The Isle (Chronicles of the Irish Princess Book 1)

I thought that dress shopping for prom was bad. Try again, wedding dress shopping had to be the worst. All the gowns were either white or ivory or cream. Some were poufy, some were straight as a board and then there were the ones that clung to you like cling wrap. I looked at dress after dress behind me Alex and Sarah were going through every rack grabbing dress after dress to force on me. I looked at some of the ones on a far rack away from them. They were a more vintage style and had some lace. I pulled one off the rack and held it up to myself in the mirror. Finally, or attendant greeted us and showed us back to a private spot. She was a smaller Hispanic woman with long dark hair that she had tied up in a bun.

It was then that my wedding became all the more real. I couldn't imagine it. I wasn't even eighteen yet, and the Counsel wanted me to get married. I shook my head, "This is ridiculous."

"First time shopping," the attendant asked.

"Yes," I nod. "I'm not big on fluff or tulle. I don't want to be clung to or have the material peeled off later. "

"Of course not your Highness. You want simple and elegant, with maybe a splash of sparkle?"

I nod again. "Something like that yes. I like some lace, but not a lot."

She smiled at me, "I think we may have what you're looking for in the back. Wait here while I go find it."

"Leah... You will look amazing in this." Sarah held up a ball gown with a tulle skirt and a silk bodice. It was covered in sparkles and bling.

"Sarah, that would look good on you, but it's not me. What else did you find?"

She showed me a few others, all of which were just too much or too fluffy. Alex had found some simpler options, less tulle and more vintage or elegant. I picked one that wasn't horrible from each of them and hauled them to my dressing room where another attendants asked me to wait and change while the one dug out the dress from the stock.

I could hear Sarah and Alex giggling outside the door no doubt making more plans for My wedding. I couldn't believe that it was happening so soon. We were holding out for as long as possible. Delaying things for my sake and my father's. Most nights my dreams had been of blood and water. I couldn't understand what the Great Mother was trying to tell me. I could only hope and pray that my father would live another day and my people would be safe.

Before I could understand, my eyes were spilling over with tears. It was timed perfectly as the attendant walked in with the dress she'd been talking about. Seeing my state she quickly hung up the dress and knelt next to me offering me a tissue.

"Thank you," I muttered drying my eyes and wiping away the snot that was threatening to drip down my nose.

"Of course your highness. I see it all the time. It's not uncommon for brides to be overwhelmed by all the dresses and once they start thinking about all the planning, well... it usually ends up similar to this. A mess of tears. At least you haven't begun to panic. You have a whole team of palace staff to help you. Not to mention those two goons out there. You'll be just fine miss. Now, let's get you into their dresses, shall we."

I smiled knowing she was right and nodded. We put me in Alex's pick first. He chose something similar to my style... It was loose fitting, with a lace bodice and a jeweled belt. There were tulle straps that rested just off my shoulders it was long on me, which the attendant expected and slightly bigger than me. She tightened it up using big clamps. When I stepped out of the room, I saw their eyes light up, but it wasn't as much as I'd hoped for. I looked in the mirror and understood why, the dress clearly wasn't me. I wasn't emotional, and the happy wedding feelings I was just having were gone.

Alex was the first to speak, "Darling you're beautiful, but I'm going to be honest, that dress isn't you. Too much lace and tulle. Those don’t always go together so well."

"Leah, I'm gonna agree." Sarah said. "But this is a good start. We'll find your dress, promise."

"I know we will." I turned to the attendant, "Do you have bridesmaids dresses also?"

"Yes ma'am, was there a specific color or style you were looking for?"

"Sarah knows, if you could just direct her, she can look while I change."

The attendant told Sarah the directions and she was off to look for her dress. Back in the room the attendant, who I had learned was named Mara, helped me change into the dress Sarah had picked.

"She's a very good friend isn't she?" Mara asked.

"Yes, I've known her since I was little. She's also my brother's mate. It worked out well."

She hesitated then, "Both of you are mated to wolves?"

