・ 。゚: *. .* :゚.
Luna Pov
・ 。゚: *. .* :゚.
I SENSED THAT SOMETHING WAS OFF WITH VINA BUT AFTER SAYING GOODBYE TO HER AND MARCEL, I FIGURED IT WAS JUST BECAUSE IT WAS THAT TIME OF THE MONTH.
During those times, I was wildly emotional. I couldn't watch Marley and Me without crying bucketloads. The first few days were always the worst... I would have to send her a gift basket with plenty of bath bombs, a fuzzy robe, and a new set of bunny slippers.
I had quite an experience in San Francisco. The summer I spent over there...those three months seemed to blend into one.
Paige would join me on the couch in her Pikachu onesie, and together we would cry as we watched sad movies. Piper and Pru walked in once and said that we were weird but hey, during times like those being weird was okay ... Phoebe joined us later on and we all drank ice water out of wine glasses...
Closing my eyes, I snapped myself out of reminiscing and focused on the task at hand.
Hey, are you ok?
I sent her the text and waited for a reply and only when Dad pulled into the reservation did my phone vibrate.
I feel like I'm dying but other than that I'm alright. I met this woman in the bathroom
Is that a good or a bad thing?
I don't know but she was crazy pretty
I was aware of Davina's giant crush on my father. But I was also aware of the crush she had developed on Jilian when had both been fifteen.
Vina was a vivacious soul...anyone who corresponded that energy would draw her in...
She was always open and honest, and I know Marcel hated that sometimes but I didn't.
I admired it.
To be frank, I lied a lot. Sometimes they were small, other times they were big. But mainly I lied to brush off a loved one's worries.
I didn't need them to worry because I was the worry wart in the family.
Did you talk to her?
Yes, her name is Adah, and she seemed really nice
I'm happy for you
Really? You don't think it'll be weird if I end up walking down the aisle to a girl?
Davina Claire, I could care less about their sex, your happiness is the only thing that matters :)
Luna, I want to live by that but I'm terrified of what everyone would think!
I hit the call button, and she picked up instantly. Dad was in the truck but he was jamming out to a George Strait Christmas cd.
Halloween hadn't happened yet but here we were...
And it wasn't like he was the type to listen in on conversations, we respected each other's privacy.
"Hey, Luna."
She sounded low, I wished I could hug her over the phone.
"I'm going to tell you something that has helped mold me into who I am today. Being a part of royalty is mentally and emotionally taxing. Someone and their great-grandfather will always have something rotten to say no matter how many great points I make but the thing is... no one can make you feel inferior without your consent," I stated, it was my favorite quote from Eleanor Roosevelt.
She sniffled, tugging at my heartstrings.
"There's just so much hate in the world, and I don't want to be caught in the middle of it."
"Don't think about the entire world, think about yours," I replied, crossing my ankles over each other.
"But - -"
I shook my head, "The only world that matters is yours. Let me worry about the bigger one, okay?"
She exhaled shakily but mumbled ok.
"You make me want to be the best version of myself."
"Vina - -"
"I mean it, Luna."
Dad pulled up to Jackson's cabin and I turned my head seeing him on a tall ladder, trying to hang a bright red banner up between two trees over the main road.
Oh, brother...
"I feel honored, you are pretty great."
She gave a laugh, I smiled at that. Happy to have cheered her up.
"I have to go, but we'll pick this back up later, ok?"
She sniffled again, "Love you, bestie."
"Aw, I love you too. If you need anything, let me know..."
I disconnected the call and turned to my father. I hugged him tightly, and he kissed me on the top of my head.
"Did you have fun today, little wolf?"
"I had a blast. We should definitely do it again sometime."
He nodded, "I'm gonna put the date of that Nirvana concert on the calendar."
Smiling I stepped out of the truck, "Sounds great, Dad! I'll call you around midnight to pick me up."
He gave me a thumbs-up before he pulled out of Jackson's gravel driveway.
·𖥸·
The gravel crunched satisfyingly under my boots as I made my way to Jackson.
Once I reached the bottom of the ladder, I greeted him.
"Hey, stranger!"
