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

Twenty Six: Unity

"Tonight I can write the saddest lines. I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too."

-Pablo Neruda

Sirens By: Cher Lloyd

My palms were sweaty as I nervously wiped them on my training pants, taking in my appearance while Emilee finished and touched up my hair. I ran my eyes over the crown of braids, interwoven with soft gold thread and lined with little silver rings. When I asked where she had gotten such finery, she merely winked and said it was her secret. Through the small mirror I took in my appearance. The harsh cut of my jaw, cheekbones, and pursed lips formed a hard and rather unapproachable exterior. I lingered on the azure of my eyes and they way they shone brightly from underneath long lashes. Emilee had clothed me in our traditional training uniform, a faded crisscrossing leather top showed off the scars at my back and the muscles ribbing my abdomen. From the waist down I wore loose pants that allowed for free range of movement but cinched rightly around my waist and ankles. My feet were left bare, and I carried no weapons except a six foot tall oak staff, sanded to perfection.

Emilee handed me the staff and placed her hand on my shoulder, watching me through the mirror. "Are you ready?"

I blew out a breath and turned to face her, my nerves fading at the determined look in her eyes. Her hair was braided back into two braids resembling fish tails, drawing attention to her delicate features. "About as ready as I'll ever be."

As we walked the hallway to the pit, I felt like I was dreaming. I could hardly feel my feet touching the ground as we entered the cavernous room, now bare of tables, instead the entirety of the pack surrounded the outer edges of the crater in floor. My gaze immediately surveyed the crowd, weeding out my opponents. I found the group rather easily and was only mildly surprised to see Jacob among the faces. His lips pulled to one side in a lopsided grin as he mock-saluted me. I offered a polite nod to him and winked at my brother's before facing the alpha. His unwavering azure gaze was cold and detached, his short hair smoothed regally back from his face.

A crown of running wolves swam in his white hair as he moved towards me, the light blue long-sleeved tunic hugging his arms drew attention to his muscled frame. As I dropped to one knee, every wolf dropped with me. "Azalea Albescu, you are here to challenge fifty two eligible males and one female of this pack on behalf of your mate Queen Elizabeth Bonaparte, are you not?" Shocked whispers broke out around us at the mention of Elizabeth's title, but silenced as I spoke.

"I am." Biting back my surprise at his mention of the females who had entered, I was proud when my voice came out clear and strong, echoing in the space around us.

"Are you prepared to accept the rules of the challenge for the good of the pack and acknowledge that should you lose, you will no longer be eligible as our heir and your life will be forfeit?

"I do."

His eyes darkened to cerulean, harsh and unforgiving like high tide on a stormy day. "Very well. Last but not least, are you prepared to swear your lifeblood to the pack should you win this challenge, binding us together in body and mind? Are you prepared to put the pack first and bring two races together as one in order to rid this world of evil, even at the possible cost of your life?"

I met my father's gaze with determined fire in my belly, having known all along what the cost of losing the challenge would be. Opening my mouth to respond, I stumbled when Elizabeth's awareness leapt to life, surging forward in my mind and locking my jaw shut before I could utter my final proclamation. It took me entirely too long to realize that I could fully sense her presence in the room, and I wondered how I hadn't before when the amulet nestled between my breasts began to heat. My gaze snapped up and immediately clashed with a certain redhead leaning rather languidly into the arch of the doorway.