Old Friends

Jasmine POV

The luscious gardens of the pack house provided a beautiful view. Sitting on the bench, the sun setting, I admired the view and the peace that came with it. A well-manicured landscape, littered by rose bushes, gardenias and flowering wisterias bursting with pops of color and sensual smells, overlooking ponds where ducks and fish played were before me, like an image painted by a master. Squirrels roamed around, as did many birds and rabbits, although I did not know how any of them were safe in the wolf pack. As if he heard my thoughts, Alpha King Jonathan walked over, following my eyes, and sat on the bench giving me a tight hug. “We let them live, we have plenty of meat in this house, we do not eat our pets, Princess” he chuckled. “Little pups love seeing them and playing with those willing – of course in their human form. We even have set up feeders”, he motioned over, and indeed I saw several feeding boxes and bird hangers. I chuckled. A wolf pack, with wildlife pets. Seemed kind of fitting. I always had a soft spot for him, and so did my father. He was an excellent Alpha, a real credit to the werewolf species. Not only was he strong enough to maintain the kingdom after the issues which arose from the Great War onward, he was fair, and he was just. He was an ally, and he did not discriminate, he was accepting of everyone, a very loyal man. He did not hate, as some Alphas of his rank did. They hated hybrids or those of different genetic makeup, including humans. In fact, I knew that several of his own pack were once humans who chose to turn for their mates. And some choose to remain human, fully embracing our way of life, save for turning. He was ahead of his time, with a strong personality, albeit a quiet one, just like his father before him. Angela was always the gregarious one, a beautiful wolf with the blood of witches in her lineage, and a true heir to Sakut’s line. She was my good friend and I missed her dearly!



I still remember her sparkling blue eyes, her smile, her beautiful face, kind heart, her fierce nature and her loyalty to her mate and her children. She died wanting to avenge Michael, wanting to protect her family, Queen Luna to her last breath. Tears always came when I thought of her, the tragedy of their love always plaguing me. If only I was there, I thought. Much tied me to Jonathan’s pack, much that cannot even be explained, but I always somehow found myself gravitating here. Yes, we were friends. Yes, I loved Angela as a sister. But for a Lycan, and a witch, it was not common to be as close as I was to them. Yet, here I was, a Godmother to Roman, unbeknownst to him, and Godmother to Michael, the heir that was promised, now a dead child. As was Angela, my now dead sister, my friend. And now, I have another mission. I will honor it, if it takes my life, as it nearly did. Ironically, the person I swore to protect is the one that brought me back to life. Dragana, the Tribrid, the fated mate to the Spieta line. Only a few of us knew of the old prophecy. And now, we were caught in the war which was brewing to explode – the war that was about her. And it boiled down to this. If she chose wrong, if she was not mated to her true fate and somehow, even by force, her blood ended in the wrong hands, it could spell doom for all our species.



I watched the stars starting to come out, shy at first and then sparkle with their full power. Alpha King Jonathan sat next to me, and we understood each other without uttering a word. “I am so grateful you recovered, Jasmine. I was very worried, and I did not know what to do. I..I could not bear the thought of losing you… And I want to say it again, thank you so much for saving Art. That boy is like my own", he spoke, his chest was heaving, and I could see how uncomfortable he was even thinking of doom that may have been. “Jonathan.. my friend… this is not your fault.. none of it is”, I said, giving him a hug and genuinely meaning every word I said. I knew he tried. I knew for many years he did the best he could. I knew he protected Dragana with every ounce of his being, even if his methods were flawed.



“I tried; I really did. I had a lot to hide, and I did not want her to learn too early who she was. I was a fool I guess, an old fool”, he said, his face solemn and etched with remorse. “You have nothing to feel guilty about, Princess Dzana and Dragana were hunted Jonathan! Angela and you are the only reasons they survived! Who knows what would have happened to them if you did not step up and perpetrated the ruse? Who knows which spies would have been after them and if they would even live”? I knew the pain within his heart. It was the same pain rippling me, questioning me. I often wondered what more I could have done, how I should have saved Dzana. I have had fears and nightmares ever since she died. I hovered over Dragana’s life, not taking an active role until now, and guilt was eating at me. Was I too late???



“Roman has decided to marry Alice”, his words snapped me into a sobering reality. “She is not his mate. I do not know what the girl is playing at, but she cannot possibly be his mate!!!”, I was now getting pissed off!!!! “The prophecy was clear about this Jonathan! We need to stop her!” “I am not sure if that will be possible. Roman is upset about the secrets hid from him, and it feels as if he had given up Jasmine. He is speaking of duty and honor, and putting the Kingdom first, himself last! He does not understand, he does not seem to care anymore”, Jonathan said, wiping tears from his eyes.