Broken Queen Book 3
Autor:in
Danni D
Gelesen
200K
Kapitel
30
Ariel, a fierce warrior and newly appointed luna, navigates the treacherous waters of leadership, family drama, and interspecies politics. As she battles Hunters and confronts personal betrayals, Ariel must also learn to balance her warrior instincts with her responsibilities as queen. With the looming threat of a human-werewolf unification ceremony and a dangerous prisoner on the loose, Ariel's journey is fraught with danger, passion, and the quest for true unity.
61: A New Path Forward
ARIEL
The darkness of the night provides cover as I lead my warrior squad through the forest, trailing the scent of a band of Hunters.
They wonât elude us this time...
Since the funeral, the Hunters have spilled out of the woodwork, intent on tearing down our pack like hungry termites.
But the death of the king isnât the only reason theyâve felt emboldened to cross our borders...
They were working with one of our ownâhe betrayed his own kind.
Xavier.
The memory is seared into my mind.
***
Weâre trapped.
Nowhere to run.
And the alphas are closing in.
âForm a defensive line!â I shout, getting ready to shift.
But then, Xavier brushes past me, heading straight for the red-eyed alphas.
âWhat the hell are you doing?â
When Xavier holds up his hand, the alphas heel, as if theyâre mind-linked to him.
Oh my Goddess...
Xavier turns around, a wicked smile spreading across his lips.
âIt... it was you,â I stammer. âYou betrayed us.â
âToday isnât just a funeral for the former king,â Xavier sneers.
The monstrous, mutated alphas all stand in unison, their eyes red and bloodshot.
âItâs a funeral for the current king as well.â
***
I shake my wolfâs pelt, and along with it, my bad memory.
I need to focus on the present... on tracking the Hunters.
We crouch low in the undergrowth and I mind-link my squad.
Stay alert. I can scent them nearby.
Suddenly, my ears perk up as the ground beneath my paws vibrates.
Footsteps. Dozens of them. From every direction.
Within moments, weâre surrounded.
Huntersâ crossbows pointed at us as we back into a tight circle.
I bare my fangs and snarl.
***
I kick off my heels and rip the seams on either side of my dress up to my hips for mobility.
Iâm ready to fight.
My heart drops in horror as I see all of my friends backed into corners of the chapel, partially shifted.
What do I do?
I canât help them all.
All I can do is watch as the crazed, ferocious alphas snarl and pounce on the Royal Pack guards, knocking their swords aside and pinning them down, teeth bared at their throats.
***
How the hell am I going to get us out of this?
Six wolves surrounded by a dozen Hunters.
I need to think on my feetâor rather my paws.
Iâve been in worse positions than this.
In fact, Iâve been in an impossible position before.
***
Xavier turns back to me, raising his voice so everyone can hear:
âIâm giving you a choice, Ariel. In a few moments, Iâm going to take the throne. Thereâs nothing anyone can do to stop it. When I do this, I can either kill everyone here. Like thisââ
He snaps his fingers and all the alphas lunge excitedly, as if a meal has been brought out in front of them.
A cry of terror spreads throughout the chapel.
âOrâŠyou can agree to be my queen, and we get mated tonight.â His eyes twinkle deviously.
Once I hear what Xavier is making me choose between, my head starts to spin.
Iâm completely powerless, and I feel my heart begin to throb.
An impossible choice.
I look into the face of Alex, my mate, his helpless green eyes begging me to stop.
But in the end, thereâs only one choice I can make.
***
I have to protect my squad. Theyâre my responsibility.
âIâm about to do something crazy,â I say, mind-linking them. âJust trust me.â
I step forward and shift back into human form.
The Hunters are completely taken aback.
âI surrender,â I say. âYouâve won.â
One of the Hunters smirks as he drinks in my naked body. When he lowers his crossbow and reaches out for me, I return his smirk.
âNOW!â I shout, lunging and grabbing his weapon.
