Chapter 23

Kelly When I arrived back home, I felt more eerked than ever before. I still wasn’t sure how I wanted our date to go, making my emotions bop all over the place. On one hand, I have quite a few eligible men in my life I wouldn’t mind pursuing. On the other hand, Derek could give me my kingdom back, and I could potentially love him one day.

Derek didn’t divulge any timelines to me, but I knew he had to pick a queen by his next birthday, which was sometime later this year. I guess I will stay single until then. But goddess, I hated playing the waiting game. I hated not knowing what was going to happen in my life. I felt like I was always at the mercy of others. My father. My first mate. My second mate. Keres. Derek. I was getting sick of letting other people rule my life.

“Hey pretty lady.” Jonas said, coming up next to me, throwing his arm over my shoulder.

“Hey,” I sighed.

“Whats wrong?”

“Princess problems.” I vaguely answered. I didn’t want another one of my crushes to know about Derek. Not until it was an official thing, that is.

“Why don’t we go grab dinner and you can tell me all about it?” He said smoothly.

Now that it’s been almost ten years since he shifted, I have been more open to the idea of pursuing a relationship with Jonas. Many wolves never find their mates. I think ten years is a fair amount of time to give someone before choosing another. Of course, he wasn’t the only man I had my eyes set on. I had a number of eligible suitors in my life, each of which I had yet to actually date.

“Dinner would be great.” I nodded.

We went to an Irish pub where, after a few drinks, I began spilling my soul. I really shouldn’t be allowed to drink. Jonas was super supportive though, making all of this even harder for me to navigate through. Was I interested in having a man in my life? Yes. Was I terrified of it at the same time? Absolutely. Was Derek that guy I wanted to risk it all with? I don’t know.

“Whatever you do Kelly, make sure it’s for you. Be selfish about your decision, because at the end of the day, you’re the one who will have to live with it. Sure, you and the king could become mated to one another, but if it’s only so you can become queen…is that what you want your relationship to be based upon?”

“No…” I sighed. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore tonight.” I said, swishing my wine around in its glass before downing it.

“Okay, so what do you want to talk about?”

“Mmm….how I very selfishly want to go home with you tonight.”

“Thats the spirit.” He said in a chippy voice. “I’ll drive.”

– – – – – – – – – – – –

Queen Carleigh Cough, cough, cough “Are you alright my Luna?” Carson asked me, his voice muffled from lying on his pillow and from still being half asleep.

“Fine, just fine.” I coughed, sitting up in bed.

I shakily picked up my water bottle, taking a light sip, the taste of iron in my mouth. This was new. I climbed out of bed, carefully making my way to our bathroom where I kept my pills. My cabinet looked like it belonged in a pharmacy. I had so many medications, I hardly had any idea what any of them were supposed to help with anymore. I could feel myself getting dizzy as I reached for one of the pill bottles. I lost my balance, taking half my medicine cabinet with me.

“Carleigh?!” Carson asked. I could hear him rushing to my side before everything went dark again.

– – – – – – – –

“What is the prognosis doctor?” I could hear my mate asking as I stirred awake.

“Carson?” I asked.

“Mom!” Kelly’s relieved voice said. “She’s waking up!”

Blinking a few times, I could see my mate and pups and medical staff swarming around my bed.

“What happened?” I asked.

“You fainted.” Carson answered grimly.

I have fainted before. Fainting was the least of my problems, which only made me more uneasy. I had a feeling there was something big he wasn’t telling me. It was moments like this that I wish I had my wolf to talk to. But she passed years ago. It was a medical phenomenon that she died and I didn’t.

“What did the doctor have to say?” I asked point blank.

My mate and the doctor exchanged a weary glance, obviously linking one another.

“What is it? What’s going on?” Kelly butted in. “What aren’t you telling us?”

“How long?” I linked the doctor.

“I’m very sorry my queen, your condition has rapidly worsened over time. I know I gave you a ten-year projection, but I’m afraid you only have a year left.”

“Thank you doctor. If everyone will please excuse us, I would like to have a word with my mate and daughters.” I said to the medical staff. They nodded and my girls exchanged nervous glances. Kelsey was already in tears, Kylie looked like she was ready to run, and Kelly, well, she had rage written all over her. “There is something I need to discuss with all of you.” I began. “Three years ago I was given ten years to live.”

“What?!”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Oh goddess…”

“I’m sorry we didn’t tell you, but we didn’t want you to worry more than necessary. Unfortunately, my condition has worsened and my doctor has given me a new timeline.” I gulped, mustering what strength I had to say the news out loud with my head still held high. “He thinks I only have a year left.”

“A year?!” Kelly practically roared.

Kelsey was already sobbing, Kylie tried to consol her, but had silent tears of her own.

“I know this is a lot to process, I already have all of my affairs in order, so you need not worry about a thing. All I ask of you is that you spend what time we have left together and make them happy moments. No more crying. No more sadness. I don’t want to live out the rest of my days in sadness.”

– – – – – – – –

Two months later…

– – – – – – –

Kelly “Here mom.” I said, handing her pills.

“Thank you dear.” She smiled brightly.

If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she looked great. But only because the doctors gave her some pain medication to help manage her symptoms. In reality, she had less than a year left to live according to a number of doctors. My father even caved and let Emmett take a look at her, and he agreed, she didn’t have very long left.

I spent most of my days with her, caring for her, enjoying every last minute I could with her. I didn’t have a mate or pups like my sisters did, so my schedule was much more flexible. Thorin and I would train for two hours before breakfast, then I would head to our ancient library and study anything I could get my hands on until lunch, when my mother finally woke up. Currently, I was reading through some ancient scrolls that belonged to my great great great great grandfather. He had a ton of great information. I felt like I always took something away from his writing. I would spend the late afternoon and evening with my mom before she fell back asleep and then typically spent time with one of my crushes, Thorin, Jonas, or Emmett. They would help me decompress from the day.

“You know, if you want to win your father over, perhaps you could get more involved in the community.”

“Huh?”

“If you want to become queen, being an active part of the community could help sway your father.”

“You think so?”

“Typically, it’s the Luna’s job to be the mother figure of the pack. Sadly, my health didn’t allow me to properly fulfil my duties. This pack needs a mother figure to look towards.”

“I’ll think about it. Thanks.” I said, mulling over her words.

Why hadn’t I thought about that before? I really didn’t have any involvement in my own pack. But I was also hidden away like an ugly secret for several years. But things were different now. Maybe mom was right. That could be the one thing missing, the one thing I need to change my father’s opinion; the support of my own pack. The support of my future kingdom.

Ring…Ring…Ring I looked at my caller ID. King Derek? Uh-oh.

“I have to take this.” I said over my shoulder as I left my mother’s side for some privacy. “Hello?”

“Hey Kelly…I have the council here and they want to know if we could choose a date for our ceremony.” Derek said.

Our ceremony?! We only went on one date! Was I missing something?!

“Oh! I guess you chose me then.” I laughed. It was either that or I would start to cry. “Great, yeah let me grab my calender.” I said, trying to buy some time to think. “How soon were you thinking?”

“Maybe late fall…?” He suggested.

“May.” Howard griped over the speakerphone. “That will allow you three months to plan the ceremony and settle your affairs.”

“May it is then.” I agreed. Goddess that was so soon. But I wasn’t stupid enough to say no when the council and the king were on the phone. I would talk to Derek at a later time and discuss the matter then.

“Perfect. We’ll talk soon Kelly.”

“Okay-bye!” I said, the line ending before I could fully get it out.

I guess I was going to be a queen after all.