by Lily Cahill
Her brother, Fritz, reared toward her with claws bared. She remembered him attacking Maxwell, remembered his cruelty with the gun. Anger rose inside her. She batted him away with a single swipe. He landed on the ground, whimpering in his human form. He was naked and bleeding--still alive, but hurt so badly he was unable to move.
After that, the rest of them inched away from her and Maxwell. They were snarling and snapping, but Annika could see it was a bluff. They were nervous.
Annika stopped, stared, growled. Then she shifted back into her human form.
Maxwell growled, leapt in front of her to protect her. She was glad for his help, but she wouldn't be in her human form long.
"Last chance," she said. "Join us now. Or fight us and die."
Not a single bear crossed over to her.
They had made their decision, then.
Annika shifted back into a polar bear.
A mighty roar erupted from the palace as the gates opened and a troop of bears sprinted through.
"Koh! Koh! Koh! Koh! Koh!" voices from inside the palace shouted as they ran.
The bears appeared to be lead by an older black bear that could only be Maxwell's mother. In seconds, Maxwell's enormous brothers were fighting by their side. Others, too.
She didn't know whether they had been planning to come out all along, or if her and Maxwell's transformation had been a tipping point, but she was proud to have them all by their side.
They clawed and they bit. They pounced and ripped and hit.
In front of them, the Empress held off the attack of a menacing bear with twice her bulk.
To their left, Hudson had a mangy, sharp-toothed polar bear on his back.
To their right, Elliott wrestled a polar bear with giant claws into submission.
Behind them, the snow absorbed the blood of a wound on Samuel's flank, but the wound wasn't deep and he'd just knocked the offending bear off his paws.
Polar bears were surging all around them--her brothers, and others too.
But she didn't want any of them. She wanted her father. Glancing at Maxwell, she could tell he wanted the same.
Dietrich was protected behind a wall of his army, but he too was backing away.
For the first time, Annika noticed the machines that had brought them there. They were camouflaged in white, resting about a hundred yards away near the frozen shore of the lake: snowmobiles. Big, powerful ones. And Dietrich was headed straight for them.
Leaving the rest of the Zoltags, Annika bolted toward the group trying to evacuate Dietrich. Maxwell was right beside her.
When the group saw them coming, their protective ranks faltered, spread out.
Annika found herself staring into the eyes of her sister, Blanca.
Blanca had always been the meanest of her sisters--the most cunning and aggressive. She was their father's favorite, and it was no wonder he'd kept her close. But right now, she didn't seem quite so sure of herself.
Blanca's gaze travelled between Annika and Dietrich and back again, as though she was making a choice, deciding her loyalties.
Annika snarled.
Blanca startled, shook, then ran--not into the fray, but away from it. She was deserting. Annika nearly laughed.
With Blanca running away, the rest of the guard lost formation immediately, racing full-out toward the waiting machines, almost heedless of whether Dietrich made it with them. But her father was running with them, keeping up.
Annika couldn't let Dietrich get away. She had to defeat him here, now. She knew her father had a hideout ready, but she had no idea where it was. Losing him now might mean losing him forever.
Maxwell sprinted forward. But Annika had seen the snowmobiles too, and she was faster.
She drove past him. She wouldn't let him risk himself to hurt Dietrich. This was her battle, not his.
She raced past the slower runners, leaving them for Maxwell to fight, and he did. A glance back let her see that he knew what she wanted, and would support her. He swatted them down like flies as he followed to back her up. Behind him, his brothers followed too, catching the ones that evaded Maxwell's reach.
Ahead, Dietrich reached the lead snowmobile.
He shifted quickly into his human form and hopped on. The engine rumbled as it fired, but Annika was already there.
Just as the thing hurtled forward, Annika's jaws latched on to Dietrich's leg and whipped him off the machine.
He screamed.
The snowmobile darted through the snow, driverless.
