Forbidden Queen

Anna

I am surprised at how quickly the camp gets packed away and we are ready to set off. It has only taken an hour.

“Follow me, and I will take you to the healers” Daniel tells me.

I nod. I can’t wait to spend time with the healers.

He heads towards the centre of the convey of armed vehicles and approaches an old-fashioned white ambulance. Although it is old, it looks well maintained.

Daniel taps on the door and waits until it is opened by an older woman, with a big welcoming smile on her face. She looks to be at least sixty years old with long grey hair and crow’s feet around her eyes.

“Welcome, I am Diane. The queen visited us last night to tell us that you would be travelling with us today. I am so pleased to meet another healer. There aren’t many of us left. This is Simon” she says pointing at a man who looks as old as her. He gives me a warm smile but doesn’t say anything.

“So, tell me about your experience of healing” Diane asks.

“I helped the healers who worked at a clinic close to where I used to live.”

“Did they have a big clinic?” she asks.

I can tell that she is not asking these questions to try and trick me into disclosing information that will help them work out who I am. She is genuinely interested in my healing experience, but I notice Daniel perk up. He obviously thinks that my answer could help him uncover who I really am and where I have come from.

“No, not that big” I reply trying not to give too much away.

“And did they have modern equipment like this” she says pointing behind her. I can see that the inside of the ambulance is packed full of medical equipment and medication. They look prepared for any attack, or medical emergency.

“No, it was much more basic” I say.

“Well, you can’t expect everyone to have the same modern medical facilities as the Royal Pack” Simon says proudly.

“What kind of healer are you? Have you been trained to use wolf medicines and equipment?”

“No” I confess. “I heal with touch. I have never been trained in wolf medicine like a true healer. I just like to help-out where I can.” I feel embarrassed at my lack of training.

“Touch healing, so you have the true gift then” Simon says sounding impressed.

“Give me your hand, dear” Diane says to me.

I hold out my right hand, and she clasps it between both of her hands. I suddenly feel my hand begin to heat up and watch as it starts to glow.

She smiles at me and says “I can feel your power. You are blessed with a strong gift. With a little training you will be a great healer.”

“Really, could you teach me?” I ask.

“Of course. There are very few wolves who are as strong as you. We can teach you to draw out poisons and cancers from a body, mend broken bones with your touch, and heal even the most serious of wounds. I am guessing you have been able to do some of this before, but with proper training we can strengthen your gift.”

“Thank you” I reply excitedly “I would love that.”

Daniel squeezes my hand. I feel the electricity pass between us, shivers race up my arm.

……………………

We have been travelling all day, I haven’t had an opportunity to speak to Daniel. I have been too busy listening to Diane and Simon as they show me the different medications they have stored in the ambulance and explain how the equipment works. I have loved it, and the day has passed really quickly.

As the sun sets and the sky starts to grow dark, our vehicle slows down, and we turn off into what will be or camp site for the night.

Daniel turns and says to me “You can help me set up our tent, and then we can join the others for dinner.”

I nod and follow him out the door of the vehicle. Wolves have already sprung into action and are busily setting up the camp. Guards have been posted around the perimeter again, and the temporary kitchen is the first structure to be assembled. The rest of the wolves are erecting tents or lighting campfires.

I notice the queen standing with a group of warriors. All of a sudden, she launches herself at one of the wolves. I watch as she manages to land a blow to his head and then leaps out of the way before he can retaliate.

I am surprised that she is training with the warriors. Shewolves did not fight in the Black Moon pack, only the male wolves were allowed to become warriors. I had expected the guards to be responsible for protecting the queen and that she would not be trained to defend herself. Having seen the royal guard in action last night I am surprised that she has managed to strike one of them.

Daniel watches me, and says “she is impressive, isn’t she? Only a few weeks ago she had no idea how to fight, she was brought up as an omega. Omegas until recently were treated as second class citizens in the Lunar Eclipse pack, they were expected to be submissive and the only work open to them was to be a servant.”

“Really?” I am shocked.

“Yes. I have known her since we were children. It was always clear that there was more to her than your average omega, but no one realised how special she was. And since she found out that she is our queen she hasn’t let it change her; she hasn’t become proud, or arrogant. She still cares about people the way she did before.”

“You really care for her, don’t you?”

“We all do. She is our greatest hope for a peaceful future.”

I nod. I know very little about her. I didn’t know that she existed until recently.

