Queen of the Lycan

by Karina Espinosa

  Ranulf sighed. “Yer Majesty … Mackenzie …”

  I glanced up at the mention of my name. He never called me Mackenzie. It had always been Princess, or once I became Queen, Your Majesty. “If yer going to include them in yer Council, ye cannae freeze them out. They deserve to be there. As Council members.”

  “But—”

  “Alexander is yer father,” he interrupted. “Ye cannae expect him to be relaxed when yer life is at risk. Remember how ye reacted when that arrow struck him in the chest? The same goes for ye, Yer Majesty. That’s what it means to be family. He cares — a lot — and that is nae going to change.”

  I blew out a breath and opened my mouth to respond, but before I could say anything, he continued.

  “As for Sebastian, well, he’s soon to be yer mate. And the both of ye have a rare bond that has nae been seen in many decades. He’s going to want to protect ye and ye cannae stop it. He’s also a wolf, for God’s sake, Yer Majesty. What do ye expect? We’re an overprotective species. For him, it’s on overdrive. Ye cannae expect them to ignore their emotions.”

  Of course he was right. Ranulf was always right. But he needed to remember I was a wolf too, an Alpha, and my overbearing protectiveness was kicking in just as much if not more than theirs was. I wanted to protect them from whatever fallout would occur from Fenrir. I didn’t want them anywhere near him. Hell, Alexander thought he could take him on and almost got himself killed. I had to make sure they were safe no matter what.

  Before I could respond, Bash walked back into my office, ending his phone call and tucking his phone inside his suit jacket.

  “The candidates are here,” he announced. “Would you like to meet them in a group, or one on one?”

  “One on one.” I straightened in my chair. Chugging the rest of my coffee, I pushed my empty mug to the side. “Bring in the first candidate.”

  I waited patiently as Bash left to bring in the first candidate. Ranulf took a seat in the sitting area off to the side to watch the interview and take notes with Bash. After a few minutes, there was a knock on the door and Bash entered with a luna who made me jerk back in surprise.

  She was beautiful, with long, glossy, black curly hair. Her eyes were almond shaped and the color of dark honey. The depth of her tan complexion was heightened by the white sweater she wore, further accented by her hourglass-shaped figure. But what shocked me the most was her uncanny resemblance to Blu.

  Physically, they shared nothing except perhaps their body shape, but there was something in her eyes, a silent confidence that Blu always had, that made me gravitate toward her. I had to blink a few times to shake out of the stupor I’d fallen into.

  The luna bowed deeply and placed her right fist over her heart. “Your Majesty,” she greeted with a thick Spanish accent. “It is an honor to meet you.”

  “The honor is all mine.” I smiled brightly and motioned to the chair across from me. “Please, have a seat.”

  She straightened and sat down. “My name is Maria Fernanda Sandoval. I’m from the Barcelona Pack in Spain,” she introduced herself. “Thank you for inviting me to Sheunta Village.”

  “Thank you for coming on such short notice. I know we didn’t give you much time to prepare, but unfortunately time is of the essence right now,” I responded. “Has Mr. Steel informed you why you’re here?”

  Maria shook her head, then glanced at Bash and back to me. She kept fiddling with the edges of her sleeves. I could tell she was nervous.

  I nodded. “Would you like something to drink? Some coffee, tea, water?”

  She graciously declined and continued to fiddle with her sleeves. When she realized what she was doing, she forced her hands to lay still in her lap.

  “Okay, I’ll get straight to the point. Since becoming Queen, I’ve been doing my homework on the lunas around the world, and with the help of Mr. Steel, I came across your name. I heard about what you did during the Freedom War.”

  Her eyes widened slightly, and she leaned forward. “I can explain—”

  I held up a hand to stop her. “No need for explanation. What you did was extremely brave. It’s because of lunas such as yourself that we succeeded at all.” Her mouth fell open and then she snapped it shut as if unsure about the situation. “I get a lot of credit for what happened during the Freedom War, but the truth of the matter is I couldn’t have done a single thing without you and other like-minded lunas. I think it’s time you get the credit you deserve.”