I nodded, "Why, do you ask?"

"It just has never been heard of. The Great Mother has blessed our people indeed."

"What can you tell me about her?" I was digging, to figure out where she stood. I internally smiled at her bright purple aura.

"The Great Mother is powerful, you're her descendant, talk has been going around that you may even be her incarnated. While I am old, and have been around a few centuries, there are many here, much older and wiser than I. Many who could enlighten you on her. But not all those people are good. Many of them would like to see the dark days return. A time before there were kings and elders to keep the peace."

"You mean like the Middle Ages?"

"Precisely, It was a dark time for the supernatural. We were either hiding, being hunted, or terrorizing the people. But I was a youngling then. My family was killed in a fire, burned alive for who we were."

"I'm so sorry. If you don't mind me asking, what are you. I am still learning the differences between entities and what they all feel like."

She smiled, "I'm a vampire, but unlike all the stories I don’t feed on humans or animals, not directly. It's forbidden now a days. Most of us get our supply from the hospital, they keep a separate blood bank just for us. We also enjoy sleep, it’s not required, but we like it. Garlic, a major myth. And we DON’T sparkle."

"How about the sun?"

"Well that was a little trick an old king came up with for us, for those of us who have chosen to live off the Isle, he created rings. Those of us who live here, we're protected by an invisible barrier. Our homes and businesses have also been protected with UV proof glass."

We had long gotten me in my next dress, but I was so intrigued. A knock on the door startled me.

"Coming, coming."

I stepped out and onto the little podium. Sarah's dress was tighter than the one Alex chose. It flared out at my knees allowing me to walk. It wasn't completely covered, but there was a significant amount of bling, out of all the dresses she picked it was the least blingy. "Sarah, it would look so much better on you," I said.

"You're probably right. But it does make your curves stand out. My cousin would probably kill me if you wore it. I can just see all the wolves who would want to devour you in this."

I shivered, knowing how many of them weren't fond of me, it wasn't a kind of devouring I wanted. Alex smiled and handed me the clip and a veil.

"Where did you find the veil?"

"I didn't, someone gave it to me before we left, the clip I brought though. Go get in that last dress and pull your hair half up. I think you'll see why."

I ducked back into the dressing room and with Mara's help got all put together. She refused to let me look at myself until we were with the others. My hair still had some wave to it from the other day when Alex and I tried hairstyles. They hung loosely around my shoulders. The clip had pulled the top half of my hair out of my face. Mara had slipped the veil under my clip and secured it with a couple hair pins. I could feel it brushing the back of my arms. Because we were out and about I was also wearing my crown, not because I wanted free things or more attention, but because I wanted the people to interact with me if they wanted. I wanted to know my people, much like I got to know Mara during our time in the boutique.

She smiled at me, "I think you'll be very pleased Princess." Then she opened the door unleashing me to me entourage.

Immediately Sarah started to cry and even Alex looked shocked.

"What? What's wrong?"

"Nothing darling, look and see for yourself." Alex urged me.

It was then I looked in the mirror and completely understood. Tears began to well up in my eyes as I looked at myself in awe. It was perfect the right amount of everything. The veil was the cherry on top and I finally recognized it.

"Aunt Linda's veil. I haven’t seen this since her wedding. I remember doing a few pictures with it and then with her in it. She gave this to you?"

"She gave it to you Leah, you're her daughter, her only girl. She also said something about it being a something borrowed." Alex smiled. "Mara, it think this is the dress."

"Yes," I agreed smiling and turning to her.

"Great. Let's get you measured so that our seamstresses can fit it to you."

Alex took back the veil and clip folding them back into his bag. Once we were finished we went over to the shop where Brayden worked. It was a little shoe shop and Alex said it was the perfect place to find my wedding shoes. Sarah had found the bridesmaids dress we were hoping for and had that tailored before we'd left Mara also. She already had heels to go with it.

