Slave to Destiny

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Vampires stared wide eyed at their King who currently had his arms wrapped around Cole while sitting on Cole’s hip. Slowly I ambled towards them nervously. This entire thing was a mess. Perhaps I should have planned it out better. Of course what could be expected considering the circumstances. It surprised me to see Tina by Cole’s with a small knowing grin.

“My people, I think we know what we must do. This time has been fast approaching over the last hundred years. Our old ways will no longer fit the given circumstances. I believe it is in our best interest for both species to accept Gabriella Storm as their queen,” Cole announced in loudly to the crowd. He looked calm, controlled, and majestic. My wolf felt great connection to him as I stared. It was the kind of connection I’d never felt except among my pack. He was mine.

Cole turned towards me and gave me a slight hidden smile. It shocked me to say the least. Something in the very core of my being told me that things might just work out. Something told me Cole had forgiven me.

I was taken completely off guard when Cole set Edmund down on the ground beside him and continued his speech, “Join me in honoring our new leader,” he dropped down and bowed to me. My skin itched, it didn’t feel right. Why was he bowing?

As if not wanting to be outdone, the werewolves promptly joined in bowing to me. I stared out across the vast crowds of people and I saw familiar faces; Blaire, Daniel, Henry (sadly), Mary, Tabby, and countless others. They all dropped down their torsos in a bow. Of course I’d been recognized like this before considering I’d been a princess for the first eighteen years of my life, but it had never been like this. It had never meant so much before.

Leaving modesty behind, I switched back into my human form. It was always more painful forcing the wolf back in the cage. It didn’t like being restrained. Especially considering it had been so long sense I’d last let it free. My body was naked and bare. Surprisingly I was not nearly as self conscious as I thought I would be standing nude in front of the hundreds of people looking to me for guidance. Quickly I dropped down and picked the remanence of my ball gown, before wrapping around my slender frame.

A small smile graced my lips as I stepped towards Cole who remained in an unwavering bow awaiting my command to stop. Slowly I reached out and placed my hand on his smooth, soft cheek. It felt like smooth perfectly sculpted marble. “You will never bow to me,” I whispered pulling his face up towards me. We would always be equals in my eyes.

I could see from the edges of my vision that people were attempting to steal glances at the scene playing before them. Somehow even my royal state I managed to look like a tattered slave yet again, but as I stared into Cole’s eyes the world around me faded into the background. It was just him and I, the way it was supposed to be.

A tricky smirk played on his lips as he pushed his head up towards me and placed a sweet little kiss right on my lips earning a small chuckle from me. It completely broke protocol, but we could care less. Cole now stood out of his bow. He was tall and confident embracing his normal regal manner. “You may stand,” Cole announced waving his hand in the air to the audience.

Daniel stepped forward to the front with a positively delight look adorning his face. “I knew it would work,” he announced grinning from ear to ear, “Now I think the best way to solve all the legal issues is to make a peace treaty between us,” he explained ushering towards the vampires scattered through out the hall, “and them.”

Cole and I nodded in agreement. “Perhaps we can do this in say ten minutes,” I mutter looking down at the tattered dress I had wrapped securely around my naked body. Daniel grinned at me, but nodded.

“Everybody move towards the throne room. We will have an announcement in approximately thirty minutes. Anyone who starts fighting will be forced to endure my wrath of annoyance,” Daniel announced light heartedly grinning. Only he would manage to be positively giddy in such a strange, complicated situation. It was surprising how easily the people exited the ball room headed towards the throne room. Honestly I myself had no idea we even had a throne room…talk about pathetic.

“As much as I enjoy you wearing nothing, can you please put some clothes on,” Cole grumbled glaring at any of the people who stared while exiting the room. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that wolves were far more accepting of human figure than vampires were. I also didn’t have the heart to tell him I would be receiving many stares considering I was now queen.

Five minutes later I found myself rummaging through Blaire’s clothes in a desperate attempt to find something worthy of speaking to the entire nation in. “Gabby, are you ready yet?” an annoyed Cole pestered me from the other side of the door. In his nervous state he had developed an extremely impatient attitude.

Finally at the very bottom of the trunk I discovered a knee length blood red cocktail dress. It was lovely. Slipping into the dress quickly, I darted out the door running right into Cole’s back. I didn’t feel put together, and I most definitely didn’t look it, but I was better than before. “You look beautiful as always,” Cole muttered quietly to me so only I could hear. Guard were flanking us on all sides. Somehow even through all the horror the castle had remained in motion.

Upon making it to what I suspected was the throne room, Cole stuck his arm out to lead me. “Ready?” he whispered in my ear. I grinned up at him.

“Ready.”