Royalty Burning

Chapter 7: Transformations

~Desire~

The four of us walked back to Flambé's house in complete silence. I walked between Jackson and Flambé. The latter's eyes looked stormy. Jean walked behind us warily.

"I'm going upstairs to take a shower." Flambé said. I watched him climb the steps, then turned to Jackson.

"What should we do? I don't know this part. I only know my mom was never there. It was an emptiness. That's all I know."

He looked at me then, "When my parents passed, I needed people to be there for me. I just turned 20 and was pushed into leadership. But people being there, showing they cared, helped some. Maybe you should go up there in the shower, hold him, let him hold our newly created child. Show him there is still a future."

"Thank you, love." I said passing him.

"Love?"

"I'll explain later. There's a shower in the hall to the right past our bedroom. I'll see you in bed in a little while."

"Our?"

"If it's mine it's yours as well." I said climbing the steps. I reached the master bathroom. Flambé's back was to me and his face was pointed toward the corner. I pulled my clothes off and stepped in behind him. My arms wrapped around his waist and I realized he was crying. "Flame, I'm here." I whispered. He nodded and wiped his face. "Don't hide from me. We're not in the playroom right now." He turned around and tears still ran down his face.

"It started and I can't stop it. The tears and the visions of my mother's death." He choked out. "Please help me. Make it stop."

"How Flame?"

"Make love to me slowly. Show me your love. That all of this leads to something." I stroked his face, wiping his tears away. Then, I grabbed his hand and placed it on my flat stomach. I kissed him softly. He looked in my eyes, his pain was evident, but something else hid behind that. Hope. "I think her middle name should be Hope. What do you think?"

"That's beautiful." I kissed his neck, and started going lower.

"What about Jackson?"

"He knew you needed us. Clara and I. We're here for you."

"There's so much that needs to be decided."

"Not now, not tonight." I made love to him. I washed him. I got out of the shower to get his clothes. Jackson sat in the chair in the dark.

"A little better?"

"Yes, thank you. Get in bed. We'll be right out." He wiped his face in exhaustion. He nodded and stood up as I walked back into the bathroom.

"Desire, I'm sorry." Flame whispered.

"What? Why?"

"I can't stop him and your father…" He trailed off, looking down.

"I understand." I put on panties and one of his shirts. "I also know if there was anything you could do, you would. We have a long depressing day tomorrow. Let's try to get some rest." I put my hand on his face. "I love you Flame."

"And I you Desire, more than my own life." We walked into the bedroom. Jackson was sitting up in bed.

"Did I hear right? We're all orphans now?" Flambé and I just nodded. I climbed in the bed in between them. They fell asleep in relative silence. Listening to the others breathe.

~Flambé~

I awoke in the morning to the first sound of my alarm and already knew what it was. My mother's body was found. I walked down the steps and found Jean waiting. "She's been found?"

"Yes Flambé. I'm sorry. Louise was like a mother to me as well."

"I know my friend. Let's try not to wake up Desire. I don't want her seeing this."

"Too late." I heard behind me. Jackson stood on the steps. "The alarm woke her up. I believe there's another body that needs to be discovered today as well. I think I should take her. Would that be at his house?"

"Yes. I don't want her to see it though. That kind of c*****e, she won't be able to erase the image."

"What's going on?" Jean asked. "Who else passed last night?"

"My father." Desire said walking down the steps. "I just received a phone call from the police. I told them it would take me about 45 minutes to get there."

Jean looked at her with sympathy. "I'm sorry for your loss, my queen."

"You are always allowed to call me by my name Jean. No matter what others call me." She looked at Jackson. "Are we ready?"

"Matt is outside in the car. Flame we're going to my pack lands later. I want you to come with us. Can you do that?"

"Yes. As long as we are back by 9 for my pack meeting. Sounds good to everyone?" I said looking at everyone.

"Perfect for me. Desire?" She closed her eyes.

"Your surprise." She said grimacing.

"Can we do it another night Luna?" I asked. "We weren't expecting all of this when you made the arrangements."

"Yeah, I'll call. Should we come pick you up or will you meet us at the 'Bloody Claws' pack land?" Desire asked.

