wounds.” Kaesha insisted, for the fifth time after I’d explained what our pack was going to be doing to the seventh person.

“I’m fine.” I groaned, “I heal quickly. Besides, it’s good for them to see me in this state, to know that I’ll get bloody and dirty if I need to.”

She sighed, then put on a smile to attend to the next person in line.

By the end of the day, we’d gotten nine upfront signups, seven people who vowed to join once the new members were fully settled and gave their feedback after a month, and thirteen willing to seriously consider joining by the end of the year. Daniel and Daniella had been among the thirteen, stating that they’d enjoyed the fight and would like to serve under a ‘scrappy Alpha’ like me, in their words. Eyepatch had joined upfront, which surprised me for some reason.

I noticed that a girl with light brown skin, thick curly hair and a determined expression had marched over to the table, after having what had seemed like a heated discussion with Timothy in the distance, expressing her very poignant desire to join after a month.

One glance at Hailey, who’d tried her best to look aloof and like she wasn’t watching, told me that our new pack may be in for some drama somewhere down the line.

“This is Timothy, a founding member of our pack.” I told the group of twenty-nine that had expressed interest, “For those of you joining immediately, I’ll organise to have a shuttle bus drive you to our pack in three days. That should be enough time to get your things together and say your goodbyes. I’ll let Timothy describe the meetup point. As for those that want to join after a month, I’ll let you all come to a decision on the date you want to be picked up. You can contact either Kaesha, Timothy, or myself with the date. If any of you can accompany those joining now to the meeting point, it’ll be better, so you can guide the rest when a month passes.”

Two people volunteered, one of them being the girl from earlier, so I continued, “And for the last category, those that’ll join as time goes on. If you’d like for a bus to be sent for you too, you’ll need to be six joining at a time. Otherwise, the location can be given to you and you’ll unfortunately have to make your way there on your own.” I smiled, “With all that being said, welcome to the Vengar Sanguine Pack.”

By the time Timothy had finished describing their meetup location in great detail and we’d fully introduced ourselves to everyone, night had fallen, so we spent the night in the Sanctuary.

I finally allowed Kaesha to take a look at my injuries, and while she didn’t heal them fully, she did get them to the point where they didn’t sting. After that, we freshened up and were knocked out for the night, each of us exhausted in our own ways.

When the next morning came, we were up bright and early, and after we’d said our goodbyes, we set out. The journey back both dragged on and flew by, and by the time we were crossing the threshold of the house, none of us were particularly chatty. We each shuffled to do our own things, Hailey passing out on the couch, Timothy dropping into his bed without bothering to close his bedroom door, Kaesha going off to, in her words, “soak away the journey” in a bath that I eventually had to wake her from and me sinking to the ground in my own room after organizing the bus over the phone. I fell asleep like that, with my head lolled to the side and my phone in my hand, sitting on the floor.

The next day, Hailey and I had packed our things and were on our way back to the city. Kaesha had decided to stay and help Timothy relocate our new members so just the two of us returned.

On the journey back, Hailey was abuzz about Kaelin, gushing about the take he planned to take her on and how romantic he was and how much he missed her. I had yet to meet this guy who had seemingly swept my sister off her feet, but he seemed to be doing a good job of keeping her happy.

If only she didn’t have a Timothy-shaped cloud over her heart.

I’d seen what having a mate had done to my sweet sunshine of a sister. How their fundamentally different approaches to love had hurt them both. And I saw how desperately she was clinging to Kaelin in spite of it all. Perhaps even because of it all.

It made me wonder if I’d ever let myself get close enough to someone like that. If I’d ever let myself be so vulnerable with someone that the very thought of them not reciprocating left me crushed.

I hadn’t loved Callum. I hadn’t even liked him. But because the culture of mates meeting and falling hopelessly in love was so pervasive, some part of me had expected my mate to care for me, whoever he’d turned out to be in that wretched pack.

I resented that idea now… because maybe, just maybe, I might’ve left that place sooner if that part of me hadn’t been holding out for a fictitious love.

With a lull in the conversation, I gazed out the window, my mind wandering to the life partners Syrens got. According to the syllabus, we were meant to go into more detail about life partners over the course of the next two sessions, but I knew the basics at least. Syrens only got the ability to detect who their life partner was at the age of nineteen but from what I’d heard, many went decades before ever meeting theirs.

