Queen of the Lycan, Karina Espinosa [accelerated reader books .TXT] 📗

I was enjoying watching Jacob eat crow as he took a knee before me – unwillingly, I might add – when he stood and I saw the next person in line – a very anxious looking Charles Cadwell—Alpha of the Northeast American Pack. He was dressed to the nines in a dark navy suit, his chestnut hair combed back and those chocolate eyes that damnit, always reminded me of Jonah, staring at me with coldness.

He hesitantly strode toward me, adjusting his tie and clearing his throat. It was blatantly obvious he wasn’t thrilled to do what he was obligated to do. It seemed like a popular theme today, at least among those who were tasked with helping their Queen. I pressed my lips together tightly to keep from laughing and waited patiently for him to take a knee.

Instead, Charles walked closer to me and leaned forward, taking my gloved hand in his and bringing his cheek to my cheek. “You don’t deserve any of this,” he whispered low enough so only I could hear. To an outsider, it looked like we were sharing a secret between friends. If they only knew.

I kept a fake smile plastered on my face and squeezed Charles’s hand as tight as possible until I heard bones crack. “You’re a disgrace to his memory,” I whispered back. “Now pledge your loyalty and get out of my face.” I pushed him away and smiled brightly for the sake of our crowd.

Charles took a measured step back, cradling the hand I had gripped. He trembled with anger as he stiffly took a knee, his jaw clenching and unclenching with each second that passed. He made a fist with his broken hand, placing it over his heart. “I pledge my loyalty to you, now and until my final breath,” he gritted between his teeth.

I gave him a toothy grin. “I hope so, Charles, I hope so …” I replied dismissively.

He stormed out of the throne room, making a spectacle, but I kept my fake smile in place, not giving away a single thing.

On the heels of Charles’s heated departure, the doors to the throne room opened again and gasps rang out all around the room. I glanced away from the unknown Lycan kneeling before me to see who had arrived and was thrilled to see Ailios and the Highlanders enter the throne room with their heads held high, as if the scared and sometimes angry expressions greeting their arrival didn’t bother them at all.

Ailios snaked her way to the front of the line while everyone was busy watching and whispering. Her hair was in long dreadlocks knotted with wooden beads, her teeth filed razor sharp and her glinting eyes yellow like her wolf. Everything about her announced her home and familiarity to the forest. In her hand she held her spear, and as the Lycan in front of me stood and walked away with a curious glance at the Highlander, she strolled toward me.

“Yer Majesty.” When she bowed, the startled whispers increased in intensity.

“Ailios, thank you for coming,” I greeted. “You know you’re not obligated to do this.”

She nodded. “I know, but we want to. Yer our Queen.” When Ailios dropped to a knee, everyone gave a collective gasp. This was a first. No Highlander had ever pledged their loyalty to a MacCoinnich. “I pledge my loyalty to ye, now and until my final breath,” she promised as she placed a fist over her heart and bowed her head.

“Thank you, Ailios,” I whispered. “You may rise.”

“No, thank ye, Yer Majesty. Because with ye, there will be change.”

The coronation dragged on for almost three hours, mostly because of the long line of pledges. Once those were complete, I sat on the throne for the first time in front of my subjects, the flashing bulbs from the royal photographer’s camera blindingly bright. Once the moment had been adequately immortalized, I stood and Bash escorted me from the throne room as everyone bowed. As soon as we were far enough from the throne room, I sucked in a huge breath.

“Oh my God!” I gasped. “Hurry and get me to the room so I can get out of this infernal corset!” I whisper-shouted.

Bash took my hand and kept me walking forward. “Relax, we’re almost to the room.”

We were surrounded by guards as usual, but I realized with a jolt that these weren’t our usual guards. I didn’t recognize any of these men. Where was Liam?

“Where are we going? This isn’t the way to our rooms,” I said a little out of breath.

One of the guards in front answered from over his shoulder, “Ye’ve been moved to the King’s—I mean the Queen’s chambers in the royal wing, Yer Majesty.”

Your Majesty? Jesus Christ.

I looked up at Bash in horror and he patted my hand. “Breathe,” he repeated. “Take it one step at a time.”

When we entered the royal wing, the pack of guards dispersed, leaving two standing guard outside our chambers. I searched the room with wide eyes and walked in a daze to the closet, amazed to see all our things already inside. I couldn’t believe how fast they’d moved us! They removed every trace of Alexander as if he was never here.

“It’s a new mattress, if you’re worried,” Bash said once I emerged from the closet.

I frowned. “Actually, I hadn’t even thought of that. What the fuck …?”

He nodded. “I know it’s a lot to take in. I didn’t expect everything to happen so fast.”

I pulled my MacCoinnich ring off my finger, as well as my engagement ring and placed them on top of the dresser. Then I ripped off my gloves and flung them on the floor. I reached behind me and tried to tear the corset off, but quickly realized I was unable to do it on my own.

“Help,” I mumbled. “Get me out of this.”

Bash walked over to me and untangled the ties of my corset, quickly untying the thin ribbons. With each strand loosened,