"Come get me please. There's still traitors there."

"We'll be back in about 3 hours. It'll give Desire time. Also to go to her house and collect her personal belongings."

"Not today please." The visions of that are alarming and dangerous.

Jackson is looking at me warily now. "Ok we won't go." He said as we all walked out the door. I kissed Desire.

"I wish I was coming with you. You need us both right now." I whispered in her ear.

"We all have responsibilities, Flame. We can't be together all of the time right now. I love you Flame."

"And I love you my queen." She simply smiled and walked to the car.

She got in the back seat leaving the door ajar. I barely listened to what Jackson and I discussed. I had an uneasy feeling flowing through me. I'm almost to the point of panic. I saw Desire running toward us. A look of devastation in her eyes. She screamed "No!!!" She jumped, Jackson and I catching her in our arms. I noticed the blood across her shoulder, neck and face.

My vision started going bleak and black. "F*** no! S***! Desire look at me!" She looked me in the eyes. She looked too peaceful for me.

"Let's take her to the hospital!" Jackson screamed. Jean shifted in his wolf during this. His canine's mouth was wrapped around another wolf's throat. There was blood but the Grey wolf was submitting to him. Jean looked at me. "Alpha?" He mind linked.

"Shift back now d*** it!" Jackson screamed. The other wolf shifted and looked at me with pure hatred in his eyes. "Todd. If anything happened to her or our child, you're going to wish for death." His eyes glowed with his wolf.

"We can't take her to the hospital. I mind linked the doctor though. I kept her shoulder covered with pressure on it. In minutes, Kara, my head pack doctor walked in.

"What's going on here?" Kara asked.

"20 year old inactive female, pregnant, and our mate. Her arm was almost torn off less that 5 minutes ago." I rattle off.

"Nice to know the exact times. But she's not inactive."

"What are you talking about?" Jackson asked her.

"I smell her blood. She's already healing. Lift the towel Alpha please?" I did. "Wow, that's not normal."

"Wha…" I trailed off. Her blood is gold.

"No way! Activated royalty?" Kara asked.

"Kara, can we keep this quiet and just between the people in this room? I know it's very early but check on our daughter as best as you can."

"How early?"

"24 hours or less."

"Louise?" I just nodded. She pulled out her stethoscope. "Let's see if we can hear her little heart. There. Yes everything sounds right. In about an hour her arm should be fine, if not faster. She's healing faster than a normal shifter." Kara stated.

"That b****** took something from me." Jackson growled. "He's going to pay for this." I growled low in my chest.

"This was ⁰supposed to happen, Jackson." I said.

"What the f*** do you mean? It was supposed to be our venom that activated her when we marked her."

"Jacks, I feel a little robbed here too. But her activation wasn't the important part. Us marking her and her marking us was the point. She needed to be activated before the marking. Neither of us would have let the other do it. I also didn't see this coming. She was the only one that noticed him running in on us. That includes the marine and the SEAL that was watching our backs. She didn't have time to warn us. There was only one option or one of us would be dead. S*** it would have been me. Now that she's stronger, we can proceed with the marking. Maybe in a few days, we will decide on the most important things first."

Jackson nodded. "I can't picture doing this without you brother. Last night, our daughter, this situation, just everything became real to me. We need to get a move on. I want everything set up by the end of the week."

"With that plan there will be some adjustment issues. Nothing we can't handle, right? The traitors?"

"I say we let them meet her now. Todd did help, but I still want to kill him."

"When they meet her, there will only be a few traitors. That includes my pack as well."

"Yeah we'll run this past Desire after she wakes from healing sleep."

"I'm already awake. I heard just about everything I think. It sounds fine. Clara is she? What's this gold looking stuff?"

"She's fine. Flame had the doctor check. The gold stuff is your blood. I think it's because you were activated by a royal." Jackson said frustrated.

"I'm sorry if I scared you both. I just couldn't lose…" Tears collected in her eyes.

"No we would have done the same to protect each other and you." I said in a calming voice. "Now that we have the moron locked up, let's get our priorities taken care of. I think we should stay together though. I'm too nervous to let either of you out of my sight. I know, paranoid."

