Blood of the Wolf: The Crown (Mackenzie Grey Book 11), Karina Espinosa [top 10 ebook reader txt] 📗

very weak during pregnancy. Your blood pressure keeps going up and down. It’s not stable. You’re still in your first trimester, so we must be very careful. You have to be very careful. Do you understand me?”

I nodded. “I understand.”

And I did … but meeting Abaddon tomorrow night was a risk I was taking. I couldn’t promise the doc I’d be careful, because I didn’t know what to expect from that meeting. I had to depend on Fenrir and the Valkyries, plus my own stamina. I wasn’t at full strength, but I wasn’t completely out of commission.

“Okay,” Dr. Harris said. “I want to see how you do during the full moon tomorrow—”

“Wait …” Bash held up a hand to stop him. “What does the full moon have to do with her pregnancy?”

Dr. Harris thought about it for a few seconds. “It’s different for many lunas. Some become weak to the point where they can barely stand on their own. Also, you have to remember: the Queen can’t go into a full shift while pregnant. The moon will take a lot out of her. Again, each luna reacts differently. Some lucky ones actually absorb energy from the moon, and it gives them a sort of boost. It really depends on the luna.”

Bash’s blue eyes turned to me and I knew exactly what he was thinking. There was no way he would let me go meet with Abaddon now. Not with this variable in the way. This was my first full moon and we didn’t know how I would react.

“I’ll see you the day after the full moon,” Dr. Harris said as he shook our hands and started to exit the room. “Take care, Your Majesty.”

We listened as Dr. Harris walked out of the bedroom, through the common room and out of the royal wing, saying his goodbyes to William.

I turned my attention to Bash, who stood before me with a raised brow. “You already know what I’m going to say,” he said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

I rolled my eyes. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Who knows? I might be one of the lucky ones who get a boost from the moon, which will be an advantage—”

“You’re weak, Mackenzie. You don’t think I see the sweat beads on your forehead after walking across a room? Just doing basic daily necessities takes a lot out of you. I highly doubt you’ll be getting a boost from the moon,” he groused.

I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes, already feeling a headache coming on. Regardless what Bash or the doctor said, I had to meet with Abaddon tomorrow night. There was no other option.

“Whatever happens to me tomorrow during the full moon doesn’t matter.” I opened my eyes. “I’m going to meet Abaddon no matter what. Even if I have to drag myself there.”

The rest of the day passed inexorably slow and I impatiently waited for news on Fenrir. I didn’t hear from Ranulf until almost midnight, when I was about to give up and go to sleep.

“Yer Majesty, the wolf god is here,” he announced as he entered my office. “Where would ye like me to take him?”

“Did he come alone?” I asked.

Ranulf shook his head. “He came with companions. A woman and a man.”

Raven and Bobby.

“Bring them to my office.” I sat back down behind my desk. I was exhausted. The day’s events were catching up to me and I was in desperate need of sleep.

“Aye,” Ranulf said and exited the office.

Within ten minutes, Ranulf returned with Fenrir, the Valkyrie Raven, and the warlock Bobby Wu. My guess was correct. They filed into my office silently and came to stand before my desk.

“Have a seat.” I offered the seats before me and Fenrir and Bobby sat down. Raven stood behind them like a guard, unmoving.

Ranulf closed the door but stayed inside the office. He wouldn’t leave me alone with them.

“Little wolf,” Fenrir greeted with a grin, clasping his hands in front of him. “You’ve summoned me. Why is that?”

I swallowed, my mouth drier than a cotton ball. “Because I’ve been summoned by Abaddon.”

Fenrir straightened and leaned forward. “What? When? Why?”

“He met with Ailios, the leader of the Highlanders. He gave her a location and said he wanted to meet with me during the full moon.”

“Then we—”

I shook my head. “He wants me to go alone.”

“You can’t be serious.” Bobby looked from me to Fenrir. “It’s obviously a trap.”

“Obviously,” I deadpanned.

“You want us there as back-up,” Raven stated, already ten steps ahead of her companions.

I nodded. “You’re extremely good at hiding in the highlands. He hasn’t caught you yet, unlike the Highlanders and the unfortunate guards who are still missing.”

Fenrir leaned back in the chair, crossed his legs, and smirked. “So you’re asking for our help, little wolf?”

I exhaled loudly. I wouldn’t consider myself overly prideful, but he was pushing my buttons. “Yes, Fenrir, I’m asking for your help.”

“And why should we?” He tilted his head in question.

“Fen!” Bobby exclaimed, but was shushed by the wolf.

I expected this. He wouldn’t help for no reason, even if we’d agreed to work together. In Fenrir’s eyes, I wasn’t a good enough leader for the lycan. So if I died by Abaddon’s hands, he would see it as something being taken care of for him without having to get his hands dirty.

I cleared my throat and pursed my lips before admitting, “I’m pregnant.”

“Yer Majesty!” Ranulf shouted as he came over to stand beside me. “Are ye mad? We cannae trust these people!”

Ranulf was right, we couldn’t trust them. But the last time we faced off, Fenrir hesitated before killing me. Something in him refused to land the final blow. Whether it was his godly morality or not, something stopped him. That meant he had at least a sliver of humanity in him. If he knew I was with child, it would make things worse for him. He definitely couldn’t kill me with a kid. At least