rihanna, goodnight gotham.

ngicela ungilinde.

[please wait for me.]

My brows furrow as I stare at the message that had interrupted me from the short rest I was about to have in this car. Amanda must've felt my confusion because she questions me.

I lift the phone so that she can read better and she giggles, "Your father is here, Lerato. I was wondering why we were leaving him in the first place."

"Oh my goddess!" I immediately open the backseat door and peak out searching for my father. He notices my popped head and starts to head towards the car.

"I didn't know what car you were in, cishe ngacabanga ukuthi ungishiyile."

[... I almost thought that you left me.]

Before he can enter the car I barrel towards him and engulf him in a hug. Everything that has transpired couldn't have gone smoother but at the same time it couldn't have gone worse. My mind is in a crazed frenzy that I know only my mate could help calm — the damn irony.

"Do you think I've lost them?"

My father pulls back from the embrace although his hands remain on my shoulders, "No sthandwa sami, I doubt you could do anything that would make either one completely pull away from you. Your bonds are strong, no matter who you choose... if you choose."

"If?"

He looks around before leading me back to the car, "We'll talk at home."

My brothers are the first to arrive and to my great sadness neither brought their pups. Their excuse being that it was five and that was no time to be taking kids out. So their mothers stayed behind with them.

"That sucks," I rolled my eyes. I knew in their homes that my little rascals were causing mayhem and that was enough to put a smile on my face.

Just as TJ opened his mouth the front door opened and I just knew it was my mother. She never used that doorbell, this — in her mind — was her house. Nevermind that she never put a cent towards it, the mere fact that she raised me and put ample cents into my education that lead to me a achieving this house meant that she had actually put more than a cent towards buying it.

And even though he's here right now, that logic was good enough for my father so he went with it too.

"Ma." I smile warmly at her, pulling her in for a warm embrace much like I had my father a half hour prior.

Once everyone is seated Amanda helps me as I briefly do all my host duties, as soon as everyone had whatever they were craving — the air changed. The seriousness of all that is going on lingering, waiting to be released.

"I'm going to be Queen," are the first words I utter once all the light stuff has been spoken. TJ chokes on his Sprite, "What?"

"How?" Anathi echoes.

I shrug, "Honestly, I'm still trying to piece it together too. Alpha Kade said that The Council chooses a Royal, as long as they are of Alpha lineage they are suitable. I would think it takes more than that but I suppose he was simplifying it for the moment."

My father nods, "A new monarch hasn't been chosen in decades. I doubt anyone who chose the Mbatha's is still alive — did you kids not pay attention in History?"

The four of us glanced at one another before letting out a round of laughter. Although my brothers were older than Amanda and I both we all attended the same high school and we all knew exactly what History class was really for.

Catching up on other homework you had forgotten about that's needed in the next period. The class was always half empty and the teacher couldn't care less, she'd only ask we don't huddle in groups so that no one would find it suspicious that half a class is roaming the halls. Or crowding the computer room.

As soon as she had given the next load of work she couldn't care less what we did with the rest of the period, as long as her work was done the next time we saw her. Seeing as this was a fair deal, her work never went undone.

So, to answer my fathers question — no, no we did not.

Rolling his eyes at our laughter he elaborates, "The Council used to be made up of all the Alpha's as well as one Elder from each pack. At this time the monarch only ruled over the country seeing as their weren't many if any packs at all around the world. They would only come together and decide on a new monarch if the current one had done something unforgivable.

"The last time they met was obviously when the Mbatha's were chosen and since then the Council is only made up of Alpha's. Elders have dispersed just as packs have and they hardly want to get on planes so they were removed. So this isn't something new but it is something huge. Lerato, this is a great responsibility."

I thought over everything he had just said, I suppose that made sense but — why have a monarch then if there's no such thing as royal blood? Why bother having an all powerful ruler if, they aren't any different.

Is it because all the Alpha's choose the monarch? They think that makes it better, less chance of another Alpha being jealous and thinking there's nothing that separates them.

"What makes Motheo different then?"

My father sighs deeply finally accepting that my history is garbage, clearly have some catching up to do.

"There's a Ceremony where the Elders bless the chosen King and his lineage. So by all means, Motheo does and will until his dying day have Royal blood coursing through his veins. However, since you will be blessed every child after you and with your newly appointed royal blood will be a Royal and any child Motheo is to have will not have that blessing. He and his siblings will be the last of the Mbatha's to have Royal blood."

I feel Amanda recoil and my heart hurts for her, I know she definitely thought she'd be having Royal babies. Whether or not she had expected being mates to a Royal, I know for a fact the moment she did the thought of partly royal pups must have amused her. Now, she would no longer have that. She lived this life for such a short while, I felt as thought I was completely to blame.

I place my hand over hers, "I'm sorry."

My family glance over at us, brows raised. They didn't know yet about Kuhle and I know they'd feel the same way I do once she explains.

She smiles shyly but brightly, "Lindokuhle Mbatha is my mate."

My mother immediately coos, asking her rapid fire questions before she felt satisfied that Amanda was happy and her mateship hadn't gone like mine.

TJ is the first to say it, "uXolo Amanda." He apologises just as I had.

She waves it off, "It's fine, ningakhathazeki. Especially wena Lerato, I'm fine and I know Kuhle will be too. He'll have to adjust because as much as he denies it he likes the luxury, or rather he's become accustomed to it unknowingly. Small things like how he spends money because it's always there shows me just how much he hasn't thought out how a life as a non-Royal would be."

She realises she's over sharing with my entire family and quickly continues to wave off her concern for their future.

"Does all of this mean you're accepting the position?" Anathi queries.

I glance over at my father, "Do I have a choice?" He chuckles, "Of course you do, ngane yami."

[my child]

His hand laces with my mothers absentmindedly as he elaborates, "You made it clear that we should come to two decisions and we did. You are the first contender because you were to bare Royal pups and to wear a Royal mark. A mark that would make you share some of the lineage, then you were to mark him which would've put some of his blood in you.

"Making you even more so a Royal meaning you were born for it, it is your birthright just as much as it is his. That is why we the Alphas were called, he could've been imprisoned for what he did. It was a thought, there just weren't enough votes for it to happen and let me tell you he visibly exhaled all his worries away until we told him in exchange he would no longer be King."

Knowing now that the royal blood could be transferred I had to ask, "What happens to Madeline?" Surely she couldn't go running around with that power, no matter how little it is.

My father rubs his chin, "I wasn't quite sure but if I understood Alpha Exodus when he answered Alpha Kai's question — she no longer has it. I'm not sure how."

"Maybe because she no longer bares his mark?" I try.

My father clicks his fingers, "Yes! Yes, I heard someone say that, I'm sorry, it was a long meeting before we called you. I was starting to get bored so my memory is a little dusty."

I let out a chuckle before asking, "Who's the second choice?"

He shakes his head, "There isn't one, if you don't take the position the monarch will be disassembled."

My eyes bulge, "What!? They can't do that, we need the monarch. As much as we all don't think about it, we need a higher power that keeps everything in check."

"And that is exactly why I proposed that you lead alone. That is why Alpha Exodus agreed, we know we need someone to turn to when times gets weary."

I let out a blunt laugh, "So I have no choice..."

I couldn't let the community dismantle like that, I couldn't let everyone down —

"But you do," Amanda speaks up, "You said the public should choose, remember? So if they choose no monarch it shouldn't weigh on you."

—

Super sorry this is late, uhm, I left my assignment to the last minute and obviously that wasn't the smartest thing to do because I wasn't satisfied with this chapter yet so it had to be put behind my assignment.

Also sorry if this ending is crummy. :(

❤️