Dietrich shifted back into bear form, and Annika lost her grip on his leg. In that instant, he pounced on Annika. She darted away from him just in time, but lost her footing before scrambling back up. He had her on the defensive.
Dietrich rose onto his hind legs, snarling and menacing and mean. He was ready to attack. He was ready to kill her.
Annika trembled, but forced herself to focus. She would win this fight. She had to.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Maxwell barreling forward.
It was all she needed.
The mere force of his approach diverted Dietrich's attention for a split second.
Annika used the moment to dig her claws into Dietrich's belly. They cut in deep, and Dietrich howled.
Rage filled her as she swiped, ripping a five-pronged line up from his gut to his throat. She thought of all the evil he had done--not just to her, but to the entire kingdom. What the Empress had started, she would finish.
Her attack was swift and unflinching. It was kinder than he deserved, but she wasn't stupid enough to waste her chance. This had to end now.
She made one final slash to his throat.
There was a gurgling sound, the hot smell of blood on the crisp winter air, then Dietrich was lying on the ground, dead. Finally dead.
Annika roared over his lifeless body, a thousand emotions flooding her heart. There was anger there, and pain too--a lifetime of it.
But most of all, there was victory.
Chapter Twenty
Maxwell
His woman was mighty. Max had no fear for her in the moment of her kill, no jealousy either. Only pride.
He'd wanted a piece of Dietrich, sure. But it was probably better this way. If it had been Max, he would have made the pain last. He would have made him pay for every scar on Annika's body.
Besides, Annika deserved to be the one to end it. And she'd done it better than any soldier he'd ever seen. His heart burst with admiration and love for his powerful mate.
With Annika's decisive blow, the battle was soon over. Most of their enemies surrendered quickly the moment Dietrich took his last breath. Those who didn't were soon captured and now awaiting trial in the palace's prison. A handful had managed to flee, but none of them were Zoltags. Thanks to Annika, they were quickly able to determine that all the Zoltags were accounted for.
There were already parties in pursuit of those who had escaped--all of them supporters Dietrich had managed to coax from the ranks of other clans. Even if they weren't caught, they'd live out their days hiding in fear. After today, no shifter would risk giving them aid. Not with the Lost Princes back at the palace.
When it was all over, Maxwell gathered with his family in the hearth room to debrief. He learned what had happened after he and Annika had been captured at the cabin. His brothers hadn't heard the gunfire at all over the engine noise, and it hadn't done any damage to the plane. They'd only noticed a problem when Max hadn't radioed to confirm he was in the air. By the time they'd been able to turn around and land again, Max and Annika were already gone. After searching the area and losing the trail, they'd gone back to the palace to regroup, and Dietrich had arrived shortly after.
But the battle was won. Dietrich was defeated and would never be a threat again to Annika or the rest of his family. They were together again--all of them--for the first time in thirty years. And their mates were there too, making their family all the more strong.
Clutching Annika's hand, Maxwell loo
ked around at each of them, feeling as though his life had grown fuller than he ever thought possible in such a short time.
Hudson had his arm wrapped protectively around his mate, Kay, whose belly was so large it looked like she might deliver at any second. She was clinging to him as though she wasn't going to be convinced to let go anytime soon. He didn't blame her. He had scarcely left contact with Annika since the battle had ended.
Elliott and Laila curled together on a loveseat, holding one another close to drive away the chill of battle. Elliott had fought bravely and well, but it had been his first fight. Max knew more than anyone that it took some time to absorb that sort of thing. But the kid seemed strong. He would handle it.
Sam and Frankie were cuddled together too, Frankie's hand resting on a stomach that was just barely starting to show the signs of a child on its way. Maxwell's heart leapt with pride and protectiveness over the new little ones. He was going to be an uncle twice before the year was out. The children would breathe new life into their family, and Max couldn't wait to meet them. Hopefully soon, he and Annika could start building a family of their own.