  “What?” she choked out, waving her hands at me in a dismissing manner. “You don’t have to do anything, Your Majesty. Please—”

  I leaned forward and placed my elbows on my desk. “Are you worried about your pack? Your family? The repercussions?”

  She bit her lip but didn’t answer. She didn’t need to. I knew she was worried about it. If I was in her position, I would be, too.

  “Don’t concern yourself with any of it, because you’ll no longer belong to the Barcelona Pack.” I leaned back in my chair and watched her. “I want you to join Sheunta Village. More specifically, I want you to join my Council.”

  “What?” she gasped. “You want me to join the King’s—I mean the Queen’s Council?” she choked out. “I’m not qualified.”

  That was exactly what I wanted to hear. A power-hungry person would have jumped at the chance without hesitation, but this luna was more than capable of what I was asking her to do. She just needed to believe.

  “And why do you think you’re not qualified?” I raised a brow. “From what I read in your file, you work in surveillance for your pack.”

  Maria exhaled quietly. “I got that position because a friend of mine is the supervisor of operations. If it wasn’t for him, I would be stuck doing laundry,” she mumbled, studiously avoiding my gaze.

  “It doesn’t matter how you got it, Maria. The point is that you got it, and it gives you experience in a valuable field.”

  She peered up at me disbelievingly. “Nothing happens in Barcelona,” she admitted guiltily. “I don’t have experience in war or politics.”

  I grinned. “That’s where you’re wrong. You have experience in war. You took down half your pack. That’s no easy feat. Don’t sell yourself short. But honestly, let’s say you don’t have any experience. What you do have is a voice for the lunas, and that’s what I’m looking for the most. I want someone who will look out for their best interests. Can you do that?” I raised a questioning brow.

  Her mouth fell open in surprise and we stared at each other for a long moment while she processed my proposal. I was asking for a big commitment – basically asking her to give up her life in Spain and move to Scotland. She would be turning her back on her family and pack, who admittedly weren’t the most supportive, but they were all she’d ever known. It couldn’t be an easy decision.

  She swallowed loudly. “My alpha will not be happy about this.”

  I gave a soft smile. “Don’t worry about that. I’ll handle it.”

  “I would have to return to pack my things … they might—”

  I shook my head. “If you decide to join my Council, you won’t be returning. I’ll send someone to Barcelona to gather your things for you.” I wouldn’t risk her pack retaliating by hurting her or coercing her to change her mind. She was safer here.

  A small smile crept onto her face and I could imagine what she was thinking. Freedom was just a few words of acceptance away. All she had to do was agree.

  Maria scooted forward in her seat and clasped her hands together excitedly, her golden eyes shining brilliantly. “Okay, Your Majesty. I’ll join your Council.”

  “Excellent!” I beamed. “I’ll have Mr. Steel escort you to our HR department to start your paperwork and get you situated. You will remain in the castle until we find you a permanent residence in the village.”

  She nodded quickly and stood, bowing deeply, and thanked me profusely before following Bash out of the office.

  Once we were alone, Ranulf walked over to my desk wi
th a pensive look, scratching at his five o’clock shadow. “Well, that wasn’t so bad,” he muttered. “She seems genuine enough. I’m concerned about her pack, though. We don want any trouble with the Barcelona Pack.”

  I waved off his concern. “They can bill me.”

  Ranulf shook his head. “It’s nae about what she’s worth, Yer Majesty. To be honest, she’s probably nae worth much to them. But yer getting rid of their punching bag.”

  I growled, “They shouldn’t have one to begin with, and if their alpha has a problem with that, he can come see me directly.”

  Ranulf pursed his lips. “I’ll make sure to pass that message along.”

  “You do that.”

  I jotted some notes about the interview on her file and tucked it at the bottom of the stack, then retrieved the next folder while I waited for Bash to return with the next interviewee. Since he had to take Maria to the HR department – and yes, we had an HR department – it was a half hour before he returned with the next Council candidate. When Bash finally returned, he led in a man who was even taller than him, and Bash was already tall to begin with.

