"Alpha Jade Summers" Giovanni starts with the introductions.

"Hello" Crystal smiles at the woman who nods once without a smile before Giovani walks her towards the next Alpha.

"Alpha Arson Martin with his mate Ashley Martin, Adrian's parents" Giovanni states and Crystal beams at them but the couple does not return her excitement so she shuts down her happiness at meeting Adrian's parents.

"Alpha Samuel Harris" Giovanni states and this time the smile she returns is light and the Alpha nods back at her.

"And along with me in this room, you have four Alpha's that are happy with the coronation that will happen within two days" Giovanni finishes and Crystal just nods quietly as none of them look much happy at all.

"So, what are your plans once you are crowned, what exactly are you in first place, were, a vampire of a mixture?" Jade asks Crystal who glances at Giovanni who silently takes a seat letting Crystal deal with the questions.

"I have not focused on any one specific trait"

"Ah a hybrid" Jade nods.

"Well with our agreement, I hope you will think of the benefit of the wolves first and foremost" Adrian's father speaks next and Crystal clears her throat to take her time.

"Whatever the benefits you are thinking about will be discussed, I don't want to be bias to just one of my kind"

"Surely you know you can never trust a vampire"

"I was raised by a vampire"

"She was raised by a vampire?" Jade narrows her eyes.

"Diego and Aura Carlos" Giovanni clarifies.

"Ah the Carlos, well he is bearable but not his son. My god, Aura sure gave birth to a devil not an angel" Jade waves her hands around.

"Dante is..." Crystal goes to start but stops as Jade eyes her.

"Oh no need to tell me, who or how he is. He is quiet reputable" she laughs and Crystal winces knowing what the reputation of Dante holds.

"Whatever it is all I have to say is, with this ceremony my pack hopes that the Queen will take few matters seriously" Adrian's father speaks once again.

"What matters?" Crystal asks.

"Surely you do know that our packs have been attacked one too many times by vampires, especially these new born, they think they are unbeatable"

"New born?" she frowns.

"Yes, the turned ones, too hungry and destructive. They cannot control their urges to drink blood, many of my own pack members have been victims to them...

I lost five of my wolves last month" he man adds and Crystal feels her throat clamp.

"But we cannot do anything about it but to report back to you, because we have been trying our best to not call the vampires out for letting their new born out alone without guidance, so we hope you will think about the matter...

We do not want a war with anyone but if needs arises we will have to" the man continues while Crystal tries to take it all in as she had no idea things like these were on going.

"By the way you are looking it seems you have no idea about the matter" Jade points and Crystal eyes the woman.

"Adrian has really kept you under his protection well, but what will you do now. Being a Princess is all fun and stuff but once you are a Queen we will demand answers from you not other" Jade points and Crystal stands up from her seat.

"Excuse me" she states not having answers to anything.

*******

"What happened?" Adrian asks as he finds Crystal walking out of the room.

"Met your parents" she answers and he nods walking beside her.

"I can clearly see where the traits you get from"

"I am not my father" he grumbles.

"But you definitely are his son, not one smile" she snaps at him.

"Cry"

"That is what exactly I feel like doing, crying" she groans marching to her room before she turns to face him.

"Why am I not being informed of things on going, bad things"

"Because it is being handled"

"By who?"

"Me" he replies and she rolls her eyes.

"I do not like Jade" she snaps next making Adrian sigh.

"If you give time, she is likable"

"Not at the moment"

"Crystal, they are like King and Queen to their own pack, how do you think they should feel knowing they will be ruled by a girl who has just turned eighteen and moreover...."

"She insulted Dante"

"So?"

"So? No one insults Dante especially when he is not around"

"He will not mind" he sighs.

"Ugh, I cannot stand all this"

"Already feeling irritated and pressured?" Adrian teases making her groan as she sits on her bed.

