Chapter Fifty-Eight

Celina

Dinner was nothing that I was expecting. Every single person there was so tense that any slightest noise caused an uproar. Purely, for my sanity, I took over the meeting and banned all questions. I walked us through the plan to defeat Damian and his beasts. Of course, I have kept some rather key parts to myself. If there is one rat, there usually are more. Learning about so many council members questioning Chris’s rule, it’s only reinforced that decision.

Mara paced through my entire presentation, which was distracting, to say the least. She was helpful in helping me cover blind areas, and places that might have been overlooked. Surprise is going to be our main benefit, but I’m not counting on it. Damian said he’d be there, he’d know we’d be prepared; I’m just hoping he won’t realize the guests are going to be in on it. In a way, I sort of feel this is becoming sort of a tradition. Anytime I have something important coming up in my life, I usually have some bloody fight to go with it. Each time I get closer to actually dying, so maybe this will be the trick.

Still, after a long meeting, we adjourned late. Ruben never showed, and neither did Xander or Aron. That’s not a good thing, but there wasn’t a massive blood puddle outside my room so that’s a plus. There was evidence of a fight though. I did help Chris into the shower and tried to track them down, but I found nothing. Ruben texted me that they were fine and just having a civil conversation with Xander as the referee, but I’m not buying it. As long as they’re alive, I’ll deal with it later.

Mara still hasn’t settled down, and even working out my excess frustration on Chris didn’t settle her. He’s passed out on the bed, and I’m sitting out on the balcony. While my wolf obsesses over the impending battle, I watch the full moon, trying to draw on its stillness in an attempt to calm her. Even Rajin cannot settle her agitation. Nothing is working, so it looks like I’m staying up a little longer than I’d like.

The moon is illuminating my skin, highlighting my scars. I shift the sheet I have wrapped around me to look at the claw marks I received from Danny. It’s almost as if they’re glowing at this moment. I’d never imagined that the events of my eighteenth birthday would still haunt me all these years later.

Eighteen-year-old me was convinced that I’d end up old and alone, working somewhere far away from royal life. I’d only come home for special events, and never have anything to do with the council again after I had graduated college. I’d make it my life mission to see that dream come to fruition.

But no, that was never an option. I was naive enough to think it was possible. I spent hours and years pouring my life into something that even gave me a glimpse of an escape. Something, anything, that would give me hope at a life that wasn’t this. When I killed my mate, I swore it was a sign that I wasn’t destined for this life. I was okay with that. Relieved actually. It meant I wasn’t fated to lead an entire people. I could help them instead. I didn’t have to protect them, I could be one of them. I could fight with them. Fighting with them always made more sense to me than fighting for them.

Either way, as of tomorrow, I don’t have a choice on what I want. Yes, I could flee and make the soldiers and other beasts fight my battle. I just fail to see the point of that. Why would I let someone protect me, when I can do it myself? Damian is going to be pounding on our door tomorrow, and it’ll be my name in his demand. After all the shit I’ve been dragged through due to his little obsession, the least I get to do is kill him when he comes to call.

I may not be able to shift, but I’m still a werewolf. I am the daughter of the Alpha King and the mate of the Lycan King. Fleeing is not in my nature, and cowardness is not in my character. I will not fail my wolf, and I will not fail my kingdom. If I do, my death will be the price I’ll gladly pay.

“I don’t like this,” Mara growls in the back of my mind; limping slightly. “It’s too straightforward. He knows what’s going to happen. Sephtis is not an idiot. I’ve felt him and he’s not going to back down. The only way to stop him is death.”

“Looks like we have something in common,” I tell her while I let the cool breeze waft over me. I’m so hot right now, so this feels amazing. It’s not hot out and I’m not in heat, so I can’t tell why it feels like I am. At this point, I’m chalking it up to nerves.

“Bitch I’m serious,” Mara growls and increases her pacing. “We’re missing something. There is no way that Sephtis marches into a battle that’s prepared for him.”

“Then, if we’re lucky, he won’t be there and we’ll just be overly prepared.” I know it’s wasted thinking the moment it’s out. “There is no other way to prepare for him. I’ve already thought of ways to track Randaul down, but I can’t do that with Damian. He’s gone off the grid. This is our only shot, short of me walking the entire country to check every nook and cranny.”

“What if Randaul is with him? Maybe they’re working together again?”

