Queen’s Strike back

Chapter one

The Bride who refused

Angela’s POV

I took a forceful breath trying to fill my lungs with enough air, my chest ached,my throat was dry and aching. I looked at the tiny window and wondered what day it was. I've been locked in here for God knows how long.

My hands moved weakly to my throat as a loud cough raked my body. I shivered, my bones were like mashed potatoes and my eyes were extremely hot.

They locked me in here for a crime I never committed for something I didn't do, I was framed up and my husband believed it.

My little son Adrian hated me, he was very happy when I was convicted of the false crime and he happily hugged Morticia, just before I was taken to the dungeon.

The image of that moment still haunted me. Adrian's tiny arms wrapped around Morticia's waist. His innocent smile and his cheerful voice. "Mother!"

Not me,not the woman who carried him for nine months,not the woman who nearly died giving birth to him.

Not the woman who stayed awake countless nights when he was sick. Morticia. The woman who stole everything from me.

A painful laugh escaped my cracked lips. How ironic. I had spent five years sacrificing everything for Killian Jenson.

My youth,my pride, everything and in the end, I lost my son too. The cold stone beneath me seemed to grow colder.

The dungeon smelled of mold, blood, and despair. At first, I had screamed for help,I had begged,I had cried and demanded justice but nobody came.

The mate bond that once made me feel cherished had become the chain dragging me toward destruction.

I closed my eyes as memories flooded my mind. The day I met him,the way his golden eyes had locked onto mine.

The promises he whispered beneath the moon,the vows he made. "I will protect you."

"I will love you forever."

"You will be my Luna until my last breath." What a joke. My body trembled violently. I had helped him build everything.

Every successful business,every alliance and every victory. I had stood beside him while everyone mocked him for leading a weak pack.

I had used secret resources from my hidden inheritance to save his failing territory.

I had solved problems he never even knew existed and when he finally rose to power,he threw me away.

The sound of approaching footsteps echoed outside my cell and immediately I forced my swollen eyes open.

Two guards walked past and neither bothered looking at me. To them, I wasn't a former Luna.

I wasn't even a person anymore,I was just a prisoner waiting to die. "Did you hear about tonight's celebration?" one guard asked.

The other laughed. "How could I not? The Alpha spent a fortune on it." My chest tightened. Celebration?

"For Luna Morticia's anniversary." The first guard chuckled. "The entire pack is celebrating."

"She deserves it," the second replied. "The Alpha worships the ground she walks on."

My nails dug into my palms. Anniversary?Morticia always loved attention.

I wondered what dress she was wearing,red perhaps. She always favored red.

A color that matched the blood she spilled.The guards continued walking,their voices slowly faded leaving me alone once again.

I leaned my head against the freezing wall. The stone felt strangely comforting,my body was shutting down and I could feel it.

The fever had worsened days ago,the wounds from repeated beatings never healed properly.

My wolf had stopped responding,even my heartbeat felt weaker. Maybe death wouldn't be so bad.

At least the pain would end. A fresh wave of exhaustion swept over me and I closed my eyes.

For a moment, I imagined another life,a life where I never met Killian,a life where I remained hidden,safe and untouched.

A life where my son loved me. A tear slid down my cheek,then another and soon I was crying silently. Not for myself but for the woman I used to be.

The woman who believed love could conquer everything. How foolish she had been.

The cold grew heavier and my vision blurred,dark spots danced before my eyes. I struggled to breathe,each breath became harder than the last.

My chest burned,my limbs felt numb then suddenly,the mate bond snapped. A sharp pain exploded through my chest.

I gasped. A strangled cry escaped my lips and the pain lasted only seconds but it told me everything.

Killian had officially rejected me,even now,even after destroying my life. He couldn't allow me the dignity of dying as his mate.

Fresh tears filled my eyes,for some reason, that hurt more than the dungeon,more than the beatings,more than the betrayal.

I laughed weakly,the sound was broken. Then I looked up toward the tiny window. Moonlight filtered through the bars.

I smiled. "Moon Goddess..." I whispered. My voice barely existed. "If there is justice..."

I swallowed painfully."If there is any mercy left..." My eyes slowly closed. "Let me never love him again."

The darkness rushed forward,my heartbeat slowed and then I saw total darkness.

I sat upright with a violent gasp,air flooded my lungs,sweet,warm and alive. My hands flew to my chest.

My heart was pounding wildly as I stared at my trembling fingers.

No bruises,no scars,no chains,no blood. For several seconds I couldn't move.

I couldn't think,couldn't breathe, the room around me was bright. Sunlight streamed through enormous windows.

Golden curtains fluttered gently in the breeze,fresh flowers decorated every surface.

Where was I? Has the Moon Goddess granted me heaven?

The door burst open and several maids rushed inside. "Lady Angela!"

"You're awake!"

"We were worried!" One of them laughed nervously. "You almost scared us."

I froze. I knew that voice. I knew these faces,faces I hadn't seen in years. Faces belonging to servants who had worked in the pack before my marriage.

My stomach dropped,this wasn't possible. A maid hurried toward me carrying a white gown. "The ceremony starts soon."

Ceremony?My throat tightened. Another servant smiled brightly.

"You'll finally become Luna today."

Luna..Today. My entire body went rigid. I threw the blanket aside and stumbled toward the nearby desk.

My hands shook violently as I searched through the papers. Then I found it,the date.

Everything around me stopped,my heartbeat thundered inside my ears.

Five years earlier. I stared at the numbers again and again, unable to believe them.

The wedding day. The day I married Killian a strange sound escaped my throat.

The maids exchanged worried looks but I couldn't explain,couldn't tell them.

I wasn't dead,I wasn't dreaming and I had returned. The Moon Goddess had answered me with opportunity and a second chance.

Slowly, I lifted my head. My reflection stared back from the mirror,young,beautiful.

A cold smile spread across my lips,the servants relaxed immediately mistaking it for happiness.

Thinking I was excited to marry Killian if only they knew because while the kingdom prepared for a wedding,I was preparing for something else.