"I don't like the idea of people not liking me, Ad"

"You are not here to be liked Cry"

"Still"

"There will be people you will meet who will smile at you while stabbing you with a knife and each and every decisions you make or are asked to make will not make everyone happy and the more you get into this the more dislike you will have to bear to the point that hate will be too little of an emotion to describe how some may feel for you" he explains before he kneels in front of her.

"Head up Princess, the crown is slipping" he smiles trying to cheer her up.

"Okay" she nods before she sits straight before narrowing her eyes at him.

"I don't like your parents, they did not return my smile" she pouts.

"Alphas are not known to be friendly while in public also, my father wants me back home to serve my pack"

"You cannot leave me" she shouts in panic grabbing his shoulder.

"Relax, I am not going anywhere, maybe because of that he feels a bit betrayed by me and blames you for keeping me tied here" he informs and she laughs.

"Good, I will be sure to rub the fact that you are by my side"

"Uh-oh" he smiles while she giggles.

"Now, cheer up, I cannot afford to be this soft all the times" he states as he gets up so she holds his hands in hers.

"Thank you for everything Ad, I think this is how it must feel to have a big brother who is always there for you" she points and Adrian once again kneels down.

"I am whatever you make of me, Crystal. I promised your father that I will protect you with my last breath and I will"

"I know" she nods before letting him go.

*******

"What are the vampires doing here?" Jade asks as they all sit down for dinner and Crystal turns her head to meet the newcomers.

"I invited them" Adrian speaks as he stands forward.

"Princess Crystal, meet Romano Reid, a friend" Adrian speaks and Crystal nods before she turns to face the man who grins at her.

"Finally" Crystal sighs in relief aloud before the man laughs aloud.

"I see, the wolves have not stopped playing with the stick stuck in their behind" Romano laughs as he pinches Crystal's cheeks.

"Nice to finally meet you Princess Crystal, I go by the name Rom, just for you" he winks at her and Crystal grins.

"You can call me anything but Princess" she states and Romano nods.

"A Pleasure my Queen" Romano speaks as he kneels in front of her at once surprising everyone before he grabs her hand lightly and kisses on the back of her hand.

"Show off" Giovanni coughs.

"You may get up" Crystal asks knowing full well what he gave her.

"Gio, my dear friend, how has been life kicking you?" Romano asks as he walks to greet Giovanni.

"I have been well, how are things going for you?" Giovanni asks but Romano sniffs the air and turns to stare at Marisa as a grin spreads in his face.

"Careful, she has been taken" Giovanni warns his friend who sighs before he goes to greet the woman.

"Beauty" he grabs Marisa's hand and kiss the back of it while Giovanni glares at Romano.

*******

Crystal walks in a room where Adrian takes her to find Giovanni, Marisa, Romano and Jade already waiting for her.

"What's going on?" she asks glancing at Adrian who asks her to take a seat.

"Well, the people you see here are the only ones you are to trust with anything. Diego will be joining us on the day of ceremony and you know you can trust him"

"Okay,but..." Crystal worries as she looks around the room once again.

"Relax Crystal, unlike Rom here I cannot get down on my knees but know my life will be at your feet if it means you will be sitting on the throne" Jade speaks and Crystal stares at the woman in surprise.

"Jade cannot vocally support you because of the difference she shares with few of the people" Adrian explains.

"Well, I don't know what to say, but thank you" Crystal smiles.

"Things goes downhill for you, we are the faces you remember" Rom smiles.

"This is cool" she agrees.

"So, your mate?" Crystal asks Jade who laughs aloud.

"I have yet to hunt him down. I am not mated yet"

"Oh, so you are a female Alpha"

"Our pack has been known to have females as Alpha, our first born are always a girl" Jade replies.

"That's so beautiful"

"It is, one day I hope you can come visit my pack" Jade offers with a smile.

"I hope the invite is open for us as well" Marisa asks and Jade nods her head while Giovanni just sighs at what his mate was trying to point.

********

After the meeting with others are completed, Crystal asks Marisa to follow her to her room. Once inside Crystal closes the door and turns to Marisa who eyes her curiously.