He cussed and looked down, grinning and running his hands through his shoulder-length hair.
"You scared the hell out of me, Luna."
Jackson hopped down from the ladder and scooped me up in his arms.
I laughed, feeling surprised, but welcomed his affection anyway.
Using my empathetic abilities, I could tell that he was being genuine.
"How have you been, Jack? You know you make my sister a very happy woman. What are you going to do when she goes back to school?"
He coughed, "It's because of your sister that I am more than fine, and she didn't tell you?"
I narrowed my eyes at him and folded my arms over my chest, "We're going out."
Groaning, I hit him in the shoulder with an open hand, and the sound echoed. "Oh my god, why didn't you tell me?!"
"I just did!"
He brushed a fallen leaf off my shoulder.
"I meant earlier. Anyway, what are you struggling with?"
Jack wiped the sweat off his brow; up ahead, I noticed a group of men gathering at the lake in the distance. My curiosity peaked.
"This damn banner. Mary wanted it up before dark."
Judging by the rapidly fading light, we didn't have much time left.
Right away, I noticed why he was having so much trouble, he had been trying to just stick it on the branch, he wasn't looping it.
"This won't take long," I said, over my shoulder as I began to climb the ladder.
Me and heights didn't mix well, but I could get the job done faster if I did it myself.
Sometimes you had to do things that you didn't like to do.
My stomach plummeted once I reached the last rung, and my eyes fell below me.
"Luna, I'll catch you."
His assertive voice reassured me as I grabbed the rope and quickly looped it around a particularly sturdy tree branch.
I dismounted the ladder quickly...and a little clumsily...
Working with what little daylight we had left. I journeyed to the other ladder and lifted the heavy banner as I ascended.
Once I was several feet up in the air, I tied the thick rope around the branch.
I ignored the bile building in my throat.
Breathe...just breathe, Luna... I thought as I began my descent.
My foot slipped on the second-to-last rung, but thankfully Jackson was there to catch me.
"I've got you."
I thanked him, breathless from fear. That would have been awful.
"Do you want to go for a swim, princess?"
I chuckled, rubbing my arms, "Isn't it a little cold?"
He nudged my shoulder with his own. "We're wolves, the cold doesn't affect us as much. It'll be fun."
I rolled my eyes, "You're probably right. Let me get dressed for the occasion, duke."
He chuckled lowly, and I followed him into his cabin. "Home sweet home," he stated, settling onto his couch.
I laughed and went into the bathroom. The red chenille sweater, jean skirt, and tights were soon on the floor. Out of my bag, I took out an emergency bikini.
The Compound had a large pool that Davina and I usually swam in, and while we wore the same bottom sizes, we didn't share the same top size as her chest was a size bigger than mine. So, I usually brought my own swimsuit.
Putting it on, I was not pleased in the least.
The lilac color was pretty and went well with my caramel skin but - - I hated my chest or lack thereof.
At least my butt looked cute.
I threw on an old band tee to hide one of my biggest insecurities; I freed my hair and combed it out with my fingers. It was a little past my shoulders now.
Once I stepped out of the bathroom and walked into the living room, I noticed two things.
Hayley had left her cardigan behind, and Jackson was shirtless.
Out of the corner of my eye, I admired his form. His skin was free of freckles unlike my sister's, and he was lean with nuanced hints of muscle. He took great care of his body... but his hair wasn't the color of the autumn sun...and his eyes were two pools of water that threatened to sweep me away with their magnetic current...
"Are you ready to go?"
I nodded, and as we headed out the door, I sensed a presence behind me.
Without turning my head fully around, I saw dark tendrils of a cloak... and when I finally did pivot around they were gone.
I was just seeing things in Jackson's cabin, maybe feeling that cold water would clear my head.
Because why in the hell would the Angel of Death be stalking me?
Jackson and I ran off the pier and jumped. The sounds of people cheering loudly rang in my ears before the water quieted everything.
God, it was freezing, but I had this sense of clarity... Oh shit, how could I forget! I was supposed to hang out with Crystal and Thierry!
What an awful friend I was...