***
When Xavier places his hand on my face and leans in, Iâm ready for him. I pull my moonstone dagger from the folds of my dress and press the blade into his throat.
Xavierâs eyes widen, not with fear so much as with surprise.
Did he really expect me to willingly go along with his grand plan?
Fucking idiot.
âDonât do this, Ariel,â Xavier says to me in a clear, cool voice. âWeâre meant to be together. Itâs destiny!â
âI will NEVER be your queen, Xavier.â
***
The Hunters groan in agony, their wounded bodies littering the mossy forest floor.
I finish reattaching my armor as Steve enters the clearing with backup.
âTake them to the dungeons, and weâll question them later,â I say.
The sun begins to peek over the treetops, and I exhale loudly.
Goddess, the grind never endsâŠ
But I smile as the sun warms my face.
I love every damn second of it.
***
The sun is already up as I attempt to sneak into bed as quietly as possible.
I just returned from an all-nighter patrol with the pack warriors, and I donât want to wake Alex.
His soft snoring is adorable, and I imagine his wolf is having the best dream right nowâchasing rabbits through the woods and then lazing in the spring breeze.
I remove my combat boots and tiptoe across the room, careful not to make a sound, untilâ
âShit!â I trip over the Bo staff that I use for training. I really shouldnât leave my weapons lying aroundâŠ
When I look back up, Alexâs emerald eyes pierce my coarse leather armor with an intense look of desire.
Heâs awakeâŠin more ways than one.
âTake it off,â he commands.
I oblige, slowly removing each strap, teasing him as I take my time.
He sits up and digs his claws into our bed as his breathing becomes louder. His muscular chest heaves in and out with anticipation.
âItâs taking every ounce of my self-control not to pounce on you and rip those clothes from your body,â he says.
âPatience is a virtue,â I reply, letting my chest armor fall to the floor.
I approach him and straddle his lap as he sits on the edge of the bed. Inhaling deeply, he wastes no time diving face-first into my bare breasts.
âYou smell like a field of flowers,â he says in a muffled voice.
As his tongue moves to my soft nipple, I let out a moan. He lightly bites it, and it instantly becomes hard in his mouth.
My wolf whimpers in the back of my mind. Sheâs done with this teasing.
And so am I.
Alex looks surprised as I push him flat on his back.
I kiss him in a carnal display of passion, letting my wolf take over.
His hands grip my ass tightly as I writhe on top of him. He rips my tights open and I can feel his growing bulge beneath me.
I slide back, and Alex lets out a low growl as my fingers unbutton his pants and release his sword from its sheath.
I like imagining Alexâs member as a sword because thatâs what feels most comfortable in my hands.
And Iâm very skilled with a sword.
Alexâs eyes roll back in his head as I grasp his shaft and stroke it with vigor. I lean down and wrap my lips around the tip before moving it deeper into my throat.
âArielâŠ,â Alex grunts. âYouâre gonna make meâŠâ
Teasing him, I come up for air, but Alex grabs my shoulders and flips me over, so that heâs the one on top.
He rubs himself roughly against my sex, and I cry out. My wolf craves her mate. She wants to be satisfied.
âI want to feel you inside me,â I say. âDonât hold back. You know I can take it, Alpha.â
âDonât worry,â he responds. âI know how my warrior likes it.â
A wave of euphoria hits me as Alex begins to part my sex with his massiveâ
âWAA-AAA-HHH!â
A screaming baby jolts me out of my rapturous state.
âWAA-WAA-WAH!â
And then a second screaming infant.
Alex sighs as he rolls off of me and gets out of bed. âWe really need to install some soundproof walls.â
My family moving into the palace hadnât exactly been smooth sailing the past month. But when Xavier was arrested for conspiring with the Hunters, the Crescent Moon Pack kicked them to the curb.
They had nowhere else to turn, and I wasnât going to just throw them to the rogues.
