Chapter 19
Chapter
Nineteen
After swinging the door open, wide-eyed Hayden pulled me gently by my wrist inside his room. Untamed blond strands of hair stuck out in every direction, and his eyes, usually giving me a heated look, were now heavy with sleep, struggling to adjust to the light.
Still softly holding my hand, Hayden furrowed his brows slightly, scanning my body. His worry for me traveled over our strengthened mate bond, and a wave of tenderness washed over me. I wanted to reach out and smooth the unruly strands of hair.
But I clenched my hand tight and watched my mate gather his thoughts. His gaze slowly focused on my neck, and a flicker of recognition sparked in his eyes, followed by a hint of a smile that tugged at the corners of his lips.
My breathing raspy, I pointed to the crook of my neck with my free hand.
“I’ve never seen a mate mark like this…” I lowered my gaze to his neck, but he had no tattoos of any sort.
As I touched the slightly raised skin on my neck, tiny pleasure sparks zapped my fingertips. They seemed to have intensified since last night’s ritual.
“Hayden, what is happening to me?”
A relaxed, almost satisfied smile crossed his face, making me wary. He released my hand, and with a gentle finger, Hayden traced the lines from the healing puncture wounds down to my breasts. The sounds vibrating from his throat came out as a low rumble.
“I will tell you more about it when you willingly give yourself to me,” he said, moving his hand to my cheek and brushing my hair away. “Your body is so responsive to my touch, sweetheart.”
I drew in a deep breath. Sleeping with your mate was only natural…and inevitable.
“You made sure of it by bonding us without my consent,” I said in a low voice.
He disconnected from me, stepping back.
“It’ll happen,” he said. “I have very little patience left. I understand you’re going through changes, so I will give you until we win the war against the vampire Queen. I will explain everything after…when you’re willing to forget about your other mate.”
I stumbled back at his words, my chest tightening. Technically, Torin wasn’t my mate anymore, since Hayden had completely claimed me. Turning around, I returned to my room without an explanation and feeling off-kilter.
A disturbing thought crossed my mind, and sitting on my bed, I frowned. How long would I withstand the temptation and pull of the mate bond? Soon, I’d be tired and would cave into Hayden’s delicious mate touch, ignoring his wrongdoing.
But I couldn’t forgive him easily.
Stay strong. I dug my elbows into my thighs and buried my head in my hands, staying in this position for a long time.
Refusing the breakfast and lunch my parents offered me, I remained in my bedroom until the early afternoon, when the crowning ritual was scheduled to start.
After I found a navy-blue dress with a round neckline that would sit high on my chest, I dressed in my walk-in closet and did my business in the bathroom.
My preparations for the crowning ceremony weren’t up to my parents’ expectations, but I couldn’t find the energy to subject myself to hours of makeup and hair styling.
I descended the stairs and stopped at the kitchen sliding doors, peering at the backyard. Foldable chairs had been set up, leaving space for Hayden and me to walk up to a makeshift platform.
With the forest in the background, the area would usually be filled with werewolves all the way to the first line of trees since it was a historic event in which werewolves from every pack traveled to attend. But because of the short notice, only a couple of hundred people now gathered.
Crafted from sturdy wooden planks, the platform endured the weight of the five Alphas and my parents. Daisy flowers mixed with other plants lined the edges of the stage.
I glanced at Mom, and she returned my smile.
The sun’s rays filtered through the white clouds, casting a warm glow over the crowns Mom and Dad held. They stood to the side of the platform, beside the Alphas.
Alexander’s gaze lowered to the crook of my neck, and when we locked eyes, he gave me a sympathetic look. I nodded at him and forced a smile.
The passing of the crowns was supposed to mark a new phase in the mates’ lives that came with wisdom and commitment. It was a ritual of the exchange of powers.
I took a deep breath and exited my hiding spot, searching for my mate. Hayden stood on the other side of the platform, and when our eyes locked, he gave me an encouraging smile.
Nothing was the way it was supposed to be.
