Kaiden turned his absolutely stunned and shocked expression onto his mate. Her form had frozen as soon as Richard had begun speaking. His voice resounding throughout the room, filled with such a power that the others were unable to move. Frozen under the absolute dominance and power laced within those few foreign words. It felt as though they had stumbled into the most intimate of moments. Into something so raw and powerful, they could not even bare to stand against its waves.

The only one who seemed unfazed and unaffected from the weight of the words was Aislinn herself. Yet it was her one word that had stopped the flow from Richard's mouth. He was looking at her with such an open and honest face. The clarity of the emotions were so raw and strong, awe, shock, adoration, love, anger, but most of all a devastating and inspiring look of absolute ... hope.

Everyone else was still frozen in place, the power still hanging in the room the words still ringing around them, the power and strength of those unknown words twisting around them, holding them still.

"Don't you dare finish that." Aislinn said lowly. Turning on her heel, her eyes blazing with power and determination, their steel-grey color flashing silver. An aura of light and strength springing around her. Every wolf in the room felt an overwhelming urge to bend to one knee, baring their necks in absolute and complete submission before her.

Richard stood as he had before. His face still alight with emotions, tears springing to his eyes. He looked at her as if she was the only thing that mattered in the world, as if she was a ghost that would disappear from under his nose.

Kaiden was the first to marginally recover, finally pushing words through his throat almost painfully. "W-what did you say?" He wasn't even 100% sure who he was directing the question at. Really it could have been to either of them; to Richard for his strange and powerful words, or to his mate for the first words she had ever spoken.

Forcing himself to tear his eyes from the enchanting and bewildering sight of his mate Kaiden looked around at the others as if they might have some idea what was happening. Though when he looked all he saw was his own confusion and shock reflecting back at him from four other faces.

"How? How is this possible?" Richard asked, still looking only to Aislinn and ignoring everyone else in the room.

"You will not speak those words." Was all she said.

"You can talk!" Austin finally blurted out. Aislinn glanced at him, not bothering to respond to his completely obvious statement.

"You're alive. How? How is this possible? It's impossible, they said ... No. No I can't believe it! .... And I will say the words that are demanded of me!" Richard said, his voice hardening on the last part.

"You will not." Aislinn said her voice firm. Her eyes still blazing as she met and held Richard's own hard glare.

"Will someone please explain what the hell is going on here?" Olivia finally exclaimed. Exasperation and confusion overriding her normal nervousness for a moment.

Richard took a shuddering breath turning to finally look at the others. "She's..."

"Don't"

Kaiden was beginning to think it was the only word he would ever hear from his mate. Although even that simple word in her voice sent shudders racing through his body. For a moment he imagined that light cool musical voice saying his name and felt a fierce stab of desire shoot through him. So strong it caused him to nearly let out a low moan of pleasure.

"Your..."Richard began again before being cut off once more.

"I said DON'T!" Aislinn suddenly roared, her voice sending waves of power throughout the room and paralyzing them once more, "You will NOT speak that."

"You cannot deny what is..."

"Richard I will say this once more..."

"Why? They need to know! Everyone needs to know! How can you try to-to hide this?! WHY!?"

Aislinn seemed suddenly taken aback, Kaiden saw a flash of pain flicker in her eyes before her normal hooded expression closed over once again. The feel of power and dominance in the room suddenly dissipated. Kaiden and the others felt their bodies sag with its loss.

"I do not want this Richard." Her voice was flat and devoid of any emotion her body and face the same as she repeated the words. She had pulled herself back, reformed all her defenses, every wall and door shut against the outside. Any emotion was locked so deep and far within her she wasn't even sure what she may have been feeling at this situation. Fury? Shock? Anger? Sadness? Betrayal? Relief? She didn't know. She didn't want to know.

"I know and I'm sorry, but I can't. My whole life I've waited - I've wanted ... and now here you stand. Alive. You can't, you can't keep this from them. They need you. We need you. You cannot deny me my right, just as you cannot deny your own. It is my blood, I can make my claim." Richard pleaded with the women his voice shaking and breaking as though every word tore at him, broke him. As though it was painful to even form each syllable.

"Don't" the cold voice replied from the darkness of her abyss.

"You cannot deny me the chance." He said with conviction although his eyes were bright with pain. Whatever they were talking about was hurting him. Whatever it was, the fact that she didn't want it from him was causing such obvious pain that the others could feel it in the air. It felt almost like what happened when a mate bond was broken. The reverberations of rejection and hurt palpable even to those just witnessing it in the large room.

Taking a steadying breath, Richard pulled himself up, his face hardening as he looked at the small figure in front of him with almost tenderness. His hand lifted in a tight fist before it landed on his chest above his heart. His neck bent in submission, though his eyes never left hers. It was a show of both strength but also one of loyalty. His voice was strong as he spoke, the words ringing with power and intent.

