Last time on Blind Hope

"Majesties!" Dorian's smile dropped and he tensed up beside Hope who still held onto his arm. "Are you alright?" They checked both of them for injuries, scanning their bodies. Dorian growled lightly, and the guards eyes instantly left Hope's body. "You seem fine, Sir!" They bowed and assumed formation behind them. Dorian bent down and whispered gently, "We have some things to discuss now, sweet." The guards, trained to keep still and ignore what was said, stood visibly shocked.

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Everyone sat in the living room trying to ignore the fact that King Dorian was gently stroking Hope's hair as she sat in his lap. It was at odds with his cold demeanor, and yet Hope was sighing in contentment. "Tell me more about Victoria and Bruce."

"Ye-yeah," Vivian cleared her throat, still not over the fact that her best friend was sitting in THE KING'S LAP like he was a freakin' Easter Bunny. "Well, they went out to find their mates at eighteen like most, and found each other instead."

"Disgraceful," the King said, but then he smiled down at Hope, softening his voice, "but I appreciate it." Hope giggled.

"Uh-huh." Vivian openly stared. "An-anyway, Hope was born blind. Her wolf too. Because of this, she need more care and protection than most. Her grandparents, actually, urged the two of them to abort her because of all the problems it would cause with the Council and whatnot." Dorian growled, pulling Hope closer to him.

"I'm not going anywhere," she whispered. "I can't be taken away now." He relaxed.

"Okay," Vivian cleared his throat. "So, as I was saying, because Alpha Bruce and Alpha Victoria feared what the former King and Council would do, they kept Hope a secret from the world. At first, everything was fine. No one knew. It was all good. But you can't exactly hide a pregnancy from your pack. So when she was born, my family, the top male and female warriors, were chosen as Hope's sworn protectors, and the pack was sworn to secrecy. By school age, they had found their mates and began having children of their own. Hope became an afterthought. She was essentially adopted into my family. During the school year, Hope was sent to a school for the blind, and during the summer, we all moved to Alpha Bruce's pack."

"That must be why we haven't met yet," Hope said, looking up at Dorian's face. "We always passed each other. I would normally be on my way to Bruce's pack by now, which presumably, you've already been to." Dorian nodded thoughtfully, kissing her forehead.

"If everything was fine," his voice harden as he looked up at Vivian, "what changed?"

"I told you," Hope whispered. "Their wolves suddenly cut me off. They didn't want me taking the place that they felt their 'rightful' children should have. My eldest step-siblings will begin Alpha training in the next year or so."

"Yes, Bruce addressed that. Introduced me to... Daryl?"

"Larry. He's sixteen." Vivian watched the very domesticated scene between her best friend and King, and shook her head. Blake patted her shoulder sympathetically.

"We knew this," Vivian continued. "My parents and I swore our lives to Hope on an Alpha command given by a worried mother." Hope stiffened. She didn't know that. "We watched in worry as Hope slowly became a nuisance and not a daughter. Everything escalated two days ago when Alpha Bruce came to Alpha Victoria's pack." Vivian teared up, and Hope bowed her head into Dorian's chest.

"It's okay, angel," Blake whispered. "I got this." He cleared his throat. "Alpha Victoria called Hope to her office and told her that she needed to leave, find a mate, and basically just to not come back. Vivian and Hope ran into Alpha Blake in the gardens, words were exchanged on the same level, and Vivian ended up punching Alpha Blake."

"One of the best moments of my life." Vivian wiped a tear away and Hope laughed.

"One of the best moments I've ever heard." Vivian and Hope shared a moment of laughing, a moment none of the others could join.

"His face-" Laughter. "Purple!"

"Thunk!" Laughter. "I walked away, sticking to the garden path, while Viv dealt with Bruce."

"He gave me an Alpha command," Vivian and Hope became serious again, the memories hitting them like bricks. "I wasn't allowed to follow, go to, help, or be associated with Hope anymore. He told me to go home and stay like a good... dog." Hope growled, her eyes flashing.

"That idiot!" Dorian placed his head on Hope's shoulder, and she curled into him, calming down.

"Hope," Vivian said slowly , "I'm not exactly sure what happened next. I know, but not really."

"I don't want-"

"I know. I know." Vivian interrupted before Hope could breakdown or retreat into a shell. "But if we want to make things right, His Majesty needs to know." Hope frowned, but nodded.

"I ended up at the guest house. Actually, I didn't know where I was. I just stopped walking because the path ended. Then Emily, Luna Emily, called me inside. We've never gotten along, but we did that evening. We just talked, and I met with step-siblings for a little bit. Then Bruce showed up." Hope growled, just thinking about. "He said something very ambiguous about Viv - I realize now the Alpha command was why. But we were both angry at each other and shouting. He doesn't like that. I reached out for John and Tammy and the next thing I know," tears welled up in Hope's eyes, and she bowed her head, "he pushed me into the glass coffee table." Dorian pulled her into a comforting embrace, feeling her distress. "I didn't know where I was, which direction to go. Every time I moved, it hurt. I felt wet and sticky." She sobbed quietly as Dorian blocked her from view by wrapping his arms around her. Vivian ducked her head and let herself draw comfort as Blake rubbed her back soothingly.

"Mom and Dad found her like that and immediately took her to the hospital," Vivian continued quietly. "I managed to break out of the Alpha command and met them there." She pointed to the stiches in her face, and everyone knew not to say anything. If Hope couldn't see it, Hope didn't know about it. "They told me to bring Hope here for safekeeping. It was the nearest pack, and they'd heard good things about the Alpha." She gave Blake a weak smile. "Meanwhile, they-" Vivian covered her face and took a deep breath. "Blake..."

"They kept the Alpha's busy by surrendering themselves. After what happened, John and Tammy were said to be rogues and wanted. Vivian felt the family bond break yesterday." He took her hand in silent comfort and Dorian continued to hold Hope.

"I see. This is a serious matter."

The guards stood at attention behind Dorian and Hope, seething. No one hurts the Queen and lives. No one.

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