Definition of Evince: to show clearly; make evident or manifest; prove.
Lise's POV
2 Years 10 Months Later...
Royalty a seven letter word that when mentioned makes one think of status, dignity, or power. A person with such a rank is looked at to be a role model of sorts for others. Sure I'm a Princess who comes from a lineage of royal blood, but almost three years later I'm still just regular old me...Annalise Nina Foster Perez.
Yes people, I changed my name keeping Annalise Foster and just adding the name Nina and Perez. It can be confusing at times, but I was dead set on keeping Annalise as my first name. Wanting to honor my birth mother who died saving my life, I kept her name as my middle.
My brothers Rico and Alonso have gotten accustomed to calling me Lise. The only person that calls me Analia is my second Dad...Alpha Perez. Old habits are hard to break I suppose, but it's ok with me since he usually calls me princesa or nena.
It took some getting used to, but Mom and Dad have grown to accept the world of werewolves around us. Mom thought the idea of having a mate and me becoming future Luna of the pack was absolutely adorable...note the eye roll. She's such a hopeless romantic, but I wouldn't have her any other way!
The lot of us just finished our second year of college at UMaine and we're absolutely loving it! We're all going to the same university, Anya included...so you know that spells trouble. I'll be nineteen this month and Tristan will be twenty-one in August which is also when we'll be celebrating our three year anniversary together...eek!
We rented a house close to campus for the past two years, but now that Tristan's becoming Alpha we needed to say goodbye to all of this and move back home to Port Clyde. Don't get me wrong, I was grateful for the chance of being allowed to branch out and experience a bit of life. I only wished I was able to finish college at UMaine, but since duty calls we'll have to transfer closer to home.
Speaking of duties, I was terrified of the future. I wasn't prepared for the whirlwind of responsibilities that lie ahead and all the supposed dangers that come along with it. Before being thrown to the wolves...so to say, we're spending the summer in Spain!
Guess it'll be our last bit of fun before getting serious and taking on our newfound responsibilities as Alpha and Luna. I kept my initial promise to Alonso and returned the summer after graduating high school. Luke, Anya, Tristan, and I have spent the last two summers there, having fallen in love with it!
"The two of you think you packed enough or you wanna go get a few more suitcases?" Luke huffed sarcastically while loading our luggage into the back of Tristan's Navigator. Geez, the way he was growling and grunting you'd think he was a simple human and not a strong wolf!
I glanced over my shoulder from the passenger seat at Anya who was sitting in the back with a coy smile. What?!? We're going away for the entire summer! A girl can never pack too many outfits, you always have to make sure you pack comfy clothes, sleepwear, dressy outfits, and let's not forget the accessories and necessities. Don't even get me started on the footwear, that's a suitcase in itself!
"Nah, I think we're good with three suitcases each, we actually packed light this time." Anya chuckled evilly. You'd think we were both royalty the way we were sitting pretty waiting on the guys to load our belongings...haha! Besides, they're the ones who insisted we didn't lift a finger!
I couldn't help the snigger that escaped my lips. Anya's such a smart ass, I don't know how Luke deals with her for such long periods of time! Then again doesn't the saying go 'birds of a feather flock together?' They're two of a kind!
Allowing my eyes to wander around the place I've called home trying to commit it all to memory, my gaze came to a stop on Tristan. He was standing off to the side speaking to the guys loading up the moving truck with our stuff to go back to Port Clyde.
My body temperature immediately started rising causing the palms of my hands to perspire. Dammit after all this time he still has a wild effect over me! Just simply looking at him makes my upper lip sweat! So freaking sexy!!
"You good bro?" Tristan's deep voice bellowed as he turned our way noticing Luke's hissy fit and smirked at me. Fudgsicle sticks! He caught me perving on him as usual! This wasn't anything out of the ordinary...I get entranced by his handsomeness at least ten times on a daily basis.
My only reaction was to smile in response as my cheeks heated up, flushing an embarrassing pinkish hue. What else could I do? Every time his smokey gray eyes focused on me I managed to forget my own name!
"Yea, I think I finally got it." Luke breathed dramatically closing the trunk and hopping in the back seat behind me. "Let's get this show on the road!" He hollered clapping his hand together excitedly.
Jumping into the driver's seat Tristan turned on the truck and leaned over the center console planting a kiss on my cheek. "Enjoy the view?" He whispered playfully in my ear causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand at attention.
Keeping my eyes trained forward I shrugged my shoulders and feigned indifference. "Yea, the movers were pretty hot, right Anya?" Before I could turn my head to flash her my cheesiest smile, Tristan's hands found their way to my side tickling the life outta me.
