The Lycan Queen

Twisted Lies

"Mhmmm." I groaned as I grabbed my head, it was pounding. I narrowly opened my eyes, trying to take in my surroundings. I could see I was inside of some kind of tent.

"Oh goddess no!" I thought, "Have I been captured?" I quickly assessed my wrists and ankles. No bindings. Oh, thank goodness! I breathed a sigh of relief. Then I heard a chuckle from the doorway of the tent. I glanced up quickly to see Ajax standing there with an incredibly amused expression on his face.

"Did you think you had been kidnapped?" He taunted.

"What did you do?!" I growled at him sternly trying to stand to confront him, but my knees buckled from under me.

"Woah Woah Woah. Sit down, my sweet, you are exhausted. I did nothing at all. You did everything all on your own," he explained.

"Why are you still so bewildered by me?! I rejected you! " I asked, too shameful to admit that I felt the sadness within and the bond still partially intact.

"Vampires do not feel the mate bond like a wolf does. I imagine that ordeal hurt you quite a bit? Nevertheless, my dear, I will never accept your rejection." His lips curled into a sly grin.

"Ugh." I scoffed. "What happened to my army?" I questioned, anger lacing my tone.

"Yes, your army. About that, you might want to eat and gain your strength back so I can just show you instead of even trying to explain something I don't even understand." He looked at me with a confused look on his face and left the tent. He returned shortly after with what I could smell was a burnt cut of venison.

"Forgive my cooking, as you can imagine, it's not very often that I cook." He scratched the back of his neck and placed the plate of meat at the foot of my bed. I grabbed the plate and devoured it. I hadn't realized how hungry I was.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"My battle camp." He paused for a moment. "It was a precautionary measure. It's a good thing we built it really, it's come in handy for you at least." He chuckled once again, causing me to roll my eyes at his response.

"Remind me, again. Why haven't I ripped your head from your body?" I gave a low growl, to which he just laughed at my response. He eyed me carefully.

"Do you think you can stand?" He asked, to which I shrugged my shoulders. Only one way to find out, I thought. I stood up off

the bed, my legs were a little shaky but I soon got my bearings. Opening my arms to prove to Ajax that I could stand.

"Right then, you'd better follow me." Then he gestured for me to follow him.

-

We walked from the camp and through the forest back towards the battlefield. We didn't really talk much on the way there and, to be honest, I was amazed he carried me all this way. With the walk there being so silent, I took the chance to make sure Saph was alright.

" Saph, are you there?" I linked her. "I'm here Rory, I'm just worn out. You drew on more of my power than I even realized I had." Came a groggy voice from Sapphire in my mind.

"I'm sorry Saph, I don't know what happened. You get back to resting and link me when you're feeling better." I cut our link off, letting her rest.

"Nearly there now." Ajax alerted me, grabbing my attention.

"I hope you have some answers for me when we get there," he added. I looked at him puzzled. I had no idea what he was referring to. As we walked a little further I could see the morning sun rise, peaking through the gaps in the tree line, but wait, the trees looked as if they were lying down with their tops low to the ground. As we climbed our way past them, nothing could have prepared me for the sight before my eyes. The battlefield lay in a frozen state, as if a picture had been taken capturing a moment in time but freezing that moment in real life. Ajax turned to look at my expression, which was clearly one of great shock and confusion.

"Judging by your face, that's my answer out the window then." He joked. I dismissed him completely as I stood staring out into the field in awe.

I walked out onto the battle field where our armies were entangled in battle but completely frozen in time. Wolves suspended in the air in a stance to attack vampires below them, some with vampires already locked between their jaws. Vampires with their dreaded death grips around some of the wolves under their bellies. The dead were laid out on the floor below. I walked through the frozen scene before me, I came across Ezra with his jaws wide open in a stand-off with a vampire, ready to lock his jaws around the vampire's neck. I ran my hand along Ezra's black silky fur, so soft and still warm. I could feel the life within him yet he was completely frozen still. I continued walking around the frozen battle before me and my heart wrenched to see Vixen caught in a death grip by a vampire. Vixen was Lilith's wolf. She had the most beautiful golden fur coat with a white streak down her nose. I attempted to pry the vampires' grip from her but they were stiff like stone. I turned to find Ajax on the battlefield across from me, curiously walking through the battle admiring the sight before him.

" What happened?" I called over to him and started to venture towards me.

"You happened, Aurora. It was quite magnificent and beautiful whilst terrifying all at the same time." He explained.

"I don't know how I did this, how do I bring them back?" He just looked at me with a blank expression across his face and shrugged his shoulders. He took a step closer to me, reaching his hand out to touch my cheek. I slapped his hand away from me before he could touch me.

"This is your fault, Ajax. What on Earth were you thinking? That I would just disregard the war and fall happily into your arms! You know yourself the lives that have been lost during these dark times for exactly that reason! A mate bond between a vampire and a werewolf is forbidden and punishable by death if acted upon! I want nothing to do with you. Accept my rejection!" I snapped at him with venom in my tone.

