The Hybrid's Broken Rogue Mate

The Queen

The rain softened to a gentle patter, a lullaby that should have been calming but only deepened the restlessness stirring inside me. I closed my eyes, trying to push the weight of my father’s words out of my mind, but they lingered, weaving into the fabric of my thoughts like an unshakable thread.

Whatever this is, know that you’re not alone.

His voice carried a steady warmth that used to ground me. But now, it only reminded me of the gap between who I was and who I was supposed to be.

My father had always been a pillar, someone who could carry the weight of the world on his shoulders without flinching. How even after my mom... He hasnt allowed himslef to break.

He went on to run the kingdom, raise us and not a single day that wen by did he think giving up had to be the solution. And me? I wasn’t even sure I could carry the weight of my own emotions.

I tried to focus on my breathing, to drown out the memories swirling in my head. But they came anyway—moments tied to his voice.

My first hunt, when I had been so sure I would fail, and his calm presence had guided me through. My first shift, the excruciating pain giving way to awe as Talon nudged me toward the lake, his pride so evident it had felt like sunlight breaking through clouds.

My father had always been there, steady and sure.

And now I was shutting him out.

I turned over in bed, punching the pillow in frustration. None of this was supposed to be like this.

My hands clenched into fists, my nails digging into my palms.

feeling out of touch with my emoitions and everything i decided to do what i do whenever i get overwhelmed or needed to occupy my time. I made the run iot helped while it did but now my mind still whirlled.

Getting out of the bed i made my way towards my art corner where i stashed my equupments and i got to pouring my emotions all over the canvas infront of me.

Letting the brush be one with my hand, I made to make magic with the swirls.

An hour or two went by as I kept making swirls here and there on my canvas, creating what i wasnt sure but as the work of art kept coming closer and closer to being done I knew who it was my mind was conjuring on my canvas via my hands.

Now this was not i was hoping for as the outcome of my calming habits. Even in them he still managed to be a top priority thought. Cursing him for undoing my life like this i decided to just let the canvas be as I walked towards my closet grabing whatever i needed from there on then made my wayoutside my room.

On autopilot I make my way towards the part of castle no one was allowed to venture into, well the no one wasn't reserved towards me, Ashton, the king and Kiara.

The halls leading to the forbidden chambers were cold, far colder than the rest of the castle. The walls here were bare, stripped of the ornate tapestries and vibrant paintings that adorned the main corridors. Here, there was no need for decoration—no one ventured down this path unless absolutely necessary.

I clutched the small bundle in my hands—a sprig of lavender and a strand of silk I’d woven myself. It wasn’t much, but it was tradition, and even if she couldn’t see or hear me, it felt wrong to come empty-handed.

When I reached the heavy oak door at the end of the corridor, I paused. The sigils carved into its surface pulsed faintly, a dull silver glow that warned anyone uninvited to stay away.

But I wasn’t uninvited—not by her, at least.

Drawing in a deep breath, I placed my hand against the sigil at the center of the door. It was cold, so cold it burned, but I didn’t flinch. I whispered the words my father had taught me years ago, my voice steady even as my heart raced.

“Sanguis reginae, anima propinquorum eius. Permitte me transire." -Blood of the queen, soul of her kin. Let me through-

I mumbled and the sigils flared brighter for a moment before fading away, and with a low groan, the door swung open.

The chamber beyond was dimly lit, the only light coming from the enchanted crystals that floated near the ceiling. Their soft blue glow bathed the room in an otherworldly hue, casting long shadows across the stone floor.

And there she was.

My mother lay in the center of the room, her form encased in what looked like glass but felt like ice. The preservation barrier shimmered faintly, its magic a testament to my father’s desperation to keep her alive, even in this cursed slumber.

Walking closer I drew in a deep breath at the sight before me. She was still a sight to behold even after all this years.She looked peaceful, as if she were merely resting, not trapped in a sleep she might never wake from.

Her dark hair was fanned out around her, her hands folded neatly over her stomach. She was still as beautiful as I remembered, though it had been years since I’d last heard her laugh or felt the warmth of her embrace.

I stepped closer, my footsteps echoing softly in the quiet.

