The Alphas Queen

The Visit

Lily paced up and down the corridor of her throne room as she muttered to herself, her head shaking as she thought about everything she had just heard.

“Mum” Gemma said quietly. Still, Lily paced.

Walking over to her, Nait took a hold of Lily’s arm gently and stopped her movement. Coming out a trance, Lily raised her eyes to look at her son’s face before looking sadly at Gemma and Max.

“I never thought a Vo-Suie would betray….I can’t even say it. How can I believe it?” Lily asked as she and Nait walked to Gemma

Opening her arms to Gemma, Lily hugged her daughter tight as tears escaped and trailed down her face. Gemma quietly sobbed in her mothers arms, her body shaking with emotions as Lily whispered soft words into her ear

“The important thing is that we know” Nait said as she placed a loving hand on Gemma’s head

“Do we though?” Max asked

“What do you mean?” Lily said as both she and Gemma sniffed and moved away from each other

“Is it possible that Conner was lying? I mean his record isin’t really great is it” Max snorted

“No” Gemma said, whipping her eyes “Conner was telling the truth. I felt it. But I do think there’s more to the story”

“Are you sure it’s not you just wanting him to be a good guy as he died?” Max asked her

Shaking her head, Gemma pointed to her heart “When he spoke, I felt it. But I also felt that everything he said; wasn’t true”

“So he lied” Max said, shrugging his shoulders

“No. It was more like, even he believed what he said to be true. And part of it is. But not all” Gemma said with a frown

“That makes no sense” Max said

“The gift of sight” Both Lily and Nait said together

“The what?” Gemma asked

“The gift of sight” Nait explained “it is said, you would have the gift of sight, the power of mind and the right of time. Meaning, you would know when someone is telling the truth, you would be able to read minds and if and when it is appropriate; you would be allowed to use the gift of time only for the RIGHT situation”

“What! Well why can’t I do anything like that just now?” Gemma asked in shock

“Because” Lily said, holding Gemma ’s hand “These are gifts that would develop over time. Coming to full fruition when you are older. The feeling you are describing means you are starting. It must be because you need that gift”

“You just keep getting more powerful” Max expressed in awe

Walking to her, he kissed her forehead. Nait and Lily beamed at her with pride as they all walked together to speak about her growing powers, their minds whittling at the thought of betrayers among them. Sitting down and ordering food, Lily and Gemma spoke about their plans.

“When will you come then?” Lily asked

“In about five hours” Gemma smiled “We just need to pack. Now that Conner’s buried, We gave everyone an extra three days off”

“Really?” Lily asked with a raised eyebrow “And how is Max taking that?”

“Surprisingly well actually” Gemma laughed “Although he seems to seek out Nait a lot more”

“That’s only so I can find better ways to protect you” Max said

Chuckling, Lily and Gemma started to make plans about the three days Gemma and Max would be staying with Lily. WIth Conner’s death and now the revelation of the traitors; the warriors had been given five days off with the sixth day being used for spells and magick training. This allowed Max and Gemma some time away from the academy and were able to spend time with Lily who ached with the separation from her children

“Will you be staying to Nait?” Lily asked her son

“Not until day three” Nait smiled to his mother “You need time with Gemstone yourself. I will of course visit. Max will need something to do when you two are alone. Then I will stay for two nights”

“I really missed this” Lily said tearily “Having my children near me, with me. I would look at all the other mothers who did things with their daughter….I even envied them when they fought”

“Oh mum” Gemma said, hugging her mother “I promise to fight with you at least once so you can experience it”

Laughing, Lily shook her head as food started to be served. Looking at the selection, she picked her favourite until her plate was full

“That must have been hard” Max said “Watching others while your own daughter was away from you. And then seeing her be close to those who were not you”

“At times it was. But I knew it was for the best. I had to keep them safe” Lily explained

“Mum” Gemma said quietly “What happened to her?”

