A few years ago, I never would've expected to be walking towards the leaders of the world, and talk about my biggest secret. Now, I'm walking confidently down the corridor, ready to face the most prominent men and women across the world. I would've thought of this as terrifying all those years ago. 

Instead, I'm relieved. I no longer have to hide what I really am. So, as I walk into the crowded room, I don't cringe out of fear. No. I march in with confidence, and stand with all of my friends, ready to take the next step in my life.

Out of the sea of faces, only one stands out to me, Edna. The second I stop walking, the room begins to kneel. It's like a wave, person after person, dropping to their knees. "Why is everyone bowing?" I ask Lily, who's to my left.

She merely shrugs, just as confused as me. "I'm guessing they realize what you are, and are showing you that they don't question your claim nor title, but I'm not them."

I stare at them as they bow. It's unnerving. "You don't have to bow. Please, stand up."

Edna looks up, then rises to her feet, everyone else following. The elderly witch I'd only ever met here, not Edna, steps forward. "We have accepted your request for help. Some of our forces will journey with you, and aid you." I feel relief pour through my veins, they're going to help me.

"Thank you, very much. I'm eager to get my brother back where he belongs, as Alpha." I take a deep breath and shut my eyes. I wet my lips and look back at the people filling up the room. "I know that last night was a shock, to all of us. I never expected things to go this way, but you can't control everything. Thank you for accepting me as I am, and I hope others are like all of you."

Edna smiles at me. Connor places a hand on my shoulder. My clowder stands proudly beside me. I never had to be the Tigress. I've always had the choice to back down, to hide myself and conceal my tiger, but she's a part of me, a part that I would never feel whole without.

Hours later and the six of us [Connor, Lily, Desmond, Trish, Hunter, and myself] are seated in a small room with a couple of couches. There's not much to say at the moment. We got more support than I could ever dream of. Everyone accepted me as the Tigress, also giving me whatever I needed.

"So where to next?" Hunter asks aloud.

I haven't quite figured that out yet, so I turn my eyes to Connor. He notices my hopeful stare and pulls me closer. "I have to go visit my father." The shock literally makes me turn to face him.

"You hate your dad. Not just hate, you loathe him, to the point of rage. What on earth is so important that you have to go see him, face to face?" Connor shifts beside me, his eyes shut, and his teeth clenched. He's uncomfortable, and angry.

"I can't let him keep running my pack. He's a tyrant, and aggressive in ways that are more than just physical. He doesn't respect his title, nor does he respect his pack members." I watch as he breathes deeply, his nose flaring ever so slightly each time he breathes in. When he finally opens his eyes, they search mine. "I have to do this Sophie." With a plea I can't deny, he stares me down like a bullet in a gun.

I nod slowly and place a hand on his cheek. "I understand. Do what you have to do, Connor. We'll start searching for my pack members, and you can join up with us whenever you finish."

Connor looks away from me, and to our friends. "While I'm gone, you guys better take care of her."

Lily laughs, but quickly covers her mouth. "I don't think she really needs our protection anymore. She's pretty safe on her own." I roll my eyes, then relax back to Connor's side.

While the group chats, Connor pulls me onto his lap, whispering in my ear. "I love you, baby, and I promise not to be gone too long." My mouth forms into a grin as hidden as I can possibly get.

"Just hurry back to me." I say, leaning against him.

"I will." I know he means it, but I have a sickening feeling about separating. In my head, I understand that he needs to do this, but my heart doesn't want to be without him.

Ignoring my obsessive heart, I tell myself that he'll be beside me as soon as he possibly can, because that's right where he belongs.

We head back to our rooms and begin to pack up our things. Connor turns to me and sighs. "I feel reluctant to leave you. I know you're perfectly capable of handling yourself, but I can't help but want you to need me." He sits down on the edge of the bed, giving up on his suitcase for the moment.

I place a shirt I had been folding down and sit beside him. "I know what you mean. I want to let you go on your own, because I know you'll never agree to let me anywhere near your dad, but I want you to need me there. It's selfish, but I want you to need my support. I feel like you're always comforting me, and always supporting me, but I'm never capable of doing the same for you. You always handle things by yourself, and I want to help." I don't look up from my knees and I shake my legs in a staccato beat.

"You're wrong." I turn to him and he lays back. "I always need you. If I had never met you, I would've been stuck with my dad, and some purebred bimbo he had raised for me to be with. We both know that my dad and I don't get along. It didn't just start because of your fake death. It's been heating up for years. He had pushed me to take over, and to continue school meanwhile. Somehow, I managed it, but not because he made it easy. He'd cause trouble, but because he's an Alpha, no one has the right to tell him not to, except me, and I was always away at school. Even before we were mates, you made dealing with him tolerable. You were my little motivator, and you still are." His eyes flash up to meet mine and I grin at him. "See, you're already making me want to beat up my dad quicker, just so I can come back to that smile." Connor turns to stare at the ceiling, still thinking. "I also need you for my personal health. That brief period where you wouldn't talk to me, worst pain I have ever experienced. I'm kind of afraid we'll have to go through that again, being so far apart."

Thinking about that only makes it worse. "We won't. This isn't forever, and we aren't upset with each other. I will miss you, but I also know that you're coming back."

For a while, it's just silence. Connor and I both stare at the ceiling. Not because there's something on it. It's white, and completely plain. No, we're just staring, and thinking.

When all of this is over, I just want a calm life. I want a normal life, where Connor and I get married, then have children. I don't want anything fancy, just a life where I'm happy with all of my friends around me.

Eventually, we both drift to sleep. I guess a daytime nap isn't terrible. It's one of the last times we'll sleep in the same bed for a while.