*Pryce Winsley’s POV*
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“Please forgive me, Your Highness, if I wasn’t able to protect Alison like how I promised your past life. She fell into the hands of the traitors and locked her almost all her life while you were still not around. I was the most useless guardian. And until now, I don’t have a face to show to the queen. But I was all glad to know you freed her, Princess Blair. So, thank you.” Ford Herrera confessed, full of remorse in his voice, and I now know that he does know a lot about the previous king’s life. He was Alison’s guardian and was known formerly as Sebastian Cortez.
“Is that why you went rogue?” I asked him, making him nod his head in response.
“Yes. I cut all my connections to the werewolves’ society after losing hope that I could still save Alison from the ruthless Damien. And I had learned to live with humans for centuries. But… I did keep an eye for your grandmother, your mother, and you. I was happy when the news started to lurk around the world of supernaturals that The Rightful Ruler of the werewolves was back. It was when Damien’s witch wives had sought the Southern Witches’ seer to look for what his future tells after his five hundred years of ruling. And the prophecy stated that he would kill a girl named Pryce Winsley, so he could continue to rule. You are the last of your lineage, and you are the chosen one to carry the sacred soul, Your Highness. I don't know how you came back to life, but I believe I have no right to know. And I thank you, Princess Blair, for ending Damien's life. The Moon Goddess had not failed in making you the only mate and keeper of the Majesty. Did you know that you hold a one-of-a-kind soul, too?” He continued and smiled warmly at my girl, who was about to let out her concern.
“Oh, cool! No problem, Mr. Ford. Everything… I’ll do it for her. Well, to answer your question. Uh... Here, I remembered. A few weeks ago, Alison’s daughter, Carson, that genius, told us her findings from her research from all the ancient history books of the werewolves that she could find that there is only one soulmate of The Rightful One. And then, I knew that I fudging have it! Isn't that amazing? Yeah, it is true. But this soul was indeed useless as fudge in my previous life that King Alcatraz never found me. I don’t know… maybe I was a mushroom back then. Or a cat. Or maybe I had lived in the North Pole or on an island. Or I simply never existed that time. That’s tragic and sad. But now, I think we pretty much made a great team. Right, Cupcake?” Blair said and babbled, then reached for my left hand, and I couldn't agree more. She is indeed the best. I couldn't ask for anyone else. However, it quite surprised us when we learned that most of Blair's past lives were all bound with mine. We really are soulmates, and I am happy that we have met in this lifetime of ours.
I looked at the other women here, who seemed all confused but amazed by the information they had been hearing from this mysterious man. And me, too. I'm actually all curious about everything he is telling us.
“Being mateless, it was the reason why King Alcatraz has never become as strong as his previous lives. And that made the traitor Damien see an opportunity to kill him during the night of the Super Blue Blood Moon, making the rest of the werewolves fear him as he defeated the king at his strongest form, but the truth is… He just stabbed him in the back with a silver sword. No fight has happened. King Alcatraz was the most remarkable man I ever met. I was an outcast Beta of an infamous pack, but he found me on almost the verge of my life when my previous pack badly beat me to death, and he saved me. He was my mentor, and he gave me a home at the Central Domain. Then he gave me a job to protect the princess. He was a great leader, father, teacher, and a good friend of the one who murdered him. I was there. I witnessed it all, and I couldn’t do anything when he got killed. I just ran away after almost getting killed, too, when I tried to save the young Alison from Damien. I was a coward as I had never returned. I failed him. I failed her. But right now, knowing that his soul is back and lived in you, I could finally ask for forgiveness. However, I don't expect that I will earn it easily. And about the academy… Keeping it away from other people who wanted and were desperate in having it after your father, Kyle Winsley, sold it was the least I could do to honor you, Your Highness. I forced him to sell it to me because I know he can never take care of it well as he has lost his way being broke from mourning your death and knowing that you weren't really human." He explained with different sad and regretful emotions, making me and the rest of us here nod our heads as his words sunk in our understanding. Wow, just wow.
The lawyer sitting between us gave a knowing look to Marvy, and they seemed to be talking with their eyes only. I know they know nothing much about the supernatural realm and felt out of place in this meeting. Poor girls. This is absolutely not the meeting that was planned.
"Okay. Alright. Then... Uh... You know, Mr. Herrera---" I began, but he cut me off, "Sorry to interrupt, Your Highness, but you can just call me Ford. Supposed to be Sebastian, but I... That man was long gone."
"Okay, Ford... So, you were asking for forgiveness... and I think it isn't me who you should ask for one. I am not Alcatraz. But I am sure he would understand why you did what you did before. I know that Alison would love to meet you. She did a pretty good job in making the ones that went rogue for centuries after her father died come back to the arms of the werewolves' society. I know she will forgive you. I'm sure of it." I told him reassuringly with a smile, and he closed his eyes as he nodded his head, and tears escaped from them.
