On Monday, it was clear that summer was over, and fall had come; tree leaves were changing colour and falling. I was looking at them out the window, admiring all the colours, when Mike walked in.
"Liz?"
I turned to face him.
"Yes?'
"I have some news about you returning for high school. You are too late to join the current semester, but we can get you in for the winter one. So, you can finish grade 11 and do grade 12 next year."
I sighed. "What about if the school has questions about my identity and previous school?"
"Don't worry about that. Alpha Tim has got that covered. The high school has many werewolf students, so the principle knows Alpha Tim. Why would they have any reason to think that Alpha Tim is lying?"
"Hmm" I said thoughtfully. "There is no way that I can complete my grade 11 this semester?"
"No. They won't take you without a transfer document from your previous school, which we don't have and would be too dangerous to get."
"What if I got a private tutor? Like you, but for regular high school?"
"Ha! And where would you get the money for that? You don't have the money to pay me. I am sure no high school tutor would work for free?"
"But I am tired of just sitting around, waiting for things to happen in my life!"
I thought of Kyle, just lying in a hospital bed waiting for someone to come up with something that would save him. I felt so useless. All he could do was wait. I felt tears threaten at the corners of my eyes.
Mike never answered my outburst. He just waited patiently.
Suddenly, an idea came to me.
"Mike!" I said, looking him in the eye, "I think I know how I will pay for a tutor! There is something I need to show you."
I began to pull my teal sweater up over my head, when suddenly, Mike was standing right beside me. As I struggled with him, me trying to pull the sweater up and he trying to pull the sweater down, he yelled, "Are you crazy?"
I stopped fighting long enough to look him in the eye.
"No…"
"I don't know what has gotten into you or what ideas you have in your head. But if you think, even for a minute I am that kind of man, you are wrong. And I am not letting you seduce some tutor to pay for lessons either! Stop this right now."
I laughed.
"That's not what's happening! Don't you remember what you were investigating before?"
"What? What are you talking about?"
"With the books? The girl from the royal family disappeared. They are looking for her body, but she isn't dead…"
"How does that have to do with… Wait! How do you know that she isn't dead?"
"Because you are looking right at her."
"W…what? No. How could that be…"
"Mike! She has a very distinctive mole, remember? The tulip. It's right here on my…"
"Woah! Hold on. You are actually telling me you have the mole?"
"Yes. And the woman who called herself my 'Mom' is currently in jail for kidnapping as well as for my supposed murder."
Mike ran a hand over his face and sighed deeply.
"I really don't want to see your chest, but I need to see the mole."
"That was exactly what I was going to show you before."
Then, without further hesitation, I pulled up my sweater and showed him the tulip shaped mole just above the edge of my bra. Mike said nothing and I pulled my sweater back down.
"You are the missing girl from the royal shifter family!" Mike said at last.
"Yes. And when I finally reveal myself to them, I have a feeling they will give me enough money to pay you back, if you lend me enough money to pay for a tutor."
"So that is your idea for getting the money." Mike chuckled. "But we have to let your real family know you are alive."
"Yes. But I will tell them myself when I am ready."
"Liz! You are a princess and you have a whole family who think you are dead. Do you know how hard that must be for them? Your parents have missed most of your life so far. You were taken from them so long ago."
"I know. But even without being a princess, I know what I have to do! I have to infiltrate the rebels, steal some of the poison, have an antidote created and save Kyle and all the other werewolves that they will poison. Just because I am a princess doesn't mean I need to sit aside or put my family's comfort before those of others."
Mike laughed. "Only a princess would talk like that!"
I smiled.
"And I will keep your secret, Princess. Also, since you are my princess, I will obey your wishes and help you achieve your mission."
"Good. After all that is done, I will pay a visit to the royal family."
Later that evening, at dinner, I realized that Mel seemed quiet and moody. I thought perhaps she was angry, but all my attempts to talk to her went nowhere. Perhaps she had a bad day at work or had a bad migraine. But I would never know unless she talked to me.