Far From Home

Chapter Ten - Welcome... Home?

An omega quietly enters my room and makes herself known with a small cough.

“Good morning Princess. I’m here to help you prepare for travel Miss,” she explains.

“Please call me Lilly,” I respond and she giggles. I hardly slept last night. I know in my heart that Ryan is right and that being together is not fair to our mates but what if we never find them. What if we are bonded not as Royal and guard but possibly as second-chance mates. I remember Liz explaining that to me. Sometimes Goddess blesses wolves with a second chance mate after they’ve been rejected or their mate has passed. I had secretly been hoping this might be the case with Ryan and I. While I’m lost in thought the omega has been packing my bags. I turn to her and ask her name.

“It’s Rachael Princ.... Miss,” she says softly with her head bowed. I am not used to being treated like this and I’m not sure I like it. I didn’t do anything to earn my apparent Princess position and I don’t want anyone treating me differently for it.

When I am all packed and dressed she tells me that my luggage will be taken care of and shows me to the pack dining room. Alpha Chris and his Luna Rebecca are seated with my cousin and his mate Olivia at the head table and I head in to join them. Breakfast is incredible and I look around the dining room. I can see how well everyone is treated at Harvest Moon and it makes me happy to know Liz will be well taken care of here. The nagging feeling that my life is about to change drastically, again, creeps up and I hope I can visit Liz here soon. Ryan doesn’t show up for breakfast but Stephen and Liz come in to see us off and after long hugs goodbye and a promise from Alpha Chris to bring those responsible for the attack to justice I climb into the car with my cousin and his mate to head to the airport.

When we arrive at the airport I see that we will be taking a private plane. I once again feel out of my element and the Prince must sense the change in my demeanor.

“I know this is a lot for you cousin but I am so happy to be taking you home where you belong. You deserve so much more than you grew up with and I hope you understand how truly special you are. Don’t hesitate to ask for anything you need or want,” he said.

“How about a tranquilizer for this flight, it’s my first time on a plane,” I explained. My cousin chuckled and told me that I wouldn’t even notice that we were in the air but added that I could have all the alcohol I wanted with a laugh. Once we were in the air I realized he was right and I made myself comfortable in my plush seat.

After a six hour flight, a hand on my shoulder gently wakes me as we prepare to land. I look out my window to see majestic snow capped mountains greeting me, the view is simply stunning. Once on the tarmac an omega hands me a bright purple puffy jacket and I realize that I’m not exactly packed for cold weather. My hometown, the school I attend, and Harvest Moon are all southern pack territories so I have little to no experience with actual cold weather. Hopefully I can pop out and grab some appropriate clothes at some point in the next day or two. As the plane door opens to the crisp air, I decide today would definitely be best. Two heavily tinted SUVs are flanking an actual limousine on the tarmac and I follow Frederick and Olivia to the limo. Frederick opens the door for Olivia and I and I enter the most luxurious vehicle I have ever been in. I’m so far from the second hand sedans and pickups of my hometown and now in the Royal territory and while I am definitely still anxious about meeting a side of my family I knew nothing about a few weeks ago, a calm has also settled within me.

In less than 20 minutes we are at a giant wall and gate that I assume leads to the royal family’s palace but all I can see behind the gate is a gorgeous winding drive that looks like it belongs in a fairytale. Opal is restless as well and she tells me she’s nervous. Sometimes I think about what it must have been like to lie dormant within for over 18 years, aware of what was going on around her but unable to do anything about it or communicate in any way. I make a pact with her to allow her to take control and run more and she is overjoyed. Olivia clears her throat and brings me out of my own thoughts.

“Welcome home Lilly. This is where you belong,” she says and I look out the window to see an actual castle growing ever closer to us. The only thing that would make this more like every fairytale ever would be a dragon perched on one of the towers. I can’t help it and a gasp escapes my lips which gets a chuckle out of my cousins. I realize in that moment that while everyone has been calling me Princess, I don’t know what my actual role is. I wonder what my father’s official title is. Oh god, my father! Will I finally meet him today? I only have the vaguest memory of him from when I was a small child and my mother flat refused to talk about him whenever I asked so eventually I just stopped asking. The limo stops and the door opens and I follow Frederick and Olivia though the grand front entrance ready to meet this new adventure headstrong. Not three seconds after I enter the door, I hear a thundering, gruff voice.

“Ah, there you are at last my little princess!” the voice says, and I turn around to see a much older, male version of myself staring down at me. The resemblance is undeniable.

“Dad?” I manage to squeak out as I am pulled into his embrace.

“Oh my princess, I have so much to tell you and so much to apologize for but I am so very grateful you are here now,” continues my father. He tells me that even though it’s been fifteen years since I’ve seen him, he’s kept tabs on me to ensure that I was safe and even laughs at how similar I look to him. “Your beauty is beyond compare but I bet your mother was furious when you grew up to look just like me,” he prys.

“I’m not sure. She never talks about you and won’t answer my questions when I ask. She has a very large, armored wall up around every bit of information pertaining you,” I reply.

“I’m so sorry my love. I hope you can one day forgive me for not being there as you grew up. I have my reasons and I will explain each and every one to you soon, but for tonight is it ok with you if we celebrate being united with our future Queen?”

“Queen?” I say gasping for breath and I look over to see Frederick smiling and nodding. “I can’t be Queen,” I manage to finally stammer our and my father wraps his arm around my shoulders and winks at me.

“Surprise!”