The Prisoner’s Princess Chapter 102

Isabelle

Someone was nice enough to had made a makeshift playpen to put the pups while Bryson would give the first prayer. They played, completely oblivious to how seriously this was taken. It was one of the few rituals universally respected by all shifters, and it was an honor to present. I stood with him, as was my right as Luna, while my parents and family stood next to me forming an enormous circle. The fire was beautiful, crackling loudly in the late night....

“Pack I must be honest with you; I have never done something this grand before. I never thought in all my life that I would ever be accepted so freely, yet alone be Alpha. I even have the honor of first prayer, sporting these things.” He patted his horns, getting a light chuckle from a few. “I thank the Lady… for my mate, my pups, my pack, Venerable… and I dare say even friends. I don’t understand Why…. But I am forever grateful….” He mumbled something else, cutting his finger, and putting it on a small piece of paper, letting it burn in the fire.

The flames became a deep reddish-black, getting a few gasps from everyone, but my mate stood there. His ruby eyes danced with the flames. “I should have known something like this would happen.” He mumbled, though I held his hand.

“I am with you.” I said quietly, taking my paper and stepping forward.

“Alpha…. what is this?” Asked Beta Dani.

“I am the blood of the Horned One, and flesh of the Lady…. But I don’t know… The only one who would already caught a flight.” He said quietly, but I would do my prayer.

“We may need to call this off.” Said dad, though Uncle Connor stepped forward.

“I have been marked by the Pale Lady herself… and she does not wish for the fire to go out.” He snarled loudly, but there was a singular protester whose voice sounded familiar.

“I told you he was evil, how else would the fire turn so ghastly?!” Shouted Lenni. “Put it out!” He chanted, and others followed along.

“Who let him back in the pack?” Grumbled Bryson, but uncle Connor stepped in front of us. He felt disrespected, as none would believe him. They booed, calling him a liar until he shifted, showing the mark of both the Lord of Light, and the Pale Lady’s mark in his fur. It also help that his growl rang into the night.

He snarled silencing the lot. As his wolf he looked pretty majestic, and the marks on his fur almost had a shine to them. He stood there proud, tail high more as an Alpha than a Beta, but in this instance it was his right as Second Prince to do so. Someone collect the ruckus maker! He common linked, and Warriors followed. Lenni would be placed in holding…. Again.

Maybe he should just stay there. grumbled Glitter. I wouldn’t have complained if he was.

“His presence is here for a reason.” Said uncle Connor, changing back, shimmying on some spare pants handed to him by a Warrior who had an extra.

“Then do you suppose he wishes thanks as well?” Asked Bryson scratching his horns, though there were still small murmurs of uneasiness.

“If the Horned One wishes for thanks…. He deserves it.” I said loudly, getting gasps, but I growled that they would listen. “His son protects this entire region with his might. Packs not even his own benefit from that. He saved my mate, and gives boon to the lands that bare his mark…. I think I can manage that.” I roared over the crowd. “Horned One… I thank you for my mate… and my pups… for safety in your realm of night and protecting the pack that runs freely in it. You did these things without wanting anything in return, though know we still venerate the Lady… this is her day too.” I whispered the last part, dropping my paper into the black flames that crackled and popped, and the flickers became a myriad of colors… Blues, bright whites, yellowish-orange, purples, deep reds and lush greens could all be seen in the flames that licked the sky with its white ash that rose above the trees…. It really was a sight to behold.

It was now dad’s turn. “I too thank you that you have not reigned destruction on this world… please… let us live here in peace.” He whispered, along with other stuff that I couldn’t hear.

Everyone had a turn, and it was a sight to behold… though I knew for a fact no one in any other pack, even the ones we lit for those that couldn’t make it to this one was experiencing this. Many were hesitant too, but honestly… our pack had been exposed to the Horned One’s presence for a while, and they took this much better than I initially thought.

We stayed with the pack until my family was ready to go home for the most part. Dad still had to do the ceremony for his own pack and Caleb’s since the grounds were shared. Mini after her prayer… looked like she’d run a marathon. Wolves around felt rejuvenated though, so at least this only affected us, but there was no explanation why. Slowly, those who were done praying, riding the rides, or eating all began to disperse about 4am. There would be more festivities the rest of the weekend, but honestly most who stayed this long began to get ready to leave if they came from the northernmost parts of the pack.

