The Lycan’s Daughter

The Pancake Fiasco

“Princess Accalia.” A knock suddenly interrupted my daydreaming. I had to hide Deacon’s letter under my pillow and spray my perfume up in the air to cover his scent.

I took a deep breath before opening the door, Anya’s face came into view. She curtsies, before looking back up to meet my gaze. “The King and Queen are waiting for you downstairs for breakfast.”

“Sure.” I nodded at her, I was about to close the door when she spoke again. “I’ll help you get dressed.” She walked inside but I stopped her. “Where do you think you’re going?” I c****d a brow.

She looks back at me, confused. “It’s my job to take care of you Princess.” She bows down to look at the floor instead. “I apologize for overstepping my lady.” She falls to her knees, almost begging. “It’s customary that I help my lady in any way possible, please don’t get the wrong idea-“

“What are you doing? Why are you on your knees?” My question stops her dumb rambling. “I thought you were mad that I overstepped my place.” Her voice was shaking with fear.

“Stand up.” I order, she immediately follows. “I wasn’t always a princess.” I started, taking a deep breath.

“I’m not used to people taking care of me or dressing me. Back in our camp, no one can enter my room without asking for permission.” She nodded obediently.

“You have to understand that everything’s a lot to take in, and I want my privacy to remain as it always has.” A look of relief washes over her face. She immediately loosened up. “I thought you were going to fire me.” A small smile crept to her lips.

“I just might if you continue to treat me like a bed ridden wolf.” That got a chuckle from her. “I apologize Princess.”

“From now on call me Celeste.” Her eyes almost popped out of their sockets. “To tell you the truth I’m still not comfortable being called princess.” I shrugged. “They will kill me if they hear me say your name out in public.”

“Then call me Celeste when it’s just you and me, okay?” She nodded, I placed a hand on her shoulder to accept her apology. “You can pick what I’ll wear, I’m not an expert on those things.” I nudged her arm. She shot up, and started taking clothes out from the closet. I shook my head, smiling.

“Princess Celeste.” Another knock on the door. I swear if people keep parading here in my room, I might as well sleep on the corridor outside. “Come in.” I said in a regular volume. Whoever is on the other side can hear me even if I’m whispering.

Chris’ face came into view. He looks fresh, with a wide smile on his face. I could tell someone woke up happy. “I see you handled the party very well.” I playfully narrowed my eyes at him.

He suddenly pulled me close, and hugged me tight. I could feel his heartbeat thumping through his chest. When he pulled back, his face shifted to a confused one. “Why do I smell another guy from you?” He c***s his eyebrows. “It must’ve been Ariel by the door last night.” I shrugged.

“Ariel saw you in your nightgown?” From a confused look to an angry one. Wow, I should choose my words correctly. “I was putting away my gown this morning, the scent must’ve rubbed off my nightgown.” I lied. He must be smelling Deacon’s scent from my clothes.

After a couple of minutes of thinking, he finally loosens up. “Of course. I apologize for overreacting.” He smiles again.

“Nah, it’s okay. I would have done the same thing if I smelled another girl off of you.” It’s unlike Chris to fall in love with anyone, he’s unmated too, so I would freak out if I smell another scent from him.

His face suddenly softened. “You’ll never smell another girl’s scent on me, Celeste.” He pats my head before standing up.

Okay? Weird. He’s acting very weird. “I’ll wait for you outside.” He said when he saw Anya carrying dresses in her hand.

“Sure.” I nodded.

We settled on a blue dress that goes down to my ankle, matching it with 2 inch heels, and blue earrings. “Thank you Anya.” I smiled at her when she finished braiding my hair to perfection. “You’re welcome Celeste.” She winked at me before I left.

Chris was waiting for me by the stairs, he immediately smiled when he saw me. “Aren’t you a little too overdressed for breakfast?” If he wasn’t so cute smiling I’d take what he said as an insult but he meant it as a joke.

I shook my head a little, giving him a playful slap on his arm. “Ouch.” He rubbed his arm back and forth. “It wasn’t that hard!” I retorted. “I’m messing with you.” He winks my way before pulling me to the dining hall.

