The Alpha Queen

Chapter 2

It was dark, but voices began to invade the quiet inside my mind. 

"She's in shock, she didn't know how to process the grief and her mind just shut down." That's Dr. Giles' voice. Why would he be here? What grief?

"Will she remember?" Austin's asked. Remember what?

There's an itch in my mind, if I could just reach it. Before I knew it, I fell back into the darkness. 

This time however, it wasn't total darkness. There was a light in the distance, I walked towards it, but it felt like hours before I reached it. 

I stepped into the light and found myself in the woods, next to a creek. I sat down and just stared at the water, it was so peaceful. 

I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings so I was surprised when something wet touched my arm. I looked over and there stood a beautiful white wolf, I had never seen one before. They are incredibly rare. 

-Hello, Adeera. I am your wolf, Alexandria. You can call me Alex, though.

I heard her speak in my mind. 

-Alex, it is nice to meet you. I didn't know this was how we meet our wolves.

-Adeera, honey, this was not how we were supposed to meet. The moon Goddess sent me a little early because of the circumstances with your parents. Since your mind has put you in a coma, this was the only way to speak to you.

I don't want to think about my parents, I just want to stay here. 

-I know you don't want to deal with the circumstances with your parents, but you have no choice. You have a whole kingdom depending on you, Honey. 

-Alex, can we stay for just a little longer?

-Just a little longer. Everyone is in chaos, they need to know that you are going to be there for them.

I nod, I understand. They need to know that they still have a leader. After a while, Alex nods at me. It's time. 

The next thing I know, I'm opening my eyes. I'm in the royal room in the hospital. I look around and I'm thankfully alone. I need a minute to process. Some tears fall down my cheeks and I make no move to wipe them away. 

When I am able to stop the tears I get up from the bed, I'm still wearing my workout clothes from earlier. I take a deep breath and walk out of the room. No one stops me and I don't speak to anyone. I slowly make my way to my father's office. That is where the Beta and Gamma will be. I feel the stares from everyone I pass, but I cannot bring myself to speak. What can I say? What comfort can I offer them right now?

-I am with you. Be sad, grieve your loss, but do not fall apart.

I listen to my wolf and walk into the office. Everyone looks up at me, Abrham and Austin rush over to me and lead me to the couch. 

"Beta Ben, what do we know?" I think he's about to argue with me, but I cannot back down. "Tell me."

"Princess, a group of four hundred rogues attacked the border. In addition to your parents, we lost five of our warriors." 

"Why were my parents there? Mom wake me early saying she and dad had a meeting this morning."

He looked confused, "I knew nothing about a meeting."

Now I'm even more confused. "So, my mom and dad went to a meeting that you knew nothing about. Yet were close enough to that part of our border to respond?"

Nobody had an answer, this was strange. My dad never went to a meeting without either his Beta or Gamma.

"Has there been anything out of the ordinary this week? Anything strange about his behavior?"

The Beta and Gamma looked at each other, probably mind linking. Gamma Chance responded, "No, nothing strange or out of the ordinary. Everything went on as normal."

I didn't think he was lying, but I'd have to keep an eye out. 

"Could someone check with all the warriors on patrol in that area and ask if they saw my parents? Maybe someone saw a new face? A new smell before the rogues barged in?" 

Gamma Chance nodded and left. 

"Have you made arrangements for the funeral yet?"

"No, Princess. We were waiting for you."

I nod. "Abrham, could you start on a letter that will be sent to the packs. You know how I write, I'll look it over when your done." He nods and grabs his dad's iPad to type it up. "Austin will you pick out the stones, please?" He nods and goes to do what I asked. 

It is tradition that the families burn the body of their loved one and the names of the dead chiseled onto a stone and placed by the family in the river.

"Princess, we will do the ceremony in two days. That will give everyone time to get here."

I nod, "Okay, only two representatives and the necessary guards from each pack are invited to come."

Father and son nod in agreement. "Beta, I have to the families."

"Princess, perhaps we should do that tomorrow." I know they're worried, and rightly so.

I stand and lift my head high, "This is the one thing that I can do right now. They need to know I grieve for their loss as well." He nods and we start to leave, but I turn back to Abrham. "Abrham, I'll look at your letter when I get back. 

"It'll be done."

"Thank you." 

As the Beta leads me to each grieving family, it is harder and harder not to let myself go back to the darkness. Alex encourages me the whole time, I think she is the reason I was able to go through the motions. I hoped that I was able to give a tiny measure of comfort to each family. 

"Beta, during those visits, was I as closed off to them as I feel?"

"Princess, each of those families knew that you were trying to be there for them, and they appreciate that. As you begin your rule, what people will remember it that you were still thinking of them in your own grief."

"Thank you, Beta."

We go back to my father's office to regroup with everyone. "Abrham, let me read your letter, please." He did a great job, it even sounded like something I would write. "I like it, go ahead and print it for the packs and I'll sign them." 

I looked over to Austin, "I brought the stones to the Elder." The Elder will make sure the stones are ready.

I nod and look over to Gamma Chance. "No one saw your parents or noticed anything strange. I'm sorry princess." He bared his neck in submission to me. 

I walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder, "Gamma, there is no need for this. You have done what you could. Were any of the rogues captured?"

"Several, Princess. They are being interrogated as we speak." 

I felt my wolf come to the surface, my aura blasted out as well. It brought everyone in the room down to their knees and submitting in seconds. I took deep breathes. 

-Alex we're hurting them.

With that I pushed her back enough to reign in my power, but not enough that she couldn't look through my eyes at everyone. 

They all look at me shocked. "The Moon Goddess sent her a little early because of my earlier distress." They nodded and slowly got up. 

The Beta stepped forward, "Princess, she is very strong. She might even be stronger than your father."

How can that be? Dad was King for twenty years and was mated. "Don't they say that white wolves have extra power?"

"Princess, you have a white wolf?" Everyone's mouths drop.

I nod. 

Abrham speaks before his dad could respond, "This information cannot leave this room. At least for now, no one can know that you are a white wolf. Everyone in the mansion would have felt the power you just released, so there really isn't a way to keep that information quiet."

Everyone agrees.

"Beta, if no one is able to get information from those wolves, I would like to try before they're killed."

"Princess, you have never been involved in an interrogation before. They can be extremely unpleasant."

"You do not think I have the stomach for it?" I feel anger that he thinks I can't handle it.

Beta Ben began to squirm a bit under my gaze. "I just want you to be sure. I mean no disrespect."

Austin comes over to put a hand on my shoulder, "He is right, our interrogation techniques may be very unpleasant for you."

"I hear you both, but I need this. If I can't handle it, then so be it, but I will do whatever necessary to get the information we need from these rogues." I spoke as I look them each in the eye, but no one could keep eye contact with me. 

They nod and we continue with preparation for the funeral. When we are done it's dinner time, but I don't feel hungry. I tell them to go ahead, but I was going to sit outside for a while. I make my way to my favorite rocking chair and look over what is now my kingdom. 

The grief begins to take over and the tears fall down my face. Soon I'm full on sobbing and I feel arms wrap around me. I look up and see that it's Abrham and Austin. They bring me up to my room and put me in bed. I never said a word to them, I couldn't form any words. They put me in the middle of my bed and then laid down next to me. 

It might seem strange that they lay with me, but ever since we were kids we were inseparable. Many nights were spent this way. At some point, we understood that this might be seen as inappropriate by others, especially our future mates, so we stopped. 

"Adeera, we're here for you." Austin said.

"Whatever you need." Abrham added.

We just stayed quiet and at some point I fell asleep, still crying.