Crown and Shackles: The Princes Mate (Story Updated)

New bonds

We all returned to the house in heavy silence. Henry and Alex carried Emily’s body, along with the others we’d lost in the fight. I couldn’t bring myself to look at her. The thought of her—lifeless—was too much to bear. She was my friend, my sister in arms... and now she was gone. The weight of her absence pressed down on me, making each step feel heavier than the last.

Instead, I focused on Jace, cradling him gently as I brought him to my father. When he held the tiny bundle in his arms, a faint smile flickered across his face—a brief flash of joy piercing through the fog of grief. But it didn’t last long. The sorrow was carved deep into his features, the raw pain of losing his son—my brother—etched into every line.

Not long after, my father left with my mother. Watching them go was like reopening a wound I wasn’t ready to face. But I knew they needed space to mourn in their own way.

No matter how much I hated him—more than anyone could ever truly understand—he was still my brother, in some twisted, unshakable way.

---

**Weeks passed.**

The pain settled into a dull ache, the rawness of loss slowly tempered by the relentless routine of life. I watched as the pack slowly began to heal. The house, once heavy with sorrow, started to feel alive again. Candles were lit, meals were shared, and laughter—though rare—broke through the silence like tentative rays of sunlight.

Jace grew quickly, his tiny hands eager to explore the world around him. Sam was always close by, quietly watching over the pup. His protective presence was a constant comfort, a silent guardian ensuring that no harm came to our little alpha.

One afternoon, I found Sam sitting nearby as Jace crawled around the garden, eyes alert and muscles ready to step in at a moment’s notice.

“Thanks for watching him,” I said softly.

Sam smiled, nodding. “He’s got a lot of people watching out for him. I won’t let anything happen to the pup.”

---

One evening, after putting Jace to bed, I went to find Logan. The room was empty.

A strange stillness hung in the air, thick and heavy. I called his name, my voice barely above a whisper. And then… I felt it—that creeping unease settling over me like a shadow.

Someone—or something—was here.

“Hello? Logan, I’m not in the mood for games,” I sighed, trying to sound braver than I felt.

Out of the corner of my eye, something darted across the room. My heart jumped, and fear clenched my chest.

“Logan?” I called again, but there was no answer.

“Logan?” I tried through our mind link.

“Yeah, honey? What is it?”

I saw him enter the room, but when I looked around, no one else was there.

“What’s wrong, honey?”

“Nothing…” I lied, scanning the empty space. “Nothing at all.”

He looked at me, judging—but he let it go.

“So where were you?”

“Come with me.”

Before I could say more, he grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the door. I took one last look around the room. Nothing. But something told me otherwise—something was wrong. Still, Logan kept pulling me away.

“What about Jace? He’s crawling now… he could follow us,” I said, tugging against his grip.

“I’ve been gone too long already,” I added, my voice breaking slightly.