by VJ Dunraven
A mixture of confusion, anger, and betrayal boiled in the marrow of her bones. She was so enraged that her hands began to tremble and hot tears pricked her eyes.
Why did her mom do this? Lie to her—, not just once, but many times, over the years? And why did William hide the truth from her, made her fall in love with him, fool her into believing that he loved her just the way she was, against all odds, when in reality, he simply needed her as a necessity to revive his clan!
She propped her elbows on her desk and covered her face with shaking hands, stifling a sob. Did she really believe that a Prince like him would fall for a nobody like her? What a gullible dumbass she had been!
“Elizabeth.” Lela touched her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
She drew a deep breath and nodded, dragging her palms across her eyes to wipe the tears that had slipped away, and catching a glimpse of her friends standing around her in the empty room. In her absorption with her misery, she didn't even hear the bell ring or notice the class had ended.
“Are you sure?” Carlos said from behind her chair.
She nodded again, unable to talk, swiping frantically at the tears that wouldn't stop coming.
Ben tucked a pink hanky in her hand and rubbed her back. “There, there, tell us. What's the matter? What can we do to help you?”
“C-can you guys give me a ride home?” She hiccupped, gathering her things.
“Isn't Prince William picking you up?” Lela asked.
“Y-yes, but I don't want to see him.” She stood up and slung her bag on her shoulder.
“Why, what happened?” Carlos asked.
“He lied to me. He doesn't love me. I was so stupid, I thought . . .” She shuddered and choked on a sob.
Ben, Lela, and Carlos exchanged glances and pulled her into a group hug, ceasing to ask any more questions.
“You're not stupid for falling for him,” Ben said. “He's charming and gorgeous and you're not blind—, he is. You're a good, smart, beautiful girl, and he's an idiot if he can't see that.”
“He wanted me to go to England with him.” She dabbed the corners of her eyes with the hanky.
“Wait—, I’m confused,” Ben exclaimed. “If he wanted you to go with him to England, then what makes you think he's not serious about you?”
Elizabeth exhaled heavily. “It's a long, complicated story. I really should've listened to you guys when you warned me. Chad even told me to be careful but . . .” She suddenly wished that Chad was around so she could hide in the security of his arms.
“Don't beat yourself up over it,” Lela said, urging her to the door and into the corridor. “You guys seemed perfectly fine when he dropped you off and we have no idea what upset you in the two hours we were in class. But just so you know—, we're here when you're ready to talk about it, okay?”
Elizabeth bit her lip and croaked, “Okay,” thankful for having good friends who stood by her no matter what. Then, she belatedly realized with a sinking feeling—, that like her, the web of lies surrounding who she truly was also deceived them.
Chapter 52
On Love and Trust
Prince William sped through the gates of Darian Hall earlier than usual. He had finished all his obligations for the day in anticipation of their trip to England in the morning.
A new red Camaro passed just as he neared the parking lot and in that split-second. He caught Elizabeth's scent. He cursed, swerved his car, and gave chase.
It took only a moment for the Prince's powerful vehicle to cut off the car Carlos was driving, forcing him to pull over on the side of the road before reaching the main exit gates.
He slammed the door to his car and stalked towards the Camaro with a marked frown. “Where are you going?” he barked, as he yanked open the door next to Elizabeth's seat. “Didn't I tell you I was going to pick you up?”
Elizabeth glanced at her friends. “Can you guys wait for me?” she said, before stepping out.
“Sure,” Ben said. “Carlos, lock the doors and close the windows. This is going to be war.”
Prince William felt an instant sense of foreboding as soon as he laid eyes on Elizabeth. She was very, very angry and though he wouldn’t let himself delve into her thoughts, somewhere in the back of his mind, he already knew what the reason was.
“I'm not coming with you to England.” She regarded him with cold, distant eyes, far different from the girl who had just kissed him goodbye a few hours ago.
“Why?” His gloom deepened.