I wasn’t quite sure of how one could tell who their life partner was and, truthfully, I hoped I wouldn’t need to worry about having to identify him either way. But realistically speaking, it seemed unlikely that I’d never get one. I was a hybrid in every sense, a full Werewolf and Syren, wolf and abilities and marks and all. So by that logic, if I’d gotten a mate, a life partner wasn’t entirely out of the realm of possibility, unless my makeup dictated that they were one and the same in the person of Callum. I just hoped that was the case, as opposed to the alternative of having to deal with yet another man foisted upon me by destiny.

Hailey spent the night when we returned home, then promptly left to be reunited with her beau the next day. In her absence, I packed and prepared myself for the journey to the Royal Werewolves I’d embark on tomorrow.

‘Are you sure you should be going alone?’ Candy asked as I zipped my suitcase closed.

I shrugged, ‘I don’t want to disturb Hailey while she’s with Kaelin, and Timothy and Kaesha have their hands full with getting our members settled.’

‘What about Kirstin?’

I shook my head, ‘It’s not time to recall her, and I can’t have anyone knowing of her ties to me. I’ll just go alone.’

‘I guess… but do you have to meet with them on the ninth?’

‘Yes, Candy.’ I sighed, ‘I need our formation date to be the same as when I left the Lightwood pack. Besides, I’ve already set up the audience with the Royals through the WolfNet for that day.’

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‘Alright…’ She conceded, not sounding at all alright with the idea of me going by myself.

But it had to be done, and it had to be done tomorrow.

Did I feel anxious about a meeting with the Royals? Definitely.

Would I have preferred to go with Timothy at least? Of course.

But I was a royal in my own right, an uncertain, uncrowned, unknown one, but one nonetheless. And I couldn’t cower at the thought of facing my equals.

An idea formed in my mind.

Checking the time to be sure Super Banking wouldn’t be closed, I left my house, opting to run. It didn’t take me long to get there, and I walked into the familiar doors with a wave to Melody.

“Is Mrs. Burton in?” I asked as I approached her desk.

“She should be finishing up with a meeting about now. Is anything the matter, Natalia?” She asked with a slight bow to her head, the subtle show of respect she’d adopted since she couldn’t refer to me by my title.

“No, I just want to ask her some things.”

“In that case, you can wait for her in her office.”

“Okay, thank you.” I said, then made my way there.

I’d been waiting for about fifteen minutes when Mrs. Burton returned.

“Natalia, hello.” She greeted as she walked in, her smile as warm as ever, “Melody says you have some questions for me. You don’t normally come around this soon after a trip, how was it by the way?”

“Hello, Mrs. Burton. It was very productive, actually. I’ll be taking another one again tomorrow, this time, to the Royal Werewolf Palace. That’s why I wanted to talk to you.”

Her brows climbed as she took her seat opposite me, “That’s interesting. What do you want to know?”

“What’s the Syren’s relationship with Werewolves?”

“It’s quite neutral. We don’t relate with them much, so we don’t have much of an opinion on each other.”

It made sense. Werewolves were pack creatures, but not very open to outsiders. We just didn’t have many chances to interact with other Supernatural races.

“So, there shouldn’t be anything preventing us from forming an alliance with them?”

She shook her head slowly, processing the idea, “No… not that I know of…”

I could do this.

“What if I facilitate an alliance? I’m a hybrid of both, who better to get the two of us to be allies?”

She thought for a while, the contemplation on her face heavy, “This is a massive move, Natalia. You’re not yet Queen, so we’ll have no choice but to run this by the High Court, especially the Council. Besides, from what I understand, Werewolves are a race that values strength, and as much as I hate to admit it, Syrens are seen as a weak race in the wider Supernatural world, since we’re the only ones with a clear predator. Alliances are a balance of give and take, but I struggle to think of what we could have to offer them, or what we could even want from them too.”

I frowned, “But wouldn’t the very fact that we’re allied help our standing?”

“I suppose it would, but I struggle to see what we could offer in return.”

She was right.

Werewolves did value strength, and as a race of mostly women who had spent centuries in hiding, Syrens weren’t exactly considered a force to be reckoned with. And as Mrs. Burton had said, it was hard to think of anything we could offer Werewolves that would have them want to associate with Syrens.

“I guess you’re right…” I sighed. I’d really thought the idea could work.

Her expression softened, “It’s a lovely idea. Rebekah knows we could use some friends in this world. And I’ll be willing to help you pass it through the High Court if you think of any way it could work.”

