The Wolf Queen (The Queen's Slave, Book 2)

Sixty-Eight: Wriath

‼️ TRIGGER WARNING: BIRTH, WAR, GORE, PAIN, SEXUAL COERCION (non-graphic and non-violent) and brief mention of DEATH. Do not read if you are uncomfortable‼️

T H E L I O N E S S

Ravenna stood at the balcony's edge, overlooking the palace gardens as they glittered, piled high with snow. Her gaze cold and unfeeling, hunger stirred deep within her heart, ruthless hunger. She held the Wolf Queen and her little band of mongrels in her grasp, finally. It was a shame to have lost Ezekiel, but he was a means to an end anyway. As the full moon rose in the sky, she smiled, her fingers falling to her side, fisting in the young man's white hair. His face was purple with bruises, and one eye was nearly swollen shut. Yet still, he was defiant, and had not uttered a sound.

"I know what you are." She hissed.

He spat blood at her, baring red fangs despite the pain of the collar shrinking around his neck. He laughed, a little more than a wheeze. "You're going to die. No matter what you choose to do with me, she won't come. She won't risk the pack."

Ravenna leaned in close, her fingers trailing down his broad chest and lower still. His jaw locked with disgust when she licked up his cheek.

"Want to know a secret, boy?" She purred, her fingers sliding lower, rubbing against him. His jaw clenched as he forced himself to resist her seductive power. His eyes slipped closed and tears of shame leaked past his lashes when her lips brushed his ear, a sinister darkness tightening it's claws, burrowing into his mind.

"The devil used to be an angel, too."

A Z A L E A

I stood at the edge of the forest, overlooking the vast final stretch of distance between us and home. My father and Owen had stayed back with a few others who'd volunteered to help the elderly, sick, and children. The boats carrying Adam and Jacob's lifeless bodies were long gone now, faded to ash and lost forever to the brutal ice storm. I tried to feel something, anything, when I looked into Adam's eyes, but only emptiness echoed back at me. The same with Jacob. When we searched their rooms of any further signs that might indicate another attack, it became apparent that they had been working closely together as spies for Ravenna. We found documents, and a map of a location, circled in bright red.

The frozen lake.

It was only fitting that they meet their deaths at the very placed they'd succeeded in luring us to.

With the combined packs, we've made incredible progress, but without a den, we were vulnerable. My fingers flexed on Trumpet's reins and he pranced uneasily beneath me. I winced, adjusting my seat, whispering a soft command to the children in my belly to be patient. We're almost home, my loves. I told them, feeling my biggest kick. Frost coated the air as I breathed, grateful for the layers of fur bundled around me. My wolf prickled through my eyes, scanning the landscape with me. A sudden alarm bark to the right had me spinning around, the pack rallying around me. My alarm faded to relief when yellow eyes gleamed through the dark, along with a scarred face and greying black fur.

Startled by the predator, Emilee's horse reared and her braids went flying. She cursed, sticking close to the horse's neck as the carnivore came down, stomping and snorting, deadly fangs bared and ears straight back as she lunged for the Alpha. I chuckled when he darted expertly through the horse's legs, bounding over to me unharmed. I patted Trumpet gently to calm him as he approached, barking at me.