FIFTEEN

Lyanna

Nadia escorted the Luna and Harper to the kitchen.  I stopped the beta in his tracks.  I am worried about Knox and his father.  "Rhett, is it wise to leave those two alone?"  I asked.

"My Queen, thunder and lightning are best left alone.  They subside in time."  Rhett confidently said.  Seeing I am not convinced, he added, "If the alpha wished to harm the king, he would have done so many times in the past already when he was stronger than his son.  He is still a father.  Knox is still a son.  No matter how deep the wound they created, their royal blood will still remind them that they are family."

I nodded in surrender.

A guard rushed to us, panting as he reported, "Excuse me my Queen, Beta, but we have a situation at the main gate!"

"What now?" Rhett instantly showed stress.

"The gamma's sister is making a scene there, demanding to talk to the Luan Queen."  The guard supplied. "Gamma Vino has done everything to calm his sister but to no success."

"No way is she getting near the Queen!  Drag her away, carry her off, get her away from here!"  Rhett ordered.

"NO, I wish to talk to her."  I calmly declared. Rhett and the guard snapped their heads toward me.

"Lyanna, I am addressing you as a friend, as a brother, do not do this.  Knox will not allow this.  I assure you, Yara has all intentions to malign you, the king, everything!  Spare yourself of this trouble."  He pleaded.

"I appreciate the concern.  Do not let me use my Luna command.  I will talk to this girl. You can accompany me if that makes you at ease."

"I will respect your wishes, my Queen.  But if she even attempts to get close to you, I have to step in and do my duty."

"I understand."

.....................................

"Let go of me, Vino!  I will talk sense into that queen wannabe!"  Yara screamed.

"I am here.  Calm down, you are hurting your brother, Yara."  I was surprised at how calm I am at this moment.  Twelve muscular warriors stand guard.  Vino let go of Yara's arms and bowed to me.  Rhett shot Yara with a warning growl.

Yara massaged her arms and straightened up.  "I see you are no coward.  Does Knox know you are here?"

"No."

"I see.  I knew it the first time I saw you,  that you are different, Knox was never THAT protective of any of his playmates, not even me, his favorite."  Yara sneered.  "What the hell, he double marked you?"

"What do you want Yara?"

"Let him go!  Knox does not belong to just one woman, you of all!  He is meant to love women.  He is to be shared by women.  You cannot make him happy.  You, a virgin!  What do you know in bed?"

I was shocked.  How did she know that?  The guards are not having Yara's disrespect and started  growling at her.  Rhett and Vino moved forward sensing my agitation.

"Yara, you are a beautiful woman.  Your mate is out there waiting for you.  You have a chance for real love if you would just let this go.  Why do you exhaust your energy to a mated wolf, your King, no less?  By doing this, do you think this will make you closer to him?  He will despise you, the mere fact that you are disrespecting his Queen.  I will be lenient on you only because I am fond of your brother, and I understand your infatuation over the king.  Leave now, and do not shame yourself, your brother, your family, and your king any further."  I addressed her.

Out of nowhere, an elegant old man interrupted and accusingly uttered, "You bitch!  How dare you talk to my daughter like that!  Sanctimonious you!  For all we know you are a whore!  Yara is supposed to be queen, not a nobody like you!"

Vino approached the man who is his father.  He slapped his father on his left cheek to all our astonishment.  The situation is getting out of hand.

"You will not disrespect my Queen.  You will be punished for this.  You may be my father and family but this cannot be tolerated!"  Vino shouted.

Yara tried to join but Rhett took hold of her.

"You disgraceful son of mine!  You let that vulgar king dishonor your sister then throw her away like garbage and still you defend him and this whore!"    Vino's father spit on me.  His spit landed on my arm that I just simply wiped off my dress.

The next scene left us all speechless.  A rampaging black wolf jumped on Vino's father.  It was Knox's raging wolf.  In seconds he dismembered the man, mangling his limbs, his torso, and his head.  I have never seen such a violent attack of a wolf.  I could hardly move by what I just witnessed.  He is bloodied and livid.   It is true what they say about his wolf, of how vicious it could get.  He growled menacingly towards Yara.  My heart skipped.  No!

Knox prowled closer to a now shaking Yara and a scared Beta.  His intentions are clear.  He will do the same to Yara. I have to do something.

"Knox, please, stop.  Do not hurt Yara!  Please, stop!"  I tried but his wolf did not bulge. I had no choice.  I ran closer to the two and shielded them with my body.  I extended my arms to protect them.

"Knox, you will hurt me before you can hurt her.  I am Luna Queen and I will protect those I deem worthy of protection.  Do you hear me?"  I bravely put a stance.

Yara burst into sobs as Rhett tried to hold her up.  Vino is still shocked to the bone.