"What was that?" Tristan growled jokingly as he relentlessly continued on with his form of punishment. "I suggest you change your comment before I get out and beat 'em up, then our stuff will never make it back home." He let out a hearty chuckle.
Even if I wanted to apologize, I couldn't due to the fact that I wasn't able to breathe properly. I always hated being so damn ticklish. Just a simple poke at my side and a fit of giggles would escape my lips. "I-I...I'm not sorry." I gasped through breaths.
Tristan's eyes widened in surprise at my response as he suddenly stopped tickling me all together and straightened up in his seat. Using his left hand to slowly reach for the door handle my own eyes opened in surprise as I suddenly realized what he was going to do...beat those poor innocent movers up!
Grabbing a hold onto his arm quickly, I shouted in defeat. "Ok...ok. I'm sorry! The movers aren't hot." I said holding up my hands in surrender. "No need to go fight them."
Tristan smirked at me while shifting the car into gear and pulling off onto the road towards the airport. "That's more like it." He smiled victoriously turning on the radio and then taking my hand into his. All the while Luke and Anya were occupied in a challenging game of words with friends on their Iphones.
"I meant to say the movers aren't just hot...they were smokin'!" I let loose a giggle, I always have to win! Mind games are my specialty!! Tristan's lips tugged in the cutest little frown causing me to feel a little guilty for teasing him. It's just too fun to see him get so jealous, mean of me I know!
"Aww, I'm just kidding." I gave in lifting his hand to my lips and placing a kiss on the back of it. "You know I only have eyes for you." We were stopped at a red light, so he quickly leaned over and pecked me quickly on the lips.
"Same here beautiful." Tristan's eyes roamed over my face before he kissed me once more and focused back on the road ahead of us. My lips erupted into an immediate tingling causing me to shiver with chills as the sensation attacked my entire body.
I was literally bouncing in my seat with excitement. I spoke to Rico and Alonso at least once a day on a daily basis, but nothing compares to seeing them in person and being able to hang out with each other. We've become quite the quaint little family...
Arriving at the Manzanares Pack house, I was so groggy! Tristan's way too comfy for his own good, allowing me to sleep on him the entire plane ride! Dad sent a driver to come and pick us up, because he had some business to attend to with Rico who's now Alpha and Alonso the beta.
Of course Dad still oversees alot of the things that go on within the pack, he's like a member of council helping out with advice and offering guidance. Now that he doesn't have to deal with the stress of managing a pack, he has more time to do leisurely things like take fishing trips.
Busting through the front door like I was a member of the swat team perfoming a drug raid, I looked around for any signs of life. What? I've come to consider this as my home away from home, so I had every right to walk up in here like I owned the place.
Being with Tristan's allowed me to break out of my once shy and quiet shell. He's chipped away at the tough exterior helping me develop the self confidence I need to basically tell people off if need be. I guess you can say my attitude was a tamer version of Anya's now.
Instantly I could hear Alonso's angry voice shouting in the living room. "We can't let him get away with this! He's lost his damn mind ever since Mia and it's only going to get worse now that he's Alpha!" What in the heck is going on here?
Tristan automatically pulled me so that I was behind him as the four of us cautiously made our way towards the living room. Can I just say, aww so sweet! He's always looking out for me with even just the littlest things. Like the fact that he wouldn't let me bring the trash to the curb when it got dark out was just humorous.
He has this ridiculous notion that something bad will occur. What could possibly happen to me? I'll trip and fall flat on my face in the walkway...or god forbid the trash bag rips spilling out rubbish all over the ground! So tragic!
Peeking around his muscular back, I took in my brothers, my Dad, Juan, and Carlos sitting around the living room table entrapped in a deep conversation. Juan and Carlos are members of our pack, they're actually Alonso and Rico's best friends.
"You have a valid point and I understand your concern, but he hasn't done anything to merit an intervention on our part just yet." Rico spoke in a calm tone. "We can't jump the gun on this, it'll only cause a war." My eldest brother made a remarkable Alpha. Always planning things out and thinking things through thoroughly before acting upon them.
"Rico's right son, intervening prematurely will only cause him to rebel. Technically, it's none of our business how he runs his pack as long as it's not causing harm to any wolves. He hasn't broke any rules" Dad stated agreeing with Rico. "As soon as he takes one step out of line, then we can move in and take over."