Finally, his eyes settled on his mother. Max understood why she'd done what she'd done. He'd been told the full story of how his father's death and the resulting attacks from the Zoltags had forced her to send them all away. But he knew it was going to take some time to build a relationship with her again. The wounds formed in his childhood had been sewn deep. They weren't his mother's fault, but they were there.
Luckily, they had time now. They could take all the time they needed to get to know each other again. He was thankful for the opportunity, and ready to start making things better. Right now, that was enough.
As though she could feel his gaze, his mother turned to look at him, her deep blue eyes nearly as black as her dark hair. Most people called her Coley, short for Colette.
"I'm very thankful for you. For both of you," she said, addressing Annika too. "And proud. The two of you demonstrated great bravery today. The history books will be telling the story of your love for ages."
"It was all her," Max said, and he meant it. His mate deserved all the credit.
"Yes," Coley said. "You have a warrior's spirit. You both do."
"Thank you for letting me stay." Annika said. "I know it must be difficult to have a Zoltag inside the palace walls."
Maxwell knew that Annika and his mother's friendship, too, might be built in small steps. His mate had grown up learning to hate the crown--if not for the lies her father had spewed, then for the way his focus on them had devoured all possible joy in her life. His mother had dedicated her life to defeating the Zoltags and bringing her husband's killer to justice. It couldn't be easy to look at Annika and see Dietrich's eyes. But they were both trying, and he knew they would keep trying for his sake.
"From what I saw," his mother smiled, "You're not a Zoltag anymore. I doubt you ever were, really."
"I suppose that's true," Annika said.
"You'll always be welcome here, Annika," Coley said. "This is your home now just as much as it is mine. I'm only sorry I didn't invite you sooner."
"Thank you," Annika said.
Coley turned to Max. "Your birthday is tomorrow," she said.
Max knew what she was asking, but he still didn't know the answer. Did he really have what it would take to be the new Emperor?
"One of you must take the throne as Emperor, Max," his mother said. "And I need your decision by tomorrow."
Max looked to Annika, searching her eyes for an answer.
"I'll support whatever decision you make," she said. "As long as we're together. That's all that matters."
Max nodded. He'd known he'd have her support. He knew he always would. She was a fighter, someone who had overcome the greatest odds just to survive. She could handle whatever came their way. He wished he could hand her the crown. She'd make an excellent ruler.
He thought of the strengths of each of his brothers, too: Hudson's control, Samuel's wisdom, Elliott's passion. Wouldn't any of them be more suited to the role?
As he surveyed his family, an idea occurred to him. He wasn't going to make the decision. They were.
Chapter Twenty-One
Maxwell
"I say we put it to a vote," Maxwell said. "Everyone here in this room. The wives too."
Samuel met his eye, nodded. "It's not a bad idea."
"Whatever brother we choose, the others will abdicate as necessary to make it happen, and that person will have all of our unwavering support going forward. Can we all agree on that?"
There were nods and confirmations around the room. His mother smiled quietly.
"Yes," Elliott said. "But I'd like to take my name out of the running. I'll do it if it comes down to it, but Laila and I have careers that we care about back home. She might have a shot at an Oscar. I don't think it's fair to ask her to give up her dreams. At least, not if we don't have to."
Laila squeezed his hand and looked at him meaningfully. From the sounds of it, she was extremely talented, and Max couldn't wait to see her movie.
"I feel the same," Sam said. "If I'm needed, I'll step up at any time. But my heart isn't in the crown, it's in my family and my work. Besides, we want our child to grow up with both sides of his or her family in their lives. Living here permanently would be difficult to explain to Frankie's family."
"Okay," Max said. "Agreed."
"So that leaves Max and Hudson," Coley said. "Are you both prepared to accept the role if it's offered to you?"
Max nodded.
Hudson hesitated. He looked over to Kay, who took a deep breath and finally nodded her approval.
"We agree," Hudson said.