"No, I was going to say the same thing." Jackson stated.

"I have my pack taking care of my mom. I can't see that anymore and I already know who and why he did it. Also why he sent his b****** to attack me."

"Why?" Desire asked.

"Well, he didn't expect me and Jackson to get along. He expected me to be too messed up over my mom to see Todd coming. He was right on that. What he didn't expect is for our mate to be brave enough to save me. He expected Desire to rush off to her father's house alone. He could kill her then." Jean brought out a new t-shirt and turned so Desire could change.

"Thank you Jean. I guess I'm ready." Desire breathed out.

Jackson looked like he was thinking. I knew what he wanted to ask. "I'll let her answer that herself. Ask her."

"Did you know he was going after Flame when you jumped in front of us? I know it's a screwed up question, alright? It's just…" He trailed off and had to swallow a lump. I saw vulnerability all over him and so did Desire. I have never seen this side of him. Nervousness, bashfulness sure, but not this. I know she knew how to handle this.

"Jacks, I didn't know who he was after. I did it for both of you." She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you Jacks. My love. I promised I would explain it to you. I call you love because I have seen nothing but love from you. You have given me and Flame nothing else. Which is why you'll be called love until the day I die."

I chuckled. "I'm not calling you that, but you already know how I feel about you. We're brothers." Jackson nodded, hugging Desire tight to his chest.

"I love you more than my life." He spoke plainly.

"My words exactly. Let's go. She's going to need you today. You'll know what to do better than I will. Today is mostly you brother. I'm playing mostly defense."

Jackson walked out laughing. "Football analogies, great…" Desire laughed as well. We both stopped and stared at her.

"What? I played Varsity in high school." She said plainly.

We all got in the car. Jackson, Desire and I got in the middle seat of the SUV. Matt switched to the passenger seat and Jean was driving.

"Where's Julie, Matt?" He asked, clearly remembering my mother's warning from last night.

Matt's answering smile was enough for me. "She's at the guesthouse for now. She was still asleep when I left. She was mad when you ordered her back last night. Needless to say I had to cheer her up after that. She'll go to pack lands when we do. She said she felt like she may have been in danger last night."

"She wasn't wrong." Jacks stated.

"Do you mind explaining that Alpha?"

"Their seer saw Julie's death last night, if she didn't turn around when she did." Matt got quiet at that. He turned to me.

"Thank your seer. I don't think I can live without Julie."

"She said as much. You can thank her at her pyre later." I said stiffly.

"She didn't save herself but saved my mate?" Matt's eyebrows were raised.

"She stopped a lot of deaths with her sacrifice last night. I have her power now." I croaked out.

"Your Mother?" I simply nodded. "Alpha, permission to swear my life and service to another alpha." Matt stated.

"It's unnecessary anyway Matt. We're an unconventional triad." Matt looked at the three of us then looked at Jackson.

"Queen Desire?" He asked.

"Yes and we're even expecting our first princess." Jacks said proudly.

"Potent f******." Jean mumbled laughing.

"Right…" Desire laughed with him.

"I'd say so. Julie and I have been together for two years now and still no pups." Matt said. "After the attack?" He looked nervous.

"We checked, Clara is fine."

"Good to know." He said nodding. I felt a smile creep on my face. I saw it all.

"Why are you smiling Flame?" Desire asked.

"I'll only tell if Matt and Julie want to know." I laughed. What I saw was beautiful.

"Let me call. Julie baby, do you want to know something about us from the seer Alpha? Ok let me put you on speaker." A soft melodic voice came out of the speaker.

"Seer Alpha? We want to know."

I laughed. "Congratulations you're pregnant. Do you want to know the s*x?"

"Matt, you decide."

"Yes. What is it?" He sounded excited now.

"A little boy." I was still smiling.

A text came in my phone.

Desire: You see it all don't you?

I nodded.

Desire: Our daughter?

I text back this time.

Me: Not Clara but yes.

I was smiling wide. "How many?" She asked out loud.

"Seven all together. Four boys and three girls."

Jackson looked over with a smile on his face. He grabbed Desire's hand and kissed her knuckles. "You make us very happy men." He said. He continued holding her right hand. We were on the highway now.

