AS NEWS OF THE NEW royal councillors spread, Anna was flooded with nominations. She wasn’t just grateful that most of her kingdom seemed to be happy about the new developments, but she was relieved that people seemed to accept her as the new ruler. She was expecting much more resistance.In the back of her mind, however, she kept wondering if she was missing something. Were people just being nice while they were planning something in the background or were they honestly relieved that someone had sorted out the damned council for once? Thankfully, she didn’t have too much time to ponder it all. Life as a queen wasn’t exactly what she thought it could be.Her images of parties and leisurely hanging around a pool were definitely not going to happen. There were going to be parties all right, but they would mostly be stuffy, uptight, official events. As Anna and her assistant walked into Anna’s new office, her assistant started to go through the diary for the week. They had already covered
THINGS AT THE CASTLE were running so smoothly that Anna felt uneasy. Things were running too smoothly. She knew she was being paranoid, but things in the supernatural world were never that easy. There was always someone in the background plotting and when things were running this smoothly, it was because someone had forced it.When things were running this smoothly, it was because someone was trying to hide what they were doing by making you think everything was going so well. Anna asked her assistant to keep her ear to the ground for any gossip, but they both knew that nobody was going to talk openly in front of the girl. Unless … Unless they thought that the girl could be convinced to spy on the queen …“Are you insane?” Collin threw his hands in the air and Anna shushed him. She had just explained her plan to him and he was pacing back and forth in their bedroom. She had been thinking about it all day. “Okay, so are you feeling this way because of your powers or just because you th
THE MEETING WITH THE purists was thick with tension right from the start. Anna has announced that her little friend had been executed for treason against the crown to show her power. It put the purists right onto their back feet and she could probably have handled things differently, but she wasn’t going to back down. Either they fell in line or she would take care of them as well.She wanted peace for her people. All of her people. If the purists didn’t see themselves as part of that group, they were her enemies. It saddened her to see that most of them were vampires, but it did make sense. They had always been a bit much in her mind. Nicolas sat on the opposite side of the table for once as the vampire representative, but Anna and Nicolas had their discussion before the meeting and she knew where he stood.He had to speak up for his people, but he didn’t necessarily have to agree with their views. Nicolas was merely there to make sure the vampires' rights were protected according to
ANNA LOOKED AT HERSELF IN THE MIRROR while her team moved around her to get her ready for the day. Collin cleared his throat and they all moved out of the room discreetly. He stood behind Anna and breathed in deeply.“It’s time, babe.” He sounded so proud that it gave her the last push she needed to get through this day. She stood up and he pulled her into his arms. “I know you say that I don’t need to say this, but I want to say it.” Anna was about to open her mouth and then closed it. “You are a warrior. You are strong and beautiful, and an inspiration to us all. You are breathtaking and amazing. You are the queen and the Alpha of all Alphas, and I’m so damn proud of you that I could just spontaneously combust!” He grinned and she breathed in his scent before kissing him.“Thank you.” She took another deep breath before they left the room. They arrived in front of the huge wooden doors that led to the throne room. Her family gave her a last hug and then left her alone for a moment.
IT WAS COLD AND WET, but Anna had to keep running. Her paws were bleeding, but she couldn't think about the pain. She had to make it to civilization. She had to find someone that could help her. She had just lived through the worst possible thing any werewolf could live through, and she couldn't stop. If the rogues caught her scent and came after her, she would have nobody to protect her.Anna saw the city lights in the distance and she almost cried with relief as she made her way into the first alley she could find. The rain beat down on top of her head, but she was so cold by now that it no longer mattered that she was soaked. In the distance, she heard a wolf howl and she ducked behind one of the large rubbish bins hoping it would hide her scent.The howl grew softer and Anna started crying with relief. They were turning back! She had made it to safety! Her parents had just been murdered right in front of her. Her entire pack had just been killed by rogues thanks to her father’s be
COLLIN WAS JUST ABOUT TO rush into the doctor’s exam room for a third time when his parents and sister came rushing down the passage. For a couple of minutes, there was total chaos while he tried to explain what happened, how he found her, and, finally, that she was his mate. All he really wanted to do was be by her side but they kept asking him questions!“Do you know anything about her? Did she say anything?” Leah frowned as she tried to figure out where the girl could have come from, but Collin looked at her with such horror in his eyes that her heart broke and she didn’t question him any further about it. To find your mate only to find out they were dying was possibly worse than having someone reject you!The door opened and the doctor looked grim as he stepped out. Collin didn’t want to hear what he had to say if he was going to tell him that she hadn’t made it! He shouted with relief as soon as the doctor told him that the young woman was going to be okay. She wasn’t completely
ANNA FELT INCREDIBLY OVERWHELMED, but these people seemed so nice that she couldn’t bring herself to tell them that. The most unsettling thing, however, was the need she felt to run. She couldn’t place it entirely and since nobody knew what happened to her before Collin found her, it made sense that she would feel that way.At least … That was what the doctor told her. The doctor also told her that Collin was her mate, which was a very weird thing to say, wasn’t it? He found her half-dying in an alley. How could he have fallen in love with her without knowing who she was or where she came from? She, however, bit her tongue so she didn’t offend him. His voice was soothing. Almost as if she knew him before she was injured, and when he told her that he had spent every waking moment at her bedside the past two months, it made sense.She must have actually heard him while she was in her coma. He told her about the people who lived in the commune with them and for a moment she wondered if s
ANNA COULDN’T SHAKE the feeling that she had to run, but it made sense after the injuries she sustained. It was clear that she didn’t injure herself, according to the doctor, but what happened to her? Who would have injured her so badly and then left her for dead? She could feel that there was more that Collin and his family weren’t telling her, but since she was a guest in their house, she didn’t want to push her luck. As they were walking down one of the garden paths, she noticed someone disappearing behind a tree and she was once again reminded of her previous thoughts about this being some kind of cult.“What religion are you?” The question was out before she could help herself and her eyes grew wide as she looked at Collin. “I’m sorry!” She gasped. She had no idea if she was someone who didn’t beat around the bush or not, but that was really way overboard!“It’s okay,” Collin laughed, putting her at ease. He looked ahead and pointed at a bench under a tree. “Shall we sit down?” H