I Fell In Love When I Least Expected to...

The next morning I woke up only to find Alex gone. I sighed and looked at my stomach. The bandages were a deep red… obviously I was still bleeding.
I tried moving but I winced at the pain… I growled in annoyance and lied back down.
Mary came in and let out a scream when she saw me.
“Oh dear you’re a mess!” she said as she hurried towards me.

Oh gee thanks for the compliment…

Mary smiled at me and went to the bathroom. She returned with new bandages and disinfectants.
“It was a very noble thing to do… Saving the Prince I mean… but you could have gotten yourself killed! Look at this gash!!!” she lectured me when she took off the bandages to look at my wound.

I looked down and I was surprised to see that it was indeed serious. I didn’t want anyone to know though so I decided to play cool…

This? It’s nothing… I’ve been worse…

“Well you’re done. No more acting like a hero. Got it?” Mary asked sternly.
I looked at her and burst out laughing.

Being serious doesn’t suit you at all you know…

“Fine. I’m out of here. I still have lots of things to do for tomorrow night” Mary said standing up after she was done bandaging me up.

Things to do? Like what? And… What’s tomorrow night anyway?

“It’s the Prince’s engagement ball… he is to choose a bride from the young ladies attending the ball” Mary said as if stating the obvious.

I felt a tint of jealousy rush through me but I ignored it…
I nodded at Mary absentmindedly and she left hurriedly. She did say though that she’d bring lunch for me later.

I sighed bored out of my mind. Where was Prince Charming anyway?

Mary brought lunch for me and kept me company as I ate. She wasn’t a talkative person and just sitting on a bed doing nothing started bugging me… why was I left alone?! Where was Alex?! He sure knows how to repay me…

Around noon the door opened and I was half expecting it to be Alex but it was Belle with Lucas.
Belle paled as she looked at me.
“God you look like hell” she said as she gave me a small hug.

Shut it... I've had enough compliments as it is…

She snickered at me and I glared at her.
“Are you crazy?!” Lucas asked me suddenly.

Yes, and I'm bloody proud of it too! But I don’t see how that’s related to this?!

Belle laughed at my response and Lucas shook is head.
“Man you’re more of a handful than Belle is…” Lucas mumbled.
Belle glared at him and I burst out laughing.

So… how come you guys decided to visit?

“We thought we shouldn’t leave you alone…” Belle muttered.
“Since Alex might not be back tonight…” Lucas continued.

Why not?

“He’s trying to find the girl… that Destiny… he said he’d go search for her” Lucas replied shrugging.

Search for her?! Where?!

I was thoroughly shocked. I looked at Belle who was smiling slightly. Why would he search for me?
“He got this stupid idea of wearing a hood and going around town… he could have asked Amy if you ask me but he didn’t even bother” Lucas said.

Ok… that’s stupid…

“Maybe” Belle said shrugging.
“Anyhow let’s do something…” Lucas said.

Like what? It’s not like I don’t want to… but I can’t…

“Yeah true… anyways I’ll leave you two for a while. I’ll go check on Felix. Haven’t seen him in a while” Lucas said.
Belle nodded at him as he stood up and he bent down and gave her a small kiss on the cheek. He winked at me and left.

Wow…! What was that about?!

“He… he kissed me last night… and…” Belle started.
She was as red as one could be and I laughed.

And and?! I’m dying here! Tell me more!

“Well he told me that he couldn’t imagine his life without me… and that he didn’t care at all about me being a lycan… and…” Belle said smiling slightly.

I looked at her expectantly and she sighed.

“He said he loved me” she finished.
I cheered and grinned at her. I was so happy they were together now… it was obvious they loved each other and I was glad they were finally open about it.

We then talked about Damien… Belle shrugged and told me she wasn’t allowed to inform me about the situation. I let it slide and continued talking as if it didn’t matter. But then she asked me about Destiny…

“He’s going to find out you know… How will you handle that?!” Belle asked surprised at my calmness.

He’s never going to see her again so he’ll get over it eventually…

“What if he asks you to transform? You can’t say no to him… and even if you do… he can make you transform. And trust me, it’s painful” Belle said wincing at her own memory.

I’ll deal with it when it comes my way… it’s not like I can do something about it now… I’m bloody hurt! And besides that… I don’t think the King would want me giving his son false hopes. Since I’m a lycan and everything…

“Yeah but…” Belle started but was cut off when the door opened.
To my surprise the King stood there.
Belle bowed and kept her head bowed.

“I’d like to talk to Selene in private if you please” he said kindly to Belle.
She nodded and left the room.

“You saved my son from certain death” he started.
I nodded as he observed me.
“You didn’t care about your own physical health. You jumped in front of that dagger… you protected Alex. Why? There was nothing you could have hoped to gain from such an act” he asked looking at me.

The dagger did small damage to me compared to what it would have done to him. It wounded me but it didn’t kill me. And as far as the personal profit goes… I didn’t do it to win back my freedom or anything like that. It just felt right at the time…

“You’ve proved yourself loyal and true to your word. You had the chance to escape just then but you stayed. There must be something I can do to repay it to you somehow” the King said.

I’d like to heal soon… but it can’t be helped, can it?

“Of course it can dear. Never underestimate my powers…” the King said as he placed his hands over my wound.
A green light appeared and I felt as if cold water was thrown on my wound. I gasped and then looked down. The King took off my bandages and except the dried blood on my coat… I was fine.

Thank you…

“And since you’re all healed now… I’d like you to go to tomorrow’s Ball” the King said ignoring my thanks to him.

Why would you want that?

“He’s taken a like to you, Selene. Both when you’re human and when you’re a lycan. I don’t see why we should break the boy’s heart tomorrow night” the King said smiling slightly.

But I’m… I’m a lycan. Why would you want me to lead him on? I can’t do that to him… or to myself…

“I know you like him and I know he likes you back. Lucas came to me and explained to me the way he felt about Belle. He said that he probably isn’t the only one and that it shouldn’t be a crime to love somebody different. I thought about it and agreed to alter the law. Now everyone can be with everyone…” the King said as he looked at my now standing form.

So you’re saying that…

“That if something like love occurs between you and Alex, I won’t try to stop it” he finished for me.

Then I’ll be Destiny tomorrow night? How is that going to work?

“You’ll put the bandages around you and when he returns you’ll tell him that there’s no blood on them because they’ve just been changed. Then when he comes downstairs you’ll transform and change into something more appropriate… and then you’ll join us downstairs” the King said.

But… what if he chooses me tomorrow night? What will happen then?

“Tomorrow he will decide, yes. But the announcement will be on another Ball. In a month’s time” the King said.

I nodded and then a maid came in hurriedly.
“Your majesty, the Prince is back” she said bowing.
“Alright then. I’ll leave you to rest. Stephanie, bandage her up as if she is wounded and don’t tell anyone she is perfectly fine. If you do, the consequences will be severe” the King ordered and left the room.

Stephanie prepared me and I lay back down. I suddenly felt tired and closed my eyes. I fell asleep just as the door opened. I only remember Alex lay down next to me.