The Royal Triumvirate

Epilogue: Christmas Special

One year later

It's been a little over a year since the defeat of Markus Storm and the Royal Blood Pack. Alex and her mates, as well as Nick and Jason graduate high school. To Grace's chagrin Alex did not go off to college. Though she was placated when she learned that training to become a member of the Royal Triumvirate was far more rigorous than anything that an university could provide. She still lamented that Alex wouldn't get the social experience of college. However, Alex assured her that she wasn't much interested in the stereotypical aspects of college life.

Jason did get into a prestigious four-year university and Nick, not wanting to do anything to jeopardize his mate's dream but also unwilling and able to be apart from him. Decided to transfer to a pack near the university that conveniently requested training from the Royal Pack. Reina missed her friend but understood his desire to be near his mate.

As for Daisy and Lei, Alex was pleasantly surprised a week after the raid on the Royal Blood Pack to be visited by her old friends. Lei had found what her mate did to Alex and forced her to apologize. Reina wanted to throw the witch into prison, but Alex convinced her to be lenient. Reasoning that any one of them would've acted similarly in the witch's place. Dana said her logic was faulty but supported her decision. Both mates threatened that nothing would save her if she ever hurt Alex again. They did, however, offer Lei a chance to join the Royal Pack but she refused saying that she would rather stay with her mate.

One note of interest was that as Daisy and Lei were leaving, they passed Gertrude and Lady Morgana, the Royal Pack witch. They both recognized Daisy. For Gertrude she was the witch apprentice who was supposed to become the pack witch of the Silver Claw Pack. Daisy just scoffed and said that she never had any interest in serving a pack, but she did blanche at the sight of Morgana. Apparently, the two of them had trained together under the same mistress. Daisy practically bolted from the other witch. Morgana just scowled and left to go do her own business.

.............................................................

Alex chuckled softly at the memory but was brought quickly back to the present by a knock on the bathroom door. She was finishing getting dressed. It was Christmas morning.

"Alex, come on, your foster family is here," Dana called from the other side. Alex frowned slightly at the door. Her mate sounded tired. She hadn't been feeling well the last couple of weeks. Apparently, she even went and saw her foster-mom, Emma at the hospital. Reina and Alex were deeply concerned for her.

Alex left the bathroom and gently touched her mate. "Are you sure your up to today? Maybe you should rest a bit longer. I know you haven't been sleeping well the last few days. And you've been throwing up in the morning."

"I'm fine," Dana said smiling at her mate. "Trust me."

Alex frowned and looked around their room. "Where's Reina?"

"She went down to meet with her moms and make sure everything is going smoothly for the Pack Christmas dinner."

The Royal Pack was the largest pack around and so very rarely met in its entirety. Usually only for major events and holidays, like Christmas. The holiday didn't necessarily have the same religious connotations to the werewolves as it did to Christian humans but the cultural importance of the holiday. Of getting together with friends and family still resonated with the packs. Plus, the idea of gift giving didn't hurt either.

So, in the morning families of the Royal pack, including the Royal family itself, celebrated together then at night the full pack would gather and eat dinner in the nearby meeting hall. With that in mind, Alex allowed Dana to drag her down to meet their family. Though when they arrived at the steps, a protective instinct made her pick up Dana and carry her down the steps. Just in case.