I stayed under a bit longer, flexing my fingers under the water, and slowly kicking my legs. My lungs didn't protest, I had been swimming since I was three days old. I could hold my breath for long periods of time.
Feeling a hand on my shoulder I rose up, shocked by the touch. I relaxed once I realized it was Jackson.
"Hey, I thought I'd lost you there for a minute."
I splashed water up at him, annoyed with my forgetfulness.
"Jack, am I a terrible person?"
He wore an appalled look on his handsome face
"Why in the hell would you think that, Luna?"
I sighed, and relaxed my body, floating aimlessly in the water.
"Well, I messed up. I planned a meet-up with a few friends at Rousseau's and I forgot about it."
His brown eyes softened, "Hey, you've been under a lot of stress lately. I'm sure they will forgive you... And everyone forgets things sometimes...even princesses."
I smirked up at him as he splashed me with water, I splashed him back and the cycle continued until we were both laughing.
We separated ourselves from the others and moved to the middle of the lake, where the water was deeper and much colder. The moon shone down on us against a starry night sky. It created a rather beautiful backdrop fit for any artist's capricious imagination. At the edges of the woods, I swear I saw a glimmer of gold fur.
It had been so long since I had seen the wolf... I had almost forgotten about him.
"Do you think mates are real?"
Startled by the question, I couldn't help but look over at him.
I cleared my throat, cupping water in my hands, and watching as it slowly leaked out.
Nature was a captivating thing.
"I think that they could be real, I mean it's possible... especially in the world we live in, I mean think about it. Magic connects us to every habitant of this planet. Would it be so odd to think that another remarkable bond could exist?"
When I looked over at him I noticed his face was flushed.
"No, and sorry for the randomness... I've just been thinking about - -"
"My sister," I supplemented, and he sputtered, the tips of his ears reddening.
"What that's crazy?" He waved me off but I knew the truth.
"You guys fit well together. Like two pieces in a puzzle."
Jackson bit his lip, "I appreciate hearing that from you, it means a lot. It's wild because I'll be thinking something, and then she'll come right out and say it."
His hands ran through his wet hair, "It's like she's been in my head all this time and I'm just now starting to notice."
Feeling a spark of courage I turned to him, "You know, I've been dreaming about this guy almost every night and he gives me this warm, glowy feeling."
"Oh, yeah? What I feel for your sister is similar, do you have any clue as to who this guy is?"
I blushed, "I know that his name is Niklaus."
Jackson frowned, "Well, that's not much to go on. The only Niklaus I know is - -"
"King Niklaus. He possesses four Great Wolf Nations. It's worth mentioning that he also decimated three of our wolf packs, we still don't know the details of what happened. He showed up and every damn one of them disappears."
Jackson shuddered, and I looked at him curiously. He felt scared.
"That man is a ghost, your father and I have looked for him everywhere and came up blank."
Like in the cartoons a lightbulb seemed to materialize over my head. "What if he is my dreamguy?"
Jackson's eyes widened, he was staring at something behind me...something I couldn't see...
I was frozen until he grabbed my shoulders and moved me behind him.
And then I saw it.
The glorious golden wolf was sitting at the edge of the bank. It was a simple pose, but he made it look regal. As if sensing my staring, his cerulean eyes found mine.
I shivered, feeling what he was feeling.
An intense inquisitiveness. A warm feeling pooled in my chest the longer I held his eyes.
Jackson tried to pull me away but I dug my feet into the bottom of the lake, winning as I encountered sharp stones.
"I know those eyes," I insisted.
"From your dreams?"
I wordlessly nodded and watched as the wood leaned its head back and howled. The sound was so mighty it gave me goosebumps.
"Jackson, Luna!"
I tore my eyes away from the wolf for a moment to look in the direction of my dad's voice - - a single moment and I knew the wolf was gone because the warm feeling disappeared.
Jackson took my hand and lead me up to the shore. We could get there faster this way.
There was an all too familiar eerieness hanging in the atmosphere. It was fierce, it was smothering...it was everything I hated to feel...
Once we reached the edge of the wood and could see the pier and members of the pack gathered around it we stopped.