Silence fell in the open space as I crossed the distance and climbed the two steps. The wood creaked under my flat shoes. The air seemed tense, and a sense of unease settled over me, as if warning me of the challenges ahead during my reign.
I forced a smile as my parents and Hayden joined me. Dad stepped forward, extending his hands.
“We have come together to value experience and to share what we have learned. We welcome the new mates,” Dad said, handing over his platinum crown to Hayden.
Holding it with both hands, Hayden placed the King’s crown on his head. I stared at him, standing tall and resolute, as if destiny itself had sculpted him into the perfect embodiment of a werewolf King. The crown had become an extension of his being, as if he had always been meant to be the King.
“Repeat the following words after me,” Dad said. “We swear to protect our people, uphold justice, and preserve our werewolf traditions.”
Hayden and I repeated the exact words after Dad.
Next, my mom stepped forward with the Queen’s crown in her hands. “Let this crown unlock the wisdom within you to benefit you and the kingdom.”
She placed her crown onto my head, the cool metal pressing against my temples as a reminder of the duties that lay ahead and the trust of the kingdom people they placed in me.
A new spark ignited behind my chest—a hope that I could be the Queen I was always meant to be.
Mom stepped closer and grasped my shoulders, talking to me in a low voice, as if her words were only meant for me.
“Since you were a child, you’ve always loved books,”—she gave me a silly look—“so I thought it only fitting to compare your life to a story. A story of hopes and disappointments, love and longing, frustration, joy and duty. There are still many stories to be written in your book, honey. Just remember you’re in control. Okay, Breanna?”
I nodded, afraid I’d choke on my words if I spoke to her.
“I pronounce you the new werewolf Queen,” Mom said, but this time in a louder voice.
I breathed in deeply and shuffled my feet in the awkward silence. Next was the lighting of the candles. Bending over, my parents lit up all the candles arranged around the edges of the makeshift platform. It was the Alphas’ turn to briefly speak of their blessing and wisdom.
But as the men moved on the platform, the candles cracked with an unusual noise that reminded me of fireworks, and black fog emerged. The scent of burning resins and charred wood hit my nostrils, making my eyes sting and water.
The crowd murmured, and some attendees and warriors rushed to put out the candles. The Alphas, along with my parents and Hayden, assisted in putting out the peculiar candles, their eyes filled with tears and coughing. The makeshift platform became chaotic.
Rubbing my eyes, I realized we had become a distracted target for an attack. I coughed and darted my blurry gaze around the area.
A hooded man, tall and muscular, in a black zipped-up sweater, appeared out of nowhere. Although the hood covered his face, his crimson eyes aimed at me. He easily jumped onto the improvised stage and stalked toward me, confident and relaxed.
The platform wobbled and creaked dangerously under the black boots of the intruder. He’d casually tucked the ends of his light-blue jeans into the boots, as if he’d just woken up and decided to crash the crowning ceremony.
I looked around, expecting an entire army of vampires, but didn’t find one. He was the only one who had infiltrated our extra security for today. What did he plan to achieve here by himself while surrounded by werewolves?
His overconfidence and audacity to show up here seemed so familiar that I did a double take, thinking it was Torin for a moment.
But as the strange vampire stood only a few feet away from me, still undetected by the distracted werewolves, his hoodie revealed his shorter hair, almost a buzz cut, and his round face.
The man was also slimmer than Torin, smaller in size.
I shook my head. My brain made up things I desired to see.
Our eyes locked, and he smiled with cute dimples. He stood awfully close to me, but no warning bells rang in my mind. Maybe they had malfunctioned during the ceremony.
My mate materialized beside me, glueing himself to my side. Hayden’s body tensed next to me, understandably so, but for some odd reason, I was not afraid of the presence of the strange vampire. Instead of fear, curiosity rose to discover who he was and what he wanted.
With his intense crimson eyes aimed at me, he had to want something.
I stepped toward the stranger, when Hayden’s hand grasped my hand, holding me back.
