Rogue Queen ➵

➵ XVIII. Unity At New Years

I beat the writers block and wrote 2943 words in two days (not including the lyrics. Total word count it 3906)! Yes I calculated it, and I'm proud, that's gotta be the most I've written in that amount of time.

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Monday, December 31st, 2017, 7:00pm

This Is Me - The Greatest Showman

Asher's POV

Memories from yesterday flash through my head.

It would've been Kia's 18th birthday. Mom, Zander and I, along with some of her friends/followers buried her ashes beside Dad in the graveyard at the heart of territory. I don't really miss her, but I did know her my whole life.

I shake myself out of memories and look around the pack's main hall, where pack meetings or gatherings take place.

Choral risers stand pushed up against the front of the four-foot-tall stage at the back of the large room. Circular tables are placed around the room, with enough space in the middle to make a dance floor for anyone who feels like dancing. Kids are already there, laughing and running around together while their parents sit at the tables, talking with friends but keeping an eye on the kids.

Raiden, Scott, Dean, Mom, Zander and I sit at one table, talking and laughing together. Rei and the others said they'd be here soon.

"So what do you wanna do next year?" Mom asks all of us.

"Marry Dean," Scott says immediately, grabbing Dean's hand and showing us the gold engagement ring on his finger.

"Nice." Raiden grins. "Congratulations."

"When'd you propose?" I ask.

"Christmas morning," Scott replies, smiling.

I scowl playfully and whine, "you should've waited! I wanted to be there!"

Dean shrugs and grins. "Too bad, Ceniza."

I give him a pout. I really wanted to be there when one of them proposed.

Anyway, since Rei called me Ceniza, the others have started using the nickname too. I don't really mind, I like it. But that also means I'm calling them nicknames (Denny, Scooter and Winchester) more often. We've all started using Rei's, Clove's, Killian's and Zaine's nicknames too, and they don't mind. Something about it makes us all feel closer, like we're all family.

"I wanna take Strange somewhere special," Raiden says.

"Ooo, can we go somewhere tropical?" Clove asks, appearing behind him and resting her elbows on his shoulders.

I feel Rei do the same with me, leaning on me.

"Hey Ceniza," she says happily.

"Reina," I reply, tilting my head back to see her.

"This is gonna be great," Zaine says happily, standing with Killian by Mom. I notice the twins Chase and Rhea running over to join the other kids in dancing. "The pack's gonna love it."