“Mr. Monte, I have called you up here to tell you what you already know. You are Chase’s father and will receive the death sentence, effective immediately.”
Mrs. Monte drops to the floor in shock. Everyone rushes to check on her. In the midst of the commotion, Mr. Monte tries to make a futile attempt at escape. Mr. Lucia catches up to him and grabs him by the leg. Mr. Monte falls to the ground and Mr. Lucia has him pinned.
The whole scene is surreal. On one side of the room, there is a jilted mate and the news of a broken family. In the middle of the room, two grown men are on top of one another on the floor. Finally, Mr. Monte resigns to his fate.
Mr. Lucia helps him up now that guards are in place at the doors to keep Mr. Monte in. They return to their spot at the dais. Alexander looks at Mr. Monte angrily. I can’t say that I blame him. Mr. Monte just tried to openly defy him in the midst of his mate’s breakdown.
“Now that we have established Mr. Monte’s punishment, we will talk about why you are up here, Mr. Lucia. You have always been an upstanding member of the royal council. I appreciate your loyalty and call on you now to deliver Mr. Monte’s death for me. I want everyone in this room to witness what happens when you commit treason. Let it be a lesson you share with others. I don’t enjoy doing this and would prefer to prevent it in the future.”
Mr. Lucia nods, but there is no joy in his features. A guard comes up to him and gives him an incredibly sharp, metal stake. The thing looks like it can cut through flesh like it’s butter. Ouch.
Even though it’s metal, it will get the job done. We don’t require a wooden stake to kill us. Anything sharp through the heart will do it. I wish we turned to dust, but we don’t. His veins will, however, dry up, leaving him looking less than pleasant.
Without any hesitation, Mr. Lucia delivers the deadly blow. The metal stake slips through his sternum with ease and the pointed end pokes out his back once it was in him to the hilt. He drops like a sack of potatoes.
Just like that, Mr. Monte is gone. Mrs. Monte is crying hysterically and there’s an eerie silence in the courtroom. It’s almost as if they didn’t believe it was going to happen. Mr. Monte is the example set for the rest of the community not to step out of line.
I’m so grateful that isn’t me, but I still don’t wish it on anyone. The impact that his death will have on Hannah will be devastating. It’s true that I don’t like her one bit and she tried to steal my mate but, I would never wish this kind of tragedy on her.
A guard steps forward with a cloth for Mr. Lucia to wipe off with and Alexander dismisses him. I watch as he goes back to his seat and his wife grips his hand in fear. She was afraid for him.
Three guards come forward at Alexander’s signal and carry Mr. Monte away. It is still quiet as they exit the room. Alexander clears his throat and continues on.
“Does anyone have any question as to why that had to happen?”
Chase is the one who actually responds. “You are a murderer.”
He doesn’t look so cocky and confident anymore. There is a definite change in his demeanor. His eyes on the other hand, are blazing with fear and contempt. I can’t imagine finding your father after all these years only to watch him brought to death.
“Be that as it may, your whole future doesn’t have to be the same as Mr. Monte’s. I will allow you to be turned instead of killed, under a few conditions.”
Everyone in the room sighs in relief. I don’t dare show relief just yet. There are conditions, and I know firsthand that they can be a steep price to pay. One day I will be the one delivering these verdicts just because I accidentally broke the rules.
I never had any desire to take over for Alexander. I always hoped someone else would do it. I hadn’t imagined that it would ever be me. I was so wrong.
“I’m listening,” Chase says.
“Your life outside this community is over. Someone will pack your things and bring them here. You have one month to find a sire. Once you’re turned, you need that person to guide you and take responsibility for you. Is that part clear?”
“Yes, sir, it is.”
“The second part is that I want it to be your mate. You are from royal blood so I would prefer it be someone from a royal family. Yes, this will make things more difficult, but it will be better than death, I assure you.”
“I can agree to find a mate. I see how it works here and would be happy to find that for myself.”
“Excellent. One month, Chase, or else you know the alternative.”
