Opening her eyes to a glaring light shining down on her, Amy squinted, reaching out for the warmth of Geric's fur. But her fingers didn't brush against fur. It brushed against skin.

Her eyes widened in shock, fully expecting to find a naked man lying next to her, but Geric had pants on, just no shirt. He looked so peaceful in his sleep, the worry lines that sometimes folded into his forehead completely wiped away. For a moment, she wished that they could lie there forever, not having to worry about the stresses of life. Not having to worry about the uprising the wolves were planning. Not having to worry about getting killed the second she stepped out of the tent. So she'd stay here just a bit longer nestled up against Geric's warmth.

His eyes fluttered open as if sensing her gaze on him. He sat up quickly, glancing wildly around the tent that sheltered them. "I'm sorry," he breathed. "I was supposed to be keeping watch. I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"It's okay," Amy whispered as she placed a hand on the side of his face. "We're both alive. Nothing happened to us."

He nodded, letting out a sigh of relief before trapping her hand against his face. "We'll have to find a way to escape soon. The other wolves still think that you're my prisoner, but I don't dare leave you alone for a second. One of the other wolves down there, Favian, has been battling for Alpha status but he got overruled this time. He's probably the only one who will defy me right now."

"Which one is Favian?"

"He's the one who tried to attack you last night."

Amy shuddered as she remembered Favian's cold-hearted eyes and the way he looked at her as if she were his prey. "If they'll obey you, then why don't you call off the attack? Surely they'd listen."

But Geric just shook his head. "They've all been riled up for years with talk of staging an uprising. Favian just came along and made the idea become a possibility. It will happen whether or not I want it to."

She bit her lip as her thoughts that she had been contemplating last night churned over and over in her mind. "Geric, I've been thinking..." Amy turned her head to gaze up at him, her stomach tying in a knot as she looked back into his beautiful, soulful eyes. "The throne is rightfully mine, but it is also rightfully yours. We could unify ourselves with the wolves. Perhaps prevent this uprising from happening. If they want you as their king, then they will have you as their king with me ruling by your side."

Geric shook his head, his eyes wide. "I can't. Your father has made it quite clear that no such thing will happen. I wouldn't even get past the front gates without getting shot down."

"If he doesn't accept you to be the next king, then my father will be killed. My whole family will be killed. The wolves will kill everyone. Please. If you love me then you will try. If you want to preserve Colmar and myself, then you must try." She grasped both of his hands and kissed each one of them. "I love you, Geric. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, no matter how short it might be. I only hope that you want the same."

"Of course I do," he whispered as he tangled his fingers through her hair. "I'll do whatever it takes to be with you. But the wolves won't let us get very far. Just leave that part to me."

He made a move as to stand up, but Amy held him down before drawing him into a kiss. Her heart erupted with a million emotions as they kissed, each moment feeling like their last. As soon as they would step outside this tent, their futures would become uncertain. They may not have a future at all, but they may have a long and prosperous one too. But she had to try. They had to try. Together.

When they broke the kiss, Amy's heart shuddered in fearful anticipation.

"When we get back to the pack, stay behind me, okay? Don't let them sense your fear."

Amy let out an exasperated breath. "That's real? I thought that was only a myth."

Shaking his head, he replied, "Not a myth, and you were rolling in your fear last night. Some of them do respect you, you know. But they're just following orders. So give them more of a reason to respect you and I think we could pull this off."

"Okay," she nodded, turning around to give him privacy as he transformed, and then they were off. They made their way past several wolves who looked as if they had been watching over them all night to make sure they didn't try to escape, ran down the slopes, weaved in and out through trees, and slowed to a walk as soon as the camp was in sight. As soon as they walked into the camp, all eyes turned to them. Curious eyes. Suspicious eyes. Cautious eyes.

Geric transformed back right then and there as if it were no big deal and Amy had to look up at the sky above them as he pulled on his pants and shrugged on a shirt, and by this time, they had already gathered a crowd with just their presence alone. The wolves knew something was up.

"Have you made a decision about the girl yet?" Tonraq asked, speaking the words that everyone seemed to be wondering themselves.

"Yes," Geric said as he stood up on the table for everyone to see him. He waited several more moments for the other wolves to join the throng in their wolf form. "I understand why all of you are angry. I myself have been angry about the way that we've been treated as werewolves. No one trusts us. We're outcasts in society."