“You know why!” Tears sprang in her eyes. “Don't pretend you're clueless! I know why you wanted me to go with you!”
“Elizabeth—” He made a move towards her.
“Don't!” She recoiled from him. “Don't you dare touch me.”
“Elizabeth, listen to me—,” He stymied the spiraling panic in his gut and took another step closer. This couldn't be happening—, not now, not when everything was going perfectly.
“No—you listen to me!” She held up her hands and backed away. “You misled me. I trusted you and you lied to me!”
“What the hell are you talking about?” His heart pulsated with apprehension.
“You made me believe you loved me!” she cried, flushed with fury, chest heaving with each labored breath. “And I was so stupid to fall for you. You tricked me to get what you wanted.”
“Damn it, Elizabeth!” his own rage spilled from his tongue with a loathsome, bitter taste. “I did no such thing.”
“Oh yes, you did!” She narrowed her eyes and he saw the hurt and betrayal in their depths. “I was gullible and you took advantage of me. You were after me for a reason—, so you can breed your clan of Pure Bloods.”
“Yes, but that is my—, our destiny!” he bellowed, the mounting pressure in his chest slowly suffocating him. “The entire clan of the Highest Royal Coven of Europe is counting on us, and I intend to see to it that the Purification will not fail this time around.”
“Exactly,” she spat. “You courted me so I would agree to your plans. So you could bring me home, your prized Pure One, ready and willing to breed like a freaking dog!”
“That is not true!” he retorted with equivalent incandescence. “I wooed you because I loved you. I could have just ordered my men to drag you back to England, but I did not. I wanted us to get to know each other, become friends, then from there, fall in love—, like Papa and Mama.”
“Your parents' love for each other is genuine, William. Not some prearranged match influenced by duty and destiny. There's a difference!”
The profound disillusionment in her face and the perfidy in her eyes siphoned the very air in his lungs. He suddenly felt haggard and accountable. In a quiet, imploring voice, he said the only thing he knew in his heart was true. “What I feel for you is real, Elizabeth. I truly do love you.”
“I don't believe you!” she shrieked. “If we met under the usual circumstances—, you, the Prince, sole heir to the throne, and I, just a girl from the Tainted wing—, would you even be aware that I existed? Would you even notice me in the crowd?”
Her rejection felt as if a wedge had slashed straight into his core, the fissure widening with every breath he took. “Why are you doing this to us? You are my Pure One and I am your Twin Flame.”
“What if I wasn't? What then, William? Would you still love me?” She tilted her chin up with a challenging glare.
He stopped to look at her—, really look at her. She was slipping away from his fingers. He was losing her. He opened his mouth to talk, to argue his case, but the determined set of her mouth forbade him.
Her voice broke the awkward silence. “You are not in love with me, William. You are in love with the idea of fulfilling your duty to your clan.”
The scalding rebuke scorched a raw nerve. “If that is what you think, then, you don't really know me.” He clenched his jaw to thwart the disconsolate sense of loss that swiftly invaded his entire being.
“No, I don't.” She shook her head. “In fact, I don't e
ven recognize you. The guy I fell in love with was William Erik Darkcross, not the conniving Prince who would do anything to entice a naive female into his lair, so he could use her like an animal to breed his precious offspring!” She turned away and covered her face with her hands, weeping with such ruefulness, that his heart shattered with the pain he had inadvertently caused her.
As she stood sobbing and disheveled before him, once again, he saw the sad, confused girl, he had held in his arms not long ago in that dark creek, who was lonely and frightened.
“Elizabeth—” He reached out, wanting so badly to comfort her, tell her how sorry he was, and how much he loved her.
“Don't.” She flicked his hand away. “Please—, just go.”
“Elizabeth, you don't understand—” he persevered, though he didn't have an idea what to do or how to handle the situation, much less fix it, or undo it—, anything that would earn her trust again.
“Understand what?” She riveted glittering, swollen eyes at him. “You already told me once before—, you came here to find me. Now I know the reason why. I don't need any more explanations.”