Chase nods and I think he’s just grateful to avoid his own death. Things in this trial have gotten serious and fast. He knows it and is taking what he can get.
I think we are finally finished, when Alexander continues. “Lucky for you, Chase, you may not have to wait a month. There’s someone here that has offered to speak up for you. They are from a royal line and they are old enough to mate with you. This is an offer you should not consider lightly. This vampire is putting themselves out there to give you a chance at a real life here.”
I can’t even begin to think of who would offer themselves up to mate with him. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want his death on my hands. I just can’t understand what motivation they would have. It’s not like he knows anyone like he knows me.
I just become more confused when no one enters the room. My brows tug into a frown and I scan the room. No, it couldn’t be. The only royal of age in this room is Jane.
No, she wouldn’t. I would owe her for the rest of my life if she did this. She would be saving me. I just can’t believe she would do that for me. She’s my best friend, but still. I turn to meet her eyes and know it’s the truth. She winks at me and then stands up.
I think I’m still in shock. Jane makes her way to the dais and Alexander gestures that the floor is hers. She turns and her eyes meet Chase’s. Her cheeks actually color under his gaze. At least I know she is definitely attracted to him.
“I know we only met briefly yesterday, but I liked you even when I saw you at the club that night. It was just sheer luck on Callie’s side that she got you. I saw you yesterday and realized that you could be a really great mate, as well as a good royal. You are fearless and stand up for yourself. I admire that.”
Jane waits for him to turn her down, but he doesn’t. He’s still silent, like he is soaking the information in. She continues to explain.
“I like you enough that I wouldn’t want to see you put to death. I am offering myself to you as a sire and a mate. You would have a seat next to me on the royal council when my parents retire. I think I can make you happy, but ultimately this is your choice.”
Nothing should surprise me at this point, yet here I am, dumbfounded. This is certainly an unexpected turn of events. Jane is braver than I ever thought.
Chase looks at Alexander as if asking permission. Alexander nods. Chase stands and then makes his way up to the dais next to Jane.
“You are sexy, nice and brave. Those are all qualities I would have looked for in a mate. You are also a loyal friend to Callie. If you will have me, I would love to mate with you.”
Jane smiles and a strangled ‘yes’ escapes her lips. Chase wraps her into a hug and kisses her forehead. Everyone stands and begins to clap. I’m still shocked, but Cody soon pulls me out of it. His fingers lace with mine and he stands up, pulling me with him.
He brushes my hair back and kisses me. I smile when he pulls away and we stand there waiting for the trial to finish. Everyone finally quiets down, but no one sits. I notice that Jane and Chase are holding hands. Wow.
Alexander waits until the room silences once again. “In this matter of Callie and Chase, I have now delivered my verdict and this trial is concluded.” He nods to me and then to Chase.
“Oh, and someone please see Mrs. Monte home. I would like them to be there for her when she delivers the news to Hannah.”
Then he turns and leaves the room the way he came. My eyes grow wide at the thought of Hannah. Crappity, crap, crap, crap. This i
s entirely my fault. It’s just one more reason for her to hate me. That’s not something I wanted. She’s already off her rocker.
The room is calm until Mrs. Monte and several other council members leave. As soon as my parents, Cody’s parents, Jane’s parents, and Lana have joined the four of us, everyone starts talking at once.
Through the excited chatter, I manage to make my way to Jane. I pull her away from Chase long enough to give her a giant hug. “Thank you, Jane. You are the best friend that anyone could ever have. I love you like a sister.”
She returns my hug and replies. “You are my sister, Callie. I would do anything for you. Besides, look at Chase. It’s not like I’m suffering with one of the hottest guys as my mate. I just dropped in and scooped him up before any of the other bitches could.”
Her reply makes me laugh and tears form in my eyes. When I pull away, she winks and then wraps herself back up in Chase’s arms. He definitely seems like he’s enjoying the attention. He should, too. Jane is a sleek and sexy blonde that is every guy’s fantasy. I hope he takes good care of her.