I smiled, grateful for her offer to help, “Okay.”

She was always looking out for me.

‘She must really have loved mom to be so kind to you.’ Candy mused.

‘Yeah…’

Thanking her, I left her office, waving goodbye to Melody on my way out before returning home to finish preparing for my trip.

………………..

My stomach was in knots.

I was drawing closer to the palace, accompanied by a guide that had been sent to take me to the palace as it was my first time visiting, and I could already see the spires towering above the spruces surrounding us.

My audience with the Royals was scheduled for three pm, but my anxiety about missing it made me plan to arrive four hours early. The guide, Tyler, walked on ahead, holding my small suitcase in one hand as he narrated the history of the palace and the surrounding woods with hearts in his eyes.

I listened absentmindedly, clutching my papers to my chest as my eyes darted around.

Eventually, we approached the palace and I had to remember to keep my jaw from hanging open as I followed the guide around on his offered tour.

It was massive, the main building looking to be eight storeys high and composed of two wings attached to the main, long structure that absolutely dwarfed the three-tiered fountain in front of it. Off to the side, sprawling gardens populated with flowers of a myriad of colours spread out, leading to a hedge maze that I could just tell was designed to keep you wandering for hours.

It took us a while to get around the main palace, and when we did, we were met with what looked like a smaller castle made of what looked like glass, mirrors, and metal. The mid-morning sun glistened off it as we walked by.

“This is where the Summer Mate ball is held.” Tyler explained, then he went into a monologue on the history of the stunning structure.

Around the other side of the palace, was a stable and training ground, as well as what Tyler described as the grounds servants’ quarters.

He led me through a door in the right wing. According to him, the right wing was for the political and official activities of the Palace, the left wing was the residence of the Royals, and the main wing was for everything else, including the Winter Mate Ball.

Once inside, I was stunned anew. The ceilings were high, littered with chandeliers that had been polished to perfection. Per Tyler’s words, the halls felt extravagant, but professional all at once, with painted portraits of historical figures lining the walls, punctuated by paintings depicting savage battle scenes, majestic wolves, and the moon in all its waxing beauty.

We climbed several grand steps, and I was led to a room on the third floor.

“You may wait here till your audience. The room has everything you need, including food in the mini fridge and a bathroom, but do not hesitate to ring for one of the servants by pressing this button.” He gestured to a button on the wall above the bed, “I will return to fetch you forty-five minutes before your audience. You are also permitted to explore the grounds and this wing, but you cannot go beyond the fourth floor, or to any of the other wings.”

I nodded and he placed my suitcase down near the bed.

“Is there an iron here? I packed my outfit for my audience in my suitcase and I’d hate to go looking creased and wrinkled.”

“Of course. I’ll take your clothes to get pressed and have one of the servants return them to your room. If you’re not around, they’ll just leave it on the bed.”

“Oh, thank you.” I said, then got my clothes out of my suitcase and handed them to him.

“If that’s all, I shall see you at two fifteen pm.” He said, then left the room, closing the door behind him.

Alone in the room, I looked around. It was about the same size as my bedroom, and sure enough, had a minifridge, a microwave and an adjourning bathroom. My window had a view of the stables, servants’ quarters and training grounds. Looking around, there was the place was full of movement, servants rushing to their duties, guards patrolling the areas and others who looked like important visitors being attended to.

Thirty minutes of fidgeting and even showering in a poor attempt to calm my nerves passed. My clothes had been returned, pressed to perfection and brought in by a young girl who had scurried in then right back out after handing them to me.

I checked the time. It was only noon, so I still had over two full hours of nervous energy I needed to endure. I wasn’t unsettled enough to spontaneously combust, but my fire simmered under the surface, no doubt making my skin warm to the touch.

I sighed and got up, deciding to take a walk around to give myself something to do.

Wandering around, I noted that most of the rooms on the third floor seemed to be similar to mine, save for a room that had a large billiards table and dartboard in it. I ventured up to the fourth floor. It had fewer doors, and when I opened one of them, I saw why. The room I’d entered was a massive library, with rows upon rows of tomes with varying degrees of age and volume to them. I ventured in, browsing the spines and flipping through some briefly, sill I found one that depicted the tale of La Luna and the creation of Werewolves.

I was seated on the ground, my back resting lightly against the shelf I’d pulled the book from, when I noticed a shadow over me and looked up, locking eyes with the person suddenly standing over me.