"My fault? It isn't my fault that you cannot handle your own emotions, Aurora. Besides, your realm started this war in the first place. If King Edward had just left my great-great grandfather and his Queen to rule our realm, none of this would have happened. Your kind are warped! I thought respecting the mate bond was everything to your kind and if it was so forbidden, then why does your Moon Goddess bless your wolves with these bonds for our kind!" He hissed at me.

"Lies!" I roared! "Your King tried to steal our Luna instead of doing the respectable thing and rejecting her as she was already mated for life! No one knows why the moon Goddess does what she does but we all know the bonds should be rejected " I bellowed. My anger began to rise.

"Your people have warped the entire story, constantly fueling a lie to keep our people at war for so many years! Do you know that so many of your kind live peacefully within my boarders with their mates! Your laws are corrupt! You have been dragged up with nothing but lies and immoral reasoning in your head!" He spat at me. I stood back from him trying to gather my thoughts so my emotions and powers wouldn't get the best of me again. I had no idea just what I was capable of anymore and the thought frightened me a little. I glared at Ajax, pushing the mate bond as far from my mind as I could. I did not want anything to do with this filthy lying vampire.

"See reason, Aurora!" He pleaded. "King Edward never had a bond with your Luna. Their marriage was arranged for nothing but power. Her fated mate was my great great grandfather, King Victor. Edward couldn't handle the fact that she was going to leave his realm and rule along side her chosen mate. He knew it would show weakness as an Alpha to his realm and expose the fact that their fated bond was nothing but a sham lie!" He glared into my eyes, the anger evident in his voice. I scoffed at him, no longer wanting to entertain his delusions.

"I will not let you get into my head, Ajax. You spew nothing but twisted lies." I growled under my breath.

"You wolves are such stubborn and hard-headed creatures. It's no wonder your Luna wanted to be with her chosen mate in our realm." He crossed his arms and turned his back to walk away. Rage ripped through me at his sour words and, without thinking much about it, I threw him across the field and into one of his frozen subjects. A resounding crash came as he smashed against his frozen soldier. It was like watching him hit a brick wall and I burst into laughter.

"Oh you wanna play like that do you?" He muttered under his breath as he spun and flashed towards me with his fangs and claws out ready to attack. I gave a slight grin as I forced myself into a shift, tearing my clothes, revealing Sapphire's pure white fur coat with silver flecks. She bowed her head and butted him high into the air, causing him to hit the ground with a loud thud. She shook her coat after being quite pleased with herself.

"Is that all you've got, Saph?" I linked and shifted again as she gave me back control.

"I am not willing to hurt our mate." She snorted.

Ajax stood up and turned to face me, his pissed expression turning to one of shock instantly.

"s**t!" I blurted, realizing I was as naked as a newborn pup. My cheeks flushed instantly.

"Here". He took off his shirt and threw it towards me. I picked it up quickly off the floor and slipped it on. It covered me just enough to give me my dignity back.

"Lets not fight Aurora. We are here to sign a truce so there is peace for our realms to live alongside one another." His voice was calmer now.

"I wasn't here for a truce. Ajax. I planned the ambush." I admitted.

"You may think me an i***t, Aurora, but I brought my army there too, planning for any possible outcome." He spoke softly.

"Aurora I can help. I can show you both what really happened in a vision. It will feel as though you are there but you're not. I will put a stop to this bickering once and for all," Sapphire snapped.

"How can you do that?" I linked.

"It's one of our powers, Rory, we've never needed to use it before." She replied. Ajax stared at me quizzically as I pondered Sapphire's words.

"Touch his face, Rory, place a hand on each side of his head and pull your foreheads together and close your eyes."

I rolled my eyes and stepped up to Ajax, confusing him as he tried to anticipate what I was going to do to him. I followed' sapphires directions, placing a hand on either side on his head and as I pulled our foreheads together and closed my eyes. I felt the flash of power come from our touch and the wind swirl around us.

"Aurora, open your eyes." Saph echoed softly in my mind.

I opened my eyes to see Ajax staring at me with adoration in his eyes. I felt his arms wrap around my back as he lent in to give me a kiss.

"Ugh!" I tutted and turned away from him thinking I'd been duped by my own wolf into giving him another chance to use the bond against me when I realized we were now inside my castle foyer, only it looked different.

"Where are we, Aurora?" Ajax asked.

"This is my castle, Ajax. Only it looks different." I stated.

The door to the main hall opened and a guard came marching out towards us.

"Guard!" I commanded him to get his attention. He blanked me like I didn't exist. "Excuse me, I'm addressing you!" I shouted at him and again, nothing. No response or acknowledgment of my existence. He continued marching up to both of us as if to barge us both out of his way. He wasn't even making eye contact with either of us. I stood firm, ready to shove the guard back and just as I thought we would make contact, he marched right through me.

"What is happening Aurora?" Asked Ajax again, the concern growing in his tone.

"Sapphire said she could show us a vision. She said it would feel like we were really here but were not." I answered him. Looking around the foyer, there wasn't really much happening, so I didn't know what we were supposed to see. A pure white wolf with silver flecks came gracefully trotting past us, brushing against my leg. It stopped and looked back at us for a moment.