Mom and Dad are so busy planning my mating, as well as Jane’s, that the adults seem to have tuned us out. That’s okay with me, because I can only focus on me and Cody.
Cody tugs me back to him and I know he needs that connection right now. We have been parted by bars for a while and even I need him right now. I snuggle close and sigh. He runs his hands across my jaw and I tip my head up to meet his eager lips. He feels like love, goodness and home. His warmth is calming and for the first time in days, I’m happy.
It’s very late by the time we leave the castle. I have the hardest time saying goodbye to Cody, but her reminds me that I only have to wait until tomorrow evening for us to be together forever. It’s painful to be away from him. Our bond has almost fully formed and I’m having withdrawals just thinking about being apart from him.
I, once again, congratulate Chase and Jane. Ginger and Nick gather me up in an embrace and tell me how great it is that things worked out. They can’t wait for me and Cody to be mated. Lana is unusually quiet, but when I ask her to come over tomorrow and help me pick out the perfect dress for my mating, she cheers right up.
My Mom grasps my hand, just like she did when I was a kid. I can tell how worried she was. I indulge her all the way to the car. We all sit in the back and our driver takes us home. I yawn, knowing that the night has taken a toll on me.
Once we are inside, I let out a breath. I am relieved to be home. After my stint in the castle jail, I have a new appreciation for my own bed and shower.
I remember that I’ve been on blood rations and it has made me weak. I rush to the kitchen and pour myself a large glass of blood. I down the thick red liquid as fast as I can. Then I set my glass in the sink for the maid.
“Oh, honey, I’m so proud of you. Not only did you take responsibility for your actions, but you found your true mate. Now you are going to be the next ruler of our kind. You have really stepped up. It’s hard to believe how grown up you’ve become,” Mom gushes.
“We’re very proud of you, Callie. You will make a good mate and a great ruler,” Dad adds.
“Thanks, Mom and Dad. It’s all a lot to absorb. I think I’m still in shock. On that note, I’m going to go take a nice, hot shower and curl up in bed. I want to be ready for tomorrow night. I know it’s going to be crazy busy.”
Mom smiles and nods at me. “Okay sweetheart. Get some rest.”
I do exactly as I say and take a steamy shower. The hot water helps wash away all traces of that prison cell. I never want to be on that end of our laws again.
After dressing in underwear and a soft, jersey night shirt, I wrap myself in my blankets and mentally say goodnight to Cody. I’m surprised when he does too. Before I have a chance to soak in everything that has happened tonight, I drift off to sleep.
I wake to a light tapping on my door. It feels as if I have just fallen asleep, but it’s dark outside. I can quickly tell by the lack of light peaking in the corners of my blinds. Groaning, I throw back the covers and amble towards the door.
I pull the door open and find Jane on the other side. A huge grin spreads across my face and I give her a hug.
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to help pick out your mating gown, of course. Now hurry up and toss some jeans and a tee on so we can get going. Everyone’s waiting downstairs for you.”
“Define everyone,” I say.
Your Mom, Ginger, Lana and I are all waiting on you. No one wanted to interrupt your beauty sleep so I volunteered. I knew you wouldn’t kill me,” she says grinning.
I run into my closet, suddenly excited. As I’m getting hastily dressed, all I can think about is Cody. We finally get to be together. Awesome.
After slipping on my sandals, I’m ready. I tug on Jane’s arm and we leave my room, both of us grinning.
“You know, this is going to be you, too, soon. Chase only has a month to be bonded.”
“I know. We are going to start the process first thing Monday. We definitely have chemistry, I found out,” she says as she winks.
I just shake my head and laugh. That’s my best friend alright.
Once we hit the bottom of the stairs, I’m surrounded. Everyone begins to talk at once. We have to hurry so I can get a dress before all the shops close down.
“Okay, there needs to be less talking and more walking. I want to find something amazing to wear tonight.”
We all shuffle out and I’m surprised to find a black limo in the driveway. Everyone piles in and Mom cracks open some bottled blood. As the car leaves my house behind, Mom passes the champagne flutes around and gives a toast.
