Chapter 87

His Lost Queen

Annie Whipple

explanation 1811 1 gʊou enougii, you have tu cave (110

following me around. No more showing up at my work.

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“No more asking my old friends to come here to manipulate me into talking to you. You have to let

me go. For good. I can’t handle any more of this. Okay?”

Grayson studied me for several long seconds before answering. “Okay.”

1 leaned back in my chair, taking in a deep breath. “All right. Let’s hear it then.”

His Lost Queen

X

Annie Whipple

GRAYSON

Finally, I thought in relief.

Fucking. Finally.

Belle was going to let me explain. I could fix this–I would fix this.

“Thank you,” I said softly. I reached out and tucked a piece of stray hair behind her ear, seeing the way she had to resist her need to lean into my touch.

**Thank you for affording me just a little of your trust. I know it’s hard, but it means the world to

me.”

She didn’t respond. She didn’t need to. I knew she still was hesitant and wary, but I also knew she wanted this all to be over just as much as I did.

Even now, her body was gravitating toward me, so desperate for the comfort she knew her mate could give her. And I was desperate to deliver. Soon I would be able to.

“Kyle is here because I betrayed you, and you need someone you trust with you for this

conversation ”

She glanced up at Kyle, who gave her a lopsided grin. “I’ll always be in your corner, Luna,” he said.

Belle smiled weakly back at him, but I could see her discomfort grow at being called her title. I gave Kyle a look.

I knew it was in his nature to call her Luna, but I had told him not to call her that before he had

gotten here. He mouthed his apology.

Here goes nothing.

I gripped her knee gently. “Belle, look at me. I need you to hear me when I tell you this.” She turned her head to me, her gorgeous blue eyes glossy with unshed tears.

“It wasn’t me. Everything that happened to you at the pack house–it wasn’t me doing any of it.”

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“I don’t understand,” she replied quietly. “What do you mean?”*

I glanced over at Kyle, who was standing quietly against the wall. He shrugged.

Fuck. I had gone over this conversation so many times in my head, but now that the moment was here, it felt like the words wouldn’t come out of my mouth.

How the hell was I supposed to explain this to her? What was the best way to make her believe me?

“I was being controlled,” I continued. “By a vampire.

Belle stared at me for a while, processing, searching my eyes for the truth. “I can’t tell if you’re joking or not,” she finally said.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t believe you either,” Kyle interjected unhelpfully.

I glared at him.

“Sorry. It just doesn’t sound very believable,” Kyle continued, raising his hands in defense. He looked at Belle.

“But it is true. He was being controlled by one of the most powerful vampires alive. He…The alpha

started a war over it.”

Belle looked between the two of us, her brows tugging together.

“Do you remember the first night I brought you to my pack house?” I asked her. “When I had to leave you late at night to deal with vampires on my territory?”

She nodded tightly. A sweet blush took over her cheeks as she probably remembered what we had been about to do right before all of this happened.

“That was the last night things felt normal,” she whispered, the sadness in her voice nearly tangible in the air. “You changed after that.”

“Exactly. The vampire attack was a trap. The former vampire king, Azazel Mortar, was waiting for me. He used dark magic to take over my body. I was there, witnessing everything, but I had no

control.”

“The vampire king?” Belle repeated stiffly. “You’re trying to tell me a vampire king took over your body?”

“Former vampire king.” I emphasized. “The throne was taken from him, and he was replaced by his brother, Zagan Mortar. He wanted to take over my pack to regain control of the vampire

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“That’s why the alpha was acting so strange,” Kyle cut in. “Do you remember me telling you he was thinking of letting vampires onto the territory?“”

Belle nodded.

“Well, that’s why. His body was taken over.”

She looked back at me. “I…,” she mumbled. “I don’t…”

I took one of her hands in mine, pressing my lips against her fingers in what I hoped was a soothing gesture. It pleased me when she didn’t try to pull away. “I know this is a lot to take in.”

She nodded. “If what you’re saying is true…H–How do I know you’re not still being controlled by a vampire?”

“Because you can feel the mate bond between us,” I said, squeezing her hand gently. Even I could feel the powerful tingles traveling between us, demonstrating our bond.

“You can feel it when I touch you. Or when I talk to you. You couldn’t feel it before when Azazel was in control of my body.”

She thought about it for a second, looking down at our conjoined hands. I could tell she knew I was right.

“The sparks weren’t…they weren’t as strong when I was staying with you back at the pack house. But I thought I just-I thought it was because you didn’t“-her gaze dropped-“want me anymore or something.”

I tucked my hand beneath her chin, lifting her head until she was looking at me again. “I will always want you. Do you understand me? Always. You’re my mate. My other half.

