The Alpha Kings Queen

xx.

" take my pain, turn it into gold "

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               Everything seems to go ahead in fast motion, the wolves are running in the direction of the barrier, bolting by in streams with growls vibrating off their chests.

"Where is Sorcerer Blaise?" I ask quickly.

"On the Northside with Jack and Andrew."

"I'll grab her. She can end this."

Nolan stares at me for a moment, eyes screening over my entire face and he looks every bit unsure at the idea. Possibly seeing the definitive decision in my expression, he after another beat nods in concession. "Stay safe, please."

Then, I'm suddenly moving my face closer to his without much thought, close enough that I can feel the puffs of air on me as he breathes, where my hands reach up to cup the sides of his face and before I can think anything through, I do the one thing I haven't stopped thinking about since I spotted him across the other side of that barrier.

I close the gap between our lips.

The kiss is soft and sweet, everything needed in the moment and it takes Nolan a long second to respond before his lips move against mine, his own hands reaching up to cup my face as he changes the tempo and presses against my lips harder, more desperately.

When we both pull back, we're panting a little but his eyes shine bright as he stares at me as if the sun, stars and moon have aligned.

"Stay safe." He repeats, voice hoarse.

"You too, please." I murmur back.

He dips his head down for one more chaste kiss before the world around us comes back into focus sharply, the sounds roaring back to life as the battle begins to grow as more wolves appear from the tree lines.

I turn on my heel to Henrik who's standing awkwardly with averted eyes. "Henrik," I call out, catching his attention again, "let's go."

With one more look to Nolan - long and searing, and with a certain finality in our nods towards one another, he turns and runs, shifting into his wolf form before howling towards the sky declaring the start of a hard battle.

I begin to run, Henrik once again following right behind.

"Were you ever planning on telling me you are our Queen?" Henrik yells out as we run, he picks up his pace beside me. I make a sharp right towards the border knowing any minute it could close and we'd be left on the other side, no way of even finding Sorcerer Blaise.

"It's a new title." I respond back preoccupied in trying not to trip over any roots.

There's a snort beside me but that's all that's said on the matter.

What seems forever of running in one direction, we seem to reach a small clearing, a patch of fresh grass instead of mulch with tree's lining around in a natural circle. The sky opens up above us and for a second there is calm.

That is until wolves begin appearing, fast approaching towards us on the opposite side of the clearing. Instead of being afraid, I feel the steady pulse of safety run through my mind and just as I consider this thought, one of the wolves at the front shifts in between running, body shifting and revealing a haggard Andrew at the frontline.

Before even comprehending his appearance completely I'm being shoved into his arms, my own instinctively curling around him returning the bone crushing hug.

"Goddess, Cassie." He strains into my neck, tightly holding me enough that my feet lift a little off the ground. "You scared the absolute crap out of me."