Queen's Awakening

Pains and Truths

Alex Ransden's POV

I excuse myself as quickly as I can. I have to get away. Once outside I lean against the building in the dark. I breathe in the cold air hoping to calm myself. Nicole is marrying others and It's my fault for not telling her how I feel. I was only thirteen when I first saw her. She was just twelve. It was during a spring gather. I thought she was the prettiest girl and so brave as she faced down the other girls. Yes she was tiny, but I thought that it made her even more cute. It took me forever to get up the nerve to talk to her. When I did we spent all day together. After a couple of days of my badgering my father he went to Henry to offer a marriage proposal. He had excepted on behalf of Nicole. He wanted a fourth of the bridal price up front. My father came up with it. Nicole was supposed to come with us to see if our wolves would be happy together. Tom had offered to be her guardian. I knew Nicole wanted to be a full fledged healer and go away to be trained by her grandma. I wanted her do want made her happy even if it meant she would be away a lot. It seemed like everything was going well until I woke one morning and found her and her pack gone. I was heartbroken that my friend and crush was gone. My father was angry. He had paid some up front to have the privilege of Nicole joining his pack even if it didn't end in marriage. He figured he'd have one hell of a healer either way. He went to the council with his complaint. They couldn't do anything. Henry would not negotiate. Henry had been pissed that my father hadn't offered for his other daughter Sara. I guess he thought more of her. He had also forgot to inform us that she was already a promised child to Jason Rafe and he excepted two other offers too. My father found out later that he had given Nicole to rogues. I'm not ashamed to admit as a thirteen year old boy I cried. She was taken back, but she was never the same. We met again after, she was to afraid to have unrelated males near her. Tom was the only one and he acted as guardian during her heat. As hormonal teenage boys we would always try to get close to the girls in heat. We'd try for a sniff, a lick, maybe if the girl was old enough and willing a little more. Her guardian would usually catch us and chase us off before anything serious happened. Nicole would have nothing to do with the usual flirtation and would hide under Tom when they were wolves. She would just peek out with frightened eyes. She didn't want anything to do boys that included me. I was hurt and frustrated till my mother set me down and explained to me what happened to her during her short marriage. I was horrified. It took her a long time to be comfortable around me again. She didn't seem to have a spark for me anymore. She suffered through heat after heat before she almost died. Her next heat she finally turned to Tom. She was nineteen. He did try to get her to seek someone younger, but she refused. Then to everyone one's surprise at twenty she offered herself as a breeder. My mom figured it was probably the only time she was comfortable having sex. My father pressed that the three who had offered a bride price should have preference that included Jason even if it was for his deceased son. He refused so I came next. After our mating I wanted her stay form the pregnancy bond with me. I wanted her to change her mind before she was formally committed. I didn't want her to be my breeder. I wanted her to be my wife and mate, even if she needed to take other husbands. When she refused I was hurt. My pride was hurt too. How dare she refuse me a first born son of the Ransden line and the next Alpha of the Oregon pack. I was only twenty one and still a stupid young man. I handled everything between us wrong. She continued on as a breeder. There have been other woman, but I never married. To my father's grief I never fathered any children with anyone else either. My father likes to remind me that she's not moping over losing me. Why would she I never told her I had feelings for her. Never told that I had offered marriage before she conceived my cubs

Shamus's POV

I sit outside my home on my porch smoking a cigarette in deep thought. I've been learning a lot about my new found brother wolves. For one They have a hell a lot of secrets. They are not as careful with their minds and whispers around me. They don't realize after Nicole called out our wolves that my senses are as heightened as theirs. I know my great grandma had a husband named Jarl Fitzgerald before she was captured apparently before her first marital heat. It must have been humiliating to be forced by someone who hates your kind. He probably kept her chained with shackles made with palladium, tungsten, and iron to keep her bound and from shifting to make it easier for him. It disgusts me. I've committed a lot sins at my father's side, rape was not one of them.

I know that little Nicolette is Nicole's daughter not her sister.

Found out Tom has been raising my grandson with two other foundlings. I don't know how I feel, but I Can't wait to see him. I'm sure that most of their secrets aren't kept out of meanness. At one point they were kept to protect the innocent, sigh There are a few that  aren't. I wonder if Samuel Forrest would love his mate so much if he knew she disposed of his son in a fit of jealousy. I saw it in her mind. Fahn's bitch had gotten rid of that Elder' s son so she wouldn't have to mother it. They both left the newborns faraway from the pack in the cold snows of winter. I'm glad Felix had mercy and saved my baby brother. All things running around in my head are confusing.

One thing I've learned for sure is Henry Ulric is a worthless piece of shit. Cruelty to a child he thought was his. Excepting marriage proposals then running with whatever the bride price was. Not telling his daughter of her choices and making her feel unwanted. Trading her off to rogues that were more monsters than beasts or men to be abused. He knew that she would be hurt or killed. He spent years selling out his own kind for protection and money. He caused so many misfortunes to the people he was supposed to love. He's been my informer for years. The man even gave me the secret I needed to cripple the cat shifters. Now I'm sure he's been informing on us to the Vampires. I don't think there is anything I can do to atone for my wrongs, but I do know how to plug a leak.

Nicole's POV

I lay curled around my cubs. Jason is cuddled up to me. My Loves sleep on the other bed together. Ruby, Tom, Alisa, Tina snuggle together in their crib that Jason had brought from the nursery. Even with the drama of the last few days I feel contentment. I am now a real mother and soon to be a wife. Now that Courtney has come to terms with her inner wolf, Yennefer and me. Peace has been found with the hunters and Chasen clan. There hasn't been another hive found yet. None of the made vampires have been seen in any pack territory Maybe things will be calm now. I can hope. I sigh and softly reach out to Shamus. His healing touch before I fought Charlotte left a connection. I don't want to read his mind. I just want to make sure he's behaving himself. I feel his amusement. I've been caught snooping.

"Ahh did you miss sweetheart"I hear his mental accusation.

"No I just wanted to make sure you were behaving yourself" I answer casually.

"Well I am. You can sleep peacefully now" I hear his mental chuckle.

I huff and break the link. I do close my eyes and try to sleep.

Henry Ulric's POV

I fume I can't believe the notorious hunter Shamus Chasen has become infatuated with my niece. Can't the useless female die already. She should have been left exposed to die. No Jason Rafe had proposed a union with his son. I couldn't kill her after that. She belonged to him. Everyone encouraged the runt to become alpha and now she is Queen. It should have been my daughter. I glance at the back of the cave when I hear a whimper. I glare at the human female. I had used her blood to awaken the old queen vampire. It had been to bad that she had been on the edge of death. It would have been a slaughter if she and a drone would have been involved. I'm getting the urge to use the female again. It's not like having a she wolf under you ,but she will have to do till I snatch myself a bitch. Maybe one of Nicole's little ones. Now that would be sweet. I begin to shift as I approach the female. I get off on her fear. Suddenly the air shifts and I get a whiff of Shamus. How the hell did he find my den? I Know that he's trying to sneak up on me. That does not bode well for me. I take my chances in the snow. I can find another den and another female. I chuckle as he gives up the chase to help the girl. He will regret that decision someday soon.

The End.

Please stay tuned. I will try to start the next story soon...

Love you all.