“There isn’t a world in which you’re out there, and I don’t want to be with you. We’re meant to be together. I can’t survive without you.”

More tears fell from her eyes as she really let my words set in. I didn’t know if she believed me or not, but it really didn’t matter. I would prove it to her.

“The vampire is gone now. He’s no longer inside of me. That’s why I’m acting normal again. He gave up control of my body the day you ran away.

“He’s gone now, and he’s not coming back. I can promise you that.”

“How?” Belle asked. “How did you get him out of you?“”

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I didn’t know how to answer that without scaring her.

“That’s complicated,” Kyle said when I hesitated. “The alpha almost died.”

Belle’s eyes snapped to mine, wide and filled with worry. “You almost died?”

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The last thing I wanted to do was make her more upset than she already was. But I also needed to present her with all the information and evidence.

I pulled my shirt over my head to reveal my upper half and the scar where I was impaled with a tree branch. It was an impressive mark, taking up almost all of my chest.

Belle gasped. Her hand flew out to touch the scar. “He did this to you?” she asked. Then, as if realizing she had unintentionally touched me, she tried to pull her hand away.

I stopped her by placing my hand over hers, ensuring she couldn’t move it away. She didn’t fight me.

“It had to be done,” I explained. “It was the only way to force Azazel out of my body. He would have died with me if he’d stayed.”

“But

you…you didn’t die? You were okay?” Belle asked. “Sorry, that’s a stupid question. Obviously, you didn’t die. Just…how does someone survive something like that?”

Her fingers moved over the scar on my chest, lightly tracing the raised skin.

I glanced at Kyle, who met my gaze with apprehension.

“There are two reasons,” I said, not sure how I was going to explain this to her without scaring the crap out of her and sending her running to the hills.

“First, I was given the blood of Amelia Mortar. She is a vamp

Belle gasped. “I actually know who she is!” she exclaimed, looking somewhat pleased she knew about something without needing to have it explained to her. “I was given her blood too.”

My wolf surged forward in my consciousness. “Why the fuck were you given the blood of Amelia Mortar?” I demanded.

I instantly regretted my harsh tone. Belle sucked in a breath and leaned further back in her chair, tugging her hand off my chest and cradling it to her own.

She suddenly watched me with a wary, tentative expression. I had to remind myself that the last time she had heard me speak to her that way was right after my hand had connected violently with her cheek.

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I had to try harder to keep my anger in check.

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I swore under my breath. “I’m sorry, love. My anger is not directed at you,” I told her. “It’s just that… the only reason anyone is given the blood of Amelia Mortar is if they are near death.”

“I–I was. The night that Adalee found me,” Belle admitted. “She almost killed me.”

I growled. I didn’t want to remember that night. Even though Adalee trying to kill Belle was the only reason I was able to find her again, it had still been one of the most terrifying moments of my life.

Belle nodded slowly. “Liam and his sister, Laila, gave me her blood after the attack.”

It made sense. It was why she hadn’t any markings on her when I’d found her.

My body shook with anger even as I was grateful for what Liam had done for my mate. I still couldn’t help the possessiveness or protectiveness I felt for her.

“What’s the second reason?” Belle continued. “The second reason you are alive. You said there were two.”

I tried to prepare myself to tell her this information.

“When Azazel took over my body, he bit me and unintentionally injected me with vampire venom.”

Belle’s breathing picked up just the tiniest bit. “Vampire venom? Does that do the same thing as their blood? It healed you?”

“You know how my eyes turn black with the presence of my wolf?” I said as gently as I could. “And. do you remember my eyes turning red when I found you?”

I cursed myself to hell over how terrified she suddenly looked.

“R–Red eyes?” she stuttered out. “You actually had red eyes? I thought I was making them up.”

I gripped her knee when her breathing started to become more labored and raged, the same way it had when I had found her and she’d had a panic attack.

I moved closer to her, sitting on my knees so that my face was level with hers. I cupped her face in my hand.

“Hey. Hey, you’re okay, baby. Take some deep breaths,” I told her, keeping my tone firm and even. “You’re okay.”

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Her breathing didn’t calm. “I keep having nightmares of you with red eyes. Every me and say you’re never leaving me alone and…” Her chest started to rise and fall more violently.

“Nightmares?” My heart broke. Was that what she had been dreaming of last night? “No, God, baby, no. It’s not something you need to be afraid of. If anything, it should make you feel safer.”

She didn’t look convinced–far from it.

I looked at Kyle. He met my gaze, but it was clear that he didn’t know how to tell her this either.

