Forbidden Queen

Katy

I stare at Lucius. Taking him in. This is the man who killed my family, was responsible for the murder of my adoptive parents, and so many other wolves.

“Well, you have caused me a lot of trouble. Time and time again I have sent my warriors and spies to finish you off, but you just refuse to die. After your little moon goddess stunt at the coronation today, I had no choice but to come here and kill you myself

You are a more difficult opponent than I had expected, a weak omega like you should have been dealt with swiftly by Carl, but no you had your loyal lackeys to keep you safe. I have lost my only son because of you. But there will be no escape for you this time. You are all alone, there is no one here to save you. I will enjoy killing you.”

I glare at him. I should be afraid, I know my chances of living through this encounter are slight, but the main emotion I feel is anger. Rage at what he has done to the people I love.

“It wasn’t a stunt” I say.

“What? What wasn’t a stunt?”

“The moon goddess showing her approval of me. Of my reign. It wasn’t a stunt.”

“Of course, it was, you stupid girl.”

“No, it wasn’t, and I think I have you to thank for that. She was showing her support for me over you. That she wants me to end you. You are evil and…”

“Shut up” he snarls. “Your lies won’t work on me. And even if there was some truth in it, I do not care. No one will get in my way not even the moon goddess.”

I smile I know I have got to him.

“Sir” Hannah says trying to grab his attention. “The fighting is getting fiercer downstairs we don’t have much time left.”

“Are you scared Hannah?” he asks. “Scared of what your pack mates will do to you if they catch you?”

“No, sir. I just don’t want them to stop you before you can kill her. I am with you. I am loyal to you.”

He laughs at her. “With me, are you? I don’t think so. You are not part of my pack; we had a mutually beneficial agreement and now that has ended. If I were you, I would go now. I am not sure what your pack mates will do to you if you stay. The royal guards can be particularly vicious when it comes to dealing with traitors”

“But Sir, I…” Hannah tries to say desperation in her voice.

Lucius speaks over her drowning out her words. “I don’t want to listen to your whining anymore. In fact, if you don’t leave soon, I might have to kill you myself.”

She stops, fear and desperation cloud her face. She takes a faltering step back, looks at me and then at Lucius and then she turns round and runs out the door.

“Stupid woman, what did she think would happen. I can’t abide traitors. They are completely untrustworthy” he says conversationally.

“And yet, you recruited, and used her” I respond.

“Well of course I was going to use her. It was far too good an opportunity to miss. After you uncovered that Karen was my spy it left me with limited options. None of the other operatives I have planted here are in a senior role, the information they could provide me with was limited, and they didn’t have easy access to the palace.

No, having the help of a senior wolf like Hannah, who was going to stay in the palace for the coronation was invaluable to my plans. She was so keen to help me get rid of you. Able to come and go with ease, to report on the security arrangements at the palace, and tonight to help my warriors enter the grounds unseen.

No, she served a useful purpose and for that rather than just killing her straight away, I have allowed her to run. She might even manage to escape and find a nice new home in some small village, or backwater town.”

“And now that she has helped you enter the palace, and capture me, you are going to try and kill me.”

“There won’t be any trying about it. I am going to kill you. I learned about your moon goddess stunt almost straight away. I knew I had to act immediately before the news spread and gullible wolves began to believe that you were special. When they hear that I have personally killed you that will make them fear me even more.

There is no one here to protect you, no one coming to save you.” he says moving swiftly towards me. He claws outstretched, his fangs bared.

This is the moment I have trained for, waited for ever since I found out who I really was.

Anna

The coronation has been wonderful. To watch Katy being crowned queen and receiving the favour of the moon goddess, had been amazing to watch and I am unlikely to experience anything like it again in my lifetime.

Daniel and I are sitting with Lily and Emma. Euan made his excuses and escaped an hour ago. He told us that he needed to catch up with Alex, although I think that that was an excuse to escape his mates continuing excitement over the events of the day.

Lily is so bubbly and full of life. It is obvious how much she loves her friend Katy, and how delighted she was to watch her being crowned queen.

Daniel is saying nothing, a small smile on his face. He is obviously used to how excitable Lily can be. I am enjoying being in her company. I have never met anyone like her before. The women of the Black Moon pack are quiet and obedient, this is how shewolves are supposed to behave according to my father.

I much prefer Lily’s type of shewolf.

She is going over the moon goddess’ intervention at the coronation once again, when we hear a door slam.

“Who will that be?” I ask Daniel.

“I don’t know, I will go and check” he says suddenly alert.

He gets up and starts to walk towards the door. Before he can get there, it opens and four wolves stalk in.

I recognise two of them, they are Jordan and my father’s spy.

“How nice to see all my old friends again” Jordan smirks.

“Not your friends” Lily says immediately.