"Mors nos sanguinem iuravit custos."

Kaiden watched as a shudder visibly went through Aislinn, her breath caught in her throat as her eyes flashed a bright silver before she quickly closed them.

She took a deep breath, as she listened to the words she never thought, that she never wanted, to hear again.

The air around them was now tense and silent. The words, the power the intent in them, if not understood by all was at least felt, it was as if they were waiting for a storm to suddenly erupt. No one knew what it was bringing but they could all smell it on the air, feel it on their skin.

Her eyes flashed open, their normal steel-grey orbs swallowed beneath roaring violent oceans of swirling melted silver. Power erupted around her, so thick and heavy it made what they had felt before feel like a light blanket. It radiated from her pouring off of her frame as she looked upon the grizzled warrior before her. Everything shrank until it was just them, her gaze steady and unwavering staring into him. She did not try to look into his soul, she DID. The seconds dragged long until it felt like time stood still. Until the vision of her was all they could see, the power coming from her the only thing they could feel, until her words became the only thing they could hear.

"Sanguinem iuramentum accipere coronam usque ad auroram."

The power in the room flashed with Aislinn's final words and Richard's form collapsed to the ground, a single ear-splitting scream of pain ripping from the man.

As soon as the power flashed it disappeared and gone with it was the silver of her eyes and the aura that had haloed her, her skin no longer seemed alight and her face fell back to its natural devoid expression.

Austin and Blair raced to Richard who was still on the ground. The man seemed unhurt but he laid still his eyes closed as he took deep breaths.

His voice was hoarse as he spoke. "Thank you." The gratitude and joy and relief so thick and meaningful it brought tears to the witnesses eyes.

Slowly he pushed himself up onto unsteady legs. His hands shaking as he slowly pulled his shirt from his body.

The room except for Richard and Aislinn let out a loud gasp at what they saw. Richard's entire back, chest and torso, his neck and down his arms were now covered in beautiful and intricate tattoos. The winding and patterned lines covered nearly all of his exposed skin.

"Whoa!"

"Holy sh*t!"

"How did that happen?"

"What the f*cking f*ck!"

"Explain!" Kaiden barked out. Wanting some type of explanation, his patience and temper reaching near now to its breaking point.

"They are the marks of the Guardian."

"Yes we know, even Kaid's dad's guards have them. What I don't get is how you just got them?" Clayton spoke his voice harsh and demanding as he eyed the other warrior suspiciously.

"Yes they carry marks but not the true ones. Not the full marks because they are not true guardians. They are 'guards', yes. However the marks were never meant to be adorned, to be given to those simply guarding an alpha. But without any true source left they have had to make do I suppose. Their blood is sworn to protect. They could not protect what they were meant to so they substituted it with the next best; the alpha's of the packs. But to get a true mark. To be a true Guardian, you must swear to protect the blood."

"The blood?" Olivia asked her voice soft and curious.

"Yes the blood. The ancient and first line of the were's. The blood of us all. The silverblood royalty of our world."

Stunned was not an adequate word.

No one moved.

"You don't mean..." Austin let his voice trail off unsure how to continue. What he was saying was incomprehensible. It was completely ridiculous. Absurd. Unthinkable. Miraculous.

"Yes I do. Aislinn is one of, if not the last Royal wolf in the world. I should have seen it earlier, it makes so much sense. Silverblood. It explains everything."

"Is this true?" Kaiden looked at his mate, his brain refusing to comprehend the repercussions of the statement. It didn't make sense. He didn't even know they had royals. Why didn't he know this?

Aislinn's eyes moved calmly from Richard's form to that of her mates. She watched him for a beat before deciding to listen in to his thoughts. It was a strange feeling, she hadn't done it in so long it took her a minute to begin to be able to distinguish out the individual thoughts that swirled in his head. They weren't anything that she hadn't expected but still she had to be sure. Shifting her gaze she made her way around the room looking at each and every one of them. Satisfied she let her gaze return to her Guardian once more.

"Custos, you forced this upon me but I will not deny your birthright, however I shall not claim the blood you call, you know the path you have chosen, I hope you have considered it wisely."

Her gaze was heavy once again.

"Corona Lupus I know the oath I have sworn as I do the duty I carry." Richard replied his voice holding nothing but respect and submission as he bowed his head to her.

She nodded her head once, before turning to pick up her bag from where she had dropped it hours ago pulling out her sketching supplies. Before settling down she spoke once more.

"Richard you may answer their questions. I have a suspicion you know who I am although I would wish it was not, however you will not speak my name. I am called Aislinn now, the other is dead. Am I understood?"

"Understood, Your Highness."

"Richard."

"Understood Aislinn."

