Chapter 8

As I'm staring at myself I can see how beautifully my dress was made. The lace and intricate designs, I can tell someone has put in a lot of work and many hours making this masterpiece.

I hear knocking at the door. Please be Cyrus, I haven't spoken to him since what happened a few hours ago. I want to make things right with him, I need him by my side.

"Good evening. You look lovely Mrs. Stonewell." Says Cohen Catori.

"Thank you alpha. I was just getting ready to go down." I say looking down.

"I've come to escort you. Would you give me the honor?" He asked. Bowing and putting his hand out towards me.

"I suppose so."

As we walk into the room, all eyes are on us. Everyone began whispering and moving their eyes around the room.

Cohen leads me to a table at the front of the room where the elders sat. He pulled out a chair and motioned for me to sit, as I sit I look around for Cyrus. I'm afraid and I feel as if I need him by my side. Others start sitting around me, I don't know who they are but I can tell they were important. A young beautiful woman brings in a large gem and puts it down in front of me.

"Attention everyone, we are about to begin." Cohen blurts loudly.

"Your hand." One of the elders say with a graveling voice. Hesitantly, I reach across that table giving her my hand. She grabs it and hold tight "with this dagger, I will puncture the skin. You will let the blood drip on the gem, do you understand?"

"Yes." The beautiful woman who brought out the gem began chanting in a language I didn't understand.

The knife felt like fire digging into my skin. The burning pain had me again looking for Cyrus.

She moved my hand to hover above the gem and turned it over for the blood to drip onto it.

Fire erupts from the gem as it's yellow tint becomes red. I hear gasps from all over the room, I have no idea what this means but the look on Cohen's face has me afraid.

The elders stand in unison, facing the crowd that has gathered "Adalene Stonewell is the heir to the late Alpha King Aarav Stonewell. Her place in the Thundering Moon pack is as Alpha. Her place in Maagi region is as Queen."

More gasps from around the room emerge and silence falls again.

"If any of you wish to challenge her place, you may do so now."

I heard Cohen mumble "she doesn't even have her wolf."

The elder replied "while that may be, her wolf will be released soon."

"What do you mean, she doesn't have a wolf?" One of the women who sat to my right questioned.

"We will speak in the meeting room. All alphas and betas will meet in precisely thirty minutes."

Everyone scattered, whispering to what seemed to be their councils.

I felt a shiver when Cyrus entered the room. He looked over at me apologetically. I want him at my side but I am so hurt over what he's done.

I stand a walk to the nearest tray holding drinks and gulp down a glass of wine.

"Princess, can we talk?" I hear from behind.

I grab another drink and begin walking, Cyrus behind me matching my steps.

"Adalene, you don't even know where you're going."

"No, but eventually I'll be able to find an exit."

He pushes me against a wall and looks around. He rested his right hand on my hip and his left on the wall beside my head.

"Cyrus, I don't know what you want from me." I say, trying to stand my ground. His closeness has me wavering, wanting to lift my mouth to his and let him devour me.

"I want something that you can't give me right now. It wouldn't be fair to you." He whispers in my ear.

"Who are you to tell me what's fair to me? You think me incapable of making my own decisions?" I retort.

"Not at all, Princess." He says with his mouth to my ear. "It wouldn't be fair to me either."

The tone in his voice and the heat from his mouth has a heat rushing through me.

I reach up to touch his face, "what did you want to talk about, Cyrus?"

"I know how to break the curse and free your wolf." He says. I lean into him, angling my face towards his and bite my lip. A growl escapes his chest as he inhales deeply. I softly touch my lips to his as his grip on my hip tightens.

"Excuse me, Princess. Your presence is requested in the meeting room." A small mousy woman speaks out.

"Will you come?" I ask Cyrus.

"It's for Alphas and Betas only, I'm not permitted."

"You can be my beta then." I whisper.

"That's not how it works, Ada."

"Please."

As Cyrus escorts me to the meeting room, I see I'm the last to arrive. There's a chair beside Cohen that I'm guessing is for me.

Cyrus pulls out the chair and gestures for me to sit.

"I thank you for escorting the princess safely. You're excused." Says Cohen.

"He's here for me." I say turning to him.

The anger in his face was indisputable. He wasn't used to anyone second guessing him or going against his word.

I saw a servant walk in with drinks so I decided to test Cohen a bit more. "Excuse me, could you grab my guest a chair. There doesn't seem to be enough here."

"Right away princess." Says the young man.

I can hear the steam coming from his ears.

I look to the elders and they seem to sense the animosity.

"Right, well when Mr. Catori's seat arrives, we can begin." Says one of the elders making me grin.

"Princess Stonewell doesn't have access to her wolf at this time." Says an elder.

"How is this child to be alpha and queen with no wolf, elder?" Asks one of the visiting alphas.

"We are working on getting her wolf unlocked, alpha. It seems Alpha King Stonewell was betrayed by the witch he trusted to keep his heir safe."

"Betrayed how?" Asked another alpha.

"When the Alpha King requested the help of his witch for the protection of his family, he instead plotted to end the Stonewell line of succession." Says one elder.

"While spelling a protection over Queen Clara, he locked away Princess Adalene's wolf so she couldn't return and take her rightful place in the Thundering Moon pack." Says another.

"How do we unlock her wolf" Cohen asks.

I look over at Cyrus but he shakes his head so I don't say anything.

"At the moment, we are not able to answer that. We're working closely with our pack witches but no one has seen the witch who cast the curse since he did so."

"When Princess Adalene has her wolf, we will begin with the Alpha ceremony and the Alpha Queen ceremony after. If there are no more questions you are all dismissed."

"Except for the princess." One of the elders spoke up.

As everyone began to rise, Cyrus did so too.

I grabbed his arm to let him know I wanted him to stay with me, so he sat back in his chair.

Cohen on the other hand, didn't budge.

"Excuse me, Alpha Catori, it's time for you to leave." The elder booms.

"I am Alpha, I believe I should stay." He says smugly.

"You are temporary Alpha until the princess comes into power. You are dismissed."

He stands and storms out of the room.

"We are working hard to get answers, Princess. We will have you in your rightful place soon. I vow to you." Says an elder.

"I know how to break the curse but I feel the princess and I should be the only ones with the knowledge. My brother is unpredictable and wants to stay in power, I will not let him take her throne, her birthright from her." Cyrus exclaims.

"Permission granted Mr. Catori."