The Lycan Queen

Chapter Two

Thea stepped across the brick road that led through the small town, ignoring the party that her mother hosted. The walk was nice, but she longed to be in the forest, running against the trees. The women could be seen passing through the streets, the little boy in tow. Thea approached them, watching the boy struggle against the women around him. Offering her hand once more, the boy took it, this time smiling up at her. The boy must have been three feet tall, a little older than he looked from a distance. Inhaling sharply she took the boy to her cabin, hoping that no one followed them. She wondered why his pack would leave him, but didn’t dare ask.

“What’s your name?”

“My name is Thea.”

“I’m Virion. Where are we going?”

“Well, you look like you need sleep. The packhouse is fairly full, I figured you could sleep on my couch away from prying eyes,” Thea said.

“You’re very kind,” Virion replied, turning to the sound footsteps behind them.

“King Kira,” Virion whispered, lowering his head as he bowed low.

Kira smiled down at the boy, taking a step toward him and patting his head.

“Would you like to sleep in the pack house?” Kira questioned.

Virion shook his head, just as Arius approached them, his face contorting into a dark glare. “What are you doing with him?”

“I’m taking him to my cabin so he can get some sleep,” Thea responded.

“You’re going to let him sleep in the same house with you? He already attacked you,” Arius whispered, shifting on his feet.

“I didn’t realize you were so concerned about me.”

“Alpha’s daughter.”

“Well, thanks for the concern anyways,” Thea whispered.

Kira approached her, placing a hand on her shoulder, ignoring Arius’s angry glare. Virion watched the exchange, falling to the ground with tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry for attacking you!” Virion exclaimed, dirt covering his teary eyes.

“It’s fine. It was just a misunderstanding,” Thea whispered, her hand extending to lift the child up. “For now, it’s time to get you to sleep.”

Thea helped him up and led her back to her cabin, Kira on her heels. “You don’t have to escort us home.”

“Are you taking the boy in as your own?”

Virion looked up at her, tears still falling from his eyes. “I miss my family.”

“Where are they?” Thea questioned.

Virion shook his head. Kira took Thea’s hand. “The Crimson pack was killed,” Kira whispered.

Thea nodded, “He’s staying with me.”

Kira nodded, his lips a straight line. “Well, I’ll be staying with you as well.”

“No, you won’t.”

“Look, I didn’t cause a scene at your packs little get together. I greeted everyone with a smile plastered across my face, just as you did. You and I are the same.”

“Look, I’m twenty-two years old. I never found my mate and I didn’t want to. I want to live my life freely and I can’t do that, especially as a luna, much less the luna of King Kira.”

“I’ll let this go for tonight, but we will discuss it in the morning.”

Thea nodded, ignoring the pain in her chest. “Just reject me and get it over with.”

“That’s something that I cannot do,” Kira whispered, a growl rising from his chest.

Thea turned away from him and walked through the many people aching to see the king of the region. Virion grasped her hand tightly, watching the groups of people that passed by them, fear plastered on his face. “Why don’t you want to be luna?”

“There are many reasons, reasons that you wouldn’t understand.”

“My mommy used to say that there is a thin line between reasons and excuses.”

“Your mommy sounds like she knew what she was talking about,” Thea whispered as they approached the cabin.

The door hung open, light pouring out of the windows. “Wait here,” Thea instructed. Virion nodded.

Thea walked into her home. The floor was littered with papers and books, her bookshelf was on the floor, the trapdoor that hid beneath it opening to a small basement flung open. A collection of scents filled her nostrils. They’re still here, Thea thought. The door closed behind her, two men pulled themselves out of the hole that was her basement, another stood by the door. Thea steeled herself, watching the men circle around her.

“So, where’s the boy?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Thea whispered.

“Look, it’s us or you. The odds are we’ll win that fight,” one of the men said, the long scar that ran across his face moved as he talked, yellow eyes focused on her.

“This doesn’t have to end in a bloodbath.”

