Past alphas of the Jared family chose their wives from the Brighton family, where Megan was from. The case of the wife of the alpha being his mate was not a necessity for the Jared clan. Their marriages were strictly political.
The former alpha, Ronald, chose Megan Brighton to be the next luna. To everyone’s surprise however, Megan turned out to be his son, Richardson’s mate. Leading everyone to believe theirs was a union of love.
Richardson and Megan had been friends since they were young cubs, growing together as they were to get married in the event of the alpha’s demise. They worked together on how to rule the pack together, Megan was the perfect luna.
Until this day.
“I accept the divorce.” Megan said before the priest. Taking everyone in the courthouse by surprise They had heard the news of the divorce but thought Megan would put up a fight and not relinquish her role so easily. Even Richardson was surprised. Aspen tried her best to hide her smile of relief.
“And I ask for permission to leave the pack and remarry.” The murmurs grow even louder.
“What does she mean?”
“Leave the pack?”
“That’s absurd!”
“The king will never allow that!”
Megan smiles. “In the event of an unfortunate divorce, the previous Luna can seek permission to remarry and/or leave the pack, if she so wishes.” Megan quotes from one of the constitution books she had to read growing up, in preparation for her role as the luna.
“But who will you marry my queen? I mean- Megan.” The priest asked, looking and feeling very sorry for Megan and she hated the look of pity on his face.
“Yes, Megan. Who will you marry?” Richardson asked, ready to appeal whatever constitution that was.
“Can I come in now?” A voice asked. Everyone turned behind them to the entrance of the court house where Rhode Wales revealed himself to the crowd. The alpha and leader of the Wales clan, with whom the Jared clan had shared many diplomatic relationships in the past.
Everyone in the room was now talking, not bothering to honor the presence of their ruler, Richardson.
Rhode was famous among the werewolves. His brutal way of ruling his clan and his clear intentions to make them rise as the number one clan.
Everyone was surprised as to how Megan and Rhode could have met, as she never left the castle grounds.
“Megan, don’t tell me-!” Richardson starts.
“He is the one I will marry.” Megan says, Rhode standing beside her.
Four months earlier
Megan was attending to her duties in her office, signing the papers that were required of her to sign when one of her ladies, Brianna entered the office.
“I told you not to come in unless it was urgent.” Megan said, not looking up from the paperwork in front of her.
Her and Richardson’s rule had successfully transitioned the Jared clan to a successful empire and were in the process of transitioning to an autonomous kingdom in the East and even though she was referred to as the queen or luna, her position was technically that of an empress. However, to retain the values of their pack, she preferred being called luna or simply queen.
“But it is, your highness. The king requests your presence.” Brianna said. That was odd. She had not seen Richardson in about a week now since their last meeting with the council.
“Okay, I’ll be there shortly. Where?” She asked. “His office.” Brianna responded.
Megan got up and headed for Richardson’s office. She had not been in his office in over a year. A place where she and him would hide to talk when tired of all their official duties but after four years of marriage without providing an heir, his demeanor towards her gradually became cold and distant. Now, she only saw him to discuss the affairs of their pack or kingdom when he wanted to.
Megan got to the door of his office and said to the guard stationed there, “please let him know I am here.”
“Sir, your Luna is outside. May I let her in?” The guard asked. “Yes.” She heard from inside.
Megan knocked and entered into his office. “You sent for me, your majesty.” Megan said as she closed the door behind her.
“Yes. A minute.” Richardson said, finishing up what he was writing on his desk. Megan stood tall, waiting for him to offer her a seat. When they were still a functional couple she needed not to follow such formalities, however that was not the case anymore.
“Oh. You may sit.” Richardson said, dropping his pen and looking at her. Megan walked close to his table and took a seat opposite him, anticipating what he had to say.
“Aspen is pregnant.” Richardson said.
“I don’t understand.” Megan said, looking straight at Richardson. It was the first time he had summoned her in a week. He had been communicating with her through the ground omegas as the sight of her simply disgusted him.
“Was I unclear?” Richardson asked, patience thin.
“No you weren’t. I don’t understand why you’re telling me that Aspen is pregnant. What does that have to do with your summoning me?” Megan asked, unsure of what he was getting at.
“I’m the father.” He said curtly. In that instant, Megan’s already crumbling world shattered.
“She will be moving to the castle. You should do well to welcome her, you are best friends after all.” Richardson said. “You are dismissed.” He added.
Megan got up from the chair and moved to leave his office.
“Do you not bow before your king before leaving his presence?” She heard from behind her.
Megan turned around and looked Richardson dead in his eyes. Something she had not done in a while. She bowed and said, “your majesty.” And she left his office.
“My queen.” The guard acknowledged her presence as she walked away.
Megan walked slowly back to her chambers. Her ears were ringing with memories of her and Richardson’s childhood playing in her head.
She got to her chambers and said to her ladies, “I would like to be alone.”
They all looked at eachother and exited the room. Megan had never made that request before but they read the room and left.
As soon as she was alone Megan broke down in tears. Aspen, her very best friend, was pregnant with her husband.
Megan wanted answers but knew she wasn’t going to get it from either of them.
