A Royal Mate
Part 35

Marina walked in wearing an all white bohemian style dress with bell shaped sleeves. Her hair was a beautiful bronze color and fell just below her shoulders. She had stricking emerald eyes that sparkled in the light and her skin was milky white and flawless. She didn't look a day over 20 but according to Zel she was well over 350 years old. Her beauty took my breath away but it was her eyes that had me captivated. We held each other's gaze as she glided across the floor and stopped right in front of me. Grabbing my hand she flipped it over so my palm was facing up and traced the lines along the center. She inhaled sharply as her eyes changed from green to yellow then to a chilling white. I felt my body being invading by her spirit and soon my mind was flooded with random images. Short clips of scenes that I didn't recognize but were somehow important to me. I saw faces that were unfamiliar yet they seemed personal and close to me.

Suddenly my palm began to feel hot and there were little jolts of electricity that traveled from my hand all the way down one side of my body and back up the other landing in my chest lighting my heart on fire. I felt like all the energy in the room had been sucked out and was sent straight into me with one touch. The air was thick with power and a cool wind started to swirl around us blowing loose papers and and debris into a tornado that encased Marina and I in the middle. I could hear screaming all around us but the sounds were mumbled like I was under water. I couldn't move or think I was just standing there hypnotized by Marina's eyes.

I felt like I was weightless, like I was hovering just above the floor. Marina smiled and a bright shiny light appeared behind her head. It illuminated the whole room causing me to blink. She started to speak in a calm soothing voice that sounded so angelic. I watched her mouth move as the words came spilling out in slow motion but none of it was making sense. Then I saw him. The face of Jack and his beautiful smile that always made my heart race and my body quiver with need. Then his wolf watching me from the woods. Then the night in the bar for his friends bachelor party. Then the confused look on his face when I left. Suddenly the room darkened and I saw him naked hanging from something. He was dirty and looked sick.

Marina let go of my hand and the world around us returned to normal. I stood there staring at Marina who's face was full of pain. She looked weak and frail but she looked at me and said "You are more powerful than I thought, Anna. And your mate is in danger. We have to replace him, immediately."

Zel and the others were standing their with their mouthes open and eyes wide. The office was a mess and no one knew what was going on.

Just as I was about to talk the door to Zel's shop opened and I knew immediately who it was. Val!

"Zel? Are you in he...?" She stopped talking as she walked in the back and noticed all the papers on the floor and the 4 unfamiliar wolves standing in the office. "Umm did I interrupt something?" She said folding her arms across her chest and giving me a pointed look.

"Val, I think we should talk!" I said with a guilty look.

"You think? What is going on here Anna? You've been avoiding me for weeks, you leave the house secretly to do goddess knows what and now I replace you here with Zel and these strange people?"

"I can expla..."

"Allow me, Anna. Valena, correct?" Interjected Marina.

"It's Val, please. And may I ask who you are?"

Marina smiled and turned to me "I like her she's got spunk!" She turned back to Val and continued talking "My name is Marina Wellington. Zel and I are old friends and I was a member of Anna's original pack."

Val's jaw dropped as she stuttered "W-wait you mean h-her Royal pack?"

Marina shook her head "Yes. I came here to help Anna." Just as she was about to explain one of her friends cleared their throat as if waiting for an introduction. I had almost forgotten they were here with that haunting interaction between Marina and I. "Oh goddess where are my manners? Allow me to introduce you to Lena and her mate, Xander O'Malley from the Greenforest Pack in Ireland and Stavros and his mate Cassandra Kamber from the Athenos Pack in Greece. We are members of the original parliment dedicated to the Royal family."

There was a shuttering silence that swept over the entire shop. Once I regained my composure I walked up to each of them and introduced myself "My name is Anna Steine. I wanted to thank you for coming here to help with this situation." They each bowed down to me and chanted something in Latin, to which Marina said loosely translated meant "to you we will always be loyal." I didn't think I could get used to such formal introductions but I knew this was just the beginning of a long list of traditions to which I should be accustomed.

Before we could continue our conversation there was another knock on the door. No one moved and another knock echoed through the office. Zel shook her head and scurried off towards the door. We all stood around awkwardedly until Zel reappeared with 4 very muscular men all dressed in expensive suits. These must be the ambassadors. Zel ushered everyone into a conference room in the back of her shop. After we all took our seats, one of the scary men spoke. "My name is Charles and I am the Captain of the ambassadors." He pointed to each individual man and introduced them "This is Marcus, my second in command. Next is Nathan and lastly this is Reese. We understand that there is a possibly a need for a search and rescue on our lands." He gave us a stern look and continued speaking. "We have already been informed of the missing persons name and description and have come to inform you to stay out of this matter. If anyone of you attempt to cross anywhere on this land I will personally see to it that you are all imprisoned. Do I make myself clear?"