The Prophecy of the Red Wolf [WattpadPrize14]

Epilogue

Shivering slightly at the light midnight breeze, I slide my hands into the pockets of my jeans. Hitting something sturdy yet velvety, I curl my fingers around the jewelry box.

 If things had gone according to plan, I would have been happily engaged for at least a month by now. But in light of recent events, it just seemed selfish.

 Sighing, I look out into the horizon, taking in the white blanket of snow over the entire landscape as far as my eyes can see. Compared to New York, the city that never sleeps, we are so far from civilization here that the nearest cluster of lights are like specs of dust in the the distance.

“You ok, babe?” Arianna’s sweet voice tears me away from the landscape and into the gaping doorway.

 “Yeah.. I’m sorry if I woke you, baby. I did remember closing the doors.” I say, curling my arms around Arianna’s slender frame as she steps out onto the balcony.

 Arianna nods her head. “You did. I opened it. Couldn’t sleep?”

 Twirling around so that we both faced the mesmerizing white landscape, I kiss her forehead. “It just seems bizarre to be staying here. In the royal palace. The past month has been crazy, to say the least.”

 We’ve been in Alaska, at the royal palace for the past month. Even though Trevor was now the newly declared king, he was still a living, breathing, feeling person and the prospect of being in a foreign land on his own did not sit well with him.

 Knowing how much he loves Arianna and the bond theyshare as siblings even though they’re now proven to be unrelated by blood, I suggested that Arianna take a leave of absence from NYU and stay to provide moral support to Trevor. Naturally wherever Arianna is, I would be too so I applied for a sabbatical and stayed on with Arianna.

 “I know! I can’t believe Trev’s coronation is tomorrow!” Arianna exclaims.

 “It’s also a good thing he’s found his mate. Although, it might help if she actually accepts him.” I chuckle at the memory of Trevor running after his mate who’d shot off into the woods after meeeting him for the first time.

 Gemma Stone was part of the Warrior Wolves’ first battalion. One of their best warriors, Gemma Stone happened to have her day off during the the day Trevor was crowned and had only met him when she reported for work the next day. Within seconds of their eyes glowing gold, Gemma Stone abruptly shifted and prowled into the woods with Trevor chasing close behind her.

 “Tomorrow you’ll be crowned a princess as well…” I say, kissing the side of Arianna’s temple.

 “I can’t believe Trevor actually wants to make me an official princess!”

 “You’re his sister, baby. Of course he’ll make you a princess.”

 “But I don’t have royal blood in my veins!”

 “You argued that he was as much your parents’ son as you are their daughter. I think the argument goes both ways, baby.” I chide.

 “Well, I suppose so…” Arianna says thoughtfully. “I can’t imagine what your official title will be when we get married, babe! You can’t be prince… Do we have barons or counts or dukes? I can’t say I know much about the heirarchy of our shifter monarchy!” Arianna giggles.

 As if by reflex, I absent-mindedly pat my right jeans pocket where the box sat like an anchor.

 “Would you ever want to marry me, Arianna?” I ask, my voice sounded huskier than I liked.

 Turning around in my arms, Arianna looks shocked. “Of course, I would babe! Unless… Unless you don’t..want to…to marry me…?” Arianna sounded so unsure and vulnerable it tugged at my heartstrings.

 Cupping her face in my palms, I lean my forehead against hers. “Baby, of course I would.”

 Fumbling for the jewelry box in my pocket, I extract it and drop onto one knee.

 Ignoring Arianna’s surprised gasp, I clear my throat nervously.

 “I had it all planned out. The day after we were supposed to witness you shift, I was going to take you out to the lake. I even roped in mom to help pack us a lovely picnic basket. Joshua – Nate’s brother – was gonna help me string fairy lights around the lake.” I gave Arianna a rueful smile.

 “I had this whole romantic speech, waxing lyrical about how beautiful you are, how kind and gentle and just perfect for me. But I never had the chance to say it. And then over the course of the month that we’ve been here, it occurred to me how superficial it would have made me sound.”

 “Yes, you’re beautiful. Yes, you’re kind. Yes, you’re gentle and yes, you’re perfect for me. But, would I love you any less if you weren’t beautiful or kind or gentle or perfect? The answer is yes. My love for you transcends all physical and emotional attributes. I will love you everyday of our lives, until my last breath. I will love you even if you have warts or smelly feet. I will love you when you’re cranky and throwing a tantrum. I will love you..For everyday of our lives.”

 Prying open the Harry Winston box, I look deep into Arianna’s eyes.

 “Will you marry me, Arianna Ravensdale?”

 Rapidly blinking away her tears, Arianna nods her head vigorously. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

 With shaky hands, I pluck the ring out of the box’s snug hold and slide it into Arianna’s ring finger. Surging to my feet, I pick Arianna up and twirl her under the moonlight. A large smile etched on my face.

 Sliding back into bed, I prop on my elbows and look study Arianna’s face.

 “You know.. I never asked you. How did you know Trevor was the royal heir?”

 “When I shifted, there wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. But the moment Trevor came into my line of vision, it was as if I was seeing him through a different lens. I could see his aura and it was strong and powerful. Instinctively, I knew he was the royal heir.”

 Thinking back to Ethan Brandt’s desperate attempt to prevent the Arianna from declaring the next king, I feel sorry that he hadn’t bothered to translate the Wolven script at the bottom of the second prophecy is ancestor transcribed.

 If he had known what we know now, he would never have been tempted to thwart the prophecy. After the first few sentences where it says that there will only be one red wolf and one chance to resurrect the monarchy, And that the red wolf cannot be coerced or bribed or forced into declaring an unrightful royal heir. Ethan hadn’t tried to decipher the Wolven text at the bottom which after translation meant that the prophesized red wolf could not be mortally wounded.

 While Arianna had suffered greatly in the hands of her uncle while she was in human form, had she had the opportunity to shift into her wolf form, she would have been invincible to any form of physical attack . We actually tried it the next day, after much persuasion from Arianna. Knives and bullets all passed through Arianna as if she were made of air.

 *****

 Watching Arianna twirl before me in her elegant floor length, baby pink gown with dark pink lining at her feet, I struggle to form sentences in my head.

 Picking my jaw off the floor, I breathe, “You’re gorgeous, Arianna. A gown befitting a princess…”

 Holding my arm out to her, I escort her from our room in the west wing, down three flights of stairs and out into the backyard where the coronation was to take place.

 With her engagement ring catching the sunlight, I can’t wait for our wedding day to arrive.