“Hi, Mom,” I whispered, my voice cracking despite my efforts to sound composed.

I set the lavender and silk on the pedestal beside her, the only place in the chamber where offerings could be left. My fingers lingered on the smooth surface of the pedestal before I pulled them away.

“I... I’m not sure where to start,” I admitted, folding my arms across my chest. “It’s been a while since I came to see you. Too long, probably.”

The silence was deafening.

“I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately,” I continued, my voice softer now. “About how unfair it is. You were so full of life, so strong. And now...”

My throat tightened, and I looked away, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall.

“And now, you’re here. Trapped. And I’m next.”

Saying it out loud felt like admitting defeat, and I hated it. Hated how powerless I felt in the face of something I couldn’t fight. in the face of a destiny i didnt choose nor did i have a choice but to face.

“I’m scared, Mom,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t want this to be my fate. I don’t want to end up like you—lying here, unable to move, unable to live.”

I reached out, my hand hovering just above the barrier that separated us. The magic thrummed against my palm, a gentle but unyielding reminder of the distance between us.

“And then there’s him,” I added, my thoughts drifting to my mate.

“I found him. Or rather, he found me. I don’t know what to do. How can I let him in, knowing I’ll have to leave him? It’s cruel, isn’t it? To give someone a piece of yourself, only to take it away?”

The silence stretched on, and I laughed bitterly, the sound hollow in the vast chamber. Over the years though dad did everything he could to seem okay and raise us fine.

But I could still spot it, the lonliness that lingered after she got emveloped into the slum,ber world. The long nights he spenmt in this chamber exhauisting everything he could get his hands on hoping that it would be what wake her.

That desperation is what I didnt want to subject my mate to or my kids. i maybe selfish but i didnt want anyone going through that anguish.

“I wish you were here,” I said. “I wish you could tell me what to do. You always had the answers. You always knew how to make everything better.”

I sat down on the floor beside the pedestal, pulling my knees to my chest. The cold seeped through the stone, but I didn’t care.

“I keep hoping Dad will find a cure,” I murmured. “He’s trying so hard. You should see him—he barely sleeps. He’s desperate. For you. For me. For us.”

The tears finally came, hot and unwelcome, streaming down my cheeks.

“I don’t want to leave him. Or Ashton. Or the pack. I don’t want to leave anyone. But I don’t know how to fight this, Mom. I don’t know if it’s even possible.”

The barrier shimmered faintly, as if responding to my words, but it offered no answers.

I stayed there for a while, letting the silence wrap around me like a cold, suffocating blanket. When I finally stood, my legs felt heavy, as if the weight of my fears had settled into my bones.

I touched the pedestal one last time before turning away. The door creaked open as I approached, the sigils glowing faintly in the dim light.

As I stepped back into the corridor, the weight of the chamber lingered on my shoulders.

The castle halls were silent, most of its inhabitants tucked away for the night. My footsteps echoed faintly as I made my way to the gardens, the cool night air hitting me the moment I stepped outside. The scent of rain-drenched earth and flowers was grounding, a stark contrast to the chaos in my mind.

I stopped near the edge of the gardens, where the forest loomed like a shadowy wall. The trees stood tall and dark, their branches reaching out like arms waiting to pull me in. My father’s earlier words about running echoed again, and I let out a bitter laugh.

“I’m not running,” I muttered to myself, the words tasting hollow.

Yet that seemed to be what i wished for as the forest beckoned, its depths a mix of familiarity and mystery. I hesitated, glancing back at the castle, its silhouette framed by the moonlight.

The flickering torches near the guard posts cast warm, steady glows, a sharp contrast to the dark woods in front of me. I thought of my father, of Ashton, of the stranger who had thrown my world into disarray. The pull to confront it all was as strong as the pull to avoid it.

“This wasn’t how it was supposed to be,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the rustle of leaves.

And yet, here I was. Tethered to someone I didn’t understand, burdened by emotions I couldn’t control, and standing at a crossroads I didn’t know how to navigate.

Leaning against the bark of the tree nearest the garden I let strength ground me just enough for me to figure out my next steps.

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