I swung my attention back to Belle. “You jemember my wolf, right?”

eyess

Belle nodded once, her eyes still wide, her breathing still wild.

I let my cager wolf come to the surface, turning my eyes black.

Belle visibly relaxed at his presence. My wolf growled happily in my chest.

I loved that she was so comfortable around him–especially considering how she had reacted the first time she had met him–but it killed me that she no longer felt that way around me.

I promised myself that I would be changing that soon enough.

“Well…” I hesitated for a moment. “Meet my vampire.”

I let my vampire come forward and fill my consciousness. My wolf took a step back, allowing my eyes to turn into a bright, vibrant red.

Belle did not react well.

She leapt out of her chair, causing it to fall and clatter behind her. She stumbled away, nearly tripping over her feet to get away from me. I could see the panic attack starting to gain control of her body.

I stood. “It’s okay, Belle,” I said, trying to calm her. “I’m not going to hurt you. You don’t have to

be afraid.”

I was completely gutted by the piercing fear that flared in her eyes.

I started approaching her, needing to do something, but stopped when she shrieked through her gasping breaths, falling back even more until her back was pressed firmly against the wall behind.

her.

Belle was looking around, trying to determine her escape route.

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She reminded me of a caged animal desperately seeking a way out. She looked so utterly fragile, worn to the bone, and beyond exhausted.

I tried to push my vampire down so she wouldn’t have to look at my red eyes that so obviously caused her so much fear, but my vampire wasn’t budging. He wanted Belle to see him.

And he wanted to look at her. He had been holding back for so long, not wanting to scare her, but now that he was let out, he was refusing to be stuffed back in.

“Belle, it’s okay,” I tried pleading with her. “It’s okay, baby.”

She shook her head. Her hand flew up to grasp her throat.

Kyle stepped forward. “He’s not going to hurt you, Luna. His vampire cares for you just as much as his wolf does.”

Her eyes were wide with fear, uncertainty, and so much pain–pain I understood well because I’d been living in hell ever since the day she’d left me.

I regretted ever showing her my vampire. She had already been so afraid, and I had only made it

worse.

I tried to push my vampire down once again. He wasn’t listening to reason, convinced he could help her if I would just let him. I fought against him.

Belle reached a shaking hand to the doorknob of her apartment. She was going to make a run for it. She was going to go out into the cold night, barefoot and without a coat, mid–panic attack.

I couldn’t let that happen.

An unfamiliar feeling abruptly formed in my throat and rose up. It was my vampire he was doing something, making some sort of noise, in the same way my wolf growled.

I started to purr. It wasn’t a noise I had ever made before, vibrating from under my rib cage and in my throat. I wasn’t even sure how I was doing it.

My vampire seemed to be making the sound out of pure instinct.

Belle reacted to my purrs almost immediately. Her body relaxed, and her breathing slowed. Her eyes

became hooded and calm.

She sucked in deep breaths as she watched me, no longer reaching for her door but rather appearing entranced with the sound coming from my chest.

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My vampire’s purrs were calming her. They were helping her. It seemed as though she couldn’t help.

but react to the noise.

She even began to lean forward, gravitating toward me as if she couldn’t help herself.

I took that as my opportunity to go to her. I never stopped purring for her since it seemed to be helping her, taking over the duty from my vampire now that I knew how to do it.

She watched me through hooded eyes as I approached her, determined. The moment she was within reach, I wrapped my hands around her waist and pulled her to me.

I needed to feel her against me, to comfort her. She automatically melted into my hold, no longer fighting. In fact, she seemed eager to let me take her weight against me.

She ducked her face into my chest, right against the spot where my purrs were the strongest. She sighed, absorbing the vibrations I was producing while I stood there, stunned.

With Belle still in my arms, I threw a look at Kyle over my shoulder. He was watching us with wide eyes, appearing to be just as confused as I felt.

Belle shifted against me, and her bright blue eyes turned up, peering at me. Her pupils were dilated.

“How… How are you doing that?” she whispered. “How are you making that–that purring noise?” Even as she spoke, she pressed herself against me, seemingly unable to help herself.

“My vampire,” I replied softly. My purrs grew stronger, and her eyes became more hooded. “My vampire wanted to calm you down. I’ve never purred before.”

And I had a feeling she was the only person I could do it for.

She pressed her face back into my chest. Calming her didn’t seem to be the only effect my purring had on her because, suddenly, the smell of her arousal filled and saturated the air.

“Kyle,” I barked. “Out.”

“Yep,” was his immediate reply.

Then he used his vampire speed, and a gust of wind blew past us. The door to Belle’s apartment opened and closed as Kyle left the room, leaving Belle and me completely alone.