“How did you get out?” Daniel asks him.

“I had help from my good friend Lionel here” he says pointing to my father’s spy.

Lionel doesn’t look at Jordan, he just stares at me. “Your father is very disappointed Anna; I am here to take you back to him.”

“No” I say defiantly. “Whatever happens I am not going back there.”

Daniel moves in front of me protectively. “You aren’t taking her anywhere.”

“And you think that you can stop us. That you will be able to defeat four wolves all on your own?” he smirks.

“He isn’t alone” Lily snarls as she moves to stand beside Daniel.

I get up and stand with them. We are going to do this together. I would rather die here now, with my mate, than be separated from him and return to my father.

“Oh Lily, you are so sexy when you get all fiery like this, but that won’t be enough to save you” Jordan says smirking.

I can see the disgust on her face as she turns to Jordan and says, “try me. There have been changes at the Lunar Eclipse pack since you left. Shewolves are trained to fight.”

“And you think that a few months training will allow you fight us off” Jordan says dismissively.

“Not Lucius’ warriors perhaps, but you? Definitely.”

Jordan snarls at her.

While the rest of the wolves are listening to Lily and Jordan fighting, Daniel makes his move. He pounces on Lionel, digging his claws into his chest, as he bites down on his shoulder. Lionel shouts in pain and tries to push Daniel off him but he is too late. Daniel rips into his chest and slashes at his heart.

Lionel is dead.

Jordan just stands there, too shocked to move. The other two wolves are on Daniel before he can rise from Lionel’s body. Lily and I launch ourselves at them. Biting and clawing. Trying to pull them off Daniel, or at least distract them enough to prevent them from killing him.

One of them snarls and turns to face us. He leaves the other to fight Daniel while he takes us on. I really hope that Lily was telling the truth about being able to fight because I know that I won’t be much help.

Lily moves into a fighting stance, ready to defend herself as the warrior bears down on her. He launches himself at her throat, but she has moved her arm up to protect herself and tries to jump out of his way. He grabs on to her arms, and bites down. She screams in pain.

I rush to try and pull him away from her, but he is too strong. She kicks out viciously her foot slams into his groin. He pulls back and lets out a strangled growl. His grip loosens but his fangs are still biting down into her flesh.

I grab his hair and pull him back. While Lily kicks out again.

We manage to dislodge him, and as he releases her it gives us both the chance to move back.

He looks at us. I can see in his face that he realises that he has underestimated us, but he won’t make the same mistake again.

Quick as lighting he leaps towards us again, but this time he is blocked by Daniel, who snarls as he grabs onto his shoulder and pulls him around to face him. I can see now that the other warrior that Daniel had been fighting lies dead on the floor.

Daniel extends his claws attempting to rip out his throat, but the warrior manages to avoid him at the last second by twisting to the side. Daniel moves again, but the enemy warrior is too fast for him and rips his claws down Daniel’s side creating a large gash.

I have been concentrating so much on Daniel’s fight that I haven’t noticed Jordan move until his hands are wrapped around my throat. He starts to squeeze, choking off the oxygen to my brain.

“Maybe if we can’t return you to Lucius, he will still be happy when I tell him I have killed you” Jordan whispers in my ear.

I claw at his arms trying to free myself from his grip. I can’t breathe, I can’t cry out for help.

Lily notices what is happening and attacks Jordan. She kicks hard into the back of his right knee. He squeals and lets me go. I push him back, and he stumbles over. I am unable to do anything else to help Lily, as I am too weak from the loss of oxygen, but she doesn’t need my help as she launches herself at Jordan.

She lands on top of him. Biting and snarling, she rips at his chest and arms, creating deep wounds. He whimpers in pain as he struggles weakly to defend himself, but this just seems to spur her on.

She bites down hard on his neck and rips out his throat.

Daniel is still fighting the last warrior, but the fight is almost over. He rips at his stomach with his claws. Blood gushes from the enemy warrior’s injuries he tries to struggle on, but the blood loss is too great. Daniel rips at his chest, tearing at his heart. The warrior goes still.

Daniel leans back, his face filled with pain and exhaustion. I rush towards him to start healing his wounds.

“No, I need to go and find the others. If Jordan was able to get free, then we are in trouble. Lucius warriors are here, and I need to join the fight.

“You are too weak; you need to let me heal you first and then we can join the fight.”

“There is no we, you need to stay here and look after Emma. Hide yourselves.”

I look round at the little girl who is still sitting on the sofa. Her eyes wide with shock.

“Lily can stay and keep her safe, but I have to go and help the healers. There will be wounded wolves who will need my help.”

Daniel nods and finally allows me to treat his wounds. I concentrate on healing him and try not to think of all the death and destruction that awaits us when we step outside.