“Her?” Lily asked, confused

“To Lily, my twin” Gemma asked

Lily’s eyes watered, her face pale as she took a deep breath. Seeing the distress on her mother’s face, Gemma held her hands

“Im sorry! You don’t have to -” Gemma started

“No, it ok. You have the right to know” Lily said “When she had her third child, a few months after; she started to become withdrawn, antsy. Nait and I tried to find out why but each time we approached the subject, she would become upset. The day I thought I had enough, I would find out; we were attacked”

“By who? Why?” Gemma asked with a frown

“Goine and a few others. After that night when I put you to sleep; The war’s, the fighting had gradually stopped. Everyone believed you to be dead and the prophecy had started about you coming back. For years it was quiet. Of course you had some fighting here and there; but that initial slaughter no longer happened. It was almost three hundred years before it began again”

“T..th..three hundred?” Gemma whispered in astonishment

“We live a long time Gemstone” Naib chuckled

“Bu..but three...wow ok so Lily had been three hundred years old...even saying that sounds insane!” Gemma laughed

“Yes she had been. The day your father was captured, trying to protect Lily was a few years after. I had been on my way with Nait to speak to her. Determined we would find out what was going on. But as we got to the cottage Lily shared with her children; we came across Goine and a few of his followers attacking her” Lily explained

“Wait, so my sister didn’t live here? With you?” Gemma asked

“No” Lily sighed. “Lily had a son and then a daughter with her wolf mate Aaron. Aaron was a gentle soul but also, later; we learned that he had a mix of elf. It was his elf side that caused his death. He was given a nightshade flower, very deadly to him. Mixed in his food at a celebration he attended without Lily”

“Oh no” Gemma whispered, her appetite gone

“His death changed Lily. She became withdrawn, quiet. She felt like she couldn’t live at the palace even though we all expressed otherwise. She left and took the children with her. When we found out about Aaron’s mixed heritage, we realised that the children weren’t immortal. For Three years Lily went into a shell until one day she turned up at the palace...four months pregnant”

Gemma gasped “Who was the father?”

“She didn’t tell us. All she said was that he was someone who had helped her move on and bring light to her otherwise closed mind. Even when her son was born; she never told us. To this day, we still don’t know” Lily sighed “Aki was only two years old when once again, Goine and his minions attacked. They became obsessed with finding you”

“Think Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses. The king who had all the baby boy’s killed when Moses was born” Nait explained

“Ohhhh...oh no” Gemma said sadly

“Yes. They scoured the land, the earth for you and all the different realms. The killed, not caring who it was. If you weren’t with them, you were against them and that meant death. We had arrived at the cottage and Lily...my poor darling Lily was fighting; trying to protect her children. Your father and I immediately stepped in, fighting and helping your sister. Nait helped take down most of Goine’s men; but not before they tore a hold into your sister with some sort of black substance”

“Oh god! I know what that is! He did that to Conner too!” Gemma cried out

“Yes. Nait told me. Your sister was so hurt and in pain but as an immortal, she couldn’t die as her body cut open then repaired itself, over and over” Lily said, covering her sob with her hand “As Nait tried to find a way to help her, your father and I fought more and more demons. Your father was hurt, A demon managed to get a claw into your fathers side, a short nail gap away from the heart. Nait ran to him, sure your sister was safe. After all, she had used her own power of shielding to stop anything from getting to her. Only…”

“Only?” Gemma asked

“We heard the shattering of glass and a painful scream. We saw her oldest son, standing above her with Goine and a demon who had ripped out her heart from her chest” Lily cried

“NO!” Gemma gasped, pain exploding from within

“The only way to kill an immortal is to rip out our hearts and to crush it. Goine did that. Grinding it into powder before turning on her son and killing him too. Each of you children reside in your fathers heart as a string of strength. Losing Lily weakened him. Remember, he wasn’t an immortal but a Wolf, and Alpha king of kings. My mating him and our children gave him his immortality. You’re string wasn’t fully active, so he was sustained by Nait and Lily. When Lily died, he became weak. I gave him some of my immortality, prolonging his life but not indefinitely. I was giving him some of my immortality when I was attacked, by a hooded female” Lily explained

