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

didn’t listen. But in my defense, you did try to kill me, which means you didn’t keep your word, either. Let’s call it even.” I looked at Ranulf as desperation flared in his eyes. “Please, please stop this!”

“Hmm …” He pondered my counterpoint for what seemed like the longest seconds of my life. “Fair point.”

Just then, Ranulf sucked in a big gulp and collapsed in my arms, breathing raggedly.

“Are you okay?” I asked as I cradled him. He nodded, unable to speak.

“It’s me you should be asking if I’m okay,” Abaddon said nonchalantly. “I’m the one who had to kill a bunch of people.”

I growled. “You didn’t have to do anything, you piece of shit!” Ranulf gripped my arm and squeezed, shaking his head. I knew what he was telling me. Calm down.

Abaddon chuckled. “What would you do for your people, Your Majesty?”

“Anything,” I snarled.

“We’ll see about that.” Enveloped in a cloud of mist, his darkened form disappeared.

10

What happened in the southwest sector of the village spread like wildfire and led to a widespread panic that rippled throughout Sheunta Village and beyond. Our PR team was working overtime trying to calm the rumors, which weren’t so much as rumors, but actual facts being thrown around.

Everyone was afraid and I couldn’t blame them, nor protect them from this enemy that was far more dangerous than anything we’d ever encountered before. He’d proven that he could manipulate our minds and control our bodily functions. What else could the demonic bastard do?

With a water bottle in hand and my guards in tow, I walked toward the throne room where the Summits were waiting for me. An emergency meeting had been called due to the unfolding situation.

The doors opened and I entered. Everyone rose and remained standing until I was seated at the throne. I took a few gulps of water from my bottle and handed it to Liam before greeting them. “Thank you for meeting me on such short notice, and under these dire circumstances.”

Ever the Summits’ well-oiled spokesman, Lucas was the first to speak. “We hope you’re feeling better, Your Majesty.”

The last time we were assembled in this room, I’d passed out after a rather heated argument with them. “I am, but unfortunately this situation doesn’t make me feel good.” I frowned. “We lost many of our people last night in a senseless act of terror. Our enemy is someone far more heinous than we could have imagined.”

“In your report, it shows you met with him,” Grayson said. “Why would you risk such a thing?”

“Because he threatened to enter the village if I didn’t,” I sighed. “Which in hindsight seems pointless, because he did anyway.”

“Why would he want to meet you?” Charles asked tauntingly. “What’s so special about you?”

I smirked, refusing to let the alpha goad me. “What’s not special about me, Charles? I am Mackenzie Grey, after all.” I shrugged arrogantly. “Freedom Princess, Curse Breaker, and now Queen of the Lycan. I am many things, Charles; what are you?”

I knew I was too arrogant for my own good and one day it would bite me in the ass, but for now, it was pissing Charles the fuck off and giving me a much-needed ego boost.

“Maybe you should go back to New York,” I suggested. “You don’t seem to bring anything valuable to the table. All problems and no solutions.”

His nostrils flared and his hands fisted from restrained rage. If I poked the bear just a little more …

Grayson cleared his throat, redirecting the conversation. “How do we defeat this enemy? He seems invincible.”

I snorted and looked down at my hands. I once thought myself to be invincible, but I was very, very wrong. No one was invincible. That was a lesson I learned the hard way. I had the scars to prove it.

“No one is invincible, Grayson.” I looked back up at the members of each summit. “It might seem like it right now, but there has to be a way. I’m sure of it. Right now, we don’t have much information on Abaddon. That’s our first task. We need to learn everything we can about our enemy. I leave that to you all, if you’re up for the challenge.”

Everyone looked at one another for confirmation and then Grayson and Lucas made eye contact, nodding at one another.

“You can count on us, Your Majesty,” Lucas said.

I nodded. “Everything else is tabled until we defeat this enemy. I know we don’t see eye to eye on many things, but right now, we must work as a team. I hope you won’t let me down because of our differences.”

“Of course not, Your Majesty.” Grayson bowed slightly.

I dismissed the summits and stayed seated in my throne as I watched them file out of the room quietly. Once I was alone with my guards, I turned to Liam and he handed me my water bottle. I took a few sips and handed it right back.

“I need to go back into the village,” I said.

“We must tell Ranulf,” Liam said, starting to reach for his radio.

I shook my head. “Do you work for me or for Ranulf?”

Liam froze and then dropped his hand. “Ye, of course, Yer Majesty.”

“Good. So let’s go. I won’t take long.”

We walked the streets of Sheunta Village and I saw the wary looks of the people as they watched us pass. Everyone was afraid and with good reason. Not many people were out and about. Most stayed indoors, and I preferred it that way. It was safer.

We passed the doctor’s office and crossed the street to the apothecary that was owned by Cosima Slade, my friend Scarlet’s mom. Cosima was the witch who put the suppression spell on me as a baby to keep my wolf suppressed.

“Stay out here,” I instructed the guards.

“I’m coming in with ye,” Liam countered.

I weighed my options and nodded. I trusted Liam. When I pushed the door to the apothecary open, the bell atop the door softly chimed, alerting the store owner of my