The Beast and the Homecoming Queen

by Khelsey Jackson

  Quinn looks up and sees Chris and Mary. They smile, and nod toward Quinn and Justin. “Welcome Prince Justin, and Princess Quinn. Our alpha pair is finally here.”

  Quinn whips her head around to look at Justin and he nods. A woman walks onto the stage with a person that isn’t moving. “Here is what you asked for, Your Majesty.” The woman lifts up the person by their hair and Quinn's heart stops. Under all that blood is Kaden's perfect face.

  “Thank you, Marissa. Justin you and Quinn need to be up here.” Chris says, and walks over to his unconscious son. “Kaden has done something that he know was against pack law. He fell in love with a pure blood, the same pure blood that has been promised to my son, Justin.” Quinn just stares at Kaden and prays that he moves, even a little. “Kaden was told to stay away from her, but hasn’t done what was told of him. Now the sentence is death.” Chris bends down, and slaps Kaden's cheek. His dark blue eyes fly open.

  “Kaden!” Quinn screams, and Justin wraps his arms around her waist to stop her.

  Chris glances at her, and then turns his attention back to Kaden. “Kaden you haven’t been able to keep your hands off of the Princess, and I told you many times to leave her alone. There is no pure blood here that is willing to protect you. Is there anything you would like to say before you die?” A large man walks on the stage with a huge axe.

  Tears are now running down Quinn's face. Kaden looks at her and smiles. “I will always love you Quinn.” She would have fallen to her knees if not for Justin hold on her. “Quinn doesn’t need to see me die. Justin, cover her eyes.” Chris drags Kaden by his long hair to the man with the axe.

  What happens next goes in slow motion. Quinn elbows Justin in the gut, turns to kick him in the face, and he falls to the ground. She is running to Kaden, as the axe is in the air, she throws herself on top of Kaden.

  “Stop!” Chris yells, and Quinn looks up to the axe is less than an inch from her face. Kaden groans under her, and she moves off of him.

  “Quinn what are you doing?” Chris asks. She grabs Kaden's face, and he smiles.

  “I am a pure blood, right?” She asks but never takes her eyes away from Kaden's.

  “Yes, the last pure blooded female that has been born.” Chris says.

  Quinn nods, and looks away from Kaden to his father. “Kaden Webb is under my protection then.”

  She hears people gasp, and some yell.

  Chris smiles. “Quinn, you don’t know what you are taking on. You would have to fight for him, if there is anyone here that wants to take Kaden, you would have to fight to the death.” At this point she doesn’t care, she isn’t going to let Kaden die.

  “Fine, Kaden is still under my protection.” Quinn says and stands up. Justin walks up to stand with his dad, she flinches when he wipes away some blood from his lip.

  “Quinn, you really don’t want to have him under your protection.” Justin says, and she doesn’t say anything.

  “Is there anyone who wishes to go against the Princess?” Chris asks, and a blonde steps forward.

  “I do.” Jenna smirks up at Quinn.

  “Sweetheart, take back your protection. I won't watch you get hurt or killed.” Quinn looks at Kaden, as he slowly stands and frames her face in his hands. “If you take back your protection then Jenna can't touch you.” Quinn stares into Kaden's beaten and bloody face. She doesn’t love him, not yet, but she cares enough not to watch him die.

  Quinn shakes her head. “If I do, then what happens to you?” Kaden smiles and his eyes look at the man with the axe. “No, that’s not going to happen you are under my protection.”

  Kaden closes his eyes, and sighs. “Sweetheart, we still won't be able to be together. You are promised to Justin.” Quinn glances at Justin and he looks down.

  “I don’t care, I won't watch them kill you because of me,” she says and looks back at him.

  “Mark, hold Kaden back,” Chris says, and Mark holds onto Kaden's arm.

  Jenna walks up to Quinn, and grins. “I can't wait until you are dead, then Justin will be mine. Oh and so is Kaden, since he is under your protection. He becomes mine after I kill you.” Quinn looks over to Kaden and he nods.

  “What do I get when I kill you?” Quinn looks back at Jenna.

  Jenna laughs. “You won't kill me, and I have no one under my protection, I am not a pure blood.”