Although, if I did, my sex life with Alex would certainly improveâŠ
Weâre supposed to be in our honeymoon phase, but we havenât even had the chance to go on our actual honeymoon.
Shouting starts to mix with the wailing babies, and I donât need three guesses to figure out whoâs causing all the drama.
âFucking Natalia,â I mutter under my breath.
I jump out of bed and pull on a robe. âIâll take care of this.â
***
As I reach the bottom of the stairs, the screaming intensifiesâboth from the babies and the women.
âAre you out of your damn mind?â Natalia says, clutching Xavi in her arms. âDo you know the harmful effects refined sugar can have on a child?â
âGood Goddess, Natalia!â Helena fumes as she holds Camelia. âItâs just a cookie!â
Natalia scoffs and narrows her eyes. âJust a cookie? I thought you were supposed to be all âone with natureâ or whatever. And yet you feed my baby poison!â
Thank the Goddess that these two are holding their kids because otherwise theyâd be clawing each otherâs eyes out.
Helena notices me and shoots me a silent SOS with her eyes.
âNatalia, donât you think youâre being a little dramatic?â I say, stepping between them.
âStay out of this, Ariel,â Natalia snaps. âYou have no idea what itâs like to be a mother.â
Sheâs trying to provoke me, but I refuse to take the bait. I learned in warrior training that the best way to handle conflict is to de-escalate the situation.
âIf Xavi has dietary restrictions, Iâm sure we can accommodate them, along with your many other requests.â Unintended frustration seeps into my tone.
Damn, so much for de-escalation.
Natalia glares at me. âOh, Iâm sorry. Am I an inconvenience to you? Iâm only a single mother trying to raise my child the best that I can.â
Here we goâŠ
âNatalia, Iâm not saying thatââ
âYou put the father of my child in the fucking dungeon!â As Nataliaâs voice rises, Xavi starts to cry again. âI have to do this alone because of YOU!â
Before I can defend myself, another voice does it for me.
âThat is so unfair of you, Natalia,â my mother, Dianne, says as she swoops over to my side. âAnd after Ariel opened her home to usâŠâ
âDianne, I can handle this on my own,â I say, not wanting this one-on-one boxing match to turn into a battle royal.
Dianne ignores me and keeps going: âXavier deserves to be locked up after what he did. He disgraced our whole family.â
âOf course youâre taking her side. Typical,â Natalia says resentfully.
Typical?
HARDLY!
Growing up, my mother always sided with Natalia. She didnât just play favoritesâI barely even existed in her eyes.
But in the past month sheâs really changed her tune, and I have to admit... it feels good to have her side with me for once.
Dianne sidles up to me and speaks to Natalia dismissively: âDear, must you always be so ungrateful? I raised you better than that. Show some decorum.â
Nataliaâs expression falls, and I almost feel sorry for her. I know what itâs like to be on my motherâs bad side. Itâs the only side Iâve known until recently.
I know I should question her motives, but...
I donât want to ruin a good thing.
***
When I get back to my bedroom, I close the door a little harder than I mean to.
âEverything good?â Alex asks.
âIf she wants to be with Xavier so badly, maybe I should just throw her in the cell next to his,â I say, fully realizing that Iâm being over the top. âMaybe then sheâd shut up.â
Alex looks amused as he wraps his arms around me. âYouâd never do that to your sister. Youâre way too nice.â
âOf course not,â I say, leaning into his chest. âBut the fantasy is the only thing keeping me from killing her.â
Alex laughs and kisses me. âGood thing youâve been blessed with never-ending patience.â He grabs a towel and heads for the bathroom. âIâm gonna showerâwant to join?â
âSure, Iâll be there in a minute,â I say. âBut donât expect part two of what we started this morning. This will be a cold shower. Natalia has completely ruined my mood.â
As Alex disappears into the bathroom, I take a deep breath. My family is driving me crazy, and Iâm starting to regret my decision to invite them into my life.