  The man boasted dark mahogany skin, long, braided hair, and emotionless charcoal eyes that zeroed in on me with a laser-like intensity. They held zero ounces of warmth. I didn’t think I’d receive the same warm reception I got from Maria. He was muscular but lean, his strides confident and purposeful. He bypassed Bash without a second glance and stepped forward until he stood in front of my desk.

  “Your Majesty.” His voice was deep and rich, his South African accent making it sound more like ‘Your Mehjesty’. He bowed slightly, just enough to technically consider it a bow, but shallow enough that it was still offensive. Ranulf stood, his face stony and ready to reprimand him, but I waved him down.

  I peered at his file and then glanced back at him with a raised brow. “Junior Khumalo, Alpha of the Johannesburg Pack of South Africa?” I confirmed.

  “Yes,” he answered in a clipped tone.

  I motioned to the empty seat in front of me. “Please, have a seat.”

  He hesitated for a moment before pulling out the chair and sitting down. His back was ramrod straight and his palms were placed firmly on his lap. No fidgeting there.

  “Thank you for coming on such short notice,” I started. “I’m sure you’re extremely busy, so I appreciate you taking the time—”

  “If the Queen requests my presence, I’m obligated to appear before her,” he interrupted dryly.

  I gave an awkward smile. This wasn’t going well. “I’m guessing you’re not a fan?” I quirked a brow. He remained quiet, pointedly staring at the wall behind me. “It’s okay, Junior. You can be informal. I want your honesty. Even if it hurts …” I muttered the last part and looked away.

  He cleared his throat. “Informal, you say? Well, I’ve heard a lot about you, Your Majesty. They say you fight for the underdog, the ones without a voice. That you were behind the change the Lycans saw in King Alexander during his last years. But what about my people? Who is speaking for us? I didn’t believe in the last monarch, and I don’t believe in you.”

  I clenched my hands together and fought to keep from yelling like a two-year-old, But I just became Queen a week ago! I knew that no matter what I said, it would make no difference to him. I could have been made Queen two seconds ago and he’d still be pissed. He and his pack had been snubbed far too long. It was time I started making things right.

  I nodded. “You’re right. You’ve been treated unjustly for a long time and it’s unfair. My predecessors have done nothing about it, but I don’t want to be like them—”

  “Those are just pretty words … empty promises.” The bristling Lycan rolled his eyes contemptuously.

  “That’s why you’re here,” I said quickly. His attention snapped back to me. “I didn’t request your attendance just to hear the harshness of your words, Junior. I asked you here because I want you to join the Queen’s Council.”

  He froze in his seat and narrowed his eyes at me. I could practically see the wheels turning in his head, wondering if this was a trick. According to his file, he’d been requesting a seat in the European Summit for quite some time and was denied at every turn. What I was offering was even better. He wouldn’t only have a voice in matters that concerned one region, he’d have a voice in matters that impacted the entire Lycan species. It would be the highest honor and a first for any pack member in the continent of Africa, from a people who had chafed under the rule of the dismissive European Summit far too long now. He could change the fate of his people by being a part of the Queen’s Council. I was offering him the opportunity of a lifetime.

  “It’s challenging enough to deal with the interests of different species;” I stated, “I don’t want to add race into the equation. It shouldn’t even be a problem in this day and age, but I’m not so blind that I don’t know it still is. You and your pack deserve for your voices to be heard, and if the Summit won’t give it to you, then fuck ‘em. I will.” I shrugged nonchalantly. “I only have one question.”

  Junior furrowed his brows as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “And what’s that?”

  “How do you treat your lunas?”

  My question made him jerk back in surprise. “If you’re wondering whether my lunas are free or not, you have nothing to worry about. We didn’t partake in the Freedom War because our lunas have always been treated with respect.”

  “Excellent!” I clasped my hands together. “Then we understand each other perfectly. Now, it’s all up to you, Junior. What do you want?”

