Blood Legacy Chapter 86: 84. The village

I softly sighed, feeling the gentle caress of fingers tracing over my forehead, passing over my cheek as my senses slowly came back to me.

Something hard and firm dug into my back, making me realize that I was lying in someone's lap as I could feel their thighs underneath me, my nostrils filling with that unmistakable spicy scent.

Nathan.

"Is the Luna okay? Is she still breathing?"

My brows mildly furrowed at the sound of that familiar female voice, fluttering my eyelids open.

A pair of vivid green eyes met mine, watching a soft and warm smile forming on his sensual lips as he peered down at me, making my insides tingle from that entrancing sight.

"Hi there, love,"

I quietly stared up at him for a moment, struggling to regain my bearings and remember what happened and how I ended up there, my head slightly turning to the side, noticing the gathering of people looking back at me as if I'd died and then came back from the dead.

My cheeks immediately started to feel a little warm as a result from all that attention I was receiving so I helped myself using his support and sat up, barely having the time to breathe before I was suddenly tackled into a tight hug.

I quickly froze at first, a little confused before I noticed that it was actually my sister the one who was hugging me, her shoulders mildly shaking as she started to cry.

My very heart stung at the sounds of her small sobs, feeling my own eyes quickly fill with unshed tears as I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her back.

"I'm sorry," she quietly said in my hair, making my arms tighten around her.

"It's okay," I whispered back, my insides filling with joy and relief at the fact that she was hugging me, letting a few tears fall as I held her in my arms. I didn't know what has caused this but I didn't care. I was so fucking thankful for having her in my arms right now.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" She pulled back to look at me, watching those tears still fall down her cheeks.

"It's okay, everything's okay now," I comfortingly said and pulled her back in for another hug, pressing a kiss on her cheek.

We sat like that for a few moments longer, hugging each other like there was no tomorrow until she eventually calmed down and pulled back, allowing me to notice the people gathered around us.

Jess, David, Estefany, Zara and Brie were standing close to where we sat on that lounge chair, their faces displaying nothing but genuine concern as they all looked at me.

"How do you feel?" Jess asked with a warm and candid smile, making me return it.

*Aww.* I felt fuzzy and warm on the inside at the sight of them all looking at me like that.

"I'm okay now, everything's okay," I told them with a reassuring tone.

I really was. Even if I did pass out after that fight with my father, I was more than fine now. I felt free. I'd finally told him all those things I've always wanted to tell him.

"There's no need to cry for me, I didn't die, okay? I just have a little bit of trouble dealing with strong emotions, that's all," I explained with a jesting tone, watching them still gaze at me with those concerned looks on their faces.

"But you just passed out," Zara said, a mild frown creasing her features.

"I know but it's okay, I'm not sick and I'm not gonna die either, okay?" I tried to reassure them again, this time receiving a nod from her and Brie.

"We will go and fight your father if it pleases you, Luna," Brie said with determination, crossing an arm over her chest in a some sort of pledging allegiance way.

"No! No fighting," I hurriedly said to her, apalled that she would even suggest such thing. Damn. This loyalty thing around here was crazy.

"Well, you can try. He's a powerful warlock, remember?" Zara retorted, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I don't care. I can take him," Brie replied with conviction, making Estefany and David chuckle as they shared a look as if actually laughing at some inside joke.

"No, you cannot. Now stop with this fighting nonsense and let's have our Luna eat something. She hasn't eaten since yesterday," Nathan said with a dismissive tone as he got up and turned to face me, offering me his hand and a warm smile.

I timidly accepted it with a small smile of my own, feeling him pull me closer and lean in for a kiss over my forehead as soon as I was up.

"Ooh, we need to get her out for some fresh air," I heard Zara excitedly comment as I then turned to my sister and tangled my arm with hers, hugging her one more time right before we heard both Zara and Brie excitedly scream,

"The village!"

**

I was still munching on that soft pretzel I'd stolen from that deliciously-looking and well-stocked buffet they had in the tea room, barely managing to eat it as I was currently feeling way too stuffed. Nathan had me eating so much for breakfast, insisting that I should fill my stomach and gather some strength after that scare I gave them all with the fainting.

I felt fine, honestly. I'd had other episodes like this one in the past -hell, he'd even provoked one or two, back when we were still playing enemies. I was used to them. I knew that they were just a triggered response of my brain after receiving a strong emotion -usually fear- and I wasn't really afraid of them. I'd gotten so many of them back when I was still a kid that now they didn't even worry me as much.