Suddenly, I feel a pulsing sensation that radiates throughout my entire body. I start to feel light-headed as a silky voice pervades my mind:
âYou must close the rift of the past if you want to open a new path forward, my child.â
The Moon Goddess.
She always has impeccable timing.
âSelene, can you just tell me exactly what you want, for once?â
If Iâm being honest with myself though, this message is pretty clear.
I canât just continue to tolerate my familyâs presence...
I need to actually mend my relationships with them.
And it will take more than a Goddess-given healing ability to do that...
***
As I practice my sword-fighting technique in the warrior barracks, I do my best to put Natalia out of my mind.
Sweat beads down my forehead as I thrust the sword forward, slicing through the air.
This is my therapy. The real way that I deal with my frustration.
When Iâm training, all my problems fade away, at least for a while. I purge them from my body like every drop of perspiration that rolls off my skin.
âHey, sweaty! Fix your stance. Itâs way too wide.â Domâs smug voice breaks my focus.
As Dom approaches behind me, I sheathe my sword and whip around, putting him in a headlock. âYour mouth is way too wide!â
âHey, save the aggression for your sister,â he jokes as I let him go.
âHelena told you about this morning, I assume.â
He nods and laughs. âWe might avoid any playdates with Xavi in the near future.â
âSorry, Natalia can be a real pain in the ass, but I think she enjoys having those playdates, even if she doesnât show it,â I say. âWhat brings you to the barracks?â
âIâm looking for you,â he replies. âOr rather, Alex isâhe said itâs important.â
I rack my brain for what Iâm supposed to do today, but I come up blank.
âI guess Iâll head back to the palace and find out whatâs going on,â I say, tossing my sword to Dom by the hilt.
He catches it and grins. âGoddess-speed, brave warrior.â
***
As I approach the palace, Iâm surprised to see half a dozen news vans parked near the courtyard. Camera crews line the steps, and reporters swarm the entryway like buzzing bees, while Maria tries to keep them in order.
Suddenly, Alex is at my side, gripping my armâand leading me right toward the crowd.
âAriel, where have you been? And why are you still in your warrior gear? Did you just get done training?â
âYeah, butâŠAlex, what the hell is going on? Who are all these people?â
âTheyâre here for the state-of-the-pack speech. I told you about this. Several times actually.â Thereâs a hint of annoyance in Alexâs voice.
Oh, Goddess! Now I remember!
Alex has been putting it off, but ever since Xavier attacked at the funeral, the packs have been clamoring for an explanation.
As Alex pulls me through the crowd and up the steps, Iâm suddenly very aware of how sweaty and unkempt I look.
âAlex, maybe I should sit this one outâŠâ
âYouâre my lunaâyou canât just sit it out,â he replies, his tone tense. âWe have to present a unified front.â
âBut, Alex... I look like a mess,â I protest. âAnd Iâm not sure I can handleââ
âYou look beautiful,â he says, his tone softening. âJust take my hand.â
Alexâs warm skin against mine eases my nerves for a moment. But only for a moment.
As I stand at his side and the cameras start clicking, my anxiety begins to creep around the edges of my mind.
With each flash, I see the lights of an operating table in the Hunterâs lair.
As all eyes are on me, I can only think of the cold, grey eyes of the Hunter who kidnapped me.
My head begins to spin. I hear the Hunters laughing as my body is beaten and tortured.
Alex is speaking, but I canât understand his words. An incessant buzzing noise drowns out everything else.
The lights before my eyes blur, and suddenly everything loses its form.
My heart is threatening to explode from my chest.
Oh my Goddess. Oh my Goddess. Oh my Goddess.
I canât do this.
As the crippling anxiety takes over, I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. My knees buckle and Iâm crushed underneath my pastâall the trauma I try to bury drags me down.
âAriel!â Alexâs voice is the last thing I hear.
The crowd fades away as my body hits the ground.