I looked at my mate when she said something to him, "Yeah, the current queen of the werewolves is super awesome. And she would surely forgive you. Just ask nicely because that beast has a pretty big mouth and very sharp teeth and claws, pretty much like this girl here. You shouldn't dare make them upset."
"I surely will, Princess. Well, now... Umm, back to business matters. The PWA will, of course, be back to the rightful owner. You can have it, Your Highness." Ford replied and affirmed, making us all cheer in here.
"Really? Damn, I told you, Babe, that we can get it!" Blair rejoiced and stood up to happily shake the man's right hand.
"Great! So, how much should we pay you, Ford?" I asked him, which he answered, "Nothing. I just did my best to protect it---"
"I insist. And you cannot disobey such an order. You bought it from my father a long time ago, and we will, at least, pay you twice the amount you paid for it. And of course, we need to know the costs of the new buildings there-- there were a lot, and they were all great. Let's make this deal back to the human way, Mr. Herrera. Business is business." I told him, making him sigh in surrender, and I extended my hand for a handshake.
"Alright. Of course. Do what you want, Miss Winsley." He said and shook my hand, and I think we are about to get done for this session.
"I suppose we have to do a visit to the academy and meet people who can help us with the legal process of the transfer of ownership," I uttered and looked at Marvy when she raised a hand to speak.
"If you want a tour around the campus, I'm always there at the office. You can always call me, girls." The principal winked at us, and my mate let out a chuckle. "Even during midnight, Marve? We actually love to go there when there are no high school kids around."
"Uh... Well..." Marvy was about to reply, but Leanne butted in. "Count me in! I have always wanted to stroll at the PWA at night since high school and try to see if there are paranormal things that could happen there. I'm sure Rey would also go with us. So, yeah, when would it be, Blair, Pryce?"
We all looked at her weirdly because she was so damn excited about it, and Marvy uttered, "Mmm, that sounds nice. But if you, girls, want to visit the academy without students, why don't we go there on weekends? In that way, we could clearly see the buildings there."
"She got the point." I agreed with the principal, and the two girls here on my left are damn talking in their heads as my mate used some witchiness to the lawyer once again. And they seem to have been making plans now, ecstatically. Hmmm. Children.
"Please don't mind these ladies here, Mr. Herrera. Back to our proper discussion. I suppose we should have another meeting. Maybe next Saturday since we really aren't available on weekdays because we have classes to attend. We will just let you know when we can have that meeting. Also... You should set a schedule to have an appointment with Queen Alison if you are ready. Just let us know, and we could get you to her." I told the man, and he agreed and was thankful.
After Ford Herrera had left the conference room, here we are now talking to our human friends about them visiting us at our home tomorrow, Sunday. And their children included. And I know better. Cassie would not let this pass. It's going to be one hella great barbeque party then. I'm excited, just like these girls here.
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"How did your meeting go, Blairie? Prycie?" My best friend cheerfully greeted us while she was kneading some dough on the kitchen counter, and we sat down on the stools to tell her things from our lunch meeting.
"Guess what?" Blair began, and the witch doctor, chef now, raised an eyebrow and asked, "What?"
"I said guess, Sander. So you should fudging guess." Blair answered, and I stood up to get and drink a glass of cold water from the fridge.
"Uh... Should we use witchcraft upon him now? I am actually all hyped up for finally using that forbidden mind spell I learned decades ago but had only used on rats to come freely to my mate for her food." Cassie let out, making me spit the water out my mouth, and they both looked at me.
"You are making Alison eat rats?" I asked her with my eyes widened in not-so-awesome wonder, and she nodded her head in response.
"Yeah! Those tiny creatures slither at the fields at the Central Domain and eat the farm crops there. And the easiest way to terminate them gradually is to let the wolves eat them. But when my lazy big-ass wife gets super lazy, she would just ask me to command the rats to go to our camp. They are a good source of protein, Prycie. And I don't believe that you have not eaten some cringe-worthy creatures in the forest."
"Oh, just a damn anaconda and some s---" my mate let out with a cheeky smile, and I quickly cut her off, "Blair! Please, don't make me remember that!"
She raised both hands and zipped her mouth. Good.
I looked back to my best friend to ask her. "Anyway, Cassie, talking about Alison, can I ask you something serious?"
She stopped what she was doing with the dough and looked at me.
"Yeah, sure. But damn, I kind of don't like it when you go serious, Prycie. But I am curious about what it is. Go on." She answered, and I cleared my throat before I asked her.
"Do you know someone... uh... a werewolf named Sebastian Cortez that Alison might have known? Has she told you something... anything about him?"
Her face turned grim and curious, but she nodded her head in response.
Alright.