THE AFTERMATH ✔

~ᴠɪᴄᴛᴏʀɪᴀ~

I had watched as my entire life grew to the grandest within years and crumbled away to nothing but power in seconds. 

I had watched myself mate with the man I thought I loved and I had watched my children grew up, all with opinions of their own.

I had watched my mate give his best friend the position of Zalta a position that another deserved. I had watched him deteriorate to nothing and in the end to abandon his own children. 

I watched as the understanding, loving man that I knew, turned into a nightmare that terrified my children to a point where they refused to see him up to the day of his death.

I had watched first Shane find his mate and then loose his life. I had watched Alice find her mate and slowly move up ranks until she was satisfied. I had seen her cradle her newborn son yesterday, with nothing but joy and love on her face. 

I had watched Damon take the throne with pride and assurance that he would do better than his father. I had watched Damon and Shane fight with each other over the throne, but Damon won and even then, Shane supported Damon through every thing. 

I watched Damon's grip on the throne falter when Shane died, but watched as his grip grew stronger and colder as he vowed to find and kill the group that was behind the death of his brother. 

I watched as both Alice and Peter grew extremely protective over Damon, going to such lengths to keep him controlled and contained. 

I watched as Damon brought his young mate home and I remember feeling immediate concern over her age and the look of innocence that was portrayed over her face. 

I remember feeling anger when I heard who she really was and who she contained. I remember feeling immense respect and love for the young girl, even though she pushed people away. 

I remember Jade's seemingly innocent spirit and face masked the reality of pain and immense maturity. She hid so much, even from Damon. 

I watched as Damon's inner circle, although close before, grew even closer as Jade mated with Damon. 

I watched as Damon tore apart the already fragile Jade and she took it. I watched as he took advantage of her state and used it against her. Multiple times. 

I remember when he used to tell me that he would never be like his father. He was wrong, he was turning out to be a replica of his father. 

I watched as Jade ascended to the throne, taking my position of Luna Queen. She bore the pain of loosing both her witch and wolf in the span of two days, while carrying the heir to the throne. 

I watched as she grew closer to Damon, but there was always something holding both of them back from each other. For Jade, it was fear that Damon was going to hurt her once more. For Damon, his reputation mattered more to him than any petty emotion.

I watched her the times she thought nobody was watching. She was just a mask. The perfect Luna Queen who could put others before herself, but she only let loose in front of Damon. 

I watched her now, as she stepped up to the dais. Walking alone. 

A tiara rested on her head, her long hair let loose, flowing down her back. The dress she wore had Damon and his men clenching their jaws angrily. 

I remembered the time I wore something similar. Damon's father had his way with me the same day, but for some reason the outfit had been designed to show more skin than necessary and Jade realised this.

She padded across the grassy dais, her bare feet making no sound. Her hands crossed her stomach and I saw Damon shoot her a warning look, which had her snap her arms back to her sides. 

I watched for the next few hours of her standing by Damon, his arm gripping her shoulder tightly, as each pack leader joined cut palms with her.

I watched as the blood drained from her face and her free hand gripped her stomach tightly, as if she was going to throw up.

I watched as finally Damon's men and their ladies joined hands with her, to finish with Damon joining his hand with her. 

I watched as he finished the ceremony with a delicate kiss to her lips, his arm holding her tightly to his body because if he let go, she would vanish into thin air. 

I watched as the festivities begun and everyone congratulated the new Luna Queen and Alpha King. 

I watched as the drinking and partying became too much for many, but it was a celebration so they continued. 

I watched as Damon and Jade snuck out of the party, back to the house, like troubled teenagers, who were looking for a place to hide and do God-knows what. 

I remember walking back to the palace, ignoring the looks shot to me from my daughter and the rest of the people. Some may think I was jealous of Jade, others may think that I wanted to dethrone Jade. Mother-in-laws were always painted in such a bad light.

I walked back to my room and opened the door to the secret room that I had behind my cupboard. The room that not even my family knew existed. It was for me and my eyes only.

The room was filled floor to ceiling with pictures. It started with pictures of Damon's father and me. The pictures that captured the pure essence of our love. They progressed to baby pictures of Shane, Alice and Damon, which showed all three of them growing up, to exactly this exact moments. 

There were pictures of Shane's death. There were pictures of Damon's father's death. There were pictures of Alice with Jake. There were pictures of Damon and Jade. 

There were pictures of everything. 

Because I was the Luna Queen who watched from the shadows. After all my motto was 

'To watch and wait'

And to watch and wait was what I had been doing for years and I didn't plan to stop now. My kingdom would never crumble as long as I was alive. Jade would be putty in my hands and I would train her to be exactly like me except to keep her characteristics. 

The Royal Pack would be known to all, because I the dowager Queen had kept this kingdom stable for years and years to come.