He glanced toward Amy and she forced herself to take a deep breath, pushing her fear away even though it felt as if a few of the werewolves were breathing down her neck.

Continuing, Geric said, "Being a werewolf used to be an honor. It gave us the privilege to serve and protect. Have we forgotten all of that? A couple of you used to serve my family a hundred years ago and you were revered and you were honored. Have you forgotten that? Society has forgotten and it's our duty to make them remember again. It's our duty to serve and protect. Let's not forget this any longer."

Geric hopped down from the table and began walking around the camp, looking each man—and a couple women—in the eye as he spoke. "I do not want to take the throne by force because this will make humans fear us even more. This will not solve our problems. It will only escalate them."

"Are you saying that we should just lie down and give up?" Favian growled, his limbs flickering in and out of his werewolf form as his anger threatened to spill over.

"Absolutely not. We deserve to live in broad daylight, out of the shadows and revered as the incredible beasts we once were. We are magnificent. We are powerful. And each and every one of us still has that honor, that pride, deep down inside of us. Things could go back the way they used to be. And that's why I want to do this my way. The right way. As your king with Ameline by my side as your queen."

The werewolves began muttering amongst themselves until one shouted out, "And how do you propose we do this?"

"Give me seven days. Seven days to secure my place as next in line for the throne. All without bloodshed. Without staging an attack. With Amy by my side, we can have peace with the humans again. We can be trusted and revered and honored. What say you?!"

All at once, the camp erupted in howl after howl, deep, reverating sounds coming from each of the werewolves in an inhuman way. And at that moment, Amy saw Geric the king. He was every bit the king that he deserved to be. Geric grinned at getting a nearly unanimous reaction before he transformed again and Amy climbed onto his back. Now it was time to take a stand.

. . . . .

Amy held her head high as she rode on Geric's back through town. They received stares; confused, shocked, and terrified stares. But Amy wanted the townspeople to see her. She wanted them to know that if she trusted the wolves, then maybe they could too.

"Mama, look!" a little boy said as he pointed to them as they passed. "It's the princess on a wolf!"

"Come away from there," the mother ushered, but Amy just gave the two of them a small smile and a gracious nod before continuing on their way. Everyone stared but no one approached, not even the guards stationed around town which was a good sign. The townspeople appeared too shocked to do anything either.

Geric let out a small whine when they made it past the town and continued toward the large black wrought iron gates towering above them.

"It's okay," Amy whispered as she leaned forward to pet Geric's head. "I won't let anything happen to you. "Remember, this is to stop an uprising. My father has to listen."

As they approached, the guards looked incredibly confused, not knowing whether to hold out their spears or to let them pass. "Princess, stop right there. We cannot have a werewolf enter inside the city gates without the proper escort."

Holding her head high and with as much authority as she could muster, she stared down at them. "Let us pass or I will make sure you no longer have a job here with the castle."

The guards looked at one another with uncertainty before they bowed their heads and shrunk away from the gates to allow them access. By now, they had gathered a large crowd, but the more people, the better. Her people had to know that they were in the presence of a hero. They were in the presence of the man who made it possible for them to be alive and under her father's reign. They were in the presence of royalty.

"What is the meaning of this?" her father roared as he stormed out of the castle, accompanied by at least a dozen guards.

Amy stared down at her father, making sure to stay as close to Geric as she could while still looking as regal as possible, that way no one would dare even try to shoot Geric down where he stood. None of the soldiers would risk her life doing something like that.

Speaking to the townspeople who had gathered while still addressing her father at the same time, she said, "This werewolf deserves some respect. Gericault Dunbroch is the last surviving heir to the Dunbroch line and he is as much royalty as I am." The townspeople let out surprised gasps and began talking amongst themselves. "And if you won't listen, father, then I sure hope your people will. I renounce my engagement with Prince Charles Minnings and I announce my engagement to Prince Gericault Dunbroch."

Her father's face became purple with rage, but then he glanced around at all the townspeople in the square around him, seeming to realize that he couldn't say anything in front of the hundred witnesses standing before them. This brief pause gave Geric enough time to transform back into a human beneath the blanket they brought with them and change into his clothes before standing beside Amy with his arm around her waist.

More gasps filled the courtyard, most likely due to the fact that many of them had seen Geric before, whether in town or when he was brought in the last time for questioning.

