A Ridge Mountain Pack Series Book 5: The Prophecy
Author
Lora De La Cruz
Reads
18.5K
Chapters
45
According to Prophecy, the Vampire King will sacrifice an Alpha, and two hundred days later, the great war will begin. Selene is the Queen of the Werewolves, the one the prophecy deems the greatest queen of all time, and who has been chosen to defeat the Vampire King and save not just the werewolves but the world from the Vampire's wrath. Five days before the 200th day, Selene gives birth to the heir to the throne. Will Selene’s powers and alliances help her or betray her? Who can she trust when she’s up against the greatest evil she’s ever seen? Will the war end their rule, or will Selene succeed in destroying the Vampire King?
Chapter 1: The Prophecy
SELENE
It is the eve of Derek Cinder’s rise to the position of alpha. Andre has informed me that his people have reported no issues and that the transition in the pack was peaceful.
A phone call from my brother Max follows soon after, stating that he has witnessed the transition of power and that all is well.
I heave a sigh of relief and push myself back from my desk. I have been poring over financials for hours, trying to remember exactly which accounts I am required to check today. I check them all to make sure I haven’t missed anything.
I look at the clock. It is well after dinnertime. One of the omegas dutifully brought me a plate after I said I would not make it to dinner; it’s still waiting on the desk, cold now. I scarf down my food and continue to pore over my work.
Andre stopped by earlier and gave me an update, then kissed my head before rushing off to manage an issue he is supposed to handle. This being-queen business is no joke. I rub my eyes, feeling fully ready to leave this day behind.
“I’m surprised you are still here working, my queen,” a husky voice says from the shadows.
My head snaps to the corner where he stands. “How the hell did you get in here?” I ask.
“Oh, I have my ways. For one, I’m fast. It would be so easy to kill your guards, you know.”
He steps from the shadows to reveal himself to me. There he stands, his bright eyes and slicked-back hair making him look like a young James Dean. He wears expensive black slacks that hug his body and a white button-up shirt, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
“Lazarus,” I spit. “What are you doing here?”
“Well, my queen, I have come to inquire if you would care to take me up on my offer.” He raises an eyebrow as he strides forward, stopping when he reaches the wingback chair in front of my desk.
“I told you already, I am mated and would never consider your offer. I suggest you leave, Lazarus, before I kill you.” I want to be sure he knows exactly where I stand on the matter. I feel a tickle in my brain and push it away.
Lazarus looks surprised. “Oh, I see you have a strong mind.” He stands staring at me for a moment longer before he speaks again. “I could kill you. You know that, I’m sure.”
“But you won’t,” I tell him assuredly. “I’m too valuable, and you know it.”
“Indeed.” He tilts his head, his eyes assessing me. I watch as his nostrils flare. “Oh, I see.”
I do not reply; I just stand, waiting for the opportunity to attack. He sniffs the air some more and then smiles. “With pup, are you? This changes things, I suppose. Although I had hoped that you and I could sire a child. They would be the most powerful being ever to exist. But you aren’t after power, are you?” he asks.
“No, I’m not.”
“You didn’t even want to be queen. I can see that. I can feel that. It is strange how I’m so drawn to you, a warm-blooded creature as you are.” He taps his hand on the back of the chair. “I want you, Selene, like I have never wanted anything. I want us to rule the world together. We could, you know.”
I squint at him, my anger growing by the second. I am sure Andre can feel how angry I am and will be tearing around the corner at any moment. I cannot let this vampire near my husband. I am sure he will try to kill him. “You need to leave,” I say. “I will kill you, Lazarus, make no mistake.”
The vampire king looks at me and smiles. “Is that what your prophecy tells you, my dear?”
“I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“Don’t you, though? I’m very old, Selene. I have been around for an exceptionally long time. I have read the books that your previous king locked away from prying eyes. I know all about who and what you are. I know about the supposed war to come. You know what else I know?”
I stare at him, not wanting to be drawn into his games.
“I know where Alpha Damien is. Would you like to know as well?”
“I would like to know why you bit Luna Amara and filled her head with nonsense,” I spit at him. “As far as Alpha Damien goes, he can rot in hell for all I care.”
“Why on earth would I bite that woman?” he asks with a very sincere snarl. “I have zero use for her.”
“What? Of course you bit her. She was found in the cabin in the woods, acting out of her mind. She had been bitten.”
“Interesting.” He looks as though he is deep in thought for a brief moment, then waves his hand in the air. “It’s of no consequence. It was not me, but I am fairly certain I know who it was. Do you want your alpha back or not?” he asks quickly.
“I do not.” I inform him of this with complete conviction.
“Well then, that is settled at least. In the meantime, I will leave you be. While you are breeding with that dog, I will wait for your pup to be born, and then we will have our moment, Selene. I do not believe in harming the innocent, but I will have no hesitation about getting what I want from you. Very soon. You will see.”
He is gone in the blink of an eye. My hand rests on my abdomen as my heart flutters with sudden fury and fear all at once. I can hardly stand. I sink into my seat and lay my head on my forearm on top of the desk.