"Its Saph." I spoke in a soft tone, admiring her beauty. She motioned her head for us to follow her and I happily obliged. She started her ascend up the staircase. Everything looked so bright and colourful. It was beautiful and homely. We followed Sapphire right up to one of the office doors, she turned around to face us and motioned her head for us to go inside. I reached for the door handle but my hand went straight through it.

"Guess you just walked right through it, huh?" Ajax stated the obvious and I rolled my eyes at him. I walked in through the door and saw the glorious room before me. There was a throne and a grand desk in front of it with two smaller chairs on the other side.

"Gabriella Please!" I turned my head right to see two people speaking to each other on a gold and cream silk sofa.

"Its King Edward and the Luna." I muttered as Ajax walked up beside me. We stood back to watch their conversation.

"Edward, please you said I could go if I found my mate."

"That was before our wedding, Gabriella. So much has changed since then. We have a strong realm together, we are only powerful when we are together as one. You pledged yourself to me on our wedding day, you are mine to do with as I see fit."

"How could you deny me this? After everything our marriage has given you. After everything I have given you. I gave you my kingdom, my people, power and an heir. I'm not asking anymore, Edward, I'm leaving and I'm setting off tonight."

"Like hell you are Gabriella!" King Edward grabbed Gabriella by the throat, lifting her off the floor. "NO!" I screamed. Reaching out my hand towards her to help, but I went straight through Edwards' arm. I started to cry watching the sight before me, Ajax wrapping his arms around me trying to shield my sight from what was happening. I pushed him back a little.

"I have to see." I bawled with tears as I watched the life of my former Luna slip away.

Edward squeezed her throat so hard her neck cracked and her body lay limp in his grasp. He released her and watched as her lifeless body hit the ground with a thud.

"Clayton!" Edward called. A cowardly man stepped cautiously into the room, almost cowering at the king in front of him. He saw his Luna lying dead on the floor by the king's feet and covered his eyes. "Load her body into her wagon, make sure you are not seen. We will attack the Red Stone Realm tonight. I want King Victor's head on a platter for trying to steal my wife. Dump her body somewhere in the center of the battle that's to come. We are going to war." The king bellowed with such power and disgust in his voice. No remorse for his actions whatsoever. I fell to my knees and screamed. It was all based on a lie. The entire war was for nothing. My own great great grandfather turned in my mind from a man of legend into a hideous monster. Everything in my mind began unraveling.

"Saph take us back!" I screamed.

The walls began to tear around us and the wind began to howl, it felt like we were spinning in a tornado, my eyes unable to focus on the blur around us until the spinning stopped and the wind ceased landing us right back into the middle of the frozen battle. I vomited all over the floor.

"That is not a fun way to travel around." Ajax gagged, holding his stomach. I continued to sob on the floor. The truth was far worse than I thought. Ajax walked up beside me holding his hand out for me to hold. I placed my hand in his and he hoisted me up off the floor. Continuing to hold my hand, he stared at me for a moment.

"Now, when your ready, you should do something about this. If it's not a truce that you want, we should play this battle out." Gesturing his hand to the entire frozen battle around us. I looked around me and lifted my arms into the air, trying hard to focus hard on undoing what I had done. My arms grew tired really quickly and I couldn't feel the power inside of me progress. I pushed my mind harder, feeling a small increase in my power, but my vision started to blur and I could have sworn I heard my name being screamed as everything faded into darkness once more.

-

I woke up back in Ajax's tent feeling rather rough again.

"Mmmm my head." I grabbed my head, trying to self heal the pounding pain within it.

" You are making this a thing aren't you? Am I supposed to carry you to bed every time you tire yourself out?" Ajax laughed from across the room. I shot him a glare and shook my head.

"I'd rather you did not touch me at all." I scowled. He burst out laughing, "I know you don't mean that, my sweetness. I can see the mate bond repairing itself as we spend time together." He cooed to me in a gross tone.

How long was I out?" I asked, ignoring his remark.

"Only a couple of hours this time, beautiful, your improving." He replied with a big grin on his face. "Maybe you should rest up before you try to unfreeze our armies again. It took a lot of power for you to do it. I'm guessing you need the same amount of strength to undo it." He idly suggested, shrugging his shoulders. I sighed.

"Come on, it's not all doom and gloom my Queen. You can check the progress of this doe before I burn it." I rewarded him with a half laugh.

"Fine, I'm coming," I replied.

I followed Ajax out of the tent to a camp fire he had built with the meat cooking above it. It smelt good, but it was not quite cooked yet. We chatted a bit more, getting to know each other, and I started to wonder what it would be like if I acted on the bond. He was right. It had repaired itself and after what I had learned today, I no longer saw a point to fighting it. What if I put a real truce in place? Me and Saph could explain to everyone what really happened, we could show them.

"Come on beautiful. Let's call it a night." Ajax pulled me from my thoughts as he stood with his hand out to me. I took his hand and he pulled me up to stand along side him. Then he scooped me up into his arms. I didn't have the energy to fight him about it and so, I let him carry me to bed. The smell of cinnamon and spiced apple filled my senses and sparks of his touch lulled me into a deep sleep.