Fin's Claim

Curse The Queen

Victoria's POV

Entering my kingdom with another army feels like the ultimate betrayal to my pack. Almost, I feel that I'm a turn tail now, that's how they will see me. An alpha who decided to live rather than die a dignified death fighting for the pack. Was it cowardly of me to go on living while I will stand by and watch the dissemination of males who aren't cowards? Was it cowardly of Fin to allow me to live instead of doing the right thing and end me?

Constraints of thoughts compressing into my chest make it hard to inhale a single breath.

Curious stares come our way as we pull up to the main house, Finian made me call my Beta's to meet outside the main house, all naive to his coming invasion.

Looking down at the hand gripping my upper arm, the way his fingers are curling around my flesh has my body responding to his touch. Goosebumps are ascending on flesh naturally as a shiver pulses throughout me. The grip is firm but restrained; somehow I can feel the restraint in him.

Snapping my eyes up from those firm fingers, meeting his gaze which comes easily to me I raise a brow in question.

"Victoria," my name slipping from his mouth causes fine ripples of pleasure to fan across my lower abdomen. Never have I felt this way, being in such proximity to him has my body alight with an intoxication of pure soul bliss. This is what a true mate bond does to you, how could I have ever confused Grey with Fin?

The wolf inside knew.

Nothing compares to the way the bond strums through my system, vibrating its will along the length of my spine.

"I don't have to tell you what's expected of you today...do I?" Fin questions it out not understanding who he is talking to.

"I understand completely." Our eyes are still connected while saying those words.

"I don't want to be the monster I can be. I don't want to start out that way but I will....if forced." His body is rigid full of pent up aggression.

"I said I understand," Trying to keep my voice even, void of emotion but I know he will be the monster his nature intends him to be. Violence will be the only way to do this; it's the only way.

Releasing his grip on my arm, and inwardly I groan with the loss of contact.

With the turn of his head, Fin stares out the window, not bothering to look in the direction of my eyes. "If you don't do what's needed I'll start with the children do you understand."

Impossible to hide the way my breath hitches slightly with the thought of that, "I said I understood." Words are coming out harsher than I intended, a little annoyance in tone.

"I don't need to be told, again and again, I understand...Finian."

Watching him this time carefully trying to see if his body responds the same way mine does, I don't see any outward sign that I affect him at all. Is his hate for me so great that it can overrule the pull of the vibrating strings?

"I feel nothing for you." It's more to himself he says these words but it's not his truth, I can taste his lie.

Getting out of the vehicle a crowd gathers, my Beta's, the Enforcers looking around at all the warriors Fin has brought.

"Victoria" it's my brother's voice yelling out to me, approaching with hostility.

"What's the meaning of this, what's going on?" Elliot is bristling towards the new leader, his aggression apparent in the threatening stance he's taking towards Fin.

"Victoria, answer me now!" He stalks towards me in a dominant manner. Even for Elliot, this is something bold, hardly ever does he directly disrespect me in front of others. He likes to be sneaky when were alone where people can't witness him being educated in the laws of dominance.

Grabbing onto my upper arm, just like my father did when I was younger. Elliot has no restraint as he crushes my flesh in his iron grip, claws sink into the skin drawing first blood.

Fin acts faster than me...without hesitation, Elliot lies dying at my feet while Grey scans the crowd looking for any threats.

Slow motion time feels like hours instead of mere seconds with the way I reach out for his hand, dropping down on my knee's. Holding Elliot's hand while he tries to pull in a dying breath through his gaping flesh that was once his throat. Our eyes connect as I whisper my apology to him. My two hands hold his, until the heart stills, itself forever.

Feeling the giant waves of grief suffocating me, pouring into my lungs making it impossible to take a breath in, shaking from the force of the realization he's never coming back.

Fin's bloody hand rests on my shoulder, the hand he used to rip out Elliot's throat. "Who was he to you?" It's seethed out, full of accusation.

Trembling lips make it hard to form just a word, willing myself not to crack with the overwhelming grief that's consuming my being.

"He was my Beta...my brother." Head hanging low letting my hair act as a curtain so I can shield myself away from his stare.

Finian pulls his hand away from me leaving behind the metallic smell of my brother's essence on the material of my shirt. The intake of his surprised breath is almost missed by ears that are only hearing its own heartbeat. Stomach heaves, only with sheer determination I push the bile back down letting it churn inside my stomach like rolling waves.

"Get up," he says it softly, letting my vision go unfocused, hearing the discontent travel through the crowd I steady my nerves and harden my heart.

This is how it's done and so comes out the monster he said he didn't want to be.

"Victoria it's time." The nature in me refusing to move a muscle, struggling internally with what's needed, the legacy I was building is crumbling beneath my feet. The shock of what just happens has my pack looking on in stunned horror.

"Kneel down." He's giving the singular order for me to obey, yet I just can't. The nature inside has my legs locking in place refusing to bend, she would fight to the death. The wolf bows to no male, but my skin side is not ruled by the wild.

"Look at all the children Victoria we start with them." His threat is not to be taken lightly, he will deliver on it...swiftly without a second thought.

Memories of my childhood come floating back, drifting into my mind swaying back and forth on a pendulum swing. My fight has been for nothing, all those oppressive years were for a means to an end. I had one goal, one focus and that was to rule over what was mine. Now I have nothing, my jealousy has destroyed my rank, killed my brother and best friend and I have to do the unthinkable bow down, turn tail and submit to a mate who finds me utterly unworthy of him.

Looking around at the young in their parents arms, the beauty of innocents glows from their faces.

An Alpha who submits is no Alpha, I really never had a chance, a true chance like the male standing in front of me. He's been trained, nurtured, given preference since the day he was born. My struggle started with the first inhaled breath I took as my mother took her last breath an exchange of life. Never was I nurtured, never given preference, never trained properly. I took what was mine through years of determination, through teeth and claw.

I won the position on my own and now lost the position all on my own.

I have absolutely no one left even Grey belongs to another.

Kneeling like the coward I am, prostrating myself in front of my pack, in front of his warriors, in front of Finian.

Imagining the crown that I once held proudly has now cracked, broken into pieces around my feet, never will I wear it again.....

Bowing down submitting to the King, as my pack implodes on itself.