“My love, what has happened?” Andre’s voice comes to me from the doorway as he walks in. “I came as quickly as I could, but was on the other side of the training grounds. Is everything all right?”
“He was here, Andre.” I raise my head. “Lazarus. He knows about the baby, and he most definitely has Alpha Damien. I’m not sure what we do now. I don’t know how he got in here. Our security has to be better.”
Andre rushes to my side and drops to his knees in front of me. He takes my hands in his and kisses them. “We will figure this out. What did he say?”
“He said he would leave me alone until the baby was born, because he doesn’t hurt the innocent. He will be back, though, I’m sure of it. He wants us to rule the world together; that’s what he said.” I shiver, and Andre pulls me into his arms.
“It won’t happen. We will hunt him down. My father says he knows someone who can help with this problem. The key is drawing Lazarus out and figuring out what his plan is so that we can kill him.”
“Isn’t it hard to kill a vampire?” I ask.
“Yes, but there is a way, and we will make sure that we do exactly what is needed. You will fulfill the prophecy, and you will be the greatest queen ever to live.” Andre sounds so sure of it, and I want to believe him.
“How can you be so sure? What if he kills me? What if he kills you?”
“He won’t. The Moon Goddess has said as much. Now what did he say about Damien?”
“He asked if I wanted to know where he was. I told him that, basically, he could rot in hell.”
My cell phone vibrates on my desk. I reach over and pick it up. It is Jaydon. I quickly answer. “Is he dead?” Jaydon’s voice is rapid and hushed. “Do you know if Alpha Damien is dead?”
“I…I don’t. Why?”
“Luna Amara said he is. She feels that their bond has shattered. She’s literally on the floor in the infirmary screaming that he is dead.”
“Oh.”
“Selene? Do you know something?” Jaydon asks.
“Well,” I sigh. “Perhaps Lazarus killed him.”
“The vampire king?”
“Yes, one and the same. He was here and asked if I wanted to know where Alpha Damien was. I said no, he can rot in hell. He decided that was exactly where he should be as well.”
“Oh, my Goddess,” Andre says. He can clearly hear the other half of the conversation since he is so close.
Just then, there is a knock on my door. I haven’t even realized that Andre has closed the door; that’s how distracted I have been. Andre calls for them to enter, and two guards walk in, looking extremely pale. “Your Majesties, there’s a situation in the courtyard you should see.”
“What is it?” Andre asks.
I still have Jaydon on the line and ask him to wait a moment. I turn to look at the guards, giving them a nod to continue. “There is a dead man,” one of them begins. “He’s hanging upside down from the light pole in the circle drive.”
“It’s not just a dead man,” the other says. “I believe it’s that alpha from the States that you were all looking for; it sure looks like him.” He swallows hard. “There is more, though.”
“What is it?” I snap, getting impatient with these two. They are part of the royal guard; they should not be faint of heart.
“He’s drained of all his blood; his neck is slit from one side to the other, and his blood was drained into a bucket beneath him.”
“Oh my God.” I sit down again, feeling lightheaded. “Lazarus did this.” I close my eyes and take a deep breath.
“We will be right there,” Andre tells the men. “Make sure no one leaves the area and have the camera room locked down tight in case we need to look at footage.”
“Your Majesties.” They bow quickly and run back down the hallway, leaving us alone.
“This could be my fault,” I tell Andre. “I told him I didn’t care. Truthfully, I don’t, but what about Amara? What if her wolf gives up?”
“Seriously, from what I’ve heard, her wolf will be elated to be free of him,” Andre says. “Is your brother still on the phone?” he asks, noticing that I still have my cell clutched in my hand.
“Oh.” I put it back to my ear. “Jaydon?”
“I heard everything,” Jaydon says in my ear. “Don’t worry about Amara. We will handle her. She will be fine. Honestly, he’s one last loose end we don’t need to worry about. You take care of yourself and get that security up to speed there.”
“Of course, Jaydon,” I murmur. We say our goodbyes and hang up.
“This is it, Andre, just as the prophecy stated. A man will be sacrificed in the name of the Nosferatu. It reads that two hundred days later, the Great War would begin.” I stare at Andre, waiting for him to acknowledge it.
“I know, Selene. I read it as well.”
“This means we must prepare for war,” I tell him.
“So it would seem, my queen.” He kisses my cheek and stands. “We have to deal with the body, and then tomorrow we begin our preparations for war. We ensure there is a safe place for you and the baby, and we train our troops for battle. After the birth of our son, you will bring down the Nosferatu, and the war will be over.”
I stare at Andre as I try to recall exactly what is in the script. My mate has an excellent memory, one which has only improved with our mating and my power transferring into him.
“You are right. We prepare for war, and we win.” I stand from my chair and take my mate’s hand. We walk from my office and begin the first step prophesied for the beginning, so that ultimately the day will come for me to end Lazarus. If the books are right, Lazarus will soon see his final true death.
