"What's wrong?" I asked rushing to Henley as she sat down on my bed and wiped her eyes.

"I don't know why I'm crying so much everything is just so overwhelming. I didn't even cry until I saw your door" She mumbles.

"What happened?" I asked while she caught her breath.

"Dominic is giving the kingdom to Charlie and I. I thought it was hard to handle royalty in the first place but I am the furthest thing from a Queen Alina. They haven't even had a Queen in three centuries" She says and more tears fall from her eyes. My throat tightens up and I couldn't speak I didn't know what to say. "The last Queen abandoned Dominic. All this time they've waited for a Queen and I'll never measure up" She says wiping her nose and I grab her some tissues from the nightstand. Clearing my throat and trying not to let my own tears fall I gave her a soft yet sad smile.

"I know its overwhelming. But the last Queen was nothing to live up to. Do you know what they called her? The Blood Queen. Henley you have nothing to worry about because you are strong in all the ways she was weak" I say and despite my efforts tears fell anyways.

"But she ran away. What if I can't handle it and I run away? I can't do that to Charlie. Look at Dominic he's so angry all the time and now he's nothing" She says and my heart shatters as I fight not to break down completely.

"You aren't a coward, but I can't tell you what to do" I say rubbing her back and she sniffles.

"I think I need to talk to Charlie about it. I just don't want to disappoint him" She says.

"You could burn down this castle and he'll still look at you the same" I say and she smiles softly.

"Dammit I'm overreacting so hard right now. Isn't it every girls dream to be a Queen?" She says giving a half hearted laugh and I join her. "Is it true the last Queen was cursed?" she asks nervously.

"Some believe she was and some believe she was mad. Either way the legend of the curse was only on the Queen the last Queen. It dies with her. I promise it won't happen to you" I say knowing no matter what I had to end it all after the wedding. When I'm gone the curse will go with me. "Go talk to Charlie" I say and she hugs me before leaving and when she closes the door I crumbled to the floor and cried. I couldn't stop the tears or the pain as I sat on the floor crying for everything. I destroyed Dominic, because of me Henley believed she couldn't be Queen, Because of me so much pain has been caused. I grabbed the velvet blue pouch and placed it in my nightstand. It was all going to end. I wouldn't let Henley suffer what I did.

After all these years Dominic was giving up. That alone broke my heart even more. Maybe he could be happier without the kingdom, maybe he'd build a little cabin by the waterfall like he always talked about doing when Sam took over. Maybe he planned on living there with Victoria. I hated her with every fiber of my being but I had no right. She was with him.

Rinsing the dry tears from my face with cold water I took a deep breath and sat back on my bed. It was almost ironic that after running from my pain and heartbroken past back where it began is where it would all end. Resting my head against the head pole I thought of when I first met Dominic.

I jumped into the cool water of the lake I'd found while adventuring. The cool water felt so refreshing with the heat that had been beating down on my body all day. It was so peaceful here, a hidden oasis. There was one trail in and out of here that looked as though it hadn't been traveled in awhile.

I had probably spent and hour in the cool water before I heard a laugh when I accidentally splashed myself in the face. Jumping at the sound of another voice I spun around. A handsome man stood leaning against the boulder that was half in the water and half on land with his arms crossed and his humored smile focused on me.

"It's rude to watch people" I say tugging on my silver dress that had clung to my body and was showing too much.

"Don't worry I wasn't here for long. But don't you know it's not polite to trespass on peoples land" He teases offering me a hand to help me out of the water which I hesitantly accept. I tried to ignore the sparks that shot through my body as I kept my head held high despite my embarrassment.

"I didn't know anyone owned this" I say and I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks.

"You can come swim here anytime" He says and I fight a smile keeping my face looking more formal.

"No thank you, I wouldn't appreciate trespassers either" I say and clear my throat. "I'm Vienna" I say and he bows slightly making me laugh.

"I'm not royalty" I say and a hidden laugh fall from his laugh and a sparkle of humor lights up his eyes. He was quiet and handsome standing tall and fit with darker dirty blonde shaggy and curly hair and deep golden eyes. His skin was tan from the summer sun. "I didn't catch your name?" I add pushing a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Dominic" He says and I let the word roll off my tongue feeling a shiver run through me.

That summer I spent everyday with Dominic. He knew I was his soulmate, but I was human and so he waited for me to fall in love with him. It took me to the end of summer to tell him I loved him. I knew the second I saw him at the lake I was going to fall in love with him. Once he turned me I could feel the connection of our souls as strongly as he could and I still have no idea how he ever waited so long. In the days of feeling human a summer was nothing, but as a beast it felt like forever. It was the curse of a longer life.

As I fell asleep I wondered if Dominic ever let his mind drift to the same memories. Part of me hoped he did remember the times before the curse took over our lives.