“Who?” Max asked, eyebrows raised

“I don’t know. Her face and body was covered. If it hadn’t been for the femine boots and nails, I wouldn’t have been able to tell if it was a man or woman” Lily sniffed

“As mum fought off that person, I was fighting Goine. I almost had him when mum cried out and I saw dad being transported away. Ever since then, he has been held captured and we have tried to find him” Nait said sadly

“Dad’s been captive for almost seven hundred years?” Gemma asked in shock

Nait nodded and Lily agreed with sadness. Gemma sniffed, knowing how atune she was with Max. To lose him, to be so far away and for so long wasn’t even thinkable. Gemma shuddered in fear and Max wrapped his body around his mate, giving her the comfort of his body.

“How do we get dad back?” Gemma asked Nait

“Now that you have started unlocking your powers, we may be able to find him. But it won’t be easy” Nait said

“I still want to try” Gemma pleaded

Lily cried out, her eyes watering at the possibility of her mate, her husband being back beside her after so long. Hugging Gemma and Nait, Lily sat back down and resumed eating

“Enjoy two days of rest here first. When I come to stay, we will work on it then” Nait said with a smile, lifting a fork full or lasagne

Max passed a plate full of fish finger sandwiches to Gemma and sat beside her with his own, feeding her small portions of other food with his own fork as she ate what she preferred. Lily looked at them, a smile forming on her face as she saw how Max was with her daughter; her mind wandering to a time and place long before now; when her own mate loved her like this. Even now, she saw Maxsius present, his body slightly tense, curved in protectively beside his mate, prepared for an attack. Malakaie was present in Max’s eyes. The silver orbs took in the room and its inhabitants while making sure his mate ate a balanced meal and not just fish sandwiches. Sighing in contentment, Lily looked at Nait who also looked both sad and happy when looking at Gemma and Max

What’s wrong? Lily asked him through their mind-link

I’m losing her before I even have a chance to be a brother Nait replied sadly

You will always be her blood, her brother and she will always need you. You are no less a person to her Lily explained

I know. I always had wished we weren’t such a powerful bloodline. Then I wouldn’t have lost my sisters to it. I would be pulling my hair out because they both would have been playing some sort of prank or another. Instead, I have lost one sister and the other is constantly in danger. Nait smiled, his eyes betraying his pain

My love. You will get to be that brother. Maybe not with Lily, but with Gemma. Once this is over; we will be a family again and there will come a time when the everyday will be so mundane that you will question if this war ever really happened Lily said in confidence

She has so much to learn, so much pain to still go through Nait said

More betrayer you mean? Lily asked, biting her lip

Looking at the young laughing couple in front of her, she realised they didn’t know that Nait and Lily were communicating

Not just that...don’t mother, don’t cry or tear up. It will worry her. There’s nothing we can do about it. The Astrid has to go through it. We just have to stay strong for her. I just wish I could take it away for her, be the one to shoulder the burden Nait smiled as he ate his food.

Lily nodded, her thoughts turning the same way; worrying about what else her soft hearted daughter would need to go through

                               --------------------------------------------------------------------

Over the two days Max and Gemma stayed with Lily in the palace, Lily fulfilled all her desires of having a daughter. Max was content to sit back, letting Gemma and Lily have their time as the mother and daughter explored their relationship. Late night talks, spa treatments, trying on clothes and laughing. Always laughing together, hugging and being together as they should have been had they had a chance all those years ago. It was on the second night that Gemma experience blinding pain as she laughed along to another story about Lily and Nait as children. The pain so severe that Gemma held her hands to her head, shouting out as her nose started to bleed. Max and Nait rushed into the room, their bodies poised for a battle until Nait realised what had happened. As he picked up Gemma, she screamed before collapsing into his arms

