Unknown Wolf

Questions and Answers

After breakfast, we met in the great room, taking advantage of the two golden yellow wing backed chairs that flanked the dark grey stoned fireplace. A decent fire roared in the grate, giving that part of the room a warm glow as the light from the flames flickered off the walls and the stone carved wolves set guarding either side of the hearth.

I never much paid attention before, but now I noticed the craftmanship put into it. The mantle had wolves carved into it, running past mountains and trees. The detail was pure artwork if you took the time to truly appreciate the splendor of it. In fact, I now started to notice many subtle ways the decor added wolves into it. I could have kicked myself for only just noticing these minor details in the home I have spent my whole life trapped in.

It was raining again outside harder than yesterday as it danced against the glass of the windows. Off in the distance, you could see the trees bending as they were blown around by the wind. It was still only mid-March, and the rain ran cold. The manor itself seemed to always have a chill to it. I had worn a nice pair of jeans and another thick sweater in olive green, but the chill still got to me. I grabbed a warm blanket to lay upon my legs. My Aunt Rose seemed unfazed by the cold.

"Your father has left so much unexplained to you, and there is a lot we need to catch you up on. I hear you are ahead in your studies so much that you have completed all your high school courses and are working at a college level. Is that correct?" My aunt began.

"Yes, technically, I have also already completed my second year of college courses, and I'm working on my junior years studies." I quickly answered her while staring into the fire.

I turned to look at her as she began to respond to this knowledge. She looked genuinely shocked at how advanced my education was progressing along and impressed.

"I didn't expect you to be that far ahead, but I guess maybe I shouldn't be shocked. Doesn't seem you have much else to do except work on your studies, and I know you are quite intelligent." She continued looking around the large room and taking in the emptiness of it.

"I regret to inform you though your father and I have come to the decision that since you are so far ahead, we are going to put a pause on your normal studies for a while. You will need to now concentrate your time learning about yourself, your people, and our history. You will find your position when you come of age has many demands and duties to be carried out." She paused to let it all sink in and waited for my reaction to this decision.

I looked at her and tilted my head, questioning, "My position? Who is my father, and what does he do? What is his position?"

"Your father is one of the highest ranking werewolves in the world. He is King Athelstad Grey of the eastern territories, and all pack alphas in those territories are under his authority and protection. Your mother, Lillianna, was your father's life mate and his queen. You are his sole heir, Princess Lucilla Grey.

I don't agree with everything your father has done with your upbringing. Leaving you locked up here and not telling you who or what you are, but there are some advantages to this situation. Almost no one in our realm knows of your existence which has kept you safe for all these years, but soon your father will have to announce you as his rightful heir and that will cause alot of things to change in your life Lucy.

I hope to help navigate you through this as best I can, but from this point on, you need to know there are very few people you can trust."

"Excuse me? My father is... I'm a..." I knew we were well off, but royalty never crossed my mind, not in the slightest.

So here I am learning that I am not only a werewolf, but a princess and sole heir to my father's thone. A position that's responsibility takes up the entirety of his time, leaving him hardly a moments rest to even explain this to his daughter. How was I supposed to run a kingdom I know nothing about? How am I supposed to be a ruler of any kind?

Rosalind smiled reassuringly towards me, seeming to understand my thought process and seeing concern upon my face. She seemed to be talented in assessing and reading people. A valuable talent for anyone to possess.

"Lucy, you are a princess," She continued, "And I know how daunting that must sound to you right now. I know how intelligent you are, and I can see both your mother and father's strength inside you. Have faith in yourself. We still have years to prepare you for that. Your father is a very capable king for the time being."

"What is this mate bond you keep talking about that my parents had?"

I can't believe that's the first question that popped out of my mouth after everything she just told me, but any information she could give about my parents seemed to be the most important thing to me.

She smiled at me so softly, and with a knowing look on her face, she went on to explain.

"Every wolf has a special mate bonded to them specifically chosen by the moon goddess herself. This person is to be your other half, your greatest love, and your mate for life. We have to reach the age of 18 before that person can be revealed to you and your wolf, but once you are in their presence, you will know that is your mate.

Some wolves go their entire lives and never find their true mate. You can mark another as your chosen mate, but we are stronger and more complete with our true mate. Alphas and others of higher standing are always pushed to find their fated mates in order to make them stronger, which in turn is more beneficial not only for them but for their pack.

Your parents were fated mates and completely head over heels for each other. It might be hard to believe seeing your father now, but with your mother, he was a different person. Softer and full of joy with a booming laugh that would fill the room. He would have done anything to make her happy and protect her from harm.

For most mate pairs, if one dies, it's not long after the other withers away and dies as well. It takes an extremely strong wolf to overcome their grief enough to survive losing a mate."

I sat and slowly digested everything she just told me. When I'm finally able to respond, I ask, "So somewhere out there is a werewolf that I am just destined to be with. I have no choice in the matter?"

She smiled again knowingly, "Yes, and your mate will be very possessive over you. It's in their animalistic nature. He will see you as his and only his. That may sound scary to you right now, but you will see that you are also possessive over him and that you can't stand to be away from him. This is the pull and power that your mate bond will have over the two of you. In some ways, it is difficult to explain unless you have experienced it."

"Have you found your mate?"

"Yes, I have. John has been ordered by your father to be here with me. He is a top warrior wolf from your mother and my pack. While I am here working with you on your training, he is to be building and setting up extra security and guards for Greystone and an elite bodyguard service to focus completely on protecting you."

"What pack is that? Do I have more family there?" I asked, fascinated with all these new facts about my life.

She giggled at my curiosity and interest.

"We are from the Northwinds pack where our father was Alpha. Your mother was their first born, but your grandparents are no longer with us. My older brother, your Uncle Everett, is now the Alpha residing over them with his mate and Luna Clarice. They have a son as well named Holden. Your father has no other living family. Eventually, you will meet your uncle and his family, but for now, we have other things to worry about."

"Like preparing me for my eighteenth birthday and my first shift?"

"Yes, I feel that will be a lot harder for you than other wolves your age as you are so disconnected from your wolf, and most of them have already shifted at sixteen. All of us have an inner wolf that is part of us and yet their own self hidden within. You seem to have locked yours away somewhere in denial of what you are. Possibly due to your own grief and lack of interaction with other wolves. We need to somehow release her.

I also think you may have repressed certain memories from when you were younger. Don't be afraid to accept who you truly are. Everyone in this manor is a werewolf. A household staff of Omegas and Guards of Warrior Wolves have lived here with you your entire life, so even though you have felt alone this whole time, you never truly were."

The realization of that was shocking. I had hardly seen any of the staff. They never really did much in the way of communicating with me, but to know I had been surrounded by werewolves my entire life and still didn't know what I was was just saddening. How had I missed so much? Had I just been going through the motions over the years. The more I sat and talked to my aunt and learned from her, the more I felt alive again. It was as if I had been sleep walking through my entire life, and now I was finally waking up.

Our conversation continued for hours on end, and my aunt seemed to be pleased with all my interest in the matters at hand. She described in more detail about my wolf and shifting. I was scared, but also I could feel a true excitement burning through my veins. It's as if new doors were opening to me, and my life might truly be starting.