Stubborn Princess

Time Passes

  After the first mission for Kelly, Calie went back to being the commander of the Elites. Zab was actually relieved that her sister went back to work and stopped sulking.

  Calie went out missions after missions, keeping herself busy so she don’t feel the pain anymore. But she always has time for her son. She would make sure she’d be there for him on every occasion, every activity in school and every dinner.

  Ivan began to grow into a charming boy. He would always get high grades and top his class. He still plays with kids his age, but most of the time he would bug his grandpa Liam in his office.

  One time when Calie came back from her solo mission, she was surprised to see her father waiting for her by the castle doorstep.

“Can I have drink with my little pumpkin?”Liam asked, and Calie smiled.

  The father and daughter went towards the kitchen. Liam grabbed a few bottles of the Korean drink, Soju and two shot glasses. They sat on the high chairs as Calie opened the bottle, pouring its content into the shot glasses.

“I haven’t tried this before. But your mother was addicted to Kdramas this past weeks and she was fascinated by this drink.”Liam said.

“Let me guess, she teleported to Seoul and she brought a crate?”Calie asked and Liam chuckled, nodding at his daughter.

“Let’s try it then.”Calie said, and then they clanked their glasses and chug down their glass’ contents.

  Once the burning feeling of the liquor ran down their throats, the two of them groaned and slammed the glasses on the counter.

“Wow. That’s sharp.”Liam said.

“Yeah, I didn’t expect it since my mind thinks of it like it was Sprite.”Calie said.

  Liam refilled their glasses.

“How are you? These past months I could see that you are drowning yourself in work. You finished a good three years worth of mission in just a couple of months. Your mother and I are worried you’ll over work yourself.”Liam said.

  Calie sighed and drank the content of her glass.

“I feel like I need to do it dad. My body is like craving for the excitement the missions provide. I love the buzzing feeling whenever I chase down targets, hunt them, and even kill them.”Calie said.

“You are just looking for a hobby darling. Why don’t you try knitting?”Liam asked his daughter.

  Calie stared at her father before she laughed and refilled her glass.

“Dad, we are apex predators. Did you see any of your other kids or mom do knitting? We hunt and kill, that’s in our blood.”Calie said, and then she drank the contents of her glass.

  Liam sighed and drank his drink.

“I tried knitting but it was so annoying I set it on fire.”Liam said chuckling.

  Calie chuckled, and refilled her father’s glass.

“Your uncle Jax and uncle Chester are both into fishing now.”Liam said.

“Why don’t you join them?”Calie asked her father.

  Liam drank, and then he sighed.

“Your mother won’t let me. She’s still scared. What happened that day traumatized her.”Liam said.

  Calie sighed.

“I was so young that time, but my heart can remember how painful it was to see you die.”Calie paused as tears brimmed around her eyes.

“Just like when Ian died.”Calie choked on her tears, and then drank her liquor.

“But what differs is that I was able to bring you back to life, but Ian really died.”Calie cried.

  Liam refilled his glass and drank it. Then he pulled Calie into his arms, and let her cry.

“You still have a long life ahead of you. Spend more time with Ivan, so he won’t trash my office and bug me to no end.”Liam joked, and Calie chuckled.

*******************************.

  The next weekend Calie took Ivan to the next town, to see the animals in the zoo. Calie was happy to see Ivan looking happy and giddy as they walk around the zoo.

“Mama, I want to be a doctor when I grow up!”Ivan chirped.

  Calie smiled and crouched down to his height.

“Like uncle Creon?”She asked.

“I want to treat animals mama.”Ivan said, and it made Calie furrow her eyebrows.

“Why is that?”She asked.

“I can hear them mama. They are sad and in pain.”Ivan said and Calie was taken back.

  Calie wondered if hearing the animals speak is what his son’s gift.

“Baby, is there any other things you can do?”She asked.

“Like what mama?”The boy asked back.

“I don’t know. Can you create fire? Can you make the water move according to your will?”She asked.

“Like grandpa and grandma? I’m not sure mama.”Ivan said.

  Calie sighed and smiled at the boy.

“Nah, don’t worry about it. Let’s just look around some more, shall we?”Calie asked and she took Ivan’s hand and they resumed their walk around the zoo.

  Since that day in the zoo, Calie kept a close eye on Ivan. She even asked Creon and Zab’s help on figuring out Ivan’s gift. They helped to confirm if Ivan can really talk to animals. They placed Ivan in a room with animals while they watch him from the one way mirror.