Gemma looked around her as she tried to work out what was going on. The floors were dirty, cobbled and damp. The walls were bare bricks, most with stains or bricks worn away with time. Frowning, she looked around

“Mum….Nait...Max…..Where are you guys?” Gemma asked

Even her voice sounded different. So distorted and echoey. The scones on the wall were a dirty brown, the fires burning brightly. As she walked by a window, she saw bars on them, her heart rate escalating as she realised that it looked like a dungeon. As she walked further, her hands solidified then melted away. She felt like she was dizzy, the things in front of her merging and twisting as if she was on a ride. At the end of the long corridor, she saw a door and walked towards it. When she turned the knob, it wouldn’t open nor did it when she pushed it.

She didn’t know why but her heart rate accelerated, her body felt clammy. Just as she gave up and took a few steps away from the door, she heard voices. Gemma panicked, looking left and right; trying to find a hiding space but saw none. The door opened and out walked three men, dressed in jeans and t-shirt, laughing among themselves at a story one was telling. Gemma stood still as she watched them, their eyes on each other, their bulky frames attesting to their shifter heritage. As they walked towards her, one of them froze and looked dead straight towards Gemma and growled before sniffing.

“Do you smell that?” The red head said

“What is it?” The one with the beard said

“I don’t know but I do know it shouldn’t be here” the redhead said and they all walked towards Gemma

Gemma gasped, her hands raised to defend herself when she looked at them in confusion. It was only when they neared her that she realised that they couldn’t see her! That was confirmed when they went through her, as if she was a ghost. The only thing they felt was a shift in the air. Gemma felt their mental stability; their impure thoughts and greed. She tasted their evilness and knew that they should have been put down rather than allowed to walk free. Shuddering once they left, Gemma ran for the door just as it nearly closed and concentrated on the door remaining open, allowing her to slip between it and stand on the landing before the staircase.                                                                                                                        Gemma walked down the spiraling, stone staircase; her shoes silent as she took each step. She gasped when she reached the bottom, the smell of body odor and feces. Feeling the need to vomit, Gemma held her nose as she walked along the corridor, her eyes looking around to make sure nothing and no one could see her. The first two cells were empty. But the one after on either side held captives. As she walked past each cell, she started to feel their energy. While most of the captives were bad or had done heinous crimes; she went past two cells where each had two people. Pure people. Good people. And one of them was a human!

Gemma gasped and the the shifters who were in lying about in their dirty clothes, suddenly glanced up

“What? What is it?” The human female asked

“There’s something there. Something….powerful!” the male wolf with her said

“I sense it too!” The female shifter in the other cell said “I...it feels like a good power. A pure thing. It’s so raw...the energy”

Gemma walked past them quickly, her head unable to understand what was happening. She saw another corridor and walked through it. Unlike the last, this one had no cells; only very long walls and corridors. Sure she was going the wrong way, she almost decided to turn back when she felt it. Power. Raw power and magnetism, pulling her in that direction….The smell of sea salt and pine. Gemma hurried along, her heart rate picking up, her other two being finally chipping in, urging her to find this power.

As she walked towards the end of the corridor, only one large cell was there and Gemma stopped in front of it, her eyes wide. There was a man, his frame big….like Dwane Jhonson big! Chained in the middle of the cell. Three shelled on each hand and leg and two large ones around his waist. His head was bent down, his shaggy salt and pepper hair falling about his face and covering it so she could see. His hands were big, his feet were too and they were bare. Most of his clothes were torn off, and while the muscles were there, they looked as if they survived due to being so big, not because they got any nourishment. Gemma took a step forward hesitantly, curious as to who he was. He immediately shifted, his head lifting up, his blue eyes looking around the room. Gemma saw the neck brace that held him in place and she felt sad, knowing he had been like this for many years judging by the markings and bruising.