“Please don’t do this,” he rasped, unable to hide the desperation in his voice.
She inhaled sharply and straightened with a steely glint in her eyes. He could almost physically see the walls she surrounded herself with, rising between them all over again.
“I'm done, Your Highness.” She bowed her head and curtsied, expressing deference, but her tone had a hint of defiance. “Thank you for giving me the honor of your company in the last few weeks, in spite of your busy schedule.” She turned and strode towards her waiting friends in the car, not giving him a chance to respond.
Stunned and speechless, he watched helplessly as the car drove away, leaving him in a cloud of settling dust. His strong-willed Elizabeth had toppled his world from its axis, together with every plan and dream he'd carefully charted for the two of them.
For the first time in his life, he felt powerless. His connections, his wealth, not even the magnitude of his rank mattered to her. Her human nature—, the side that possessed principles he could not comprehend, had prevailed. What was it she needed that he has not given?
Only then, did he realize. One thing truly meant something to her—, the very same thing he'd failed to offer.
Unconditional Love.
His heart clenched. He wanted to tell her he loved her, completely and absolutely, regardless of the circumstances, but it was too late. She'd already gone—, flown free from his grasp.
Chapter 53
Mother and Daughter
Colonel Alec Gunter glanced at his watch as the driver packed the last of his luggage in the trunk of the limousine. “Major Greer!” He riveted sharp eyes on the Major who stood at attention. “Did you follow all my instructions regarding Princess Elizabeth's security?”
“Yes, Sir! I have posted the men according to your directions and they are tailing her wherever she goes.”
“I want everyone on high alert,” Colonel Gunter snapped. “If the Duke so much as touches a single hair on her head, I will personally hold you responsible. Am I making myself clear?”
“Yes, Sir!”
“Excellent. General Bradford will take over from here.” Colonel Gunter proffered a hand and gave the Major a single firm handshake. “Good luck, Major.”
“Thank you, Sir,” the Major saluted, as the Colonel boarded his vehicle.
“Matthews,” Colonel Gunter called to the driver. “Take me to Princess Elizabeth.”
“Yes, Sir.” The driver peered at him from the rearview mirror of the limousine.
Colonel Gunter gazed out the window and reflected on what he was about to do. He'd debated and deliberated with himself, but in the end, he was satisfied with his decision.
The men he had sent to watch Elizabeth in school had informed him of Elizabeth's departure with her friends after class and her subsequent quarrel with the Prince. Apparently, she'd discovered her true identity and that changed his plans.
Now that she knew everything, he could no longer carry on with the lies and leave without telling her who he truly was. He could not simply abandon their friendship without explaining why—, why he couldn't keep his promise, why he couldn't stay.
Most of all, he didn't want her to hate him. He wanted to see her one last time to make sure she was safe—, to part ways with her as friends. To assure her that perhaps, one of these days their paths might cross again, but until then, she would always be in his thoughts and he would miss her.
Terribly.
Colonel Gunter fixed the collar of his distinctive dress uniform. He'd played out the scene he'd imagined numerous times in his head about how Elizabeth would take the news. He knew it wouldn't be easy. Hell, even now he could already feel the sting of losing her. But one thing was certain—, there would be no more secrets between them.
At the yellow cottage, Elizabeth waved goodbye to her friends from the front porch, then, went inside to search for her mom. Her agitation had settled down significantly during the ride home, but as soon as her friends had left and she was alone, her ire returned. This time, it was directed towards her mom.
She found her mother packing in the bedroom.
“There you are!” Her mom glanced at her as she stood in the doorway. “I didn't expect you back so early.” She folded a pair of pants and placed them in the suitcase on top of the bed. “Where's Prince William? Did he pick you up ahead of time so you could get ready for tomorrow?”
Elizabeth stepped inside the room and closed the door. “I'm not going.” She leaned back against the doorframe and regarded her mom with narrowed eyes.
