Happy To See Me, Mate?

Seven years later

The highest-ranked general in the kingdom bowed before the redheaded woman sitting regally on the golden throne.

The crimson moonstone in her sceptre shone under the chandelier lights. 

She gave a small nod as he looked at her. 

Receiving his permission to proceed, the general opened the gilded box placed on the red velvet dais. 

Some of the attendants gasped at the magnificence of the diamond-encrusted crown as he lifted it. 

He raised it up towards all for a brief moment. 

Then he respectfully laid it on the woman's head. 

“All hail the queen!!!”

Ranked generals with varying shades of multiple stripes on their uniforms all bow in unison to the queen.

The most ranked alphas who are deemed worthy of attending such an event all bowed to their benefactor. 

The queen’s right-hand general stepped forward. 

Her stern look has been known to make lesser wolves wet their trousers. 

With a bow to the queen, she turned and addressed all. 

“Let's listen to the queen's speech!”

The glamorous hall was so silent that a dropped pin could be clearly heard by all. 

It was as if even the air held its breath as Queen Athena Reed rose from her throne. 

She was a vision in her green floor-length gossamer gown. 

The gown shimmered with the gemstone inset on it, rivalling the diamonds at her throat and ears.

A beatific smile graced her face as her jade green eyes looked out at her subjects. 

The people who had suffered one harm or the other from the damned nightwalkers before she had finally put an end to that. 

She and Mórrígan. 

“For many years, we have had to suffer at the hands of the vermin who crawled among us.” Her voice rang clear as eyes with remembrance of all that had happened, fixed on her. 

“Just like most of you, I suffered irreparable damages in years past, so much that I thought the moon goddess had forsaken me. But she showed her benevolence once again, and in doing so, she blessed the kingdom. Today, I have gotten rid of those who lurk around and within our borders. I know most of you give me all the credit, but no, that is not the complete truth.”

Confusion showed on some faces, and whispers rose. 

Eyes burning as she raised the softly glowing sceptre, Athena proclaimed, “We did it!”

“Hell, yeah! We did it!”

“On the queen’s mandate!”

The generals and the alphas chorused, awed by their queen’s humility. 

“And we would continue to guard what is ours.”

The room settled into total silence again as she continued. 

“We would build and rebuild what was lost. We would guard our borders from greedy thieves. We will live in peace and promote prosperity. Peace to my people!”

“Peace to all packs!”

“On the queen’s mandate, we shall abide!”

The celebratory roars, howls and accompanying drums carried far and beyond the Moonvale pack, the power seat of the first queen of all packs in the kingdom. 

That night, Queen Athena stood at the window of what used to be her father's study, looking out at the garden her mother loved so much. 

It was ruined during the carnage and was just restored after she got back home from the war. 

“Ma, Pa. How I wish you were here today.” A sad smile showed on her face as she reached out to touch the windowsill. 

The moonlight penetrated glass and bathed her in its glow. 

“Kyle would have gotten such a charge from today's event. I know Maurice doesn't like events like this, but even he would have enjoyed himself after Sarah managed to drag him there.”

A wet chuckle escaped her at the imagination.

Then she shook her head slightly. “No, he would have come willingly, if only this once. He loved me enough to suffer through a loud event. Ma, what do you think?” She asked in a suddenly uncertain tone. 

That horrible night years ago, her mother had used her dying breath to speak to her through the mindlink. 

“Don't try to find them. Your wolf is too strong, and the hate would pollute your heart if you hold on to it. Live an ordinary life. Be happy.”

“I am sorry, Ma,” she rested her head against the cool sill as tears trickled out of her closed eyes. 

“I am sorry that I did not listen,” she sobbed. 

“Your mother would understand,” came Morrigan’s comforting voice. “They would be proud of you. The whole kingdom is proud of you. You are their saviour,” her wolf insisted. 

“At what cost?” Athena sighed. “They feel gratitude. I feel guilt. And Ma was right. The hate is a burning poison. Especially since I still did not know if…”

A knock sounded at the door. 

Athena sighed and cleaned her face.

Guilt and pain aside, she still had a debt to pay. 

“Come in,” she called out, and Lorraine Spears, her right-hand general, entered. 

“Your Majesty,” Lorraine said in greeting. 

Athena inclined her head in response. 

The habitually passive face showed a hint of concern as Lorraine stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, vampires are cunning creatures. Though we've wiped out those who dared us, Gaius escaped. He might have reached out to those beyond this kingdom, and they might be gathering to cause trouble even as we speak. ”

She paused to consider her next statement before she said, “Your Majesty, I think you should wa…”

“No, Lorraine.” Athena said firmly. “I have made up my mind on this. I am not afraid of Gaius. Let him come if he dares. Let General Montrich handle every other thing according to the plans. This I must handle.”

“Yes, your majesty. I will make the arrangements immediately.” 

“Thank you, Lorraine,” Athena responded with a smile. 

General Spears bowed again and left. 

Athena sighed after the door had closed.

The slippery vampire leader was no longer the terror he used to be in her mind.

In fact, she wouldn't mind seeing him try to get to her.

“You will know, Gaius. I bet you do.” She muttered fiercely, then deliberately eased her hands that had curled into fists.

She mentally filed the hatred she felt for his entire race away and forced her mind in another direction. 

Memories of her time in the Silvergate pack flooded her mind, and a frown marred her brows. 

Back then, she had believed with all the anguish in her that the moon goddess had played another trick on her. 

But after the kindness she had received in the past years, she had come to believe in the goddess again.

Though she couldn't remember much to be desired about her mate, she remembered how well the Alpha had treated her. 

She had felt like everyone around her was keeping something from her, but they had shown her kindness. 

She couldn't settle down in her role as the queen if she didn't settle this last business. 

“There must have been some misunderstanding the last time,”

“The moon goddess is never wrong,” Sandra Reed had always said. 

“If the moon goddess chose Richard as my mate, then he must be right for me,” Athena thought as she remembered the first night they met. 

“Will you be happy to see me, mate?” She mused as she turned away from the window.