"Ok fine, if you consider training his wolves to be ruthless killers, harmless...then by all means wait until he plans an all out attack against us before stepping in!" Alonso exclaimed in disgust as he stood up from the table causing the chair to fall back onto the ground. Maybe we chose to come at a bad time?
Stepping around Tristan the same time Alonso turned around prepared to stomp off, his angry facade turned into one of a huge playful smile as soon as he caught sight of me. It's nice to know he was happy to see me!
Swooping me into his arms and swinging me around in a full cirlcle, it felt like forever since I've last seen my brother even though they came for a quick visit during Christmas time. "Lise!" He breathed excitedly. "Sorry you had to hear that." My big teddy bear apologized.
For some reason Alonso's such a tough guy with everyone one else but when it comes to me, he's a complete softie! "All is good Lonso, I know you only get angry when completely necessary." I answered with a comforting pat to his back. He still had me suspended in the air, my feet dangling a good six inches off the ground.
At that point Rico and Dad stood up along with Juan and Carlos to greet all of us. The mood of the room automatically changing from somber to pleasant. "Nena, we weren't expecting you for another hour or so." Dad said grabbing my face and kissing each cheek affectionately.
I started calling him Dad last year, after sitting down and having a heart to heart talk with him. He took me out on a one of his fishing trips and spent the entire day speaking to me about my Mother and Mia. By the intensity of his voice, I could tell he regretted not being around to save my Mother and did everything in his power to help Mia.
That trip opened up my eyes and made me realize life is too short to spend it bitter at the world for the things that have happened in the past. It was time to move on into the future and not turn back. Only allow happy memories to bring a smile to your face. Don't harp on things you don't have control over.
"Glad you're here squirt." Rico grinned ruffling up my hair causing it to stand up on one side. "Did you guys have a nice flight?" He asked shaking Tristan and Luke's hands after kissing Anya on the cheek.
"Happy to be here." I winked punching him playfully in the shoulder. "Anything new I should know about...find your mates yet?" My eyebrows raised in question as I stared between the two of my handsome brothers. Neither of them found their mates yet.
Rico and Alonso gave me an identical smirk, "Nah, we don't need women in our lives right now. They'll just complicate things." Alonso joked with a chuckle causing me to narrow my eyes at him in mock anger. Women are great, without us how will men ever function?
"What were you guys talking about?" I queried not meaning to bring up the topic again, but what can I say I'm nosy! I wanted to know what was causing my brother to get so serious and lose his temper?
"We're talking about crazy ass Marco." Alonso responded, a look of anger flashing in his eyes as he continued. "He's been training his wolves like they're rogues...turning them into killing machines. Since he's not hurting anyone or breaking any rules we can't do anything."
"Let's not forget about what he's doing to the human girls." Juan chimed in, with a complete look of revulsion washing over his expression. 'What's he doing to human girls?' I thought in horror as my heart began to speed up.
Tristan could somehow sense my alarm, snaking his arm around my shoulder and pulling me closer to his side. He rubbed my upper arm soothingly with his fingers. "What's he doing to the human girls?" Tristan's tone sounded deadly.
I gazed up at him from the corner of my eyes and noticed his jaw clenched down, something he does when he's completely pissed off. Tristan still has some bad blood with Marco for all he's done in the past.
"He's going around Spain trying to find anyone and everyone that resembles Mia. Last we heard he's captured two of them." Juan filled us in as he shook his head in disappointment. "Told the council he's conducting an interrogation with them."
What do they mean he's captured two of them? He's still obsessed with the whole Mia thing? "What sort of interrogation?" I wondered out loud staring at my brothers in disbelief. Obviously this had to be against some sort of law! Kidnapping maybe?
"It's not kidnapping if the girls went willingly in the first place, little sis." Rico answered calmly. "He hasn't broken any laws. Yes he has them jailed, but he's not mistreating them in any way so nothing can be done."
Why the heck would those girls willingly follow Marco to be imprisoned? I mean ok fine, he's an extremely good looking guy...but would girls actually agree to being locked up in cells for a handsome face?
"That guy's so far gone, it'll be hard to get him back. It's ashame too because he would've been one hell of an Alpha if he was in the right state of mind." Carlos added causing my Dad, Rico, Alonso and Juan to shake their heads in agreement.
The only thing plaguing my mind was that something seemed awfully fishy about Marco and his entire operation. I kind of got the feeling Tristan felt the same way too. Now that I'm here in Spain, would I have to worry about my safety?
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Hi loves! Sorry for the wait! Hope you guys like this first chapter...please vote and let me know if I should continue with it! Happy reading!