“To my baby girl, who is now all grown up and ready to take on the vampire world. We are so proud of you. You will make a great mate and a wonderful ruler. May great things happen for you and Cody.”
Everyone shouts, “Cheers,” and I giggle. It’s hard to believe I thought I was actually happy before. Nothing compares to finding one’s true mate.
After a few more minutes of toasting and sipping blood, we pull to a stop in front of an upscale dress store. The dresses in the window are exquisite.
“It’s so late, how are we going to get in?”
“Baby girl, we paid them to stay open late. I want you to find the perfect dress for the most important day of your life. Now let’s go on in.”
We all file out of the limo and an older lady greets us at the door. Once inside, the lady locks the door behind us and turns on the lights. My heart gets stuck in my chest when I see all the beautiful dresses. They look amazing.
I barely have a chance to sit before I get shoved into a dressing room and everyone starts handing me dresses. I try on dresses of all shapes and sizes.
Finding one that actually fits, I exit the dressing room. It’s a black, strapless dress with a large slit up one side.
“Oh no, that isn’t going to work. It’s sexy, yes, but it’s not THE dress,” Jane informs me.
I’m relieved, because I’m not too fond of it. I go back in for round two. I try on a blue dress with tooling on the skirt, a ruby dress with a train, and a purple dress that looks suspiciously like my coming out dress. They are all no’s.
Then, amidst the piles of dresses, I find it. I hold it up and know it is meant to be my mating dress. I focus on nothing but getting the dress on. It looks stunning on me. I’m in awe. It’s a halter dress with a completely opened back that drapes just below my hips. It’s a gorgeous, emerald colored satin.
Excited, I can barely contain my squeals as I exit the dressing room one more time. “This is the one!!” I shout enthusiastically.
After a Moment, everyone agrees that it’s the one. I rush back to get dressed and leave the rest of the dresses in the room. The poor lady will have to put them all back, but we just don’t have time to help.
“Now we need to find you accessories and lingerie,” Lana says, grinning.
My cheeks flush, but
I make my way to the lingerie and search for a pair of lacy panties since I can’t wear a bra with this dress. I spot a pair of lacy tangas that match the dress and I grab them excitedly.
We finish by finding a pair of simple, emerald earrings. Once we gather up my purchases, I remember that I need shoes. I hurry over to the shoe section and settle on a pair of silver, sparkly, open toed, kitten pump heels.
Mom pays for my purchases and we are back in the limo heading home.
To my surprise, when we get home, everyone piles out. I wasn’t expecting help getting ready. Mom sees my expression and tells me that it’s tradition. I reluctantly agree and we take my outfit straight upstairs.
“Go get in the shower, princess.” Jane mocks Cody’s nickname for me.
“Yes, my mated best friend,” I say as I give her a cheeky grin.
I hurry to get into the shower, but take my time once I’m in there. I carefully shave my legs and under my arms. I want tonight to be absolutely perfect. I’m a little nervous as well.
After getting out, I wrap a fluffy towel around myself and one on my head. I open the bathroom door and steam seeps into the room. I can’t help but feel the excitement buzzing throughout.
Mom tosses me a pair of shorts, my green tangas and a button up shirt to slip on. I shut myself in my closet and get dressed. I pull on my mental connection with Cody just to give myself some comfort.
Ginger makes haste, working to pull my hair up in a fancy up do. I dread the thousands of bobby pins that I’m going to have to remove after this.
A loud banging and persistent ringing of the doorbell break us out of our conversations. I frown, knowing that everyone I want to see is here. Cautiously, we make our way downstairs and I see Finn open the door. Shock doesn’t even begin to cover my reaction to who I find standing on my doorstep.
Hannah Monte. Boy, does she look pissed. I look around to see the weary looks on everyone’s faces. My Mom begins to go toward her, but Hannah just pushes her way inside.
She looks awful. Her eyes are red and puffy. She has tear tracks down her cheeks. I can see her grinding her teeth, trying to hold her anger in. Holy hot sauce, is she mad.
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