Fear made my heart race in my chest and I knew I was not alone.
So, I took Jackson's cold hand and lead him through the crowds of people to get to my father.
His green and gray eyes shone with relief the moment he saw me. He seized me up, and I winced from the force of his hug.
"Little wolf, something has happened..."
He trailed off as if he didn't know what to say.
I sensed his apprehensiveness and noticed a touch of sadness that lingered. My curiosity and worry simultaneously peaked.
"Dad, what's wrong?"
He closed his eyes, and I held my breath.
"Crystal was killed by a vampire. We found her body behind our house."
The words may have been cold, but his eyes held mine and I heard the words he hadn't said out loud.
I'm so sorry.
I couldn't stop the gasp that tumbled past my lips, all I could do was cover my mouth afterward.
"Does this mean that the treaty won't be signed?" Someone asked in the crowd.
Dad looked at me, and I realized he was waiting for me to decide.
This was a big choice.
"A single action made by one will not determine the fate of others. The person who killed my - -"
I paused, a single tear rolling down my cheek. "The vampire who killed my friend will pay for it in due time. An investigation will be held but until then we will proceed with the renewal."
Before anyone could say anything in response to my words, I booked it to my father's truck with a heavy heart...
·𖥸·
I would not cry in front of him... I would not cry in front of anyone...
The second my dad pulled into our drive I hopped out of the truck and dashed inside the house brushing past my mother and sisters who had gathered at the door. I sprinted up the stairs, only letting Shadow in my room before I slammed the door shut.
Tears streamed down my face and I opened my desk drawer searching for my wireless earbuds. I couldn't deal right now, I needed something to drown it all out.
So I connected my phone to my earbuds and played the most obnoxious song I could find on full volume.
I curled into the fetal position in my bed and hugged a pillow into my chest.
Everything hurt.
Reality was repeatedly punching me in the gut.
Crystal was gone... we would never talk again...she would never hear me sing... I would never get to invite her to my eighteenth birthday bash next September.
Maybe if I had been at Rousseau's none of this would have happened...
The thought alone that her death could be my fault, brought another agonizing wave of sadness.
Shadow stood from the bed and grew loudly at my door.
Ice filled my heart when I heard the Angel of Death say, "It's for the best you know. Crystal may not have looked like it but she held tremendous pain inside of her soul."
That ice softened and simmered into a fire.
I grabbed the dagger from under my pillow and turned.
Death was standing in my bedroom wearing a solemn expression on his lean, powdery face. I could care less about the reason he was here.
I wanted to be alone.
"It would appear that you've been crying."
Shadow lurched forward, his eyes glowing red, but I sent him to his bed. He left with a huff and kicked up my dirty close from Jackson's house on the Angel of Death.
I loved my dog.
My hands began to shake and I resisted throwing the dagger at the neutral being. The only reason I didn't is I wasn't certain if my aim would be on point because at the moment my emotions were all over the place...
"How else am I supposed to react? My friend just died and I couldn't save her!"
I was thankful that I placed a noise-blocking spell in my room. No one downstairs would be able to hear.
"Please forgive me, princess," Death bowed his head, a sign of respect, and my mouth popped open.
"I did not intend to be callous."
I sighed, "Thanks and all but can you go now? I wish to be alone."
A ghost of a smile passed over his thin lips, "I only entered this space to tell you that Crystal has found peace and that she doesn't blame nor hate you."
I began tearing up again, and Death put his cold hand on my shoulder.
"She told me to tell you to and I quote, hold your head high like the badass you are."
I beamed and whipped the tears from my eyes.
"I will hold my head high."
Death bowed again, "As you should, princess."
The angel faded into light, disappearing before my very eyes.
That night more tears were shed but the assurance of Crystal not hating me from beyond and being at peace softened the blow of her passing.
While I was sad to hear that she had been carrying a lot of pain, I was relieved that she wouldn't have to endure that any longer.
Now, Crystal was at peace...
·𖥸·
The morning shower is everything I needed.
The hot water rolled down my front and back and splashed down onto my feet creating ripples.
Last night's tears seemed endless but today was a new day.