"And now I petition that Geric stay in the castle," Amy continued, "as a guest and not as an enemy. For too long we've had unrest between the werewolves and the humans. We can find that peace again! Starting right here with a prince who is more than worthy to stand by my side as my protector, as my equal, as my future king."

More chatter from all sides of them, but Amy only had eyes for her father. She knew she had her father cornered and there wasn't much he could do about it now that Amy had already announced their engagement. But still she held her breath.

Finally, her father found his composure, gazing back at her with a calm and collected expression. "Gericault may stay in the castle, but he will not be in line for the throne until he has proven himself worthy. Until then, he has my protection as long as he is here and as long as he remains faithful to his king and under control."

It was evident that her father didn't trust Geric one bit, but this was more than she had even hoped for. This might actually work. It might just actually work.

Geric took Amy's hand, obvious relief forming in every square inch of his expression. And then they followed the king inside, and Amy wasn't quite sure she was ready to face her father's wrath just yet.

. . . . .

"Ameline Auclaire, what did you bring into my home?!" the king snarled, pacing back and forth in the great hall but never taking his eyes off of Geric. "I told you no. I told you no again and again, but what did you do? You brought an animal, a monster into my home. How dare you do this behind my back! How dare you!"

Amy faced his anger head on, knowing full well that this would be his reaction. "Father, you wouldn't listen to me. I told you that this is the best choice for our kingdom but you hardly even considered it. After all the evidence I placed before you, couldn't you see that Charles was a bad choice?"

"I'm right here," Charles injected in an annoyed tone. "Don't think I can't hear you."

The king glared at Amy, just looking at Geric fueling his anger once again. "You need to publicly revoke what you said. I will not have my only child marrying a werewolf! That is completely out of the question."

"No," Amy defied. "I am standing firm on my decision to marry Geric. He has every right to the throne as much as I do. I want him to be the one to stand beside me."

Her father scowled and his face turned purple with rage, but he turned on his heel and stormed from the room. "This is not the last you've heard of this!"

Amy swallowed. She hated seeing her father like this, so angry with her. But she truly thought this was the best for her country, so she would stand firm on her decision.

"Don't do this," Charles begged as he took her hand. "You know that we're so good together. You know that we can accomplish great things together. With you by my side, we could rule the whole kingdom like no one has ever ruled before. Nations will cower before us. We will be respected all across the world."

Amy tugged her hand out of Charles' grip. "You've quite proven yourself to me that you are not fit to rule Colmar. You will only make matters worse. I will not stand for it." She took Geric's hand and led him outside into the gardens where she could finally feel at peace. They got a lot of astonished looks from the townspeople still gathered outside the gates and they even had five guards on their tail, but someday when the guards eventually came to trust Geric, hopefully that would no longer be the case.

As soon as they were out of sight of everyone but those five guards watching them very closely, Amy let out a breath of relief, holding Geric tight around the waist. "That was further than I had expected to get to be honest. We got you in. That's all that counts."

Geric pulled back to look into her eyes. "Are you sure this is a good idea? I could sense his pure hatred for me. I am definitely not welcome here."

"No, most people probably do not want you here. But the question is, are you brave enough to stay?"

"Amy—"

"Geric," Amy whispered as she placed a hand on the side of his face. "I love you, and I want to be with you. I know this is not easy for you. Not easy at all. But are you brave enough to stay?"

He smiled at her, softly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I love you too, Amy. And if this means being able to be with you, then yes, I am brave enough." He leaned forward and kissed Amy, her heart setting ablaze from all the adrenaline and all she wanted to do was melt in his arms—

"Step away from the princess," one of the guards growled as he stepped forward, his silver sword halfway drawn from its scabbard. But this only managed to make Amy furious. She stood at her full height, staring them down in a way that made one of them flinch.

"Geric is royalty!" she huffed. "And you will treat him as such. He is Prince Gericault Dunbroch, the last of the Dunbroch line. He deserves your respect. I better hope you spread that around to the other soldiers because anything other than respect will not be tolerated. Am I understood?"

"Understood, m'lady," they murmured before shrinking back several yards, still in their line of sight but far enough away to give them a little more privacy.

Amy turned back to Geric and smiled. "When I look into your eyes, I see a king. Now it's time to let everybody else see it too. Remind everyone who you really are. You are Prince Gericault Dunbroch, and don't let anybody forget it."