The vampire dropped his gaze to where my mate touched me and frowned. He opened his mouth to speak, when suddenly our warriors’ shouts echoed in the open space.
Our men, who were supposed to guard the kingdom’s borders, ran from the forest toward us. As they came closer, I made out their words.
“The vampire General has entered the premises. Clear the area and save the people,” the warriors yelled.
If they had abandoned their posts, the situation must have been dire. My heart pounded as my gaze returned to the vampire. The mysterious man stood still, blinking rapidly and biting his bottom lip.
Adrenaline spiking in my veins, I didn’t have time to observe the vampire as chaos broke around us. Vampire guards sprinted out of the forest and toward the platform. I drew in a ragged breath. It was time to fight.
Hayden released me, and we placed our crowns on the soft pillowcases at a nearby table.
I ordered our warriors to line up and block the vampires. Then I turned to Mom and Dad and instructed them to take the kingdom people to safety. My parents would most likely lead our people to the secret passages under the kingdom.
I immediately touched my bracelet, turning it into a whip with light flames. I searched for Hayden and found him at the front of the lined-up warriors, punching and kicking vampire guards.
Turning abruptly, Hayden glanced at me and mouthed, “Stay close.”
I nodded because I didn’t want him to be distracted. Instead of dashing toward Hayden, I looked around for the stranger with the crimson eyes.
He stood at the side of the makeshift platform, not engaging in the chaos. He could have attacked me by now, but he didn’t.
Strange.
Wasn’t the vampire going to fight us? Unless he wasn’t with the vampire General’s crew. His eyes watched me with awe and something else I couldn’t decipher.
I stepped toward him, and the man smirked. But before I could reach him, the vampire General blocked my path.
My body jerked back, startled. My heart slammed against my ribs, and I observed the man before me.
The slender vampire with gleaming red eyes and pronounced cheekbones stared at me intently. Dressed like a model, he donned black leather pants slung low on his hips, while a long black coat draped over his bare chest.
I blinked my initial surprise.
“We meet again, werewolf Queen,” he said, slightly bowed, but sarcasm laced his voice.
He hadn’t come here to pay his respects, but rather to mock me.
“What do you want?” I asked, tightening my grip on my weapon.
Tension filled the air, and his piercing gaze locked with mine. He lunged forward, but I dodged his slashing talons. I cracked my whip above my head and aimed it at his knees.
The strike brought the General down to the floor. He immediately stood, and I didn’t like the overconfidence radiating from his crimson eyes. I aimed my weapon at his chest, wanting to throw him off the platform, but the vampire grabbed and pulled, and with it, my body flew forward.
I steadied myself, only to stumble when the General abruptly released my whip. What games was he playing?
He lunged again, but this time not toward me. He reached the table where we’d placed our crowns. His hand closed around the Queen’s crown, snatching it away. My crown, symbolizing werewolf authority, now glimmered in the General’s hands.
A collective gasp of shock from anyone who saw the theft carried in the air. The vampires and werewolves growled and snarled as they continued fighting. The Alphas moved immediately behind me, leaving dead bodies on the ground.
But the vampire General let out a small laugh, then turned on his heels and fled the scene. He hadn’t come here to fight me.
I expected his vampire guards to follow his disappearing figure into the woods, but they continued fighting our warriors. And then it struck me. Our warriors outnumbered the vampire guards left behind as collateral damage while the General escaped with my crown.
He’d come here for what he wanted—to steal our symbol of strength and authority.
A cold dread settled in my stomach, and I clenched my fists. I scanned my surroundings, but the strange vampire intruder was also gone.
“Prepare for war,” I said as the Alphas and Hayden surrounded me.
Like all else in the crowning ceremony, the fight did not go as expected. As the newly crowned werewolf Queen, my duty was to declare war on the vampire Queen.
Instead, she had struck first.
She intended to kill Torin’s fated mate at all costs, believing that only then he would accept her completely. And now she expected me to bring the war to her fortress of a castle that couldn’t be infiltrated.
The vampire Queen would get what she’d asked for.