I awoke with a smile on my face.
Today was Thursday, a treaty would be signed and a party that I helped organize would be held. I put a lot of hours into it, so I was a little nervous but my excitement for the event itself outweighed my apprehension.
A part of me would always hate myself for not being at Rousseau's and for forgetting my friends. But like Crystal said, hold my head high like the badass I am.
I smirked as I heard the words in her voice.
Drying my body and hair I stared at myself in the mirror.
Yes, I had my insecurities but today I wasn't going to berate myself over them.
Today, I would live for those who couldn't... today I would not wish for things that were beyond my reach...
I applied my primer and foundation, before lining my eyes with black eyeliner. For fun, I added a little wing at the end before I used mascara, and coated my eyelids with periwinkle eyeshadow. After that, I chose my go-to peach-colored lipgloss. It was light and didn't really leave a mess behind.
For the day I chose to wear a maroon knit sweater, paired with a jean jacket, heeled boots, and jeans.
It was comfy but classy enough for the event. I decided to leave my hair down, it was already curling back up but I hit it with the blow dryer a couple of times to put my mind at ease.
I made my way downstairs, and Shadow followed closely behind me.
"Hey, boo," Mom said, as she gently pulled me in for a hug. I grinned hugging her back.
"Are you alright, baby moon?" Jilly's oddly concerned voice caught my attention.
I pulled away and hugged her to assure her. This time I wasn't lying.
"Everything is fine, sissy, including me."
Jilian beamed and kissed my cheek. "I'm so excited for tonight!"
"Really, me too!" Hayley remarked, and I noticed that like me she had on a full face of makeup. No doubt the thought of Jackson influenced her decision.
"You've worked so hard to prepare for this event. You should know that your father and I are so proud of you."
I hugged my mother again before making my way to the table.
A plate of the classic combo, bacon, and eggs, was already at my placemat.
I smiled even though the eggs and bacon looked a little dark.
"Where's Dad?" I wondered aloud as I chowed down.
My mother sat down at the table, joined by my sisters. They all looked particularly great today. Maybe it was because I didn't appreciate them as much as I should have...
"Jace is at the reservation helping Mary micromanage."
"That sounds fun."
"By the way, you all look beautiful today."
They smiled back at me and told me that I did too.
·𖥸·
Mom dropped me off at the reservation. We didn't talk much due to the fact that she was in a hurry.
Her college was posting the scores of their latest exams and she did not want to be late.
The reservation was looking nice.
Members of the pack were running string lights through the branches of the trees, and others were helping aid the caterer. The smell of the pork loin and pineapple slaw together made my mouth water.
Dozens of tables and chairs fit to sit six encircled a decorated podium with garland and little white flowers shaped like stars. Each table had a white tablecloth covering the stained wood, an olive branch wreath was accompanied by yellow roses in a jar of water. two components acted as centerpieces.
One meaning friendship...the other meaning peace...
You couldn't go wrong with either, and I was so glad I was able to get my point across.
My vision for a beautiful evening was coming true...
"Hello, dear, how does it look?" Mary asked, sticking a hand on my shoulder.
"Oh, Mary, it looks beautiful. The pack did great putting all this together."
She nodded, the smile dropping from her face. "Well, I'm awfully sorry to hear about your friend. But I'm pleased you were able to make it. It's important that you are here as an asset."
I frowned, "You really think I'm a crucial piece in today's Event?"
She pulled me close and whispered in my ear, her voice as sweet as honeysuckle blossoms.
"You're the centerpiece, hun."
-ˋˏ *.·:·..·:·.* ˎˊ-
Time Skip
:
7 Hours Later
-ˋˏ *.·:·..·:·.* ˎˊ-
・ 。゚: *. .* :゚.
Jilian Pov
・ 。゚: *. .* :゚.
Thirty minutes into the treaty renewal and I was bored out of my mind.
Dad told me to be on my best behavior, but it wasn't like I was going to mess anything important up.
So, I busied myself with throwing grapes at Hayley.
Eventually, she grew frustrated, but rather than confront me like Luna would have, she and Jackson moved away, leaving me alone to my own thoughts...
