The Descendant 2: Protecting His Queen

Book 2: Protecting His Queen

Azalea

I jolt awake, my breath coming in ragged gasps. Sweat soaks my skin. I glance around, finding myself back in the familiar confines of my room, the safety of my own bed. I take a deep breath, trying to slow my racing heart, and rest my head against the headboard. The same dream has haunted me every night since my eighteenth birthday.

In the dream, I’m walking along the trail behind our house, the one that winds through the woods and leads to the lake. The moon is full and enormous in the sky, its light so bright that it illuminates my path. The night is still, the only sound being the soft chirping of katydids.

I glance down at myself and find that I’m wearing a long, white nightgown that reaches my ankles. It’s strange because I usually sleep in a T-shirt and shorts. My hair cascades down my back in soft waves, and there’s an urgent need inside me to reach the lake.

I quicken my pace, gathering the hem of my gown so I can run without tripping. By the time I reach the shore, I’m panting, sweat dotting my forehead. I look around and realize I’m alone. Fear begins to creep in, making my heart pound faster.

“Hello?”

I look up to find a black owl with piercing red eyes staring at me. It’s as if the bird can see into my soul. It doesn’t make a sound, just tilts its head to the side and flaps its wings before settling back down on a lower branch. I can’t tear my gaze away from its red eyes, and then I hear it.

“Hello, my queen.”

Fear spikes in my chest for several reasons. I don’t know who said it, how they said it, where they are, or who they are. But the most unsettling part is how the voice echoes in my mind.

I cover my mouth to stifle a scream as I hear the snap of branches to my right. I start to back away from the lake but freeze when a massive black wolf, larger than my alpha father, steps into the clearing. It locks eyes with me, its gaze electric blue, before it growls and lunges at the owl. In an instant, the owl transforms into a man and darts away, his laughter echoing in the night. The chilling sound sends shivers down my spine.

In my mind, I hear, “Until next time, my queen.”

I always wake up then, my skin slick with sweat and the scent of chocolate and sandalwood lingering in the air. There’s also a faint smell of roses and blood. I wish I knew what the dream meant. Who was the wolf? And what about the owl?

***

The sun is just beginning to rise, its light filtering through the sheer curtains. The sky is barely turning orange as the sun peeks over the horizon. I know sleep won’t come again, so I get up, take a quick shower, and head downstairs to the kitchen. Gertrude, our cook, is already bustling around, preparing breakfast.

“Need any help?”

“Goddess! You scared me, child! What are you doing up so early? This time is only for those sinners sneaking back in.”

I can’t help but laugh. Gertrude is old-fashioned. She firmly believes in saving yourself for your fated mate, no matter how long it takes to find them.

“You’re not taking the walk of shame, are you, child?”

“No ma’am. Just couldn’t sleep.”

She gives me a hard look.

“Another one of those nightmares?”

“I just wish I knew what they meant. It’s the same one each time. The only time it changes is when the owl isn’t there. Then the wolf comes closer and sniffs my neck.”

Gertrude’s head snaps in my direction.

“The dream changes but the wolf stays the same?”

“Yeah. He’s huge, larger than Dad. Solid black with no markings, and electric-blue eyes.”

She drops the spoon she was stirring with.

“Are you okay, Gerti?”

She picks up the spoon and cleans up her mess.

“Oh, yes, child, I’m fine. Can you tell what the wolf smells like in your dream?”

“Like sandalwood and chocolate. But when the owl is there, there’s an underlying smell of roses and blood.”

She freezes. Not just freezes, but, but I swear, stops breathing.

“Gerti?”

“Have you told your father about this dream?”

“No. It’s just a dream.”

“It might make you feel better if you told him everything about your dreams. You might sleep better, too.”

“I’ll think about it.”

She nods toward the griddle. “Make yourself useful, child. Start on those pancakes, would you?”

I take Gerti’s advice and tell my dad about my dreams during breakfast. He stops eating and looks at me intently.

“How long have these dreams been happening?”

“Since Gideon and I turned eighteen. So about six months.”

Gideon is my twin brother, but you’d think he was my boss the way he acts sometimes. He’s already started his alpha training and will be leaving us soon. Every soon-to-be alpha has to go through alpha training, which means he’ll be gone from the pack until his training is complete. I’m going to miss my brother terribly, but I know it’s for the best for the future of our pack.

“And you only smell roses and blood when the owl is there?”

I nod.

He stands abruptly and nods toward Gideon. Then he looks over at his beta, Sam, and then at Emery, his gamma. They head toward his office and shut the door. I watch as Kendrick, Dad’s head warrior, enters through the back door and heads straight for his office without a word.

I look over at Mom. She walks around and takes me into her arms, answering the question she knows is on my mind.

“I’m sure Dad and your brother are just doing some research. You know how Gideon is about researching history. He can find things most people can’t.”

“And Sam, Emery, and Kendrick? All for a stupid dream?”

I hear my mom sigh.

“What’s going on, Mom? Is it the wolf in my dream?”

She shakes her head.

“No, darling.” She takes a deep breath and sighs heavily. “It’s not the wolf, Azalea. The wolf is there to protect you. We know who that wolf is. It’s the owl that has your father worried.”

“Wait! What do you mean you know who the wolf is?”

“Let’s talk about this later. Your father needs me.” She kisses me on the forehead and hurries toward his office.

I sit there, unable to eat anything, so I walk toward Dad’s office and see the door slightly ajar. I don’t get too close or they’ll know I’m there. I hear Mom arguing with my dad.

“It’s time, Treyton. If we wait any longer, Xavier will come. We’ve kept them apart long enough! He can protect her!”

“She just came of age, Bexley! She doesn’t know what will happen! I need more time!”

“Then we tell her! Prepare her! I won’t let that bloodsucker have her! Zander can protect her! He’s her mate for crying out loud!”

I hear something hit the wall and shatter. I cover my mouth to stifle any noise and slowly back away. Heading to my room, I shut the door and lock it.

Zander Phoenix.

The son of King Alpha Alexander Phoenix. I’ve only seen him a few times over the years. Our parents always kept us apart, saying it wasn’t proper with Zander being royalty. I heard he’s been away at his own King Alpha training for the past few years.

The room starts to spin, and I slide down to the floor. Zander is supposed to be my mate. Does he know this? Is this why they kept us apart? I always felt his eyes on me every time we were in the same room, but he never spoke to me.

I feel an anxiety attack coming on. My breathing becomes shallow, and I start to see spots. Just before everything goes black, the last thought that goes through my head is… how many more lies have I been told?