The King Without a Queen Book 2

SYLVIA

Once the alpha and luna had left, my brother and mother swarmed me with inquiries.

“What did they want?” my brother demanded, his hands shaking my shoulders so hard that my entire body trembled.

He often forgot that he was no longer the weaker one between us, and this was one of those times. He towered over me, his strength surpassing mine long ago. It was a stark reminder that he was no longer the timid boy who used to cry at the sight of spiders.

“Quit shaking me, Dylan,” I protested.

He paid me no mind, pressing on. “What did they say?”

“They said they’ve found my mate.”

His shaking ceased, his brow furrowing for a moment before his face broke into a wide grin. “Wow! That’s awesome, sis,” he exclaimed, a smirk playing on his lips. “If a monkey like you can have a mate, then—”

I shoved him away before he could finish his sentence, rolling my eyes at him. “You’re annoying, Dylan,” I told him.

I didn’t mention that my mate was a half-wolf. I noticed my mother watching me with a curious glint in her eyes. She knew the alpha and luna didn’t make house calls for just any mate news.

But she didn’t press me for answers, allowing me to come to her in my own time.

Later that night, I went to my mother’s room and relayed everything the alpha and luna had told me.

She sighed deeply when I finished. “That’s…interesting. Are you okay with all this, honey?”

I gave a small nod. “Yeah. I’ve had the whole day to process it.”

She nodded back, her voice soft as she said, “That’s good.” I could see her hesitating, wanting to say more. Finally, she asked, “Do you think you’ll be safe?”

I shrugged. “No idea.”

She patted my head gently. “Think about it, will you? I know half wolves have a bad reputation, but this is the Moon Goddess’s message, isn’t it? When has she ever been wrong? So, think about it, and do what you feel is right.”

I knew my mom would say that. She never made big decisions for me; she would listen and advise, but she never forced her will on me. Her words were always chosen with care, understanding the weight they carried.

I couldn’t sleep that night, torn between fear and longing. I’d grown up hearing stories of half wolves losing control and hurting those around them. But he was my mate. Your mate was supposed to be the one person who loved you unconditionally. I wanted that.

My parents were mates, and their love was something magical. I wanted that kind of love. I wanted to be enveloped in the magic that people called love, and never let go.

“Half-wolves haven’t actually killed that many people,” I muttered to myself, trying to find comfort in the fact. It was true, most half-wolves simply lost control. They were good people with good intentions, their wolf side just overpowered them. The truly evil wolves who let their wolf side take over for power were few and far between. I knew most half wolves didn’t intend to hurt people.

That’s what happened with my dad’s friend. He didn’t mean to kill him. He just lost control; at least that’s what my mom told me. I remember hating him so much I thought I could kill him. But as I grew up, the hatred faded slightly. Of course, I didn’t forgive him. No matter how understanding I tried to be, I couldn’t forgive my father’s killer.

I knew it wasn’t his fault, but it wasn’t my father’s fault either.

My father loved life, and I knew he would have wanted to live. So anyone who took that away from him was someone I couldn’t forgive. But the urge to kill him was gone. Mostly because he no longer lived in our town. I didn’t know where he’d gone or if he’d been punished for what he did. Maybe the judges found him. I didn’t want to think about it anymore. Out of sight, out of mind.

But I also knew my father wouldn’t have wanted me to be someone driven by hatred. So, growing up, I tried my best not to harbor hatred toward other half wolves. Not that I’d met any. But I would be meeting one soon.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of my phone.

I stared at the text from Aanya, one of my few friends in this town. Matt was her younger brother.

I rolled my eyes at her response. She knew all about my crush on Alpha Silvic because she shared it. We were both members of the “Alpha Silvic fan club,” and were among its founding members. It was funny how two of the most introverted people in our class became friends. We often joked that we must have been twins in a past life because of how similar we were.

I texted her everything that had happened that day, and it felt good to get it all out. It was like a weight being lifted off my chest.

My phone buzzed twice.

I chuckled at her response, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. We continued to chat for another hour, and thanks to her, I was able to drift off to a peaceful sleep.