It was bigger than the dining hall back in the camp, though of course this is a castle. It looks better than before I first visited here when I was little. Mom must’ve made tiny adjustments before we arrived.

They were both smiling at each other, everyone seemed very happy today. I wonder why.

“Her highness, Princess Accalia, and Sir John.” The guard announces.

“Does he really need to yell out our titles and names every time we enter a room?” I c****d a brow, that got a chuckle from Mom. “Good morning dear.” She stretched an arm my way, I walked up to her to hug her tight.

“Last night was amazing. Tell me all about it.” I sat down beside her, and she began her story by telling me how tiring and exciting it was.

“It became more of a hide and seek because your father couldn’t keep his Lycan hands away.” She shoots Dad a playful look.

“You’re still my wife Lycan or not.” Dad returns the look to her. I turn my attention to Chris before I vomit from my parents’ sweetness.

“So I heard you’re finally going to be scout leader.” I almost squealed. It’s graduation day, we’re finally getting badges to be real scouts. Although I doubt if father would still let me go now that he’s crowned King. I’m still happy for my best friend. “Yeah, Dad’s planning a party back at camp.” He scratches the back of his head, embarrassed. “We can’t blame Amoux. He’s proud of his son.” Mom nods, and smiles at Chris.

He’s like a son to her, they’re very close family friends. Sometimes I think they’re an extended family.

I took a huge bite out of my pancake, when they started talking about a council issue. Dad doesn’t want me meddling with their work. It’s one of the reasons why I wanted to be a scout. So they wouldn’t exclude me from anything anymore.

“I guess your father could do it before your mating ceremony with my daughter.”

I swear I’ve never coughed this hard my entire life, I start choking on the pancake in my mouth, I could literally feel it travel down my esophagus. Mom came to my aid, and patted my back hard.

“Celeste!” Chris ran to my side to help pat my back. “Get the priest here quick!” Dad orders a guard.

I’m fighting for my life because of pancakes. This will make a great quote for my tombstone.

“Celeste you crazy wolf what were you doing?” Dad’s a mix of angry and worried. I still can’t breathe because a freaking pancake is stuck down my windpipe.

“Where’s the priest?!” Dad yelled, I could see a bright light calling out to me. It’s never a great advice to walk towards blinding lights, it’s the source of hip fractures.

Mom pulls me up, and starts Heimlich maneuvering my ass.

I can feel all her rage while she squeezes the pancake out of me.

With one firm grip, the pancake came flying off the other side of the room, the priest was just in time to witness it cross in front of him before his eyes.

I collapsed down the floor, exhausted and breathless, bathed with sweat. “Accalia you-“ Dad takes a deep breath before speaking again.

“Are you okay?” He asks, calmly this time. I raised a thumb in response, still lying on the floor.

“We were worried sick, I thought you were going to pass out. Your face was turning purple.” Chris still can’t stop talking about what happened. He escorted me back to my room after the priest healed my throat from all the coughing I did. “I’m okay, Chris.” I took his hand in mine. That seemed to calm him down.

“You should rest.” He pushed me gently down the bed, I couldn’t resist, I just followed. I could hear his heart thumping loudly, but his face remained serious. “Are you still worried?” I ask, he nods in response.

“I’m sorry.” I fidgeted with his fingers. He took a deep breath before plastering on a small smile. “We all got carried away, that’s all.” Chris placed a hand on my face and caressed my cheek with his thumb.

“I have to go back to the camp for a while.” He suddenly said, I raised a brow at him. “I thought your training was postponed?”

“Yeah, I thought so too. But the rogue threats are getting out of hand, they need all the scouts they can get.”

I shot up, I’m a scout too! “Can I come?” I enthusiastically urge, but he didn't respond for a while so I started shaking his arm profusely. “Please, I’m a scout too.” I batted my eyelashes at him.

“But you’re also the princess.” He retorts. “You know I’m a scout before I became a princess. I’ll have more use if I come with you.”

He knows I’m not backing down, I’ll annoy him until he eventually says yes. “I’ll ask your father.” He sighed in defeat. “Thank you!” I got so happy that I pulled him for a tight hug.

