Chapter 12: Why Do People Want Me Dead?

All of my fruity fizzy drinks from earlier in the night had worn off. I felt exhausted and I knew whatever story Julie was going to spin began with me being a princess and ended with me being an orphan on the run from a crazy Luna that wanted me dead.

The details could wait one more day.

I took off my dress and put on the pink pjs Cole had given me the first night I was in his apartment. I was still mad at him. I was livid. But, if he had learned what I just found out, I couldn’t fault him for wanting to wash his hands of me.

Understanding didn’t stop me from tossing and turning or eventually crying myself to sleep.

The run with Trent the next day began slowly and felt a bit painful. I tried to concentrate on breathing and putting one foot in front of the other. But five minutes in, my adrenaline kicked in and the run became a fun and challenging exercise that took me up and down hills and even into a valley.

Trent obviously knew the layout out of the castle grounds, so I had to let him stay in the lead. But once the pathway back to the castle came into view, I gave my mentor a run for his money and was very impressed that he was able to keep up.

“Imagine me without the bonbons,” I said and he laughed.

I started to walk into the castle, which was just an awesome sight to behold. The glass and the stonework were incredible. Even I knew that, for the time the castle was built, it took a lot of patience, artistry and knowledge.

I wanted to know more about it and I was also scared to know more about it.

"Hold on," Trent said, taking a deep steadying breath.

“Yes, old man?”

He was only three years older but he had his wolf, which made him a full adult. Still, he was one of the most well built shifters Alpha, Omega, Sigma, Gama, Rogue… I’d ever laid eyes on.

The sting of being tossed aside by Cole still smarted, but Trent was quickly demonstrating why it was better to forget about an Alpha I never truly had a future with anyway.

“You need to stretch your muscles, young pup…”

I was not a fan of his nickname for me, but I lost whatever smart remark I was going to make as I turned back around to see him taking off his shirt, which was drenched in sweat.

As he began to stretch, I did the same and I couldn’t help taking in his form and physique with each stretch and bend. I was still distracted by his warm brown muscles tented in the morning light when he declared stretching was over.

He led the way back into the castle and we parted ways at the top of the stairs to shower and dress for breakfast. On the way into my room, I noticed a black sweat suit ensemble on my bed. I wondered who’d brought them to my room and if it would be okay for me to choose one of the outfits I’d bought with Tessa.

I quirked an eyebrow. I was a princess after all.

Shopping all summer long with Tessa, I had felt as if I were buying too many clothes. But, when I began unpacking my rucksack bag, all the contents took up less than a tenth of the space in my closet.

I had only a few things I put in the drawers and tucked the burner phone under my pillow.

I knew that Cole had tossed me to the side, but I hoped that Tessa would still feel the same about being friends once we got to campus. She would love to help me fill this place with age appropriate female attire, as she put it.

I’d test the waters and call her tomorrow.

After my shower, I decided on a pair of jeans, a spaghetti strap tank top, and sneakers. I put my hair up in a ponytail and left the room, realizing I had no idea how to get to the dining room or if that was where I was supposed to go.

Fortunately, my mentor was waiting for me by the stairs. He took in my dressed down attire and smirked. He, of course, was in the same black sweatsuit as was on my bed. I was a little disappointed that his muscles were no longer on display.

Trent took the lead down the stairs and, gradually, the aroma of breakfast became apparent. When we got to the dining room, Ms. Julie was already there and dressed in black. She looked over my outfit but didn’t say anything. I took a seat at the table across from her and a moment later, a plate of food and glass of juice were placed in front of me.

“Where are the other kids from the foster home?" I asked her. “Were they undercover as well?”

“Most of them are back in foster care and no, they were really orphaned shifters.”

“They became part of my cover…”

Ms. Julie looked a little embarrassed by my reduction of the situation. She lifted a booklet from the middle of the table and passed it to me.

“This is more information on the Alpha Academy and a layout of the campus. I also took the liberty of getting a copy of your schedule for the semester. You won’t see much of me on campus the first week, but after you are moved into your campus housing, I will be placed in that house as the house manager.”

“Why?” I asked.

She looked at me as if she didn’t understand the question.

“I will be there to watch for threats and protect you… That has been and always will be my job.”

“Wait… You’re like my bodyguard?” I thought about the way she’d cared for me, prepared me to survive in the wilderness and then saved my life from that assassin. It all made sense.

I took in her all black, slimmed down, cropped haired appearance that was so professional, distant and cold. So different from the mother I knew growing up.

“I am the head of your security team, but we don’t need anyone outside of these walls to know that.”

“Will you come to classes with me as well?”

She looked at Trent who focused his attention on his breakfast. She leaned back in her chair and gave me a stern look.

“No, I will not go to classes with you but eyes will be on you at all times.”

“Good to know.”

“I know you have a lot of questions about all of this. What would you like to know first?” Julie asked and looked as if she were bracing herself for the impact of a rough line of questioning.

“Why do people want me dead?”

“Because you can return to the Tairia Empire and reclaim the throne.”

“When did I agree to that?”

She gave me a look that meant she knew the answer but I wasn’t going to like it.

“A vision was given by an oracle on the night of your birth. Her vision began with a coup that unseated the reigning king and ended almost his entire family… Your family, Kayleigh. Your uncle was already in America and I was able to flee Tairia and bring you here.

“Vincent didn’t want anyone to know where you were, so he sent me away with you to keep you safe. The current king is sick and dying and losing the support of his people and he was also present at the time your premonition was given.

“He fears for the safety of the throne and his family, should he die. He has declared that if the lost daughter of Tairia, you, can be found, he will marry her to his son who is the first in line for the throne.”

“And when the h*ll did I agree to that?”

Julie took a deep breath. “You and he are legally betrothed…”

“I think there is a clause that says if your betrothed's father eliminates your family then the deal is off… If not, then there should be,” I muttered.

“The oracle’s premonitions always come true. One way or another, you will be on that throne. And you will spend the next four years of your life preparing for it at the Alpha Academy.”