Night made everything beautiful. The soft glow from the fairy lights cascaded onto everyone, and the wreath and jarred roses as centerpieces on the table were brilliant. They added a lovely touch.
My sister really worked her ass off, and it showed.
I hope she got all the appreciation she deserved. Of course, those speeches were first in line, though not everyone had arrived yet.
I looked towards the archway and smirked, entering now was a man. He looked classically masculine, cleanly shaven, sporting a black blazer and tie paired with dress pants. The man oozed power from afar.
Mr. tall dark and handsome's brown eyes met mine and I winked at him, giggling coyly.
He paused for a moment, his eyes scanning my face before he regained his footing.
God, I loved the effect I had on people.
Luna and Hayley may have been oblivious to their gifts but I was not.
I saw my younger sister shaking hands with a little girl who was accompanied by a pretty elfish-looking woman. I noticed that Mr. tall dark and handsome was over there as well...time for me to head over...
"It's nice to meet a fellow princess," Luna curtsied and the child's bright blue eyes seemed to sparkle.
"I like you. I think my Dad would like you to."
"Aw, I like you too but I'm not too sure about your father."
The little girl smiled.
I cleared my throat, capturing my sister's attention. "Oh," Luna turned around.
"Adah, Hope, Elijah, this is my sister Jilly."
I grinned nudging my shoulder with hers and narrowing my eyes the slightest bit.
"My name is actually Jilian."
Elijah took one step forward, and I smiled admiring his form and how it towered over mine.
"Such a lovely name for a lady as - -" he paused, his dark eyes glimmering, "stunning as yourself."
I blushed and dropped his eyes. I was just wearing a simple black satin dress with a high slit...but this guy seemed to really dig it... I admit I was digging him as well despite the fact he wasn't my Usually, I went for men who liked to get their hands dirty, but the guy standing in front of me did nothing of the sort as it would be inadequate.
"What a gentleman, it's been so long since I've been around one of those... You wouldn't believe all the - - demons - - I've encountered."
His eyes were locked on mine as his lips lifted up into a smirk. "I can assure you, Ms. Labonair, that I intend to act reasonably around you."
Adah jumped into the conversation, breaking our intensity and ardent eye contact.
"Now, now, Elijah there are times when it is perfectly natural to be unreasonable."
Luna nodded her head in my direction and began laying out cards on the table. It looked like she was playing war with Hope.
Cute.
Adah seemed to feel the undeniable tension and left for her daughter leaving Elijah and me alone. He handed me a flute of champagne and I thanked him.
"What brings you to New Orleans?"
I sipped on the fizzy beverage, pleased with the creamy peach flavor.
"To be honest, I've lived here for most of my life."
Elijah smiled, "While I may not live here, the city is one of my favorite places to visit from time to time. Though I must admit I haven't seen you out and about."
"You've found me, now what will you do with me?"
He laughed at my implication and I held his eyes. "I may keep you as a memento."
I grinned, "Really? I think I'm worth more than some keepsake destined for dusty shelf life."
He raised his glass to his lips, "A woman should always know her worth... I must confess, Jilian, I feel as if I should not be speaking to you."
A fire sparked within me and not the good kind. Just what in the hell was he on about?
I shifted from foot to foot waiting for him to elaborate before I completely lost it on him.
"You are a radiant soul...that was evident the moment I walked under that archway and saw you. I would hate to tarnish it with my darkness."
Oh... that was actually kind of sweet...
But instead of melting to the ground like I wanted to, I only smiled.
"Darkness isn't so bad. I deal with it on a daily basis and win almost every time."
Elijah chuckled, tipping back his flute of champagne.
"Do you have any tips for me?"
"Never let your guard down, once you do, they all come charging for you. Besides, everyone has darkness within them... a little isn't all that bad."
"But it's not good either," he insisted and I rolled my eyes and folded my arms over my chest.
"We live in a world that has evolved into a grayscale, embrace it."
He smirked a little, "Perhaps one day I will. A millennium ago everything was written in black in white, it's hard to envision such a dissimilar world."
"Well, baby, it's here."