“We just want the boy. We’ll leave after you hand him over.”

Thea nodded, her lips curved down in mock thought. “I still don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Trmin, get her, we’ll take her to camp.”

A large male with skin the same color as hers walked toward her, but Thea sidestepped, ignoring his large hands and lifting her knee to meet his nose. The other two jumped into action both grabbing her arms and legs and lifting her off the floor. Thea’s legs, less secure than her arms, kicked the man off of her, used her legs to push off him and knock the other against the wall. The man at her back lost his grip and released her. Thea grabbed the man with the scar off and dragged him outside, throwing him from the porch in one swing. Trmin, the man with a dark complexion, ran out the door, his feet pounding on the ground beneath him. Thea dodged him, grabbed his arm and climbed on his back, taking a bite from his throat. Trmin fell, blood spouting from the wound. The other two males circled her, watching the red liquid pool around their dying friend’s face.

The man with the scar charged, but something stopped her, pulling him back away from her. Thea’s eyes met Kira’s, a disapproving look flashing in her eyes. “Tell your alpha that he won’t touch anyone in this pack,” Kira whispered, dropping the man to the ground. The man collected himself from the floor and dashed into the woods, his follower not far behind.

“I had that,” Thea hissed.

“I was just trying to help,” he responded, shoulders meeting his ears.

“This. This is the reason I don’t want a mate. I want freedom. I want a life where I can go out on my own and make something that is my own.”

“You’re taking on a kid. Do you think that won’t slow you down?”

“I--I don’t know. I can train him. I can go out to protect him. As a luna I won’t have that option. I’ll be expected to take care of the women and children. That’s not how I want to live my life. I know it shames my family, but I’m doing what’s best for us,” she said, glancing at Virion who peeked out of hiding next to the porch.

Kira ran a large hand through his slicked back black hair. “You expect me to do what? Reject you?”

“I expect you and whatever men you brought with you to our cozy little home to find out how they got past our patrols. This is a little more serious than you finding your mate,” Thea scolded.

“I’ll get right on that, princess,” Kira responded, his voice dripping with frustration.

“Do not call me princess.”

Kira chuckled, walking across the village. Virion walked out and grabbed her hand. Thea smiled down at him and took it before following Kira through the crowd. The one person she trusted to watch her back was Arius, deep down she knew she could trust him to protect Virion. Thea walked through the street, the party that was thrown in the meeting hall was still in full swing. She knew there was a chance that Arius had gone back to the party, but she didn’t want to put herself through any more awkward encounters with suitors that her parents had tried to set her up with when she never found a mate, if they knew she had finally found him they would be ecstatic, but she had no intention of telling them.

Arius walked out of the hall, the top two buttons of his black shirt were untouched, a woman in a blue dress hung off of him. The woman was tall, blonde, and obviously looking for a good time. Thea raised her hand and waved him over. Arius quickly released the woman and approached her without a second glance at the blonde behind him. “Still wearing the dress. You look nice.”

“Thanks, but I didn’t come here to discuss my attire. I need your help watching him while I find the guys who broke into my home,” Thea said, her tone a frustrated whine.

“If you watch him I can take care of that.”

“No, I need to finish what I started. Go to my place, lock yourselves inside. Have Tristan move the body that’s sitting in front of my house.”

“Body?” Arius questioned, his eyebrows knitted together.

“I took one down. If Kira hadn’t interrupted me the other two would already be dead.”

“That son of b***h let them get away! What if they come back with reinforcements?”

“Then I’ll handle them as well. Fighting is my specialty after all,” Thea whispered, raising her free hand and gently punching Arius’s arm.

Arius nodded, “I’ll take the little one. What do you plan on doing with him after you get back?”

“Virion will be living with me. He needs a stable home and I know that I can protect him.”

“When you find a mate what will he say?”

Thea grimaced, “Does it matter?”

Arius shook his head before turning to face Virion. “Looks like my plans for tonight are cancelled. Let’s go kid.”