  He leaned back and slumped in his chair. It was the first time I’d seen him look less than perfectly poised and composed. “I would have to renounce my position as Alpha and move to Scotland …” he murmured mainly to himself.

  Nonetheless, I answered him. “Yes, you would.” I glanced over his shoulder where Bash was leaning against the wall by the door, wearing a sympathetic look. I understood what he was feeling. Bash knew exactly what it meant to give up your position as Alpha. He did the same thing when he came with me to Scotland. As such, he knew it wasn’t a decision one could make in the span of a few minutes.

  I sighed. “Why don’t you stay a while? My mating ceremony will be held soon, and you’re more than welcome to attend. Stay until you’ve made a decision.”

  Junior nodded slowly and stood, his bow a smidge deeper this time, and allowed Bash to escort him out of the office. Hopefully he would talk to him and give him some insight.

  I jotted down some notes in Junior’s file and placed it at the bottom of the pile, opening the next folder. I exhaled loudly and skimmed over the next candidate.

  On to the next one.

  15

  The interviews all started to blur together after a while, but after choosing my favorites, I only had one candidate left to meet. Unfortunately, I couldn’t meet her until the next day. I dragged myself to my chambers on leaden feet, my brain completely fried and full of facts. I didn’t even remember changing into my pajamas before falling asleep. I was allowed to sleep in the next morning, but the moment my eyes opened, I could already feel the dwindling stamina potion wearing off.

  With not a lot of time, I showered and dressed in a rush while simultaneously chugging a mug of coffee. I flung open my door and greeted the guards who were tasked with escorting me to my meetings for the day. I’d already missed two that morning. I supposed everyone could see how exhausted I was, even though I tried to hide it.

  As we left the council room from the last meeting, I said, “Take me to the South Tower.” I hadn’t heard from William and the others in a while and I needed to check on their progress.

  We headed to the south end of the castle. As we descended to the lower level of the tower where the guards trained, I glanced in disgust at the damp, moldy walls, making a mental note to get the area cleaned up and revamped. They shouldn’t be forced to work in these conditions.

  We stepped out into the circular op
ening of the tower, lit by the brilliance of the midday sun. William stood in the center, instructing just over a dozen of my guards.

  “There’s a spot right between the ribs where you can strike and it’ll be a killing blow,” William said, using Liam’s shirtless body as an example, turning him so he could point to Liam’s bare back. William motioned to the spot and applied pressure with his claw, making Liam arch in his grip.

  “Ah!” Liam shouted. William withdrew his claw and patted him on the shoulder, dismissing him.

  “Yer Majesty!” Liam did a double take once he turned and saw me standing at the edge, hastily dipping into a bow. The rest of the group snapped to attention and followed suit.

  I waved them off. “Carry on,” I offered. “How has training been going?”

  “Enlightening,” Liam grumbled as he rubbed the spot above his ribs where William had punctured the skin.

  I chuckled. “I see. And when can I expect you all to be ready?”

  “Soon, Yer Majesty,” William declared. “They have been very responsive.”

  I nodded. “That’s good to hear. There’s a crucial dinner happening tonight. Do you think you’ll be able to be on duty? I would like my guards to be there.”

  William looked at the group. “It’s up to them. I believe they’re ready.”

  When I raised my brow at the group of guards, they all yelled, “Aye, Yer Majesty!”

  I smiled brightly. “Good. Fenrir, the first wolf, will be coming to the castle for dinner.” They all gasped in unison. Most of them weren’t in the forest yesterday; I’d decided it would be a better usage of their time to stay behind and train. “Which means the enemy will be in our territory. I want the best on duty tonight in case anything happens. Do you understand?”

  “Aye, Yer Majesty!” they yelled.

  “Do ye want me there too, Yer Majesty?” William asked.

  “I absolutely want you there. Go see Ranulf sometime today to get a uniform,” I ordered. “We need to be very careful tonight. This is a very important dinner and we can’t afford for anything to go wrong. I look forward to seeing you all there. I miss you guys.” I winked and turned to leave the South Tower.