“Come on, the sooner we erect the tent, the quicker we can eat. After that I think we should spend some time alone, and talk” he says,

“Talk” I repeat.

“Yes, about us.”

“OK.”

……….

We set up our tent and then join the other wolves for dinner. They are all sitting in small groups, chatting, and laughing. I watch the queen join one of the groups and start to engage them in conversation. At first, they seem stiff, and awed by her presence, but I watch them unwind and begin to relax in her company.

She is so different from any other powerful wolf that I have met. My father would never deign to sit with ordinary wolves, sharing their dinner, and joining in with their conversation. He always stood on ceremony and made sure everyone gave him the respect that he felt was due to his rank. His wolves respected him, but they were also scared of him. I doubt that any of them cared for him the way these wolves obviously care for their queen.

I am so lost in thought watching her, that at first, I don’t notice that Daniel is trying to speak to me.

“Sorry” I say when he finally grabs my attention.

“I said, we should go back to our tent, so that we can talk.”

I nod and get to my feet. I am nervous but follow him.

“When we are settled, he turns to me and says “You are my mate”

“Yes” is all I can manage to say.

“I have longed to meet you ever since I turned eighteen, but I never expected to stumble across you on this journey.”

He pauses but I say nothing. I don’t know what to say.

“There is nothing more important to me than the mate bond, you are my fated mate, the one person made for me, but I know so little about you, and what I do know, what you have told me makes me suspicious. I want to trust you, to mark you as mine, but until I know you better...”

“I am sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. Tell me about yourself, I need to understand who you are, and why you were all alone in the forest.”

I sigh. This is so difficult. I want nothing more than to tell him who I am, but he will hate me. He has been brought up to hate my father and my whole pack, and with good reason. I am not blind to the violence and cruelty of my father. I know that we are hated and feared by other packs. I am not like them, but could I convince Daniel of that?

As much as he mistrusts me and my intentions now, it would be even worse if he knew who I really was. He wouldn’t keep my secret from the queen, and once the rest of them knew who I was they could use me against my father. Instead of confessing who I am I decide to say.

“I have told you about myself, there isn’t much more to tell.”

He growls with frustration. “I don’t believe you.”

“I have told you as much as I can but please trust me when I say that I do not mean you or anyone in the Royal Pack any harm. I will not betray you to the Black Moon pack. I would never attack you; you are my mate. I really am not a threat.”

He looks at me and the silence seems to stretch forever until he finally says. “That doesn’t answer any of my questions, but I suppose it will need to do for now.”

We move onto safer subjects, and I try and relax and just enjoy my mate’s company. I know that this won’t be the last difficult conversation that we will have, he won’t give up trying to find out who I really am, but I feel comforted that he hasn’t pushed it tonight, he hasn’t lost his temper with me. At some point I will have to tell him the truth, but I want him to get to know me first before he discovers whose daughter I really am.

Daniel

I make my way to Katy’s tent the next morning. I feel frustrated after my conversation with Anna last night. She isn’t prepared to open-up and trust me, and as much as I want to mark and bind her to me, I can’t until I know who she is, and I am sure that she isn’t a threat.

When I arrive, I see that she is in the middle of her training session with Joseph. She is listening intently to his instructions. Her movements are fast and fluid, and I am again surprised at how quickly she is learning to fight.

“Good. That is enough for this session” I hear Joseph tell her.

She thanks him and walks away, wiping her sweaty face with a towel.

I approach her. “Hey”

“Hi, how are things going with your mate?” she asks.

“Slowly. She won’t tell me much. I am still no closer to knowing who she is really is or where she has come from” I admit.

Katy puts her arm around my shoulder “Give her time. You have only just met her and just as you are unsure whether or not you can trust her, she must feel the same way about you. I can sense that she is hiding something, but I can also tell that she is scared.”

I nod. “I had hoped that her spending time with the healers would help.”

“Did she enjoy travelling with them yesterday?”

“Yes. She loved it and they seemed just as pleased to have here there. Her healing gift is very strong.”

“That is a good start. You can’t expect to win her confidence in just one day. The mate bond helps but won’t be powerful enough to take away her fears. You are still a stranger to her. She won’t be sure that she can trust you just yet.

“That is what I am worried about” I confess. “Not all mates are to be trusted, look at Lily’s father and what he did to his mate.”

“I know and you are right to worry but don’t let that blind you to the person the moon goddess has paired you with. I can’t see Anna being like Lily’s father. She has already saved your life once.”

“I know I just feel so confused.”

“Give her time.”