"Where are we going?" I asked whilst still chewing on a tiny bit of pretzel, averting my gaze from the gravel road to face Nathan as he sat in the driver's seat, keeping a relaxed stance whilst paying attention to where the car was going.

"You'll see," he said with a smile, turning to look at me for a moment.

I didn't bother pestering him any more as we drove for a little while longer, casually hearing Jess whisper and giggle with David in the back from time to time, my brow raising as I suddenly heard a small and breathy gasp, followed by the unmistakable sound of a kiss.

"Okay, keep it civil, guys. Let us at least get out of this car first, okay?" Nathan complained from right next to me, watching him express a mildly distressed grimace as he continued to focus on the road ahead.

I let out a small chuckle, forcing myself not to turn my head too much and accidentally catch something from my peripheral vision as I really didn't want to know what was going on back there.

And thanfully, after only a few more minutes of driving Nathan slowed down and pulled over, killing the engine.

I curiously peered outside, noticing that we were still in the forest, my brows furrowing with confusion.

"Why did we stop here?" I asked Nathan as he opened my door and helped me get out, curiously looking at him.

"Were you that desperate to get away from the lovebirds that you gave up driving?" I joked, earning myself a chuckle from him.

"I was but no. We're actually here," he closed the door behind me and wrapped his hand around mine, offering me a sweet smile before he turned forward and started to walk, coaxing me to move from my spot.

"Here where?" I asked, throwing him another curious look before my gaze averted forward, noticing the start of a cobblestone street curving somewhere on the right, disappearing behind a thick conglomeration of trees.

*Okay, now I feel even more intrigued.*

We quietly followed it, hearing Jess and the girls casually chatting as they trailed close behind us, our group now being complete again as my sis and the wolfy girls had actually been in the other car, following us this whole time.

We finally reached that turn and followed it, my eyes widening with surprise as soon as I saw what was hiding behind all those trees.

There was the edge of a village, an actual village bustling with life.

The wide cobblestone main street was crammed between a neverending line of quaint and old-looking houses and small businesses, some bigger and some smaller, varying in shape, construction syle and colour. Some had intricate designs with wood-carved panels and decorating elements whilst others were simpler, each of them however making the place look like pulled out of a fairytale.

Various colours adorned them, from dark grey to pastel pink, some holding wooden posts and signs while others looked almost swallowed by those large arrays of multicoloured flowers and ornamental plants hanging from the windowsills and ledges, making it all appear so beautifully laden with elements and objects.

Wow. This place was amazing!

I gazed at the people around us as we entered the village and slowly walked further down the street, some dressed in all sorts of clothes and colours, some wearing fancy dresses and suits while others appeared more casual and relaxed, all of them seeming to carry a generally joyous and positive attitude, whether they were wiping clean a window or simply walking down the street.

They all however seemed to recognize Nathan, David and the warriors, expressing genuine smiles or reverent bows of their heads as we passed them by, greeting their future king and the royal Beta by addressing them by their titles.

"What is this place?" I asked Nathan, turning my gaze to look up at him.

"This is one of the villages that belong to the royal pack lands. Our lands," he simply answered, smiling down at me.

"Are you trying to say that there are more?" My eyes widened, making him lightly chuckle at my reaction.

"Yes, many more but this is the closest one. It borders the lands of our castle," he explained, earning himself a nod from me before I averted my attention back to the bustling life around me, noticing the way some of the people we were passing by curiously eyed our interlaced fingers, their expressions turning inquisitive as they gave me second glances.

"Do you like it?" He asked, that heart-stealing smile still etched on his lips as we gazed at each other again, a certain glint appearing in his beautiful green eyes as soon as I replied with excitement,

"Are you kidding me? This place looks amazing!"

"Well, this will be soon all yours, my future queen," the corner of his lips curled up into a satisfied smirk and before I could even prepare myself he had already stopped walking and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me flush against him, his grin widening right before he leaned in and gave me a toe-curling kiss.

I gasped a little, feeling so intimidated by the thought that so many people were probably watching us now, participating at this impromptu show orchestrated by none other than their own future king, my heart beating fast and my cheeks flushing when a loud roar of applauses and cheering erupted from all around us, making me startle with utter mortification and press myself even closer into him, trying to hide myself as much as I could.

*"Oh my god why did you do that?"* I sent through the bond with alarm, still trapped in between his arms as we broke apart, staring up at him with disbelief.

"People need to know who their future queen is," he grinned down at me like the complete bastard he was, making me slap at his chest and then bury my face in it, still reeling from the aftershock.