Chapter Fifty-Four

Celina

I didn’t even make it back to my room before I was pulled into my next chaotic mess. Meeting after meeting took up the rest of my day; all thanks to Damian and his morose “gift”. If he plans to kill me through stress, mission accomplished. I haven’t even had time to return to Chris. Leroy is now sitting with him since Ruben is forced to take over my previously scheduled meetings. Stupid psychotic, unhinged, deranged, immoral-

“Queen Celina,” a voice questions; interrupting my ranting thoughts. This is Councilman Aron, and he’s my age. He inherited his role when his father died a few years ago. He’s loyal to no one but his best interest. As long as he thinks I’m it, then he gets to live. He was smart enough not to be one of Damian’s victims.

I glance up to look at the man with ocher eyes and slicked-back black hair. He’s standing with the remaining council members gathered around a rather large map. Pretending like I was paying attention, I stand up and start pacing around the table; keeping an eye on the map.

“What are you doing?” He demands.

“Trying to get a fresh perspective,” I lie smoothly. In reality, I’m trying to keep my mind off of Chris and stay awake. This is my sixth meeting of the day, and it’s nearing bedtime. Correction, it’s past bedtime. I’ll have to run straight to my room after this is over to get a change of clothes. These heels are starting to kill my feet, and Mara has been asleep for hours now.

“How is that going to help find Damian or Randaul?” Lucinda, an older woman who has more experience than all the other members in this room combined demands.

“Try thinking outside of the map,” I tell her vaguely; dodging her very valid question.

“That is exactly the mindset that makes me question if you’re ready for this position,” she tells me; flipping her silver curls. She’s not shy, is she?

“If you want the job, you take it,” I tell her; refusing to slow my stride. “Then you can be the one to be questioned.”

She falls silent while I smirk. Aron cocks his head. “Shouldn’t a true leader never be questioned?”

“It’s part of a leader’s job to be questioned. If no one does, then that’s how you know there is a problem.”

“How so?

“It either means everyone is afraid of the ruler, which means they’ll never speak their mind. Or there are no problems. Since there are always difficulties when one is ruling, it’s a sign of an absentee one.”

“That, or they’re doing their job,” Mariela, an avid boundary tester, adds. “We never had that issue until now.”

“And look how well that worked out,” I tell her without skipping a beat. “Hunting down a homicidal royal bastard child, and his prideful uncle.” I stop moving when I realize something. “My coronation is where we’re guaranteed to see Damian, so we’ll plan for the attack then.”

Lucinda raises her delicate eyebrow. “You want to throw a party for the man trying to kill you?”

“More like a goodbye swaree,” I tell her as I smirk. “Most of the guards will be in attendance anyway. Besides, if we cancel the party, we lose the advantage.”

“But you’ll have too many innocents there,” Aron counters.

“Which is why the real party will be held at a later date,” I tell him; giving him a smirk. “This won’t solve all of our issues, but it’ll give us a shot at getting rid of Damian.”

“What about Randaul?” Lucinda asks, still sounding a little hesitant.

I shake my head. “I’ll still have to figure that one out. If he’s going after rogues, it’s going to make him harder to track. Damian isn’t exactly hiding either. He wants to be noticed, so he’s going to be getting the party he so desperately wants. After all, I’ll make sure it’s his last one.”

Mariela raises her eyebrow. “You still can’t shift, so how do you plan to do that?”

“With my bare hands, if I have to,” I tell her as I straighten. “I’ll work with Leroy and his men to come up with a plan.”

“This isn’t going to be easy, is it,” Aron muses, glancing at the map once more.

“If you wanted easy, you chose the wrong career path,” I tell him simply while I rub my neck. The stress is starting to kill me.

“I didn’t choose it, I was born into it.”

“Hey, samesies,” I tell him sarcastically as I motion back and forth between us. “It’s getting late. Let’s adjourn and resume next week.” Anytime I’m not in a room with Aron is time worth celebrating. He’s a bit of an ass.

Mercifully, they wordlessly nod and push away from the table. After they have left, I exit the room and lock the door behind me.

