The Return of the Hybrid Princess

Chapter 20: Together Again

    As the meeting drug on many of the packs were getting antsy and annoyed. There were a couple times where reinforcements were sent in to break up a fight. I was able to peak at the housing arrangements and found my families rooms. They were the closest to the meeting room. They also got a house all to themselves. I guess being royalty does pay off. I was able to sneak into the house. I know I could be in some deep trouble if I'm caught in the house but oh well I don't care. Actually I could probably be in trouble for hanging around the house.   The first room I came to was Caleb's and Caroline's room. I saw their suit cases were neatly put away in the closet while their clothing was in the drawers in the dresser. You could smell the change in the scent that accompanied their change. Caleb no longer smells the joyful and exciting way he once did. Now he just smells defeated and depressed. Caroline's scent was starting to smell the same way. After leaving that room I went to dad's and Maria's room. Their stuff was put away nicely. Dad's scent was full of grief, dispair, and sadness. Maria's smelt like heartbreak. Probably from having to watch her mate that she hasn't had back for very long going through a change that would only end with death unless somehow it got better. I whined from the pain that they were going through because of me. Now that I think of it I didn't cause any of this. It was all Jace. That slimy little scumbag is the reason why my family is dying. He's the reason why I'm so broken. He is to blame for all of the pain and suffering that's going on right now. I don't understand why being king meant so much to him. He was never going to be one anyways so why is he desperate now? He's into black magic and stuff. A kingdom would try and overthrow him pretty quickly and they'd easily do it. I was snapped out of my trance when I spotted something that truly broke my heart. I saw that my father had two picture frames. One was an actual picture of me when they introduced me to the palace and the other was a painting. It was such a great painting that unless you had perfect eyesight and we're up to like face to face with it you would think it was and actual painting. It had me in the front with my parents slightly behind me. Mom on the left and dad on the right then behind them were my siblings. Arya on the last and Caleb on the right. We formed a V shape and we were all in black. I wonder who painted this. The background was the woods at night time and fog swirled around out mid thighs and down. The moon was full and made everyone glow a little. It looked so real that I could literally see myself standing there while this picture was being taken. I picked up the picture and hugged it to my chest while I took the moment to close my eyes. A stray tear slid down my right cheek. I set the picture down back into the same spot that it had previously been in then I wiped away my tear. I slowly backed out of the room and made sure everything was in perfect order before creeping down the stairs. After leaving the house I went back into the woods to regain my emotional control. I went to my usual sitting area that consisted of the fallen over tree with a river running below it. I laid down and let nature surround me in a calming blanket. My silence was interrupted when someone popped into my mind.
Hey you may want to get down here. Things are getting rough between your family and another pack Cheyenne linked.
I'll be there soon I replied. I took off back to the large building that held my family and many other packs. Many people looked at me like I was crazy as I zipped past but I couldn't care less about them. I was able to sneak into the room undetected to hear a bunch of insults being thrown at my family but one specific one made my family and I angry.
"You're so worthless Noe that you should be dethroned. You don't deserve it anymore!" a familiar voice shouted. I popped my head up and saw that it was none other than alpha James. My dad leapt over the table and shifted. James looked scared to death and I ran out between them.
"Stop!" I yelled as my dad started to charge.
"Hey stupid get out of the way! He's a mad man! " James shouted.
"Don't talk about him that way, " I snapped. Dad leapt over me and onto James who shifted. He didn't stand a chance. He was able to throw my dad off and shift for a second.
"Thank me later!" I yelled at him before shifting. I unmasked my scent and heard the crowd gasp which caused my dad to snap out of his rage. His eyes were red instead of the chocolate brown that the usually were. I moved towards him and let him sniff me. Caleb, Caroline, and Maria also came over. Suddenly their eyes started changing back to the color they once were. My dad shifted and threw on shorts. I shifted back with my clothes still fine and hugged my dad followed by the others.
"It was really you. You're alive! I thought you were dead. But the thing with Jace and all that. Just how?" dad asked with his words incoherent from joy.
"That's a long story but I've been his prisoner for a couple years. I'm so glad you have y'all back. I love y'all so much and never forget that," I declared.