My entire body stiffened and the palms of my hands began sweating profusely as I finally began processing the announcement just made by Alpha Perez, my father. I don't think I'll ever be able to call anyone else Daddy besides the one I've known my entire life. I used to believe in the notion that everything in life happens for a reason, but now I'm not so sure.
Well, let me not speak too soon. If my parents didn't come to Spain for their honeymoon and rescue me then I would have never, been introduced to the world of werewolves and best of all Tristan. Princess Analia though, really? In case you haven't realized, I'm hardly Princess material! I have the poise of a football linebacker trying to walk around in stilettos. My pupils dilated as my eyes broadened at the site before me. The entire Manzanares Pack, including my father and brothers were down on one knee bowing their heads in my honor.
For some strange reason I was getting a eerie vibe off of Maria. She seemed to be friendly at first, but ever since the announcement of me being Analia, the long lost daughter. I don’t know, maybe I'm just being paranoid. Staring out through the realms of bodies, I searched for those familiar hazy eyes that managed to bring tranquility to my soul making every situation better.
This time however when our eyes met I didn't feel a sense of calmness wash over me. Instead, the feeling of trepidation filled my heart. The normally calm and collected looking Tristan had an unrecognizable expression that plagued his face. It was one filled with worry along with regret? His Mom and Dad stood at his side both beaming with happy smiles, while Luke, Anya, Axel, Jett, Troy and Andre watched me in awe. Is he looking at me differently now that I've been announced as a Princess? Why doesn't he look the least bit happy for me?
"Show them Analia." Rico muttered as he stood up beside me placing his hand on my shoulder. "They won't truly believe until they've seen it." Nodding my head at my eldest brother, I used my hand to slide my cardigan off my shoulder exposing the only thing that could confirm I was indeed Princess Analia Perez.
A wave of gasps was heard over the silence of the crowd, when they all surveyed the mark of royalty on my right shoulder. I always thought it was just a plain old ugly birthmark, but after seeing Rico and Alonso's matching marks, it proved to me that what I hoped to be a hallucination really was indeed a reality. Point proven, end of discussion right? No, wrong...very wrong. Rico and Alonso informed me that I now had to meet each and every single wolf in the pack, oh joy.
You're all probably thinking I took the news of being found abandoned in the woods rather well. I don't think I've actually had the chance to absorb any of it just yet. It all went in one ear and I believe it was either stuck in transition somewhere in my brain or that it quickly escaped out through my other ear. The thought of everything that transpired to both my Mother Nina and Sister Mia made me physically sick. The taste of putrid bile was rising from my stomach to my throat making me want to vomit.
'Keep it together Lise' The little voice nagged in my head. 'It won't be very princess-like, let alone lady-like if you puke all over the place and the members of the pack!' Closing my eyes I took a few deep breaths in through my nose. I just finished meeting the last wolf of the pack. Ask me if I can recall a single name, go on and ask me. I can honestly say I don't remember a single soul, zip, zilch, nada.
Where'd my memory go? I'd like to attribute my sudden case of amnesia to all the recent stress I've been under. Finding out you're not who you thought you once were and a Princess all in one day is a lot to handle! I need to be alone in order to freak out, but of course that wasn't possible. I'm barely holding on by a thread here people. After all, I was whisked away to a homecoming celebration without being given a chance to digest any of it. A few more minutes...just a few more is all I have to endure and maintain my composure.
Once this is over I can retreat to the confinements of my room and bawl my eyes out. Maybe I can talk Anya into having a girl's night? Think they have rocky road ice cream in Spain? The electrifying tingles that jolted up my right hand abruptly caused my nerves to calm down. It sent my heart fluttering about, but in a good way. I don't have to open my eyes to know that Tristan was standing behind me holding my hand. Somehow he could sense I was troubled and that he needed to comfort me. Tristan's right hand was entwined with mine as he stepped closely behind me. He placed a kiss on the back of my head before leaning down and whispering in my ear.
"You ok up here Princess?" Tristan's voice was playful but he didn't sound like his usual self. "Seems like you're a little nervous to me." Turning around I instantaneously wrapped my arms around his waist burying my head into his chest. Allowing the rhythmic beating of his heart to soothe my rapidly out of whack one.
"Hey..." Tristan uttered leaning back a bit so he could get a good look at my face. Instead of complying with him I stubbornly closed the space again. "Lise, look at me baby. After realizing that I wasn't going to peel my face away from his chest, Tristan gently grabbed a hold of my face with both his hands.
There was a whirlwind of thoughts going rampant in my mind. First and foremost, I sure as heck don't know the first thing about being a Princess, nor do I want to be one. Secondly, what happens to me now? Do I stay in Spain or can I just get up and return to my comfy town of Port Clyde where my family and school is?
"Something's wrong." I mumbled under my breath allowing my eyes to roam across his handsome face. Why do guys do this? They try to keep things from you so you don't worry, but in turn cause us to worry twice as much, because we know deep down inside they're hiding something.
Tristan gave me the smallest of smiles allowing the corners of his lip to tug up in crookedly. "Nothing's wrong, at least not yet."
"What're you talking about?" I asked curiously needing to know why he's speaking in code language? Just spit it out already! That's when it hit me. Why else would Tristan look so sad when I was announced as Princess? Oh no, isn't it some cardinal rule that Princesses have to marry Princes or some crap like that? "What's going to happen to us now?" My voice filled with panic as my hand fisted his t-shirt tightly. He had to have some sort of inkling right? Weren't there werewolf laws they had to live by?
Pulling me close, Tristan slouched down slightly tucking his face into the crook of my neck. Here I was thinking it was a sweet gesture, but then he began talking in a hushed whisper. It was like he didn't want anyone to know what was being discussed. "You're royalty sweetheart, they won't let you leave here without a fight."
"They can't force me to stay somewhere I don't want to." I grumbled trying my best from throwing an all out hissy fit.
"Only other solution is..." Tristan's voice trailed off as he placed a gentle kiss on his mark causing my knees to buckle from under me. "Once we're mated they can't separate you from me. You'll belong to my pack."
Oh gee, no pressure there at all to hurry up and mate before tomorrow so that I can go home to my normal life. Though something deep inside me says nothing's going to be normal from here on out.