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

bored. “Lucas, Lucas, Lucas,” I said in a sing-song voice. “That’s not a solution, it’s a bloody tragedy. I will not have the lunas being treated like a breeding mill. Why don’t you guys try having meaningful relationships and fall in love with a luna and woo them the right way, and then, I don’t know, this might be a crazy idea, but then you might want to start a family afterwards. Geez, how absurd!” I said sarcastically. “As for this ‘keeping traditions’ nonsense, it’s the twenty-first century, get with the times. Women are allowed to do the same things men are allowed to do. Sometimes, they even do it better. If none of you can get that through your thick skulls,” I tapped my mahogany desk multiple times to emphasize my point, “I can accept your resignation letters at any time. If you think you can sway me, you obviously don’t know me well. I will die on this hill, you understand me? So go back to your little goons and pass this message along, because I’m not changing my mind. And the next time you speak to me as if I’m an idiot, you won’t like what happens next. You’re dismissed.” I waved him away and grabbed the first folder I found on my desk, ignoring him completely. I started skimming through random reports as I waited for Lucas to leave.

He stood there for a full minute in shock before he bowed and mumbled, “Yes, Your Majesty,” leaving my office in a hurry.

Once the door closed behind him, I slumped in my chair and sighed. “For fuck’s sake,” I said out loud. “I didn’t realize freeing the lunas would still be a problem years later. I guess change takes time.”

The next Summit meeting would be interesting after Lucas delivered this last message. I’d better have a Council by then to back me up or I would be screwed.

12

I entered the royal wing to find it completely empty. I expected to find Ranulf or at least Alexander waiting for me. The guards stood resolutely at their posts and I continued to the Queen’s Chamber, surprised that even Bash wasn’t inside. I found a note on his nightstand telling me he was in the council room making arrangements for the potential candidates to come to Sheunta Village. Guess I couldn’t be too upset since he was working hard on my behalf. Without Bash, there was no way I would have a Council in time for the Summit meeting.

I released my hair from its ponytail and started unbuttoning my shirt. I turned and started toward the closet, but the instant I entered the large space, I came to an abrupt halt.

“Son of a bitch!” I gasped, yanking my shirt closed and stumbling back in shock.

Sitting in the circular chair in the center of the closet that I used to put on my shoes was Fenrir, wearing a well-tailored suit with one leg crossed casually over the other, his back perfectly straight as he patiently waited for me.

“It’s about time you arrived, little wolf,” he whispered low enough so my guards couldn’t hear from the common room.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I growled. “How did you get in?”

Bobby Wu emerged from behind a rack of clothing. He looked much better than the last time I saw him. The dark circles around his eyes were gone and he looked relatively sane this time. He wore a t-shirt with a comic book character on the front, a pair of khaki cargo shorts, and flip flops.

“Your wards aren’t as strong as you think they are, Princess.” Bobby smirked shyly, his teasing demeanor a departure from his normal personality.

But none of that mattered right now. What bothered me was the fact that no alarm bells were raised with this latest breach of wards. Further proof that the castle was not safe.

I wasn’t safe.

“I’m not a princess anymore, in case you haven’t noticed,” I growled at the warlock.

He chuckled. “You’ll always be a princess to me.”

I glared at him and turned my ire in Fenrir’s direction. “What is this about? Are you here to finally kill me?”

“You would like that, wouldn’t you?” Fenrir grinned. “Little wolf, the incessant martyr. What a spectacular finale.”

I flashed my silver eyes and growled, my canines revealing themselves. I was ready for round two, even if I wasn’t at my strongest.

Bobby started to move between us, but Fenrir stood smoothly from the chair and blocked his way, adjusting his suit and popping his cuffs with a flourish. “I didn’t come to fight … today,” he clarified. “I heard Raven paid you a visit. I must admit, you have her a bit rattled. Tell me, little wolf, are you spying on me?” He raised a challenging brow.

I scoffed, “Spying on you? Are you serious? I don’t even know where you’re hiding, jackass.”

He tilted his head and studied me carefully. “Interesting. Yet you seem to know more than you should. Why is that?”

I gave a derisive snort. “Maybe you have a mole.”

He shook his head. “No, that’s not it. You’re not being truthful with me, little wolf.”

Not many people knew about my oracle abilities, and I knew for a fact it wasn’t written in my file in the archives. I wanted to keep it that way.

I shrugged. “You’re not being truthful with me, either. Why should I be with you?”

He smiled ruefully. “Touché. But don’t assume you’re safe because you have half the story, little wolf. You don’t know anything.”

I rolled my eyes. “Obviously. But instead of fighting with me, why don’t you work with me? Tell me who’s coming—”

His eyes flashed. “Don’t pretend to know what’s going on, little wolf,” he cut me off.

I looked over at Bobby for some clue as to what was going on, but he remained stone-faced.

“Fine. Did you attack the Highlanders?” I asked.

He frowned. “The Highlanders?” he repeated, obviously unsure to whom I was referring.

“They are the lunas who live in Caledonian Forest,” Bobby explained.

Recognition