Virion tightened his grip on Thea’s hand. Thea gave a small nod, “He won’t hurt you. If he does he’ll have to deal with me.”

Arius chuckled, “What’s your plan?”

“I’m going to track them down before they come back for him. I’ll follow the two of you to my place, then we’ll go our separate ways. If Kira comes looking for me please cover--”

“I know. I’ve got you. The cabin isn’t too far away is it?”

“You’ve forgotten already?”

“Just making small talk,” Arius whispered. “I couldn’t forget where you live even if I wanted to.”

Thea rolled her eyes, “Funny coming from someone who makes fun of my ability in the field.”

“I will never make fun of what you do in the bedroom. You know when you do that--”

Thea coughed, trying not to chuckle. Part of her wanted to tell him that Kira was her mate, but she knew that would break their relationship. She and Arius would always have a connection, she just wasn’t ready to taint it with the truth. Their whole relationship had been built on secrets and lies, but they had moved past the issues that had popped up with their relationship, now it was coming back to haunt her. Her parents would find eventually, but they had kept their affair quiet. Arius had moved on to sleeping with a new woman every night, while she focused on the war that raged between the regional packs. Thea knew that Kira only appeared to make peace between the packs, but she wasn’t interested in their new discovery.

“Don, I think we should talk,” Thea whispered.

“What is there to talk about? We made our peace months ago.:

“You don’t seem to be doing so well.”

“If I’m honest, the months you spent away took a toll on me, but I knew that you would eventually find a mate. I wasn’t your mate, I can’t be with you and you can’t be with me. Your parents made all of that clear,” Arius responded.

“I didn’t tell you why they sent me away.”

“Does it really matter?”

“If you knew, you would understand.”

“No, I wouldn’t. When you left you never texted me, called, hell you didn’t even write me a letter. So, no, I wouldn’t understand,” Arius declared, his red eyes filled with a quiet anger. “Virion, let’s go.”

The cabin door was closed, Kira sat on the steps waiting for her. “If I don’t come back, take care of him.”

Arius nodded, brushing past Kira with a tired looking Virion in his arms. Kira stood and took cautious steps toward her, but Thea turned her attention to the body that still littered the ground. Kira glanced at her, ignoring her annoyance. “Just leave this to a pro,” Thea whispered, wiping a single tear, the only thing that remained from her conversation.

“You’re planning on seeing if you can follow them to their pack, but you’ll need back-up.”

“If I wanted help I’d ask Arius for it. He’s the only person I trust with my life.”

“Well, I hope one day you will learn to trust me,” Kira responded. “But until that day comes I’ll just have to follow you around like a lost puppy.”

“Do what you must,” Thea responded, before turning toward the woods a few feet from the forest.

Clouds drifted over the moon, blocking any light that would normally shine through the trees. Thea sighed, sniffed the air and released a heavy exhale. The scent was gone, she had wasted her time and knew that there was nothing she could do. Kira shrugged, a smirk pulling at his lips. She could attack him here and no one would know, but if they found out her whole family would be exiled. All she could do was wait for him to take her up on her offer. Thea turned on her heels and headed back to her cabin, staying three feet behind Kira. This seemed to amuse him, but she didn’t care.

Once she was out of the woods she walked straight to her home and slammed the door open. Arius turned and gave her a pointed glare, pointing at the sleeping child that resided on her sofa. Kira was behind her, watching the exchange, but he didn’t interrupt them. Arius stood from the table, checked his phone, and nodded. “Looks like my plans are still a go. I’ll see you around, princess,” Arius declared, not looking at her as he exited the small space.

“Do you want me to stay?” Kira questioned.

“I’m a light sleeper. I can take care of this on my own.”

Kira nodded and stepped out the door. “Well, I’ll be around until the war is over. So, I guess you’ll be seeing more of me.”

With that the door closed and Thea was left in the quiet confines of her home. Thea took quiet steps and approached the couch, placed her hand on Virion’s head and whispered, “Welcome home.”