"Good. Hudson, my vote is for you," Max said. "You've proven yourself as a leader in your business and in our family. If you can run a billion-dollar corporation, you can manage the monarchy."
"Thanks, Max, but I think our votes are going to cancel each other out," Hudson said with a low chuckle. Then he turned his comments to the rest of the room. "He's the bravest of us all, and the only one with any military experience. We need that going forward. We need to strengthen our defenses and organize the clans to make sure the past doesn't repeat itself."
"I agree," Kay said. "I never want to see another battle at the palace gates, and I think that means a stronger army. I vote Max."
"I vote Hudson," Elliott said. "Even though I think both of you could do the job, Hudson was learning the ropes from Mom before any of us got here, and it seems like a tricky time to put someone in charge who's only been here for a day."
"I vote Annika," Laila said. "Which means I vote Max. No offense, Max. You're great too, but your wife is kind of a badass."
Max laughed with everyone else as he watched Annika turn bright red. "None taken."
"We could use someone like her in leadership," Laila continued. "And since you're mates, we get her if we get you."
"So that's three for Max, and two for Hudson," his mother said. "Frankie? What's your vote?"
"Both Max and Hudson would make excellent leaders. I'm confident that either could handle the job. But I vote Max," Frankie said. Then she turned to Kay. "I know you're willing to sacrifice your career for the good of the family, but I just don't think you'd be happy doing it long-term. A part of you is always going to want to be an entrepreneur, not an Empress."
"I know I already voted," Laila added. "But I agree with that. It was part of my decision too."
A silent look passed between the three women. Laila and Frankie reached out to squeeze Kay's hand. Max felt a surge of brotherly tenderness toward them, and hoped one day Annika could find friendship in their ranks too.
"And you, Sam?" Coley asked. "What's your vote?"
"I vote Max and Annika too," Sam said. "Max is a clear leader. And I think Annika being a Zoltag will help unite our kingdom. If Dietrich's supporters see her in leadership, they'll be more apt to listen. Plus, like Laila said, she's kind of a badass."
&n
bsp; The room broke out in laughter as a warm blush crept up Annika's cheeks for the second time.
Coley beamed. "Sam's vote gives Max the majority, regardless of how Annika or I vote."
The truth hit Max hard. He was going to be the Emperor. He was going to live in the palace and make decisions he felt completely unprepared for.
Kay let out a breath of relief. "Honestly? I was hoping it would land that way," she said.
"Me too," Hudson said. "I would have done it, but giving up the business would have been pretty hard."
"For the record," Coley said, "my vote was for Max as well."
"Mine too," Annika said, turning to him, seeing the intensity behind his eyes. "You're not just a regular guy. You're so much more. You're strong and wise and kind. You can do this. You have everything you need."
"I do," Max said, but for entirely different reasons. "I have you."
"This calls for a toast," Elliott said. He grabbed a bottle of whiskey from a nearby cart and poured them all tumblers--all but the two housing temporary boarders in their bellies. It was club soda for them. He handed the glasses around to the group.
Max noticed that Annika had a funny look on her face when she took her glass.
"To Maxwell and Annika," Elliott said, raising his tumbler high.
"To Maxwell and Annika!" the group cheered.
But Annika, suspiciously, didn't drink. Max gave her a puzzled look. Did she have reservations about this after all?
"It's probably ...," she said. "It's probably a bad idea."
"You're having second thoughts?" Max asked.
"What? No. I'm ... about the whiskey, I mean."
An excited "Oh!" popped out of Kay before she slapped her hand over her mouth. The whole room turned to her, then their eyes grew wide and they looked back to Annika, erupting into teasing "awww" sounds.
They were acting like Annika was ...
Like she was ...
Max turned to her. "Are you ...?"
Annika nodded, tears springing to her eyes.
"Oh, Annika," he said, kissing her, then kissing her again. He couldn't have been more overjoyed. Or proud. Or excited. He leapt up and lifted her into his arms. "I'm going to be a dad!" he yelled.