“Who’s there?” He asked, his gruff voice sending shivers down her back

Gemma held her breath, shocked at how her body reacted to him

“I know you’re there. You can’t hide from me” He growled

Gemma stayed frozen to the spot

Speak! Aurora said

Gemma spoke, telling him who she was but he didn’t seem to hear her, his eyes darting around. Gemma cried out in frustration, her foot stomping the cold floor, causing a small stone to fling itself against the cell bars. Immediately, his eyes looked at it and he smiled

“I knew you were here. Show yourself! Don’t be fooled by my chains. I can still kill you” He threatened with an evil smile

Gemma gasped again, fear coursing through her. She put up a force field around her, her mind wondering who he was and why she was excited and felt a rush of love. Suddenly he gasped, his eyes widening; his breathing erratic. Could he see her now? Gemma took a step forward just as he strained towards her

“Lily” He whispered “My world...my Lily flower!”

“No” Gemma said shaking her head as her two being tried to tell Gemma the truth

“No? Of course you are. How….how are you alive? How...what are you...no...no, I must be hallucinating. They must have mixed something in my water again...the bastards!” He growled.

“No..i...I’m real...I’m here” Gemma whispered back

“No...just a illusion...can’t be” He mumbled to himself

Gemma walked closer and closer until she was in his cell, close enough to feel his power radiating from him along with his anger and hate. Reaching out, unable to help herself; she caressed his face gently, his open mouth shock letting her know he felt her touch even though her hand fell through, like a ghost; through his cheek

“Yo...you’re here...you’re real! I felt it even thou…...Nooo! You can’t be” He said, his voice rising

“I am” Gemma whispered as tears coarse down her face “Dad”

“Lily...How-” He started again

“Not Lily….It’s me dad. It Gemma!” Gemma said as she sobbed

“Gemma! H..has it been a thousand years? You...how...You….I can’t even form a thought!” He cried out

“Where are you dad? Where are we?” Gemma asked

“Why did your mother and brother let you come here?” He growled in anger “Get out of here! Go...leave me” He urgently whispered

“I...don;y know how I got here! But I’m not leaving you” Gemma cried her eyes widening at seeing her real father alive and in front of her

“Gem..Gemstone! My baby girl. My little pup” He cried “You must leave..you must, if your caught…”

“Dad tell me..please! Where are we?” Gemma urged

“Goine’s’ realm. But you won’t be able to pass through here without raising alarms. He’ll know as soon as you step one foot in this place!” He cried out “I’ve seen you, know you are alive. It's enough, I can live the rest of my days knowing you are alive and well. You are so beautiful my little pup. My hands ache to hold you. The last time I did, you were but two days old...please...please...go!”

Gemma cried, her sobs shaking her body. As she opened her mouth to speak to him, her body stiffened, her eyes widened. Her breathing hitched as the air shimmered around her. Suddenly her body bucked, as a shock went through her

“My pup, Gemstone...what’s wrong?” He asked, his eyes wide, his canines poking through “Why am I smelling your pain?”

Before she could answer, another jolt hits her body and she cried out “daddyyyy”

He snarled in anger as he started to move against the chains, fighting with them to try to reach his daughter. His growl of anger, of pain and worry; echoing around the corridor. He snarled in anger when he couldn’t break free, his eyes darting to her and around the room, as if looking for the source of her pain

“Take me! Hurt me but you let her go! You fucker...you let her go! don’t touch or I swear I will tear you apart, limb from limb!” He growled in anger

Suddenly, with a final jolt, Gemma doubled over before disappearing, the sound of her father’s roar the last thing she heard before vanishing from view.

When she opened her eyes, She found herself looking up at Malakaie and Nait’s faces, their worry and tense faces pale.

“Thank f**k! Malakaie said

“Fuckkk” Nait said, startling Gemma as she heard him swear for the first time “I thought we’d lost you” His breath hitched

“Daddy” Gemma sobbed

“What?” Lily asked, coming forward

“I saw daddy….and you took me away from him!” Gemma whispered