Chapter 187

Chapter 187
Natalie POV


I stood in awe at the castle entrance, watching hundreds of werewolves from packs I barely recognized setting up camps across our grounds. The scale of the search party that had come for me was overwhelming.

"They came from as far as the Alaskan border," a voice said behind me.

I turned to see Diana, clipboard in hand as always. "All these people? For me?"

She nodded, her expression serious. "Your mother called in every favor. When word spread that the princess was missing, they came voluntarily." She gestured toward a group of rugged wolves packing up their gear. "Those wolves traveled three days just to join the search."

A lump formed in my throat.

"Have you seen Jackson?" I asked, scanning the courtyard.

Diana shook her head. "Not since yesterday."

I frowned and made my way to my father Edward's office. He was hunched over maps and documents, marking areas with red ink.

"Dad?" I leaned against the doorframe.

He looked up, his eyes brightening. "Come in."

"Have you seen Jackson today?" I asked, trying to keep my voice casual. "I can't find him anywhere."

Edward's expression shifted subtly. "No, I haven't. Not all day, actually."

"That's not like him." I felt a knot of worry tighten in my stomach. "Especially now that I'm back."

"No, it's not." He set down his pen and leaned back in his chair. "You're right about that."

I bit my lip. "Should we be worried?"

Edward chuckled. "About Jackson? I think he can handle himself."

"I know, but..." I trailed off, unsure how to express my concerns.

"You'll need to find someone else to fill that position anyway," I said finally, trying to sound matter-of-fact.

Edward smiled. "We're working on it."

I nodded and left, still unsettled by Jackson's absence.

With nowhere else to go, I wandered to my private courtyard. Sitting on the stone wall, I gazed out toward the canal and the ocean beyond. The breeze carried the scent of salt water, calming my nerves and easing the tension in my shoulders.

Where are you, Jackson?

"I thought I might find you here," my mother's voice called.

I turned to see her approaching, something glinting in her hand. As she got closer, I recognized the familiar shimmer of my moonstone necklace.

"I think you lost this somewhere during your travels," she said, holding it out to me.

My eyes widened. "You found it?" I reached for it, feeling its familiar warmth against my palm.

"The warriors found it in the forest near the cabin where Magnus took you," she explained.

The moment the stone touched my skin, a deafening roar filled the air. I looked up to see the castle's dragon guardians circling above, their massive wings creating gusts of wind that whipped my hair around my face. Draco led them, his silver scales gleaming in the sunlight.

"They're accepting you as their ruler," Mother said, pride evident in her voice. "It's an honor."

"Mom, thank you for finding it," I whispered, watching the dragons soar and dive in what could only be described as a celebration.

"You earned it," she replied simply.

I heard screams from the fields below as people pointed skyward at the dragons. My three fathers rushed out of the castle, hurrying to calm the panicked crowds.

I burst out laughing.

Two mornings later, I was frantic. Jackson hadn't returned, and no one seemed concerned. I'd searched every room in the castle, from the third floor down to the unused chambers in the east wing.

"I don't understand," I muttered, pacing the main activity area. "He wouldn't just disappear."

Samuel found me there, my hands trembling with worry. "Sweetie, what's wrong?"

"I can't find Jackson. I haven't seen him in days." My voice cracked. "He wouldn't just leave me like this. Not even after hearing about Nathan. Something must have happened to him."

Samuel placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Jackson can take care of himself. He'll turn up."

I pulled away, frustration boiling over. "Why isn't anyone taking this seriously? When I disappeared, was it treated as a joke? No! Hundreds of people came here to find me. They just left this morning. Why isn't anyone looking for Jackson?"

From the entrance hall, I heard Lucius call my name. "Natalie!"

I turned, ready to snap at him too, but he was pointing outside. Through the open doors, I saw a figure emerging from the forest, trudging across the snow-covered field toward the castle.

Jackson.

Without thinking, I ran outside wearing only my shirt and shorts, my bare feet crunching through the snow. I didn't feel the cold. All I felt was relief and anger in equal measure.

When I reached him, I slapped him hard across the face, then threw my arms around him, burying my face in his chest.

"What the hell were you thinking?" I demanded, my voice muffled against his jacket. "I was worried sick."

"I know," he said softly, his arms encircling me. "I'm sorry. I told them not to tell you where I was. I had something I needed to do."

I pulled back, glaring up at him. "What? What was so important that you couldn't tell me?"

"Natalie, calm down—"

"Don't tell me to calm down!" I shouted.

Jackson stepped back, a strange smile spreading across his face. He gestured behind him. "Look."

I turned toward the forest and froze. A familiar figure was emerging from the tree line, a backpack slung over his shoulder.

Nathan.

"I don't understand," I whispered, my breath catching. "He can't leave his pack."

Jackson placed his hand on my back, gently pushing me forward. "They're arriving tomorrow. They voted. They all decided to reintegrate into society. They're doing it for their Alpha."

I ran toward Nathan, my heart pounding in my chest. He dropped his bag just in time to catch me as I leapt into his arms, my legs wrapping around his waist. His lips found mine in a desperate kiss.

"You said you wouldn't leave your pack," I said when we broke apart, searching his eyes.

"They saw how miserable I was without you," he explained, his voice rough with emotion. "They agreed to come with me, to give civilized society a chance. If they don't like it, I'll help them resettle outside your territory, but close enough."

I hugged him tighter, hardly believing he'd made such a sacrifice for me.

"If they didn't want to come, I was ready to appoint someone else as Alpha," he continued. "I knew I couldn't stay there without you. Then Jackson showed up, saying he'd come to bring me here. I knew it was a sign I couldn't ignore."

I turned to look at Jackson, who stood watching us with a satisfied expression. I walked over and hugged him too.

"You could have at least told me you were going to be gone for days," I said.

"Then it wouldn't have been a surprise." His eyes twinkled.

"You could have lied about where you were going."

Jackson scoffed. "Yeah, right. You see through every lie. Every time."

Blaise approached, extending his hand to Nathan. "I'm Blaise. I've heard a lot about you."

Nathan shook his hand firmly. "Likewise."

Blaise looked at me, raising an eyebrow. "So, is this simple enough for you now?"

I laughed, feeling lighter than I had in days. "Definitely easier than a few days ago."

"Come on," Jackson said. "Your parents are waiting. They'll want to meet the new guest."

I tilted my head back, giving the sky an exasperated look before turning toward the castle. Things were about to get interesting.