While in Brayden's shop I wasn’t really paying attention to the shoes, I was watching Brayden and Alex interact. They were a cute couple, flirty, but respectful to their surroundings. Though I had caught Brayden kiss him on the cheek when he thought no one was looking. It made me smile and think of Kai.

What is it my Luna. Kai spoke into my thoughts.

Nothing, just thinking of you. Everything alright over there?

Aside from your brother and my grandpa driving me crazy with all this wolf house nonsense, sure. I miss you though. When will you be back?

Soon. We are just finishing up. I found the cutest shoes.

Yeah? How about a dress?

You'll have to wait to see that. So don't go snooping in my thoughts.

Never, I'll respect the wedding code, he chuckled. Come home please, before my uncle kills your brother. Apparently there is something wrong with wing assignments.

I rolled my eyes and looked at Sarah, I could see in her eyes that she was getting the same info. I moseyed over to Alex sad to interrupt him and Brayden.

"Your Highness, is everything alright?" Brayden was so sweet.

"Not exactly, it sounds like there are a few pressing matters back at the palace I must attend to. I'm sorry to interrupt, but I must be going."

Alex took the boxes from Sarah and I. "No worries, I don't have any clients today. You two go back and I'll make sure these make it back for the ceremony."

"Thank you Alex, are you sure you have a way back?"

"I'll make sure of it, Princess." The smile on his face told me they wouldn’t be following any time soon.

I smiled in return and followed Sarah out to the SUV. She and I shared a knowing look as the two waved goodbye to us. Then, like I suspected, Sarah took off on a rant.

"I cannot believe my father right now!"

"Oh lord, this is going to be a big mess isn't it?"

"Yes, he's trying to tell Kai and Luca where I'll be staying on top of some other packs that shouldn't be on the same floor. He thinks that war among the good and bad will suddenly mean peace between packs. And he should know way better than Kai and Luca that it isn't true."

"Is he trying to say you can't stay with Luca?"

She nodded, "Where does he think I've been sleeping since we got here? In another dimension. God I swear he is the worst. And my poor mother is out and about being a submissive little wife just like grandma."

"Thank god you're not like that," I chuckled.

Sarah shot me a sour look. "You'd feel the same way if this was you and Kai. Don't deny it."

"I'm not. I'm just trying to make you smile. Don't worry your little Beta head about this. I'm going to go in and sort it out. I promise you. Besides. You and Luca aren't even staying in the Pack palace. Kai and I and Oran are."

When we got back to the palace Sarah stormed off to her room. I made my way to the hall where the voices went from normal taking to an outright scream. Apparently things had not resolved themselves in the 5 minutes it took to get back. I walked in on my poor brother and mate taking wrath from Sarah's father. I stopped just in front of him and placed my hands on my hips and looked at him just like a mother would to a child in trouble. It took him a few seconds to clear through his raged wolf before he acknowledged me and shut his loud mouth.

"Your Highness, how was your outing." Scott asked. "You look beautiful today."

He knew I was angry, but paid me the compliment as to sweeten me up. My outfit wasn't meeting appropriate entirely, but it would do. I was wearing a pair of black denim jeans and an emerald green blouse. It was about the only thing that my sash went with when I was looking through my closet. I smiled at him, but was still less than pleased.

"Considering it was cut short because of this, I am less than pleased, Scott." I stared him down. "You should know better than my brother and I about which packs don't mix. Yet here we are, my brother and your nephew, you're future Kings, telling you otherwise. So please have a seat with the rest of the representatives and give me a moment to ponder the list."

He handed me the list and went to sulk in his seat. King Oran smiled at me and sat in his chair amused. Glancing at the list I noticed he had placed Russia and Serbia on the same floor and he had placed the Hungarian pack with the Irish Pack. I shook my head. Since we'd moved to the Isle, Uncle Don had told me stories of how their home pack didn't respect them.

"Kai, do you have a sheet of paper?"

"There should be some on the table." He smiled.

I bent over the table and snagged a blank sheet. I drew out a little floor plan and labeled them accordingly. When I was satisfied I smiled to myself.