We all had to drive back together, and under the light of the low arching moon, most of my family packed up to leave. They wanted to beat the traffic, but I felt too tired to get up and give them my goodbyes. Noah, my brother, and his mate all stayed, feeling too tired to leave as well. No showers were heard or even changes of clothes. We were the most affected giving our prayers to venerate the Lady and the Lord… I for one felt like jelly. Bryson was already out with the little ones the moment we got home.

I held my pups closely, feeling the deep breaths of my sleeping boulder of a mate. I heard a small chuckle, along with getting an uneasy feeling. “Horned One…?” I asked with my eyes still closed. I felt a soft pat on my head.

“I am refreshed. Call me, and you will have my presence little ones.” He whispered, though when I opened my eyes, no one was there.

“… ok.” I mumbled to the nothingness in my room…. But I felt he was still there. His presence made me glad the sun was coming up, though he couldn’t help it. He was the god of Destruction and the King of Hell… of course he would feel ominous…. I couldn’t sleep after that either, so I laid in bed as to not to wake the little ones, who squeaked in their sleep.

“Isabelle don’t encourage him, he’ll never leave.” Grumbled Bryson, rubbing his eyes.

“He’s never once broken his word… I trust him.” I mumbled, careful not to wake the pups too.

“But still… I don’t want any trouble with the gods.” He got up to take a shower, and I chose to go peep in Caleb’s room to tell Mini goodbye. Everyone else left already.

“Begone Small Pervert.” He joked, already up and packed, but I the room smelled off. He was also guarding the bathroom.

“Who puked?” I blurted, and I heard Mini wretch.

“I’m okay…” I heard Mini wretch again, and she was in no condition to leave right now.

“No, you are not… we will stay a little longer.” He said like an Alpha, not as a guest, but Glitter would have to drop that. Our friend was sick and our brother was in destress.

“Then by all means, stay as long as you need… it gets better Mini.” I mumbled, going in and holding her hair. She puked one more time before flushing, and snuggling into me like a pup.

“Lady…. I don’t know if I’m ready…” She mumbled, and my brother held us both.

“Ready or not, a new life will be born, and I will love him or her as I love you.” he mumbled, and we sat like this for a little bit before Bryson came in.

“I can’t wait to be an auntie! It’s going to be fine, trust me.” I beamed, though on the inside I was worried…. She wolves would be jealous, and she isn’t strong enough to fight them….

“Congratulations. If either of you need anything, I will come myself.” Said Bryson seriously. He then kneeled to our eyelevel, and put his semi clawed hand on her head. “I know you worry, but you are family. I never knew how important that was until recently, and now that I have it I would do whatever it takes to keep all of you safe.” He then held his hand out to help me up. It was pack hours, and we needed to go meet with mortals today.

They had ordered trees that were ready, but I would stay here. I think this would be the first real interaction he’d had with mortals besides Noah, but Mini was more important… plus I wanted to stay here with my pups.

I linked Hazel to bring some tea to help her, which she gladly did without a problem. She brought ginger tea.

Caleb wasn’t so sure, but I was, taking a sip along with Hazel. He’d become suspicious, nervous, emotions he never really expressed.

“It’s going to be fine your highness, I’ve birthed about 5 pups since the pack was formed, but I helped the nurses in my old pack before that.” She beamed, and I had a question.

“I know you left because of your family… but have you called them?” I asked, and she tensed up.

“I really don’t want to. My father and grandfather are bastards….” She grumbled.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” I patted her back, but she shook her head.

“No don’t be. I was raised ‘as I should be’.” She grumbled…. I thanked the Lady that I wasn’t. I don’t think I would have the same love for my family if they forced me to be who I wasn’t. I was free… I could only assume her upbringing was probably the same for other council member’s she wolves.

I dreaded that I’d have to work with those asses. Most were born and raised to be Alphas, being thousands of years old… It makes a wolf arrogant. They were raised during the times of man when it was common place to treat women as property. Alphas, and other men adopted this way of thinking, treating a she wolf’s opinion as akin to that of a child’s. They raised her under those sentiments, though now we lived in the age of technology and advancement. Now we had a voice… and I would be the first voice to be formally recognized in a male run court since wolves held human shape….