  And looking at it, the boy talks to them and the animals looked like they can understand him and follow whatever the boy told them to do.

“Looks like he can he can talk to animals.”Creon said.

“Yeah. I see in his mind that they communicating.”Zab said.

“So he inherited the vampire genes of having gifts. Will he shift as well?”Calie asked.

“Only time can tell that Calie.”Zab said.

  Then their attention went back to the one ay mirror when they heard goats and dogs being noisy. Then they gaped when they saw that they were floating, while Ivan was happily waving his hand.

“Two gifts, impressive.”Zab said smiling.

  Calie smiled too, feeling proud of her boy.

*******************************.

  Since Ivan developed her gift, Calie took a break from her missions and focused on training him with his gifts.

  Years passed and Ivan was ten when he developed another gift. He can control the wind just like his mother, and Calie couldn’t be more proud of him. She also began training him with self defense and other warrior stuff.

  Ivan was smart and an obedient kid and the concept of being royalty didn’t get to him. He hates it when he was referred to as Prince Ivan. He loves being just Ivan, but he also loves training with his mother.  

  When Ivan was about to turn sixteen, he went through his first ascension and Calie was there by his side guiding him, and taught him control his thirst. And when they thought Ivan was getting the hang of his vampire side, on the midnight of his birthday he shifted into his lycan. Its fur was white as snow just like everyone in the family.

  Calie shifted into her lycan and joined Ivan in his first ran. His lycan Casper was scared little pup and he needs his mother, Cassandra. The rest of the royals present shifted to their lycans and Calie taught her son to give respects to the Queen, to their Alpha of all Alphas. Once Casper and Ivan was able to do it, they all run together.

  More years passed and Ivan grew up to be a perfect gentleman, smart and a total prince charming. He’s now eighteen and just graduated high school. He was about to go to college, and he’ll be taking veterinary medicine in University of California.  

  For all the years have passed, Calie never had the courage to visit Ian’s grave until now. Calie placed a bundle of red roses on his headstone, as she traces Ian’s name with her fingertips.

“Ivan grew up to be a handsome man like you. He’s also smart and a perfect gentleman. He’s going to college now, and I just wish you were here to see him off.”Calie said, as tears brims her eyes.

“You have no idea how much I miss you every single day. It took me more than a decade to set foot in this place because I am weak. I’m afraid I will succumb to loneliness once I see your grave.”

  Calie cupped her mouth with her hand as she cries. Then a hand touches her shoulder and she looked up to see Ivan’s tall figure.

“You are brave mom, and I’m pretty sure papa would have understood you. Stop crying you’re going to get old.”Ivan told her.

  Calie cried more and then she looked back at Ian’s headstone.

“Can you believe how perfect our boy, Ian? He’s a charmer and an ass all rolled into one.”Calie said.

  Ivan chuckled, and then he sighed.

“I’m off to college now papa. I want to be a vet, and help animals. And then I’ll travel the world and then I’ll try to be a teacher.”Ivan said.

  Calie stood up when she heard him said those words.

“Travel? A teacher? Why am I not informed? That means you’ll be gone longer.”Calie whined.

  Ivan smiled and then he held his mother in arms length.

“I want to explore the world mama. I want to have my own identity. I want to be myself, not Prince Ivan.”Ivan said.

“But I’ll miss you.”Calie cried.

  Ivan gave his mother a small smile and pulled her in a tight hug.

“I’ll miss you more but I need and want to do this.”Ivan said.

  Then they heard a soft whimpers, and Ivan pulled away from his mother. He looked around and then suddenly a German shepherd puppy came out behind the headstone.

  The puppy sat in front of Calie with its tongue out.

“He likes you mama.”Ivan said.

  Calie looked at the puppy and she was easily swoon by its adorable face. She picked up and puppy and it immediately started licking her face.

“Oh my gosh.”

“He thinks you are his mommy. He said he’s been wondering around this cemetery for weeks and you are the first person he saw. He kind of imprinted on you.”Ivan said.

“Awww. You were alone here? I can be your mommy.”Calie cooed the puppy that was wagging his tail.

“He’s happy mama.”Ivan said.

  Calie looked at her son.

“I am going to keep him. He’ll be my companion while my son explores the world.”Calie said, wiping her tears.

  Ivan smiled.

“I’ll be fine, and I know you’ll be fine too. You are strong, you are a princess.”