I snort, “After that phone call, I doubt it.” I lower the sheet so it’s barely above my breasts in an attempt to cool me down. “If anything, that little trick Damian pulled with Redpaw Pack would have officially signaled a war between those two.”

“Maybe that’s why they’ve both been lying low,” Mara suggests.

I nod, considering that. “If Randaul was smart, he’d make sure to be here. It might be his only shot to kill his nephew.”

Mara and I both stiffen at that thought. “Randaul is coming, isn’t he?”

Mara growls in pain and drops to the floor. “Stupid bones.” She licks at her paws and speaks, “I’m not sure, but I’d plan on it.”

“It’s too late to change the plans and set up.” Still, a small smile twitches on my lips. “If Damian is going to be there, and so is Randaul, and they’re both there to take the kingdom, maybe we should give them that opportunity.”

“What are you talking about?” Mara demands while she pants. “Why in the name of the full moon is it so hot?”

“Because you’re overworking our body.” I snap at her. “It’s been nearly ten hours, and this is the first break you’ve taken in your pacing.” I grimace, realizing how hot my body truly is. It’s not a heat. What the hell is going on with me? Am I coming down with something?

“Mara,” I gasp when a sharp pain begins in my chest. “You really need to learn to relax,” I tell her while my legs turn to Jell-O. I’d be worried about her if I couldn’t feel her. She’s fine, just experiencing some pain. Then again, we’ve both never felt this heat before.

Mara lifts her head slightly to glare at me. “What did you mean by giving them that opportunity?”

“Simple. If they’re focused on fighting each other, they’re not fighting us. Two is a fight, three is a crowd.” I shift uncomfortably. “Go to sleep bitch. We’ve got men to kill in the morning.”

I stand when she does, and in the moment she loses her footing, I lose mine. I fall hard to the ground and all I can do is swear while I try to lift myself. She’s pushed our body into exhaustion.

“Well now you did it,” I grumble to her, trying once again to get up. I shouldn’t have closed those balcony doors. “If we end up dying tomorrow, the blame is on you this time.”

“For once,” Mara snaps then lets out a sharp cry of pain as her head snaps back.

“Bitch, you’re shifting,” I gasp then cry out when my elbow jerks back and wrist twists with a sickening snap.

“You were saying,” she chuckles while my neck snaps backward.

“You have the worst timing,” I pant while my back breaks. I bite my lip and scream my agony while Mara howls hers. We’re not supposed to do this at the same time. She goes first. That’s how this works. Then within two weeks, I shift. Not at the same fucking time.

“It wasn’t exactly my decision,” she growls while her legs break in an awkward angle.

“Well, it wasn’t mine,” I snap while my lower spine snaps; making my back arch while I scream internally. I normally wouldn’t hold back, but it’s the middle of the night and I’d rather not attract any unwanted attention while I’m this vulnerable. With my luck, Damian is taking photos of this right now. The creep.

“I’m blaming you anyway,” Mara growls while my eyes shift to her trademark darkened bronze color.

“That’s fine because I’m blaming you,” I growl while white fur begins to spread up my arms. “You just can’t do anything by yourself, can you?” I demand while a howl rips from my voice while both femurs snap.

Acting on instinct I just drop to the ground and force my body to relax. The more I tense up, the more it’s going to hurt. I nearly black out when my facial bones begin to shatter. I grab my face and scream into my hand; the scream eventually turns into an agonized howl. Shifting into a wolf for the first time is unbearabley painful, but it pales in comparison to what I’m going through now.

Claws begin to grow from my fingers while they snap one by one. Mara is pushing further into my head; trying to shy away from the pain. Considering she’s emerging right now, that’s not the best idea. That’s probably what is making this process last a hell of a lot longer than it should.

Heat is spreading through my body; giving me distinct mental images of my bones melting. I throw the sheet off me and gasp for a cool breath while I turn to my back. Even the cool night breeze isn’t giving me any relief. The moon is burning my eyes and I swear I see it smirking.

“Shifting under a full moon. Such a cliché,” I taunt Mara, trying to get her to come out of her little ball and finally take over our suffering body.

“Don’t even start with me bitch,” Mara growls, getting to her feet. I can feel her reaching to switch with me, and it’s shocking to see her. She’s on her hind legs for the first time in her life. Her white luscious fur is shining and thicker than what I have ever seen. Her teeth are sharper and so are her claws. Her dark eyes hold malice while she stretches; revealing a very muscled core and chest. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a lycan look quite like her. If she wasn’t me, I’d be terrified just looking at her.