The Prince's Gift

Chapter 95.

Cast: Braelyn (Hailee Steinfeld); Elias

Ana's POV

I felt Braelyn's heart beat for the final time before coming completely to a stop. The air left her lungs and her body stilled as she slumped back against Elias. I sealed her wound and sat back, watching her intently as I waited for the transition to begin.

"How long should this take Zane?" I asked impatiently after several moments passed with no change.

Zane's hand stroked against the crook of my neck and I leaned into his touch instinctively. "There's no set amount of time. Some change quicker than others." He leaned down and placed a kiss on top of my forehead and I could feel him sigh against my hair. "Your transition felt like it's own eternity while I waited. Give her time. You did everything perfectly."

I could feel Braelyn's blood coursing through me and my body was surging with energy. Zane could feel it blasting through the bond and his own hand was stroking against my skin in a steady rhythm in an attempt to keep himself grounded and focused on the task at hand.

"The sooner this finishes, the sooner I can get you back to our room." He said and I could feel the surge of lust rolling off of him.

Finally, I sensed a shift in the air around us, like it was suddenly electric and then Braelyn lurched, gasping for air as her eyes fluttered open. My hands reached for her as Elias wrapped his arms around her firmly, but gently.

"Braelyn, you're ok. Take a breath." I said as I hovered above her to get her attention on me.

Her eyes widened and she stilled, forcing air in and out of her lungs. "Did it work?" She said on a breath. "Am I.." she started but her words fell away.

I nodded and smiled down at her. I could feel the bond tying her to me strengthening, but it wasn't completed just yet. "Almost. There's just one more step." I said and my eyes flashed to Elias before settling back on the couch.

She nodded one short nod and sat up, turning to face Elias. He braced himself and steadied, waiting for her to make the final move.

"Remember Braelyn, it's going to be hard to stop. This is your first time feeding and your body is going to want to keep going. You have to learn to control your thirst. You must control the urge to continue and recognize when your thirst is satisfied." I said, preparing to step in if she wasn't able to force herself to stop.

Zane stood and made his way around to stand behind Elias to prepare himself for an emergency as well. Braelyn breathed in and out twice before finally stilling, honing her focus into the place at the crook of Elias's neck.

"I trust you Brae. I know you'll stop. It's ok." Elias said, never hesitating.

Braelyn leaned forward and steadied her hands, gripping the back of his head and shoulder as she placed her lips to his neck. I sensed Elias tense just slightly as his heart rate picked up, but it wasn't nervousness. My lips curled up at the edges as I waited patiently for Braelyn to make her move. Elias gasped and I smelled the iron rich scent in the air as Braelyn bit her new fangs into Elias's neck, pulling a hesitant first sip from his vein. In seconds, she was greedily pulling more and more until finally she wrenched herself away from him, wiping her mouth as she looked up at Zane and then back at me with dark eyes.

I squeezed her shoulder and smiled. "That's good Braelyn. Now just seal the wound like you've seen me do. You can give him a bit of your blood and he will not suffer any symptoms of blood loss while he recovers."

Braelyn thought for a moment and then slowly brought her wrist to her lips, slicing into it with her fangs and leaning forward to bring it to Elias. He nodded and took her wrist, drinking several sips from her wound before leaning back and waiting to heal.

"It is finished." I said to Braelyn.

Her eyes slowly began changing from black to a bold blood red and she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror as she stood.

"That will go back to normal soon too. Don't worry." I said with a smile.

The blood bond tying her to me was finished and I could sense her. Not in the same way that I was connected to Zane, but more like a subtle feeling, knowing her as if she were an extension of myself. We were connected and yet still independent from one another. She was an extension of mine and Zane's bloodline, and the strength inside of her was already merging with my blood now coursing through her veins. I reached for her and pulled her into me, noticing that her scent had altered, mixing with my own just slightly.

"Braelyn, you have always been my family, but now you are a part of me. You are of my blood and I will always protect you as such." I whispered into her ear.

I felt her nod against me and squeeze me tighter before finally releasing me. I turned to Elias and patted his shoulder gently as he smiled warmly back at me. "When the time is right, she will change you. But for now, she'll need you." I said, hearing his thoughts pouring out of him.

He wanted to be with her, for eternity. And she wanted that just as badly. I felt my heart swell as I felt the youthful love connecting them both. For now, she'd need his blood to acclimate, and when she was ready, she'd change him and their connection was become sealed in a mate bond. I could sense it; feel their future as if it were tangible.

I turned back to look over my shoulder to see Zane with a distant look on his face and realized that he sensed it too. I gave him a small smile and held my hand out for him. "Let's give them some space."

He nodded to both of them and squeezed Braelyn's shoulder gently as he walked by before taking my hand and leaving the room. The walk felt like it was moving in slow motion and I felt drained and yet so alive at the same time. I couldn't describe it, but it was something completely new and strange to me.

As we made it back to our room, I walked into Amirah's nursery and thanked my mother for keeping her before she headed back to my father.  I looked down at the tiny sleeping form swaddled in her blanket and stilled. I sent a silent thank you into the universe and let my love fill the air around us, blanketing her in a quiet protection.

Zane's presence was behind me and I could feel his body gently pressed to the back of mine as his fingers stroked up my arm.

"She's so serene. Like she knows how loved she is. Like she knows she's safe." I whispered.

Zane leaned in and his words tickled my ear as he spoke them quietly, sending a shiver down my spine. "It's because she knows her incredible and powerful mother is watching over her and protecting her." I leaned into him and he placed a kiss against my hair. "Come to bed Ana."

His gravelly voice sent another shiver down my spine and my entire body began to grow warmer. I looked back at him as he backed out of the room before turning and walking back into our own to wait for me. I bit my lip in anticipation and sent a second silent thank you into the universe. I'd gotten everything I had dreamed of. And now it was time to embrace it.