  “You may start whenever you want,” Chris says and backs away. Justin tries to move forwards but his dad shakes his head.

  Jenna circles Quinn, and Quinn is happy that her dad taught her how to fight. Her body starts to heat up, and that is when Jenna lunges at her. Quinn's punches her in her stomach, and Jenna growls. Quinn stares at Jenna’s now transformed hand, there are five inch nails where her fingernails were a second ago.

  “That isn’t fair! Quinn has never changed before,” Kaden yells, and she agrees.

  “Jenna is allowed,” Chris says, as Quinn jumps back but not before a claw digs right above her eyebrow.

  Jenna laughs, and Quinn kicks her in the face. That is something she has thought about doing for years. Jenna goes flying across the stage, but gets to her feet quickly. Quinn pulls up her dress so her boob isn’t hanging out. Jenna flies at her, and grabs Quinn around her neck. The sharp claws are digging into her skin and she can feel her blood run down her neck.

  “I can kill you so easily right now. I love Justin, and he has to be with you. You are only a duty to him, nothing more. You get whatever you want because you are a pure blood.” Jenna tightens her hold. “Did you know your mommy isn’t dead, she is alive? She didn’t want you; she left you because she saw how worthless you are.” Quinn's angry rises and she wishes she had some claws.

  Her fingers feel like they are exploding, like they are being ripped apart. She screams and looks at her fingers, the nails are gone and in their place are bloody claws. Quinn scratches Jenna's face and she growls, but Jenna doesn’t lose the hold she has on Quinn's neck. It's getting harder and harder for Quinn to breathe.

  “Quinn is under my protection!” Quinn thinks she hears Justin say. That is when Jenna lets go of Quinn and she fights to get her breath back; it burns and she starts choking on the new air she is taking into her lungs.

  Justin appears in her face. “Why?” she asks with her horse voice.

  He smiles. “Do you want me to finish her?” Quinn looks at Jenna, and shakes her head.

  “No,” Quinn moves around Justin and stops in front of Jenna. “I want to finish her myself.” Quinn closes her fist and punches Jenna in her face. “You have made my life a living hell, and it was all because of Justin. I didn’t know he even knew who I was until a few days ago.” Quinn grabs Jenna by the hair.

  “He always talked about you, when he was with me. I hate you Quinn, I should have Justin. I am more wolf than you will ever be.” Jenna snarls at Quinn.

  Quinn smiles. “I have Justin, and you won't have to see me with him.” Jenna sinks her teeth into Quinn's arm and she screams out from the pain that is radiating from her arm. Quinn rips her arm free; she grabs onto Jenna's hair and she looks over at Justin and Kaden. Both of their faces show nothing. She jerks Jenna’s head to the side. She takes her eyes off the boys, and looks down at the girl that has been making her life living hell.

  Quinn brings her lips to Jenna’s ear. “You can end this now,” she whispers, and a twisted dark laugh comes from Jenna.

  “If you don’t kill me then I will kill you. I won’t show you mercy,” she says, and Quinn knows she is telling the truth. There is only one way this will end, and she will be the one to end this. She puts her hands on Jenna’s cheeks and with twist she hears a loud crack; she knows it’s done and a part of her will never be the same.

  Quinn lets Jenna's body fall to the ground, and she starts shaking. She didn’t even realize Kaden and Justin were next to her until each of them takes one of her clammy hands. She just killed someone, yes that someone was evil and would have killed Quinn in a heartbeat, but she can’t belie
ve she did it.

  “Well, Princess, you have proven yourself.” Chris smiles. “I can see why Kaden and Justin have given you their hearts.” He walks over to her, and reaches out to touch her. Quinn growls, which make the two boys growl.

  “Do not touch me,” she says and starts panting. Kaden and Justin take a step in front of her, as if they are protecting her.

  Chris puts his hands up, and smiles. “I am happy that my sons found a strong woman, but you do know you are promised to Justin. If you don’t accept your fate, then I kill you and everything that is yours. That would be Kaden, your sister, and your mother.” Quinn gasps, and shakes her head. Her mother is dead, she can't really remember much about her. “My dear, she isn’t dead. I made her leave you and your father. He didn’t want to be part of the pack and she did. I told her she could do what she’d like as long as she gave me you, for my son of course.” The smile on his face tells her a different story.

