Last time on Blind Hope

"Luna Hope, please take this knife and slit your palm. The blood will then pour into this cup." Hope blinked and opened her hand. The Elder quickly remedied the situation he had placed her in and handed her the knife handle first. She placed the knife against her palm and let Dorian pull her hands to where they needed to be. "Pleased slice." Hope did so, and the blood ran down. Her wound healed as the blood stopped. "King Dorian, please take this knife and slit your palm. The blood will then pour into this cup." He did so. "Please trade cups." Dorian took Hope's cup, and handed her his. "To show unity and equality in life and rule, please drink!"

Hope took a deep breath, and raised the cup to her lips, wishing with all her heart she could watch Dorian.

~~~~~~~~~~

The crowd roared in approval as Dorian and Hope drank each other's blood. The High Elder took the chalices and placed them on the table beside him. He raised his arms and all fell silent. "Alphas, Lunas, may I present to you - King Dorian and Queen Hope!" Again, everyone cheered, roared, howled approval, especially as Dorian pulled her to him and kissed her for all to see.

Basil rolled his eyes.

"Let the dance, begin!" Dorian cried out to the crowd. Music began to sweep throughout the room, and in no time at all, servants had all the chairs pushed back to the edges of the great throne room, and an area cleared for dancing. Dorian took Hope's hand and lead her into the first dance of the evening. He spun her around and around, thrilled every time her laugh graced his ears. "You dance beautifully," he leaned down to whisper softly in her ear. "So light on your feet. I feel as if I might chuck you across the room." Hope giggled, burying her face in his chest.

"As long as you catch me, I'd let you do anything." It came out mumbled, and Hope hadn't meant for Dorian to hear, but he did.

"I will always be there to catch you, my sweet." Hope blushed and pulled away to bow. The first dance had ended. The bow caught Dorian by surprise, as bowing after a dance was somewhat old fashioned. He bowed back regardless, even knowing she couldn't see him.

"Do you think I could speak with my family?" Every fiber of his body wanted to say 'no' and keep her next to him. He had enough of her family to last a lifetime. Regardless, he agreed. He lead her to a private sitting room and sat her down on a sofa.

"I'll bring them to you." He kissed her hand and left to find all one-hundred members of her family, or so it seemed.

Emily looked exhausted as her brood of children stayed close by her, looking around in awe at their surroundings. Larry, Emily's eldest, and Gramm, Drake's eldest, stood just a bit away, talking about their new roles. Gramm had officially been named the Youngest Alpha by the Council and was currently re-working several policies his mother had set in place. As of now, his Beta was his parents, but in another year, the Beta's child would takeover. Larry had yet to be named Alpha, and was still ruling with Emily as she lead him through Alpha training as best she could. Neighboring Alphas had offered to help, hearing of the situation, and he had been spent weeks at a time with various Alphas.

The rest of the children - Callie, Bliss, Jordan, Karen, Charlie, Kennedy, Lizzy, Jacob, and Brian - crowed around Emily. Drake was not present. As Dorian approached them all, Bliss' eyes grew large. She slapped Callie's arms to get her attention.

"Hope's mate!" She whispered harshly.

"You mean, the King?" Callie snorted, but when her lies landed on Dorian, she quickly turned towards her mother. "Mom! The King's coming over here!" Emily straightened herself and gave a bow to the King.

"Your Majesty. It's nice to meet you again." Bliss wasn't having it. The only thing she could think of when she saw Dorian was how he didn't stop the fight. Of all the children, she was the only one who didn't bow, but crossed her arms. Her twin Jordan, as he rose from his bow, looked at Bliss in shock.

"Don't mind her, Your Majesty," he said quickly, fearing for his sisters' life. "She's mentally not there."

"I am, too, here!" She slapped the back of his head. Larry stepped in-between them, holding their hands forcefully.

"Bliss," he chided gently. Dorian laughed, but quickly turned it into a cough.

"I see. Would you all please follow me." He phrased it like a question, but everyone knew that it wasn't. The long trail of twelve people followed Dorian as he made his way back through the crowd to the private sitting area where he had left Hope. He opened the door and motioned them all inside. Bliss was the first to enter, and cried out happily when she saw Hope.

"Sis!" All the kids rushed forward and crowded around her, even Gramm and Larry. They all began talking at once, but Hope shook her head, raising her finger to her lips. It became quiet instantly.

"How are y'all doing?" She asked, pulling Brian up into her lap. She held him with one arm, and stroked Lizzy's hair with the other. Bliss had claimed a monopoly on the couch and was curled tightly as she could next to Hope. Dorian watched with soft eyes as he thought about how great a mother Hope would be.

"We're fine," Emily smiled, sitting down in the chair across from all her children and Gramm. Larry moved to stand at her side.

"No." Hope said, her voice shaking. "How are you?" Tears pooled in Emily's eyes, and the children suddenly looked sad.

"I... I miss Bruce. My wolf misses him, but I'm so angry too. What I saw that day was not the man I mated." She barely held back a sob, and looked at Gramm. "And I know it's been even harder for Drake. Victoria was his whole world. Do you know how they met, Gramm?" Gramm flinched as his name was mentioned.

He had been lost in his thoughts. His mother had ordered two very valuable people of their pack to be killed. Two people who were more like family to him and Hope than their parents. Drake had spiraled ever since Hope's disappearance and was constantly drinking, passing out wherever he could find a spot large enough.

"No," he said, eyeing Emily. "I thought you and Mom hated each other. How do you know?" Emily laughed awkwardly and then cleared her throat.

"Ah, yes. Well, we used to brag to each other about how great our mates were..." She laughed and shook her head. "This story certainly beat how Bruce and I met." She looked around the room before beginning her story. All of her kids, except Larry, sat around Hope as if they were preparing to have a portrait taken. Gramm stood closer to Dorian, though his attention from her never wavered. "Let's see..." She began.