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

she had a sister who was mated to the Alpha of the pack. Her parents were still alive, but they hadn’t had much contact since the war. Maria was unmated, and I was almost positive that was on purpose. No one in that pack would want anything to do with her after what she did. That was okay. Because I wanted her.

“Fly her over.” I grinned as I took her profile and put it to the side.

“Really?” Bash looked over at me. “Just like that?”

I peered up at him. “I trust your intuition, and from what I’ve read I like what I see. We’ll meet her in person and if she impresses me then, I’ll offer her a position.”

“She doesn’t have any political experience,” he countered. “She’s completely green.”

“But she knows the lunas. She’s a voice for them, and that’s more important than politics. I can worry about the political side,” I reassured him. “Who’s next?”

Bash nodded and I cuddled closer to him as he shuffled through the pages until he found the profile he was looking for. “Junior Khumalo from the South African Pack.” He handed the profile over to me.

“South African?” My brows furrowed as I digested his information. “I didn’t know we had packs in Africa.”

“It’s because the Lycan are a bunch of elitist assholes who think they only belong in America and Europe,” Bash grumbled.

My attention snapped in his direction in shock. “Did you just bad mouth the Lycan?” I gasped mockingly with one hand over my open mouth and the other at my chest in my best clutching my pearls impression.

Bash rolled his eyes and bumped me with his shoulder. “Why do you think we don’t have any established packs in South America? Because they don’t deem them worthy. That’s why lone wolves flock down there. Tracker packs are sent down there to control them and exterminate the problem, but in Africa they can’t do that because they already have established packs and they’re not considered lone wolves. So they keep quiet and dutifully report to the European Summit.”

My mouth was hanging open in shock by all the information that as the Lycan Queen, I should have known. “That’s bullshit.”

“It is.”

“So why did Junior pique your interest?” I asked, looking over his profile.

“Junior has been petitioning the Council for an African Summit for the last ten years, or at least a seat at the European Summit. He’s the Alpha of the Johannesburg Pack, and they are stronger than all the others on that continent. From what I’ve gathered, the European Summit has had a close eye on them for years for fear of a revolt against the system,” Bash reiterated what was already on paper.

I looked up from the stack of papers. “How big is their pack?” I whispered.

Bash’s eyes widened. “Big.”

“I’m guessing they’re not having problems reproducing,” I mumbled. “What did they do during the Freedom War?”

“They stayed out of it.” Bash motioned to the document. “They weren’t affected by it whatsoever. And I haven’t been able to get any information on how they treat their lunas, so I don’t know what his stance is on that.”

“Hmm … that’s a gamble. But I can understand why they didn’t help during the Freedom War; it seems like the Lycan haven’t done much for them, either. I wouldn’t have lifted a finger if I was in their shoes. But if they’re old-school with their lunas, that won’t mesh with me.” I mostly spoke to myself, but Bash listened intently. “Still, send out an invitation. I want to meet him.”

Bash took his profile and put it to the side with Maria’s. “Ranulf has a luna he wants you to meet from the village, so right now we have three potential candidates on top of four already established members, bringing you to a total of seven. We’re getting close.” He gave me one of his rare smiles and it melted me in place. His optimism was what I needed right now.

I rested my head on his shoulder and sighed. “Thank you, Bash. I hope you know I don’t take you for granted. Not for one second.”

“I know, Mackenzie.” He kissed the top of my head. “How about we call it a night?” Bash started gathering all the papers and stacked them neatly on the nightstand beside him.

We lowered ourselves further down on the bed and Bash wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in close. Lying in bed, secure in his arms, was the safest I’d ever felt.

Morning dawned with many changes. After breakfast, Bash and I went our separate ways. He left to meet with Alexander and brief him on the potential candidates for the Queen’s Council, then to start trying to contact them to set up a meeting. I headed in the opposite direction to meet with Ranulf and the rest of my guards at the South Tower.

When I arrived at the training area, I found it fairly empty of guards except for the Queen’s Guard, plus Ranulf and William.

“Ah, the man of the hour has arrived!” I greeted William as I entered the sparring circle where they stood. “Welcome to the Queen’s Guard.”

“Thank ye, Yer Majesty.” William bowed and a slight blush crawled up his neck.

“I’m just going over the protocols and schedules,” Ranulf said. “William said ye want him to train yer guards?”

“Correct.” I nodded. “Have them work in shifts—”

“That will leave ye unprotected, Yer Majesty,” Ranulf cut me off.

“Pull from the regular guards in the meantime. I want my personal guards trained by the best,” I enforced. I wasn’t budging on this. If William was the beast everyone claimed he was, then I wanted all the guards to be one. From what I saw in Caledonian Forest when they went up against Hildr, they could hold their own, but it shouldn’t have taken four of my men to take down one Valkyrie.

“Very well,” Ranulf grunted. “I will set up temporary guards in the meantime. I’ve also set up a meeting with