  “Dad, I won't force her be with me,” Justin says.

  Chris laughs. “As long as I am alive, she will have to be with you.” Kaden growls. “Yes mutt, that means you cannot be with her.”

  Before Quinn can respond to Chris calling his own son a mutt, she feels like each vertebra is snapping and popping. She looks down at her arms as the break at the elbow, she screams well…more howls and she falls to the ground. Kaden turns to catch her, and her arm pops out of the socket. She screams again, and Justin takes her into his arms. He starts running away from everyone, and her tears feel like they are burning as they stream down her face. Quinn can hear more of her bones breaking, and she can't scream anymore.

  “Shh let me get you away from everyone and I will help you change,” Justin says and he gently pushes her head into his scorching chest. She can feel Justin running fast her, and she closes her eyes hoping that her pain will lessen but it doesn’t. Quinn takes short shallow breaths because it hurts her chest to take any more air in, Justin stops moving and she opens her eyes.

  Quinn can hear running water close by, and she slowly lifts her head. “It hurts,” she whispers, and he nods.

  “I know, but it will get better,” Justin says. “Kaden, get some water and put it on her face.” She smiles at least she has both of them here. Quinn feels her neck snap, and she screams. Justin puts his hand on the back of her head to support it. “Hurry!” He yells, and more tear fall freely from her eyes.

  “Sweetheart, give me your hand.” Kaden puts out his hand and she takes it, Justin takes her other hand. She feels sick and turns her head to the side and throws up. “Justin help her now.”

  “Quinn look at me,” Justin says, and she does. She feels like she is going to get sick again. “Good, now let your wolf take you over, I will change with you.”

  Quinn closes her eyes, and in her mind she sees a black wolf, with bright blue eyes. The wolf turns its massive head, and Quinn swears it smiles at her. The black wolf is beautiful, and the eyes are piercing. This must be her wolf, the wolf howls. Quinn can feel her body breaking one more time, and this time she doesn’t scream she smiles. Quinn welcomes this beautiful wolf into her, and when she opens her eyes she sees two wolves staring back at her a white and a grayish-black wolf and they are smiling back at her.

  She feels free for the first in her whole life, she runs and doesn’t need to look back to know the boys are behind her. Quinn turns her massive head as she catches a sweet vanilla scent, and turns around to see a white wolf grinning at her; his eyes are glowing yellow, and she knows that she is looking at Justin.

  “I never thought you could get more beautiful, but I was wrong. Quinn, your wolf is the most beautiful I have ever seen.” Justin voice echoes in her head, and she can feel her own grin widen on her face.

  “You aren’t too bad looking yourself, is it weird I’m attractive to an animal?” Her voice fills his head.

  “Run with me.” Justin rubs his huge white fluffy head against her neck. “I have been wanting to do this since the first day I met you.” It’s weird to hear his voice in her head; it has a strange echo effect.

  A grayish-black wolf appears in front of her with glowing red eyes. “Catch me if you can.” Kaden’s voice echoes in her head, and runs away.

  Chapter Twelve

  Home Sweet Home

  After amazing night Quinn lays naked in a field not caring who sees her, because she has two handsome guys naked next to her.

  “I will be right back,” Justin says, and gets up. She smiles at his cute butt as he leaves.

  “I didn’t think you could look more beautiful, but I was wrong. Your wolf is beautiful - pure black and bright blue eyes. But you, naked as the day you were born, takes my breath away.” Kaden waits until Justin is gone to speak.

  Quinn laughs, and her body hurts. “My body hurts everywhere.” She moans.

  She feels him take her hand. “I know sweetheart, it will get better. We will get you home and put you in a hot bath.”

  She groans, and he squeezes her hand. “Will it always hurt like this every time?”

  “I won’t lie to you, not now or ever. It will hurt for the next few changes but once you can control your wolf then you will change painlessly.” Kaden squeezes her hand again. “But you will have Justin and me with you. He can call your wolf again, and next time he will be able to walk you through it better.” Quinn hopes that it is better next time, she doesn’t think she can handle this again. Last night it felt like her body was breaking, and she thought she was going to die.