He opened his mouth to say something when Mary's calm voice carried over the green space.
"Everyone please take your seats, the renewal process is about to begin."
·𖥸·
I clapped loudly as my sister walked to the podium, as did a number of others.
Elijah was sitting with Adah and Hope at the table behind me. I shivered, feeling his eyes burning into the back of my head.
I was tempted to look back but only smiled at my sister. I could do him later...right now, I needed to show my sister support!
And most importantly, prove Hayley wrong.
"Welcome."
Luna's dulcet, silvery voice appeared to cast a spell on everyone as silence fell in the site.
"On behalf of the three great wolf nations under my father's reign..." she paused and lifted a hand towards the excitable audience.
"I would like to thank everyone who has set aside their time to be here at this grand summit."
Applause rang out, and some even howled. Marcel who was sitting at one of the front tables, only laughed at his rambunctious crew of vampires.
She gave a dazzling smile that certainly left a number of people winded.
My sister didn't know it, but she was quite a knockout.
"Throughout history, treaties and events like this have been shown to bring people together. So, I'd like it if you looked at the person beside you and send a smile their way because they are the reason for us putting this affair together. This city is not a stranger to loss. Midas was the straw that broke New Orleans' back. To provide security for the inhabitants of the city, both human and not, my father..."
Luna raised a flute of champagne in Dad's direction, who wore a sheepish look on his face.
"With the help of Marcellus Gerard, came up with a solution for peace between our respective supernatural clans. And because of this atmosphere of amicability, we are stronger together rather than apart."
The clapping started up again, and I whistled at my sister. In return, she winked at me.
"It is an honor," her green and gray eyes were shining. Aw, she was starting to tear up.
"Of the highest caliber to stand here and address this evening's summit."
Luna delicately cleared her throat while still managing to look queenly.
"Once the signatures are incised onto the accords, lives will not only be made better...but they will be preserved...Thank you."
There was a dull roaring in my ears caused by the sheer loudness of applause and shouting as my sister exited the podium.
At last, I looked back at Elijah, he was clapping along with everyone else, but he was looking at me.
I blushed, turning back around just in time to see the princess take her seat next to the King and Marcel rise to the podium.
"Whew, that is one damn hard act to follow. Let's give another round of applause for the charming princess."
I nudged Hayley's foot with mine, and she turned towards me, a smile on her face as she clapped.
"Luna did excellently! Ooh, by the way, some hot guy keeps giving you the look."
Her eyebrows rose suggestively, and I blushed, looking back.
As soon as I did, Elijah's lips lifted up in a smirk.
Oh my...
Marcel's voice caught my attention, and I turned back around, all red in the face from Elijah's lingering gaze.
"Peace has never been easy, but after Midas nearly destroyed the city, Jason and I agreed that it would be the best for everyone. And twenty years later...that truth still stands."
Many people looked over at where my family was seated, and I could read their minds...my father did not look forty years old... in fact, he was only thirty... But what they didn't know is that After Luna's birth and my mother almost dying, they decided to unite in a way that was controversial to the supernatural community. Since Mom was immortal, that meant he was too, as they were now eternally linked together. But that also came with a price... Instead of worrying about something happening to one of them we had to worry for both of them. The Halliwells were unique...not only because we combated demons but also because when we died, we had the choice to come back, and when we did, we became immortal. It was kind of sadistic...what the Elders did to us... they wanted to make sure that their little soldiers ran 24/7. never chose that option, though my sister Hayley, my mother, and I did. I hoped Luna would as well...
Oh, crap, I spaced out and missed Marcel's speech... I noticed that now my father was up at the podium with him.
Luna seemed to be holding her breath, but when our father and Marcel held up the lengthy parchment, she relaxed.
Mary stood at the platform now, a winsome smile on her pale face, "Let the festivities begin!"
I looked behind my shoulder at Elijah and sent him a wink.
Our interaction was far from over...
·𖥸·
Dictionary: Angel of Death - is an ancient, powerful being that is neither good nor evil, but simply neutral. Mate- a werewolf's soulmate. The Elders - a council of senior good witches who governed over the forces of good.