Mom dropped the shirt she was folding and met her gaze.
A yawning silence ensued, before her mother heaved a strenuous sigh and sat on the edge of the bed. “You found out,” she said quietly.
“Yes—, in class of all places!” Elizabeth cried, pouring out all the resentment that had been seething inside her during the last hour. “Everything about me is a lie. How could you do this to me, Mom?”
“We were on the run and I had to protect you. I had to bring you up among mortals. Being human was all you knew and I didn't want you to feel different—like an oddity, an outcast. All I wanted was for you to grow up as normal as possible.”
“And so you lied to me,” Elizabeth said through clenched teeth. “You created Elizabeth Hamilton, an average American girl, who, like many others my age, came from a broken home and was raised by a single parent.”
“Yes.” Her mother rose from the bed and looked pensively out the window. “Your real name is Princess Elizabeth Adeline Somerset the Sixteenth and your father is King Edmund Royce Somerset the twelfth, former King of the Highest Royal Coven of Europe. You are our only child.”
“So my father wasn't aware I existed? How could you keep me from him? You made me think he abandoned me! Do you know what it's like growing up knowing that your own father didn't want you?”
“I am not proud of what I did or what I had to do for us to survive.” Her mom looked at her with pained eyes, filling with unshed tears. “Do you know what it's like to live, knowing you'll never see the only man you ever loved? Every single night, I yearned and cried for your father. I would rather die than never see him, touch him, or hear his voice again, and many times, I got so close to driving a dagger through my heart and throwing myself into the flames.” She stifled a sob and her shoulders began to tremble.
Elizabeth felt her anger dissipate. She could not imagine the longing and the agony her mother had suffered. She could see herself in her shoes at the thought of never seeing William ever again.
A disheartening feeling gradually mushroomed in her belly.
Her mom wiped her tears away and collected herself. “I wanted to kill myself and end it all.” She turned from the window and walked towards her. “But I couldn't.” She framed Elizabeth's face with her hands. “I love you too much, I couldn't leave you.”
“M
om . . .” Elizabeth's voice shook and she felt tears dampen her cheeks. No matter how much hostility she felt towards her mother for deceiving her, she couldn't bring herself to hate her. She was compelled to do things against her will because of circumstances.
“Let's talk.” Mom took her hand and they sat next to each other on the bed. “I want you to know everything.” She took a deep breath, before she spoke again. “I was a Pure One like you and I was two months pregnant when John Drake, the Duke of Northern peninsula abducted me. He warned me that if I escaped and returned to England, he would come after me and kill my husband and unborn child.
“I was frightened, but I knew I must flee. If I conceived you in captivity, there was no doubt he would get rid of you and mate with me to fulfill his ambition to start his own Coven of Pure Bloods. In his mind, his new coven would match the giftedness of the clan of the Highest Royal Coven of Europe, and that would enable him to overthrow the hierarchy and seize the crown.
“But as the weeks turned into months and I still couldn’t find a way to elude my captors, I began to worry. My pregnancy was on its last trimester and I could give birth anytime. I started to lose hope of ever escaping when the European Special Warfare Commandos raided the camp. A violent war ensued and the chance I had been waiting for, came. The moment my guards were forced to defend themselves from the attack, I fled into the woods, ran as fast and as far as I could, until I found myself on a wharf. I snuck into the first ship that was leaving, not caring where it took me. However, on the second day we were out to open sea, I began to experience labor pains.
“What did you do then?” Elizabeth asked, thinking about the dire situation her mom had to go through in birthing her—, on the run, penniless, surrounded by strangers who were not her kind. She must have been so scared.
“There was an older human couple, fellow passengers, who pitied me and took care of me. You were born as we were passing Catalina Island.” Her mom smiled in remembrance. “The same couple adopted us. We lived with Danny and Lorraine in their beautiful home by the beach in California. They treated us like family. I was like their own daughter and you, their grandchild. We stayed with them until you were five.”