  Justin comes back and smiles above her. He is dress wearing the same gray bottom up the shirt and dark jeans from last night. “Come here, frumos lup.” Quinn stands up and feels two sets of different of eyes on her. He hands her a sweatshirt and a pair of sweat pants.

  “What did you just say?” she asks as she takes her clothes from him.

  He grins down at her, and runs his fingertips down her cheek. “I said beautiful wolf; that is what you are.”

  “You know, Quinn can stay naked. I’m pretty sure no one will complain.” Kaden says, and she shakes her head but feel her whole naked body heat up with her blush.

  “Shut up, Kaden.” Justin says and throws some clothes at him. “Quinn we need to talk, about last night.”

  She nods there is so much she wants to know. “Last night you took me under your protection, and Justin took you under his. Which means I belong to you, and you belong to Justin. No one can pick a fight with me without going through you and now Justin.” Kaden says, and moves next to Justin. “And we need to live with you. Our dad isn’t going to be happy that you stood up for Kaden, and that I stood up for you.” Justin says and looks down. Quinn wonders if he is still mad at her. She did hit him pretty hard last night.

  “Why did you stand up for me?” She asks Justin, and Kaden looks away.

  “I'm going to make a phone call, and I think you two need to talk…alone,” Kaden says and walks away.

  Justin looks up at her, and she doesn’t know what she sees on his face. “Quinn I have watched you from a distance for the past three years, I wasn’t allowed to talk to you or be with you until it was close to your change. Your father wanted nothing to do with the pack, and he threatened to kill any pack members that set a foot on his land. When I first saw you, you made something inside of me open, and I wanted to be the one that made you happy until the end of time. I am in love with you Quinn, and somewhere inside here.” He touches her chest, and smiles. “You feel the same thing about me. You love me, even if you don’t want to admit it.”

  Quinn thinks about it and she doesn’t know if love is the word she would use.

  “Justin.” He shakes his head.

  “Quinn take your time to admit to yourself. Just know that you have two guys that love you.” He smiles and takes his hand away from her. “I am still pretty mad about last night. I can't believe you put yourself in danger. You could have been killed.” Justin frowns at her.

  “I couldn’t let Kaden be killed because of me. Justin, I care
about him too.” Quinn admits to him.

  Justin nods. “I know. Do you still want to be my girlfriend?”

  Quinn doesn’t answer him for a minute, but she closes the space between them and frames his face with her small hands. “Justin, I have dreamed about being your girlfriend for three long years. Yes, I still want to be your girlfriend.”

  Justin smiles, and wraps his arms around her. “I was hoping you would say yes.” Justin chuckles, and she smiles. “I remember the day I realized I loved you. It was two years ago and you were soaking wet from the rain. You and Breanna were laughing and then you slipped and fell on your butt. When you burst out laughing, I saw your light and I fell in love.” Quinn laughs, she remembers how embarrassed she was. She landed in mud and it was all over her, she went home that day.

  “I looked like a drowned cat and you picked that moment to fall in love with me.” She looks up at him, and he smiles.

  “Quinn I’m not going to lie to you, when I was told you were promised to me I was mad. I didn’t want to get married, and werewolves marry for life. But you seemed too sweet for me, and at the time I thought Jenna was going be my one and only. My duty was you, and I fought it for a while.” Quinn looks down and away from him, she is his duty. “Hey, Quinn look at me.” She slowly brings her eyes up to meet his, he smiles. “That was before I knew you, before I fell in love with the blonde that would slap any guy that made fun of her because of that beautiful blond hair. And before I saw you talking about your sister, how much you love her even though she is a half-breed.”

  Quinn's eyes widen and her heart sinks. Her sister is a werewolf, oh my god. “Lizzy.” She whispers, what will her stepmother do when she finds out?

  “My love don’t worry, I have been watching your sister. She is doing okay, but she needs someone who can help her when she changes.”

  Quinn looks away again. “What is this about you and Kaden moving in?”

  “Well since Kaden is under your protection then he is your responsibility, and you are now mine. In my father's eyes, we are men and out of his house. If you aren’t okay with it that's fine, we will find somewhere else.”