He gladly took me in his arms.

Anya delivered lunch to my room, saying everyone’s too busy to eat to gather at the dining hall. I heard Mom and Dad had to attend an emergency meeting with the council members. “The rogue attacks were getting so severe, they had to send General Amoux to Lakewater Camp.” Anya was filling me up with rumors the maids heard from the scouts.

It’s a thing they do here, rumors spread fast like diseases, and she’s one of the people who caught it. “Your father sent out an invitation to all the scout leaders, including the strongest and smartest ones from the hunter pack for a meeting tomorrow, my brother got the invitation.”

I nodded, though I don’t understand why he would require such people.

“I’ll update you when I hear anything.” She winked before leaving. Well, at least I have ears inside the castle. I don’t have to worry about missing out on anything.

I went downstairs for dinner, I’m tired of looking at the walls inside my room. I need a new scenery.

My parents, Amoux, and Chris were there when I got inside. “Princess Accalia Celeste.” The guard announced, everyone turned their attention to me.

“I was bored.” I shrugged when Chris shot me a look. He specifically told me not to go outside earlier when he left, but he doesn’t expect me to actually listen right?

After I gave Mom a peck on the cheek, I sat down next to her. “We’ll discuss this after dinner.” Dad gave Amoux and Chris a ‘don’t say anything more’ look.

I slumped down my chair, and furrowed my brows. “Whatever it is you’re talking about you can say it in front of me.” I tried looking for a pair of eyes willing to shed some light to my curiosity but they avoided my gaze.

I shrugged before shoving a spoonful of mashed potato inside my mouth. “I heard rogue attacks are getting worse.” I muttered under my breath.

Amoux suddenly started coughing, he drank the water in front of him fast. I narrowed my eyes on him. Yeah, that’s what happened to me earlier. Suffer Mr. General.

“I don’t understand why you would hide important matters from me, I’m the princess. I’ll be Queen someday too.” I sighed in defeat.

“She’s right.” Chris suddenly spoke. “We can’t keep excluding the princess, my King. She deserves to know.” He looked at my Dad, for whatever annoying reason, he listens to him more than me.

“Fine,” Dad shifted his gaze to me. “Since you’re so eager to learn the truth, yes. Rogues are killing more and more people each day and the council members are demanding more action from us than the vampires.” He rubbed his temple, it’s his first day as King, and he already looks more exhausted than he usually does back at the camp.

“That explains why you’re looking for scouts leaders and hunters.” The realization dawned on me. He nodded in response. “They’ll be conducting an expedition for the next couple of days to figure out where these rogues come from.”

“I’m a scout, can I join?” Dad immediately shook his head. “I lost you once, I’m not losing you again.” He sternly replies.

I stood up to face him. “I’m a scout, Dad. I’ve been a scout all my life, I’ve only been a princess for a day. You can’t expect me to turn my back on an important assignment just because of a tiara.”

“Like hell I can’t!” He retorts, banging the table with his fists. “If anything happens to you-”

“If anything happens to me, Amoux and Chris will be there to protect me.” I turned my gaze back at Amoux. He hasn't looked so sure of himself since the last time we went out. “I’ve beaten scout leader Trevor’s wolf once, and no one’s more capable of leading this than me.”

Mom places a hand on his arm to calm him down, he plopped down his chair in defeat. “You’ll be second in command, your mate will lead the expedition.” I was taken aback, my mate?

“I’ll do my best sir.” Chris suddenly chimed in. “I know you will.” Dad responds, and immediately turns his attention back to me. What the f**k are they talking about? My mate?

“If I hear you break the chain of command, I’ll drag you back here myself.” He shook his head, dismayed before leaving. “He’s worried about you, don’t think for a second that he doesn’t love you, Athena. You mean so much to us.” Mom coaxes, kissing me on my forehead then she followed Dad out.

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. Amoux and Chris were looking at me with straight faces. “Don’t think for one second that I won’t roundhouse kick you in the face if you order me around.” I narrowed my eyes at Chris.

He sighs, shaking his head. “We leave at 12.”