"Okay so now that, that completely cryptic and weird conversation is finished would someone mind filling in the rest of us?" Austin asked when Aislinn had made herself comfortable on the lightly carpeted floor her back leaning against the cream wall with her opened sketch book.

Richard cleared his throat moving so that he stood in front of her sitting form, positioning himself so that he was between those in the room and her. Kaiden felt his wolf rise at the sight, not liking that another wolf was standing between him and his mate. With difficultly he managed to keep himself from launching across the room. Instead he settled for glaring at the man his hands gripping the back of the sofa to hold himself still.

"I'll start I guess with what just happened. It was the Oath of The Guardian. Mors nos sanguinem iuravit. It means 'Death we are sworn, blood keeper'" Richard started. Even as he said them so casually the others could feel the power they held. It drew them, calling to their wolves stirring them.

"Why? Why did you do that?" Clayton asked finally seeming to get over his contempt of the other warrior momentarily as his curiosity won out.

"I was one of the Guardians before, it is in my blood. It is why Alpha Michael kept me as Head Warrior I was meant to fight, to defend to the death. The Guards now are the same. Their blood calls them to this. The Guardians are descendants from a single pack, they were destined to be the last line of defense, the final line to protect the Argentum Sanguinis. The Silverblood. I don't know how I knew who she is, nor do I know why I didn't know sooner. But when I did I had no choice, my blood demands that I place the oath and I would have it no other way."

"But what did she say to you, that other part when we felt all that power?" Olivia asked, easily getting caught up in the story unravelling around them.

"To make an oath is only one part, especially the oath of the guardian. It is the most powerful. It not only ties me to her, but her to me. I have not only pledged myself to protect her, she had to accept that oath and place her life in my hands. It is a sacred bond. When she accepted I became her Guardian." The way he said the word, it implied the capitalization on the title to those listening. He said it as though it was more them a term, a word, it was a title a name that held power and significance beyond anything they could comprehend.

"My life, my mind everything I am, is now tied to her. I can feel her emotions, her pain. I can locate her at all times, I know when she is hurt, in danger, injured. It is similar to a mate bond, except only one way, she feels nothing from me. Every oath though must be recognized and accepted. It needs to be matched by a promise of their own, she had to offer me her own oath. The Crown must promise not only to see, to recognize the oath but to trust it. One cannot simply make the oath and have it be completed. When others swear the Guardian Oath they will meet the same fate and it will either be accepted or rejected. However as the first I will lead them, hence why my marks are more complete then those of the guards. And will stay more so, even if they find their way to their rightful place once more as Guardians. The words she spoke finalized the link. 'The blood of the oath to accept the crown, even to the dawn.'"

"You bonded to my mate!?" Kaiden roared out anger racing through him at the idea that another male had bonded to his mate fuelling his temper to its peak.

At the sound and the feel of fury rolling off of the Alpha, Richard sank into a defensive crouch in front of Aislinn protectively. The sight speared through Kaiden's red haze of anger.

"You think I would harm her!? You protect my own mate from me?" Kaiden asked in shock and bewilderment. It was so ludicrous he almost wanted to laugh.

"Alpha you must understand the bond I made, the oath, it is as powerful as a mate bond, different but not any less strong. I will and would protect her from anything. I put her life above my own, I would put it above my mate, my own children, above the entire were population. It is not an option to not protect her. You all may not be threats but to my wolf, you have not sworn to her, you are wolves from other packs with no claimed bonds to her life. My duty must be to treat you as threats even you as her mate."

"I am an Alpha you think you could stop me?" Kaiden asked incredulously.

"I know I could." Richard said mater-of-fact, "The mark does more then link me to her, they link me to her strength, her power. You may be an Alpha but I am a Guardian. To protect the blood we must be stronger then the strongest, able to protect them from the biggest threats. And that means the Alpha's and the council. As such therefore the marks lend us power, speed and strength to out-match any but the blood themselves."

"I would never hurt her." Kaiden said lowly letting some of his anger bleed into the words.

"We shall see." Was all the Guardian said.

"Okay I have a question." Austin interrupted the tension, raising his hand like a kid in a classroom with the correct answer.

Richard looked at him and nodded his head in ascent.

"Okay so you're now like a super charged personal bodyguard, cool. Still not 100% getting this whole Royal thing. We don't have Royalty. We are led by the council and the Alpha's. Don't you think if we had some Royal blood line we would know?"

Kaiden felt like rolling his eyes at his second but refrained, in truth he was just as curious and confused as his best friend. He was an Alpha-to-be the next in line, preparing to step in anytime now to run his own pack, if this was true how did he, of all of them, not know?

"You don't know because 13 years ago every last one of them, or so it was believed" he said throwing a quick glance over his shoulder at Aislinn, who was obviously ignoring the lot of them focusing only on the page before her, "that every last one of them were killed."