"I need your help" Crystal asks.

"Okay, but on what?" Marisa asks and Crystal sighs as she does not know how to say it.

"You need to teach me how to make a three tier cake and then cover for me on the night of ceremony for few hours.

"Cake okay but cover you why?" Marisa asks.

"It's really, really important, please" Crystal pleads and Marisa thinks on it before she nods her head.

"As long as I know you are not in trouble"

"I swear I am not, so can we start on the cake now"

"Now?"

"Yes"

"Are you celebrating something?" Marisa asks and Crystal groans.

"A birthday, it's of a girl, she is like a sister to me"

"And here I thought you were romantic enough to celebrate your anniversary of sort" Marisa teases but Crystal keeps quiet.

"Okay, well come then let's go make some cake"

*******

The next morning Adrian pulls Crystal aside, away from curious eyes and ears, they walk around the palace so no one can hear them.

"Jade said she will be talking with some witches to see if they can join your ceremony"

"Is that bright?"

"The more people joins in to this ceremony the better"

"So, Jade knows witches?"

"Long story but it's for another time, I just want you to be prepared for anything"

"I don't think anyone can be prepared for anything ever, Ad"

"I know" he agrees.

"Jade asked what I am"

"What?"

"Vampire or were"

"So?" Adrian frowns.

"I...I don't know what I am" she whispers to him.

"You have not focused enough on it to feel it, Cry. Just take a deep breath, feel what is awakening inside of you, you will feel it within you"

"What if I don't feel the vampire or were?" she asks and he looks around before he eyes her.

"Then you try harder, we don't have time for this but once the ceremony ends we will focus on bringing it out. But the way you are, I think you are more in tune with your vampire abilities"

"I could do magic as well, like my mom taught me" she points and he nods his head.

"Then we will focus on your wolf then" he assures her as he touches her head.

"Is it wise to awake all of them?" she asks him.

"If you really are a queen then you will find balance with them within yourself" he states and Crystal nods taking a deep breath.

"Try to not think on it much, just one more day and we will get through it, together" he assures before asking his leave while Crystal stays in her place watching Adrian walk away.

"There is that fifth being in me Adrian and it's scaring me" Crystal whispers as she stares at her hand where few weeks ago there was a burn mark.

*******

"Diego" Crystal cries aloud running through the hallway as she sees the man and jumps to hug him tightly.

"Okay, did not expect that welcome but thank you. How have my princess been?" Diego asks with a smiles as he cups her face and Crystal buries her face in his chest.

"I missed you" she breaths while the man laughs.

"I missed you too, my princess" he whispers as he holds her tightly before they let go of each other.

"Is Dante here?" she asks.

"Do you sense him?" Diego asks and she shakes her head no.

"He has downright refused to play dress up even it's for you" Diego informs.

"How come you are you and Aura is Aura but you two created him?" she asks curiously making him laugh.

"Let Dante be Dante for a while, so now tell me, whose is this, whose underlying smell I can scent on you?" he asks and Crystal's eyes widens in shock.

"Diego" she breathes in fear making the man narrow his eyes.

"Let's go somewhere private" he asks but she stops him.

"I don't know why you want privacy" Crystal asks and Diego stares at her for a moment before shaking his head.

"If this is what you want then I will let this go for now. Tomorrow is already stressful for you. I will be seeing you tomorrow then, Aura is excited about it" he informs and Crystal sigh in relief inwardly as he let go of the topic.

"I cannot wait to meet her again" she replies and he nods his head before he drops a kiss on the top of her head and Crystal feels him take a deep breath before he lets her go.

"Take care of yourself, Crystal" he smiles before he disappears and Crystal sighs wondering until when she can hide her mate, but she makes sure it will only be until tomorrow night.

After that she will talk to him, make sure he understands before she announces him to her world but until then all she can do is play hide and seek with her people and her own mate.

Just one more day.