“Queen Celina,” Aron’s voice comes from behind when I make my way down the hall.

I groan. “It’s late Aron. Also, it’s Celina when we’re having a friendly conversation.”

“That’s not how King Exzecial did things.”

“He also fathered a child out of wedlock and turned him into an enemy of an entire kingdom,” I tell him pointedly. “I’m not Exzecial. Now what’s up?”

“I wanted to ask how King Christopher is faring,” he tells me while falling into step with me.

“He’s awoken, and it’ll take him time to fully recover. Considering the circumstances, I believe we got off lucky.” Particularly me. I didn’t even know Danny and I barely survived his death. There is no way I could if Chris had passed. That reminds me, I’ve got to do something for Ruben as a thank you.

“So he’s out of danger?”

“No one is out of danger until that masochist is underground,” I growled darkly. I stop to look at him. “Chris has a long way to go before he can be at his full strength if that’s what you’re asking. He’s not ready to resume his duties, so Ruben shall continue to stand in for Chris in the meantime.”

He nods; accepting that answer. “I shall inform the others.”

I give a small smile, hoping that is all. “I’d appreciate that. Was that all you needed? I’m a little anxious to get back to Chris.”

He hesitates before asking his next question. “Have you considered what is to happen if King Christopher is to pass?”

Huh? “Why are you asking? Chris is going to be fine.”

“I know,” he sighs before trying another question. “But what if he wasn’t?”

That confuses me and, honestly, makes me a little angry. “What do you mean?”

His lips purse as he considers his question carefully. “If you were suddenly to find yourself without a mate, who would take his place?”

My jaw drops a little when I realize what he is asking. Before I can attempt to kill him, I speak my retort. “If Chris were to suddenly drop dead, Ruben would be taking over, and I shall be stepping down.” I’ll probably be dead due to the loss anyway.

He takes a bold step closer to me. “You are the Queen of the Beasts, Celina. You cannot simply step down. You can only be removed from the throne due to death, succession, or unless you submit to someone who challenges you for the throne. We both know that you’d rather die than submit. So it is your duty to preserve our kingdom and do what’s best for it. Even if that means living after the death of a mate. That also includes securing a future line.”

Okay, now I’m just pissed off. Future line? Are you kidding me? “Let me get this straight you twat. You’re asking, no telling me, that it is my job to live after my mate has died?” I’m not looking for an answer. I know it. I’m not even single and the council is back to trying to butt into my love life.

I fix him a steeled look; making him take a step back and bare his neck in submission. “Let me tell you this, you little naive pissant. Unlike you, I’ve lived through one mate’s death, it is my choice if I am to do it again. You do not get to try to order me to live through a pain that I pray you never know; because sure as I am that you’re going to hell for even suggesting that to me, it’s not something you should ever experience. So before you tell me something that your menial little brain can’t even begin to comprehend, don’t even say it.

“As for your qualms regarding who takes over should I lose my mate, they’re completely unfounded. Ruben is the Crowned Prince of the Beasts, which, if you care to remember, was Chris’s previous role. This means that he will inherit his brother’s role if Chris should perish. That is final and even written in the law. If you wish to dispute my choices further, write it on a piece of paper and then eat it; because that note passing through your colon is the only acknowledgement it’s going to get. Do I make myself clear, Councilman Aron?”

His face pales and flinches when I harden my glare at him, “Perfectly.”

“Good. Now it’s best we say goodnight if you would like to have the chance to find your mate in the future.” After fixing him with another glare, I quickly walk off to my room; leaving him standing with his neck still bared. Jackass. Who even suggests that someone keep on breathing after their mate has passed?

Planning several ways I can kill Aron and get away with it, I head back to my room. Stupid succession clause. Maybe if I’m lucky, he’ll randomly drop dead like the others. That would be nice. Maybe I can drag Chris to the next meeting and use his claws to scratch Aron’s eyes out. Okay, now I’m just being catty. I’d use Chris’s claws to rip Aron’s tongue out. That’s more werewolf.