"She will be punished, I promise you Alpha King but not like this."  I continued.

Another wolf growled!  When I turned to see, it was a majestic dark gray wolf with white V-shaped fur on his neck.

"Alpha Magnus!"  Some guards frightfully shouted and backed off.

Now, two wolves want to attack Yara! Knox's father felt protective of his son and his mate that he was not able to control the coming out of his wolf.  He came to assist his son.  Touching as it may seem, but both furious wolves need to tone down.

"Alpha Magnus, Knox, I beg you, calm down.  I am not in harms way from them, only from you."

The two massive wolves kept snarling until I dared to approach Knox's wolf. "My Queen, don't!  He is too angry.  He could hurt you!"  Rhett warned.

I did not heed his warning.  I advanced.  Alpha Magnus' wolf stopped snarling at Yara and growled at Knox.  Knox turned his attention to his father's wolf, stubborn and uncompromising.  They are arguing as wolves with their growls and snarls.  Alpha Magnus gave a shuttering growl and Knox whimpered.  I do not know what transpired but it made Knox stop and sit down.

I reached for Knox who is now subdued.  I embraced his neck and buried my face in his fur.  He whimpered and sniffed my neck and licked my face.

Knox shifted back to human form and embraced me with his bloody naked body.  Everyone looked away, even the alpha, even Yara.  When he released me from his hold, a guard handed him shorts.  Once he was clothed he carried me in his arms and run back to the castle.  As I look back, Alpha Magnus was giving orders to Rhett regarding Yara and the very dead man who disrespected me.

.......................................

People were looking at us as we entered the palace but smartly bowed immediately.  A bloodied King and his pale Queen in his arms is not a usual sight before a coronation night.

Knox brought me directly to our chamber's bathroom.  He turned on the shower and unceremoniously stripped me of my clothes and his shorts.  He bathe me and I bathe him.  Nothing was sensual in that moment.  It was more of a need to clean up and to cool off.

When we were in our robes.  He sat me on bed and he sat across me.

"Ask away.  I can hear your thoughts, little bunny."  Knox started.

"Who is Yara to you?"

"Yara, Rhett, Vino, and I are childhood friends.  We trained together.  We studied together.  We had our mischiefs together.  I had always looked at Yara as a big sister.  But everything changed when we grew up and I got messy.  I disregarded loyalty, decency, and morals when I succumbed to her advances and to elevate my defiance to the Moon Goddess bedded my close friend.  Vino was hurt but he knew his sister has always been gunning for me.  She became my on and off bed mate.  She never asked for commitment because she knew there is none that I can give.  She swallowed her pride and took whatever attention I could spare her.  Her family was outraged of course.  It became their family shame.  It came to a point that Yara's family pleaded to the royal council to have Yara moved to another country to finish her studies just to be far from me.  The royal council forced me to grant the request.  I, of course, was full of pride.  No one can dictate on the Alpha King!  But that time when I was with Yara, she started crying in my arms saying she is the perfect luna for me.  She suggested marriage since both of us were mate-less then.  It was when I realized Yara is becoming an inconvenience.  She will never be my queen.  I gave her false hope.  I didn't like how that felt.  And so, I sent her away by granting the request.  Yara, after some years, would slip back to the palace and ended up with me in bed.  It became a habit.  She leaves, she comes back for sex, she leaves again, comes back again.  Then it came to a point that I am done with her.  I broke up with her and made her understand there was nothing between us that involved the hearts."

"Are you over her?" I asked.

"My love, I never loved her, not the love she expected.  I was willing to kill her without blinking to defend your honor.  But you stopped me.  Why?"  He needed to asked.

"I felt sorry for her.  It is not a crime to fall helplessly in love with someone.  I admit she became obsessive and uncontrollable.  She did disrespect me and you but she does not deserve death by your hands.  She will be punished but not like how you wanted back there."

"You make a perfect Luna Queen, you know," he smiled and kissed my head.

"What happens to Yara now?"  I was worried with how he will reply.

"You know what, I will leave Yara's sentencing to you."  He promised.  I sighed.

"What did your father say that made you stop?"

"He made me realize that the one I am trying to protect is the one I am snarling at.  He told me to take a good look at you, at how fragile you are against my claws.  He asked me if I am ready to lose you."  Knox looked into my eyes.

"I will not lose you, Lyanna.  I am sorry for what I did back there.  I love you like I have never loved anyone.  Don't leave me, little bunny.  Be my Queen."  He pleaded.

"I do not want to lose you, too.  Yes, I will be your Queen.  But I am quite possessive as well, you know.  I will not share you with any other woman, are we clear on this?"

"Clear."  He pulled me closer to kiss me passionately.

"Let's get this done, little bunny, forget for a while our woes, get dressed, and mark me well tonight,"  he winked and smiled.