CALLUM
The four of us were waiting outside the packhouse when Ava came back. Part of me wanted to insist
that if she did this again, she had to take me with her. But since she took the Queen’s guard with her…
I didn’t exactly have a leg to stand on, it would have just caused a pointless argument.
What I did have though, is a parcel Alpha Michael had sent. I’d already checked it for anything
potentially dangerous, and it was brought down by another two members of Ava’s guard.
And I could tell straight away… she wasn’t going to be best impressed with what he’d sent. So
unimpressed that I’d stashed it in our bedroom and I’d give it to her after breakfast or she’d never eat.
I wrapped her in a hug once she shifted back and threw on the clothes I’d found her, with Noah, Theo
and Oscar jumping in as soon as I moved.
We walked into the dining room together, Ava in between us. Everyone bowed when we walked in,
and that was still something I had to get used to… it wasn’t as uncomfortable as it used to be, but it
definitely still felt weird.
Breakfast went quickly… which meant it was time to give Ava their present from Michael. This was
going to be interesting.
And interesting it was.
AVA
I KNEW I didn’t have long before Michael would start insisting on me wearing some kind of Crown
jewellery religiously. I didn’t expect him to have a box of formal dresses and shoes along with a
crown, tiara and two cloaks delivered. That wasn’t what I expected to come back to after going for a
run.
It was all beautiful, of course it was. But that didn’t mean I was particularly happy about it.
Apart from a beautiful necklace that sat in a wood and satin box. It looked like white gold. It had a
delicate full moon pendant finished with diamonds. This, I could go with. I passed it to Callum, and
lifted my hair out of the way so he could fasten it.
As soon as the pendant touched my skin, I jumped. The pendant had an aura to it, a powerful aura.
One to ask Michael about, that.
“Alpha Michael,” I linked. “It’s all beautiful. I hope you realise I’m not planning to constantly wear a
crown until I have to.”
“I know, my Queen,” his smile came across in his tone. “But the Kingdom insists that you do at least
for formal occasions or meeting foreign pack leaders.”
“Fine,” I replied. “I can do that.”
“For the rest of the time, my Queen, there is a necklace you can wear. It’s enchanted so it will stretch
when you shift, meaning you can leave it on without worrying about it snapping.”
“Ahh yes, I’m actually wearing that already! That explains the power I felt against my skin.”
“Indeed, my Queen. I have some of our best people working on rings for the five of you to wear after
the coronation as opposed to crowns, but that one is easier said than done.” He sighed. “We’ve
managed to create one that will stretch with you when you shift and essentially become a bracelet, but
getting it to go back the other way when you shift back to human again that’s proving to be more
difficult.”
“I assume the council is insisting on us having something, Michael?”
“Indeed, my Queen.”
I shook my head. As far as things go, a ring is better than a crown, but it’s still a lot of fuss.
“When can we expect you and the Kings to visit us, my Queen?”
“We’ve dealt with the border problems here, Blood Moon is as ready as it is going to ever be. I’m
currently planning to leave tomorrow.”
“I look forward to seeing you all, my Queen.”
I thanked him again, before closing the link.
“Ava… you’re not in quite as much of a bad mood as I expected?” Oscar’s voice was almost
comically concerned.
“I told Michael I don’t plan on wearing it all the time. We compromised on just formal events and if I
am meeting foreign pack leaders. Unless I have to shift, of course.” I gave him a small smile. “But
that’s what the necklace is for, that will shift with me.”
THEO
The next morning, Ava had us all up early. She wanted to run with the four of us before we made the
trip to Eclipse Mountain because we wouldn’t be able to run in peace the entire time we were there.
Yes, we took the Queen’s guard whilst we were here, but security is a lot tighter in Eclipse Mountain.
Rather than all of us running, we drove this time, with the five of us, Jeremiah and Lewis in the seven
seat SUV, and the rest of the Queen’s guard in a car in front and behind us.
Ava didn’t trust Michael to have truly put casual clothes in any of our wardrobes, so she wanted to
bring comfy things with us.
She did, though, insist on us all bringing something formal to wear upon our arrival for Michael and
the council’s benefit. She even had a tiara.
She changed when we were an hour or so outside of the pack boundaries. Ava might not have liked
pomp and pageantry, but she looked even more beautiful when wearing a formal dress, and royalty
suited her. I suppose since it’s her birthright, that’s not really too surprising.
Her dress was a stunning mid-calf length gown that sparkled as she moved. It was dark blue and the
specks of glitter in the fabric looked like the stars in Artemis’ fur. She’d combined it with black heels,
and a delicate tiara sat on her curled hair.
I even had to accept that the four of us cleaned up nicely in the dark blue trousers, formal shirts,
jackets and shoes she’d picked out. We even all had cufflinks with her monogram on them.
I was nervous before we left. Because of the whole kidnapping thing, I hadn’t actually seen Eclipse
Mountain yet, so I really didn’t know what to expect.
First impression? Well. It’s beautiful. The mountains, the castle, the forest… stunning. Even the air
somehow smells and feels better.
And then I noticed the red carpet and the amount of people waiting for our arrival.