Chapter 3

Christina’s POV  

After my brief yet strange conversation with Nix, I made my way downstairs. Alpha Vance, Luna Stella, Colt were sitting at the table along with Melissa and Dylan. They are all so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Alpha Vance had his head in his hands and Luna Stella stroking his head in a caring manner. Melissa was silent, which was unusual for her. She was just staring at Dylan. Colt just had a look of confusion on his face and occasionally shook his head. 

“What’s happened?” I asked. Fearing the worst, by the way, they are all acting. 

All eyes turned and looked at me. “Well, er. Nix called, as you know,” Alpha Vance says. He doesn’t seem to know what to say, which is unusual. Something has definitely happened. “It is unlikely that Nix will be coming back here and he won’t be taking over as Alpha here at Mountain Creek pack.”  

“You are kidding me? Why not? Who does he think he is? Swanning off to the palace, thinking he is someone special. I tell you what, next time I see him, I am going to make sure he knows who his friends and family are. How dare he say he isn’t coming back? Does he not know how much Melissa needs him?” I said Melissa, but really I mean I need him. He may have only been here a year, but he has made such an impact on my life. Thinking about it now, how much of a mess would I be if he never came here? “Come on, someone tell me why not? Before I let Quinn track him down and kill him.” Dylan laughs at my rant. I am not in the mood to be laughed at. He was on the phone a few minutes ago, acting all normal. Encouraging me to go to the palace, well he can forget that!  

“Well Christina. How do I say this? Nix found his mate.” Luna Stella informs me. 

“That’s no excuse. He is supposed to be the next Alpha. She goes with him. He is in the senior position.”  

Alpha Vance shakes his head. “You are right, Christina. That is how it works. But Nix’s mate.” He pauses. It’s like he doesn’t know what to say. “It’s..”  

“The Wolf Princess.” Melissa screamed, bouncing out of her seat. “My big brother is mated to a frigging real-life princess. Oh my goddess, how do I act? What do I wear?” She carries on bouncing, then suddenly stops. “Oh my goddess, my brother is going to be a King. What will that make me?”  

I stared at her in shock. This must be the information they were all processing when I came downstairs. “What are the odds of that happening?” I asked as I looked at Dylan. Who will probably give me a statistic. “Pretty goddam low. There is only one Wolf Princess in the entire country.”  

“Geez.” I said, blowing out a breath. I go to ask a question. But the words in my brain just disappear. It’s like I have forgotten to speak. The room has gone back to being silent. I don’t think anyone knows what to say.  

“He wanted to speak to you?” Alpha Vance finally asks.  

“Yes, yeah.” I stuttered out, finally, my voice. “He wants me to go to the palace. Apparently, there is a picture of me there?”   

“What?” Dylan asked quizzically.   

“Yeah, I told him I would go in a few days, but I am in the middle of something with Jen and her pack. I can’t leave them now. We are doing so well.”

“Christina,” Colt says, all fatherly. “The mate of the Wolf Princess, a future King, has made a reasonable request. You would be wise to honor that request.”   

“What? Break it down for me. I feel confused. All this information is making me dizzy.” 

“Nix, our Nix. Future Wolf King Nix has asked you to do something. It’s not even something hard, Christina. Do as he bloody asks.” Dylan says bluntly, which he never does.  

“Does that mean Melissa is the future Luna here at Mountain Creek then and you have to be Alpha?” I ask, snickering while I look at him. I know academically he is perfect for the Alpha position, but physically he is not there yet. All eyes turned and looked at him. “I guess it does. If Dylan is Melissa’s mate. Fated or chosen,” Luna Stella says, smiling, looking at him. He isn’t smiling now, neither is Melissa. They were both looking forward to Nix having the position and them living in his shadow. Having a carefree life. Those plans have gone out of the window now. 

“Don’t you have somewhere to go?” Melissa asks snappily. I have ruined her plans. I can’t help but smile. Mine is only for a few days, hers is for life.   

“I guess I do. Seeing as a future King has asked.” I paused for a few seconds before smiling. “But he never said how I was to get there or who I could take. I think I may go in my wolf form and take my hawks. I can continue their training on the way.”  

“Christina.” Luna Stella says with a warning tone. 

“What? I am doing as I was asked, but I am doing it my way. Win-win from my perspective.”

“Are you sure stud isn’t your middle name?” She asks, snickering.

“I don’t feel comfortable letting you go alone, Christina.” Colt says. Since I got back, he has been reluctant to let me out of his sight. I don’t think he wants to let me go. In case I run again. 

But he should know that I only have eyes for one man in my life and he is here. I honestly cannot express in words how I felt when I felt Dylan’s solid body against mine on that cliff that day. It was the greatest feeling in my entire life. I wouldn’t leave him again, not like I did not for anything. But this is only for a few days. 

“I won’t be alone. I will have Quinn and I will have my hawks.”

I go outside and talk it over with Quinn, who doesn’t seem shocked that Nix is to be a king. If anything, she acts smarmy, like she knew something. She even tells me that Diesel is like her ‘one of the first’. She was more than happy to make her way to the palace. 

We had a good night’s rest and a hearty breakfast. I gather a few belongings into a bag and I even bubble wrap Nix’s photo of his mom. Placing it in a bag with the stuff Quinn is going to have to carry.   

He should have it. She was just as important to him as his mate is. He will no doubt come back for his stuff at some point, or I guess someone will. But he should have this picture. I know he will appreciate it.  

Dylan drives me to the cliff with my belongings. I still struggle to see Dylan driving. I haven’t been back long and am still adapting to seeing him capable of doing anything. He was once so dependent on me. “Make sure you come back to me,” he says as he hugs me. “Who else would have me?” I say to him, while I returned his hug.  

“You need to stop that,” he says to me like he is annoyed. “One day you will meet your mate and he will move heaven and earth just to be with you.”  

I looked at him. “I met my mate, he was disgusted at being paired with me. He tried to kill me on more than one occasion. I’m all right, thank you. I don’t want that kind of drama in my future. I have had enough from my past.” I said, laughing.  

But he isn’t laughing. He looks upset. “You have no idea how I see you, Trina. One day, I hope you see yourself the way I do. Because on that day, you will realize how amazing you are. Everything you have overcome has not made you a weaker person. You are stronger because of it. I feel like I am the luckiest man alive because I have had you in my life.” He pulls me in for another hug and he cries on my shoulder. I guess I should stop being so hard on myself. Everyone has been treating me differently since I got back. I know Dylan won’t move on with his future if he is worrying about me. “I love you, sis,” he says. 

“I love you too,” I responded.  

I beckon Jen, take off my clothing, and place them in my bag. I don’t have much. I don’t need much. I shift, Quinn made her way over to Dylan. “Take care of her.” He says to Quinn. Who yelps and runs off.