I felt another awareness. I see our car get crashed into on the left side. Then three people get out and open fire on us as we get out after we flip.

"On the left!" I scream out. Jean responded without thought.

"What just happened?" Desire asked, alarmed.

"He just took someone off of our trail." Jean stated.

"You saw them?" Jackson growled low in his chest.

Jean pulled the car over and put it in park. "Ok what would you like me to call you? Alpha Jackson or Jacks?"

"Jacks or Jackson is fine."

"Ok Jacks. I saw three people in the vehicle. My assessment was it wasn't a big threat. That wouldn't be enough to go against two Betas and three Alphas."

"Wait. There are only two Alphas in the car." Desire protested.

"No Desire. Whether you have an established pack or not, you are an Alpha. You can make lesser wolves follow your commands. You are already one of my Alphas. So three. What did we just avoid Flame?" He asked me.

"They were going to hit the left side and make us flip. Then they were going to open fire while we tried to escape the burning wreckage. By the way, you too?"

"What?" Jean asked innocently. Desire and Jacks were laughing silently.

"You called me Flame."

"Did I Alpha?" Jean shrugged. "It fits you. Especially with your temper." Now Jackson and Desire were holding each other laughing loudly.

"Let's just take back roads the rest of the way. Oh did you notice who was in the front passenger seat?"

"Yes. Considering he knows my skills, he probably was the one who came up with the plan."

"One of yours?" Jackson asked. I nodded.

"He'll be dealt with tonight after the meeting." Jean said growling.

We drove the back streets to Desire's father's house. There was an ambulance out front. The police tape marked off the area. Desire walked up to the tape. Jackson and I walked on either side of her.

"Excuse me officer. My name is Desire Broen, this is my father's house." The officer turned around then jumped back noticing Jackson. He walked in front of him.

"Alpha." He said quietly. "What are you doing here?"

I watched him carefully. I looked over at Jackson. I conveyed that this officer was one of the traitors. He gave me a slight nod.

"Hey!" Desire screamed. "This is my father's house I said." She started growling. Her eyes were glowing. "I don't care who I'm standing next to. You will acknowledge when I speak. DO. YOU. UNDERSTAND?"

"Ye-ye-yes Alpha." He gave her a bow and lifted the tape for her. "Only family. Sorry Alpha."

"No. My mates are his sons in law, therefore family. Move before I hurt you." Desire said. The officer moved out of her way. We went into the house.

"A traitor?" Jackson asked. I nodded and laughed.

"Reformed now. He's afraid of our mate more than you." Just then another officer walked over.

"Ms. Broen?"

"Mrs. Boucher." I respond instantly.

"Whitetail." Jackson finished.

"Oh sorry."

"It's ok. My mates are just making sure you know I'm married. Anyway, you're detective Wilson, right?"

"Yes. It looks like an animal attack Mrs. Boucher Whitetail, but the door and windows were closed and we're in the Bronx. Could you tell me anything about this?" She looked at me and Jackson. I nodded. Jacks shook his head. I knew she'd follow her instincts.

"Will you come with me to my car detective? I'll tell you everything I know. My guys will stay outside the car while we talk. What's your uncle's name Jackson?"

"Clayton Whitetail." Jackson exhaled.

"Ok let's go get that statement Mrs. Boucher Whitetail." I walked out ahead of them. Jackson walked out behind them. We reached the police tape and Jean and Matt lifted it up to let us through. Desire got in the back seat of the SUV. He pulled out a notebook and a pen and climbed in.

~Desire~

I started out by saying. "Under normal circumstances, our kind would not tell you our business. We police our own. We have jails, prisons, guards, and laws. But this wolf shifter is out of control and has made our existence almost public knowledge. So everything I'm telling you is for your help and secrecy. I thought I was a complete human until yesterday. So here it goes…"

He wrote notes, said very little, and didn't ask many questions. When he did, I answered what I could or told him to ask Flambé. When we stepped out of the car, we talked to Flame to fill in the blanks. Our group returned to the car then.

Jacks grabbed my hand. "We're glad you didn't see your father's body. It's time for you to meet our people."