The deaconess looked lost for words as she walked over to me. Her mouth was opening and closing, like she didn’t know what to say or how to start.

“I guess you heard that I’m moving out,” I said.

“They had us sign contracts.” She frowned. “Promising not to tell anyone outside of the palace, about what is going on with you and the prince…”

“That makes sense,” I said. “I’m sorry to have to tell you goodbye, but I guess this is it.”

Rafaela stood there for a moment, still looking like she couldn’t bring herself to speak.

“Thanks for everything,” I told her.

“Miss Yena,” she finally said, “You must know, there will never be another princess like you again.” Her big, round eyes were filling up with tears.

“Thank you.” I wasn’t sure what else I could say to that.

She shook her head and said, “You don’t understand.”

“Understand what?”

Then she reached out and took my hand. It was a very intimate gesture and something I didn’t really expect from a woman who, when I first met her, was pretty much terrified of all the royals…

But I wasn’t going to be a royal for much longer. Maybe that was why she felt she could drop her guard with me.

Either way, it felt kind of nice. Rafaela had been – I hated to admit it – a little bit like a mother to me here.

Not a very sweet one, that’s for sure. But she took care of me when I needed her.

“You don’t understand,” she said again.

Her voice was coming out like a whisper now, as she tried to hold back tears.

“You are supposed to be our queen, Miss Yena. You are meant to be our Luna.”

“No, I don’t think so…”

A gigantic teardrop fell down her cheek and I couldn’t help it – I started to cry right along with her.

“I know that it is true, and so do many others,” she insisted. “You are meant to lead us.”

“I don’t fit in here,” I told her. “I never did. There will be someone else now, someone’s who’s better for this… this job…”

“Being Luna is not a job.” The old woman shook her head side to side slowly. “It is something you are born to be.”

“Not me.”

She sighed.

“I respect you, Miss Yena, whatever it is that you will do. But I couldn’t let you go without telling you that you will always be the princess to me.”

I gave her a hug, and she broke down crying.

I had lots of help getting my belongings downstairs. They were taken in a car ahead of the one I rode in myself.

I didn’t want to take the limo they usually sent me around in. I insisted on making the drive to Tina’s in a smaller car, instead.

It just didn’t feel right anymore. Being treated like… someone so very important.

But when that thought crossed my mind, I shook my head, trying to get rid of it. Not being the princess anymore didn’t mean I wasn’t important.

Though, it had become a big part of my identity.

I didn’t even realize that until now. Until I was driving away from the palace, looking out the back window of the car and watching my lavish home getting smaller and smaller, fading into the distance.

Fortunately my phone rang before I could get caught up in my feelings again.

“Tina,” I said, answering. “I was just about to call you.”

“Are you on your way yet?”

“Yeah, I’m in the car now, and we’re just about to get on the highway.”

“Yay! Yena is coming home!”

I pulled the phone away from my ear. She was practically yelling.

I had to laugh. It had been a while since I heard Tina sounding so happy.

“I know, I’m excited too,” I told her. “Can’t wait to see you.”

“We’re keeping dinner warm for you, and cookies will be going in the oven now,” she said. “And you’ve got lots of big hugs waiting for you here too! See you soon, sweetheart!”

“I’ll see you soon. Love you, Tina.”

“Love you more!”

And we drove on, up the highway toward town. My thoughts and feelings were all over the place. I tried to turn my brain off, watching the blur of the forest rushing by out the window.

Evan texted me a few minutes later.

Hope you’re real hungry, he said. Tina made a crazy big dinner to celebrate your first night back!

I smiled. All the talk about food now had my stomach growling, and I realized I hadn’t eaten all day.

I texted Evan back.

I’ll be there driving time from the palace. Maybe half an hour.

He replied, Can’t wait.

It felt weird. parking at the curb outside Tina and Peter’s house. Everything looked pretty much the same, but it felt totally different.

I guess it was me that was different, really.

And the trees. They were really overgrown, blocking the view of the front porch. I smiled, thinking that Peter might mention it when I got inside, making an excuse for being late on yard work, though that was really the norm for him.

The driver rushed to open my door before I could do it myself, right after we parked.

I thanked him as I got out, and thought about how strange it was that I was used to that now… But now it was time to get back to being a commoner and opening my own doors again.

It wasn’t until I was through the front gate and starting up the path, that I saw Evan was there on the front porch. He was standing at the top of the stairs, smiling.

“Hey!” I called out.

He started down the steps. It had been raining earlier today, and the ground was turning icy, now that the sun had gone down and the temperature dropped below freezing. So we were both walking carefully.

“Welcome home, Yena.” Evan beamed at me and held his arms open wide for a hug.

I fell into his arms and let my head rest against his chest.

For the first time, I breathed in Evan’s scent and really noticed it. He smelled citrusy, and like the fresh wood sap smell you get right when a block of firewood is split in half.

It occurred to me that I’d hardly spent any time with Evan since I’d found out I was a wolf. Since I’d been transformed.

I might not be the princess anymore, I thought to myself, but I was a werewolf now, and at least that wasn’t going away.

Evan rubbed his hands up and down my arms, trying to give me some warmth, as he pulled out of our embrace.

“Let’s get you inside,” he said, laughing. “You’re not wearing nearly enough layers to be outside right now.”

My teeth had started chattering.

“How long have you been out here, anyway?” I asked him.

“Just a few minutes,” he said, wrapping one arm around my shoulders as we started walking up the stairs to the house. “Like I said, I couldn’t wait to see you.”