CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT

Rory's POV

"Therefore, due to the acts of treason committed by self-acclaimed 'Queen' Aria Wilson, the Crimson Moon Pack and all affiliates thereof are declaring a State of War on the 'Opalescent Kingdom' in order to protect the honor, safety, and prosperity of our great lands and people."

I read off, my teeth clenching harder with each ignorant word.

"This is bullshit!" Bastion growled.

"He's making our Kingdom into a joke. What's with all the quotation marks?" Jesse seconded.

I rested the parchment on the conference table, crossing over to Aria who hadn't said a word since the announcement. Massaging her shoulders gently, I addressed our court.

"We shouldn't be surprised by this. We all knew it would come. It's time to put our hard work into practice."

"He's right. The gods warned us of Alpha Lawson's fall from power. A war was inevitable. General, what is our plan of action?" My dad ran his hand over his well-groomed facial hair, his brows furrowed in concentration.

"Well, we must send Dylan to issue our challenge. They've made the first move. We at least want the advantage of picking the time and place."

"When and where do you suggest?" Our Advisor inquired.

"We could go to them, but they would have home field advantage. Besides, it would make us look even more like the aggressors. I think our best bet would be to use some of our own acreage for the battle. We don't want to give them much more time to prep, lest they manage to recruit more help for their cause. I say we aim for tomorrow at dusk."

"We could end up fighting into the night." I reminded him.

He nodded. "That would likely be best for everyone. Neither species is hindered by the night and fighting during daylight could attract the attention of humans. Most local humans are drunk or stoned by dusk and the casinos and nightlife would drown out most of the noise."

Brett confirmed with an eager tap of his pen on the wood. It all made perfect sense, but there was something that was bothering me, something that needed to be discussed.

"What of Aria during this battle?"

She flinched beneath me, finally getting the courage to speak. "What do you mean? I'll fight, of course. It's my duty as Queen."

The tension in the room was thick and Bastion jumped from his chair. "Hell no you won't, Aria. It's not just you anymore. We are not sending you to war."

She stood up, equally fuming. "I will do what I was destined to do. In case you've forgotten, it is I who will dethrone the Alpha. Me. Not you, Bastion. Not any of you. What the hell have I been training for if I don't fight? I'm tired of being a passive Queen. I will protect my people!" She gestured to the room of gawking men.

"Love-" I tried, reaching a hand back out for her, but she slapped it away.

"No, Rory. I mean it."

I gave her a pleading look. "Love, I was just going to suggest an alternative. One where you can still fight. Just... not in the war."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me." Bastion grumbled, throwing his hands in the air and plopping back into his seat.

"What are you talking about? How could I fight, but not be in the war?"

I kneeled beside her, turning her chair to face me so that I could look into her beautiful eyes. "I believe that the Alpha's primary objective will be to get to you. If we set you aside, away from the main battle, and don't bother masking your scent, he will come to you. It will ensure a more even fight."

"You want to use her as bait?" Bastion snarled, but I ignored him.

"It isn't a bad idea, Bastion. Even pregnant, a few guard wolves and the Alpha should be no match for our Queen." My dad assured him.

"Yea, and are you going to take responsibility if she's killed? How about our children?"

"Bastion, enough." Aria's soft but authoritative voice broke through to him and he visibly relaxed.

"But, baby..." He begged.

She turned her chair to face him full on, her expression warm and reassuring. "We'll keep you two stationed nearby. If I can't handle it, I'll call for help. As it stands, it's our best hope. If we don't achieve peace, our children will know the same hateful world we knew. A world where parents die because of the divide of our species. Do you want that?"

He pulled her from her chair, curling her in his lap and burying his nose into her hair. "No, baby. I don't want anyone else to die."

I stood back to my feet, squaring my shoulders and showing a confidence I didn't feel. "General. Draft your challenge. It will be delivered by nightfall. Tomorrow night, we go to war."

I dismissed our court and each person trickled out, leaving only our Queen and other King. Aria placed her hand over her stomach, smiling sweetly.

"They're sure moving around a lot in there. The little beans."

Bastion and I chuckled, each placing a hand on either side of hers. "I wish I could hear like you guys. I would love to hear the little pitter-patter of their hearts." Bastion mused, awestruck.

It really was incredible. The beat was fast and strong. When I first heard it, I thought I was losing my mind. Each beat overlapped and if the rhythms weren't so different, I would think that Aria's heart had just kicked into overdrive. I went from confused to awed to excited then worried all in the span of ten seconds. My babies. Our babies. I no longer hoped for them to be mine. That didn't matter to me anymore. I just wanted them to be healthy. Even if they were Bastion's, I would love them like crazy. I would teach them and watch them grow. I would be the best damn father to these kids and they would be so cherished. Of course, it might be a strange dynamic for them to have two dads and a mom, but we could make it work.

"When the battle is done, we will schedule a time for an ultrasound. Then we can hear and see them together." Aria suggested whimsically.

Our 'little beans' jumped around her womb at her suggestion, and I imagined just for fun that they could understand us.

"You are already so loved, my dear children."

"By all three of us."

The rest of the day was filled with prep work for the speech Aria would give that night. It couldn't have been planned for a better time, since we modified her address to include our plans for battle.

The auditorium filled slowly, both vampire and werewolf mingling, unlike was the case a month ago. It warmed my heart to see that our Kingdom was already displaying the peace we sought. We waited until ten after our given starting time just to make sure we had everyone, then cut the lights, focusing our spot on the podium where Queen Aria, my royal, stood.

She was absolutely stunning, wearing a long white gown that fell just below her feet. It cascaded loosely down her petite figure, showing every delicious curve while also remaining modest and elegant. Her hair was pinned in soft curls down her back, and she was wearing the diamond jewelry I had purchased for the occasion with utmost grace and prestige.

All eyes were rightfully on her as she began her speech, and I had never been more proud or in love.