Aspen was kicking fruitlessly in the back of a donkey. “Ouch.” She yelled. “I said shutup!” Her captor hit the bag she laid on. “Ouch! I think… i think my baby’s coming.”“What?! Rudolf and the captor screamed.“I think he’s coming!” Aspen yelled again.“Ow man.” The captor yelled before turning around, “you’re going to pay for this! You’ve done nothing but waste my time all day!”Aspen winced. Her insides felt like they were ripping open. This was never the plan. She was supposed to be next to Richardson. Being tended to by the most skillful and important doctors.Yet here she was at the back of some abandoned carriage with her blackmailer and very, very far from the West.Aspen broke down in tears. The donkey came to a harsh halt nearly throwing Aspen and Ruldof off.“Please tell me you’re faking it.” Rudolf whispered as their captor jumped off. The scrawny man walked around and got started on the locks to the carriage.Aspen and Rudolf’s breath hitched. Was this it? Were they re
“For king and country!” Brian yelled, spurring the other men to scream too. They ran into their target territory. William kept his brave face on despite his heart palpitating in his chest.Just as Rhode anticipated, the polls had barely any combat type wolves. The moment Rhode and his wolves approached, they fled.“This can’t be it.” Brian said, reverting to his human form.“I think it is.” Rhode said, reverting as well. One by one, all of the men reverted, taking in the scenery.It was a vast sea, with beautiful landscape for as far as their extreme vision could see.“We did it.” Brian said to Rhode, chest heaving up and down. Rhode was glad.He didn’t have to kill any of Megan’s kinsmen. William held his gaze and smiled, “we did it, alpha.” He said as well. “A hundred men will camp here! I will send word to the palace to send more. Rex?” He called out to one of his men.“Yes, alpha?”Rex, one of his Betas, said, “what if we’re ambushed? This seems too easy, doesn’t it?” He asked an
Rhode had never been so glad to see the borders of the West before. He had never thought he would feel the pang of relief he was feeling now as he stared at the border sign half a mile away in clear distance. He was happy to know that he had delivered on his words. He was happy to know that he was finally claiming exclusive rights to the West's territorial seas. It was a piece of the West that was closely coveted by other packs, and now, by a stroke of luck and Richardson's gullibility, the seas were in the palm of his hands.It was something his grandfather had tried to attain even when the West was not at its peak and failed, his father the same thing, even down to his brother, he was just relieved that he could fulfill their dreams at last.He had also done it for Megan back home, the sea would be a gift to her as he finally takes her to the altar after his return. Ge briefly thought about what his council men would say, before swiftly shaking off the thought. He cared nothing for
“What in the moon above do you think you are doing, Lord Fuhler?!” Megan yelled in righteous fury as she rose up from her seat to descend upon Lord Fuhler in all her rage.He was such an imbecile, to strike a woman barely out of labor, and Megan was filled with a strange kind of disgust for him.“She called me a teller of tales!” Lord Fuhler yelled back, causing Megan to scoff as she turned her head to look at Marcel standing solidly behind her.“Restrain him!” Megan yelled again, her eyes burning with power. She was not usually this explosive generally, but striking a woman fresh out of the labor room was crossing the line.Marcel was quick to do as she commanded because In the next instant, he was next to Fuhler, and gripped his upper arm tightly, causing Fuhler's face to turn a furious purple.“Slow down, your majesty.” The cautious voice of Lord Rosebud roused Megan from her angry haze, and she turned around to glance in his direction, before giving him a subtle nod.“This lady is
“What is going on here?!” Megan yelled as she burst through the heavy doors that shielded the council room and was met with a horde of people as they pushed around and demanded justice.“Nice to finally have your attention, my queen.” Lord Fuhler grinned with a mocking bow, and Megan frowned. Everything about the statement and situation was wrong. He had never acknowledged her as queen before, and the entire court was in chaos when he finally did.When the crowd heard the word “queen” they turned their anger on her and demanded justice in garbled tones jumbled together. It was a disaster.Megan looked around her quickly for Lord Rosebud. He was the only council man she trusted after all, and the crowd were looking more than hostile as they threatened to lynch and destroy.With her head tucked forward with determination, Megan tried to use her eyes to locate Lord Rosebud quickly before Lord Fuhler found the time to launch his newest schemes that were undoubtedly designed to hurt her.“
The carcass of the dead beast was dragged in by a dozen wolves as they tried to reel it back to camp. The smell of blood was still heavy on the air, and Rhode was already back in his human form as he stood silently and watched the efforts made to thrust up their newest kill.Rhode could not help but smile. The kill was big enough to feed his men for the night, so it was a win. As he sat under the silver sky, he could not help but wonder how Megan was faring. His last decision to put her in power was born out of impulse, which shocked him, he was never a man of impulse after all, or maybe he was and just did not know it, but one thing was for sure, there would be consequences.William rushed over to stand beside him silently, but Rhode sighed in exhaustion, a sudden weariness creeping into his bones because he knew for a fact that if he continuously failed to get his affairs in order, then he would end up like his brother, leaving Megan widowed and abandoned in a foreign land. She ha