The Alpha Queen's Journey

Rain on me

    It was a warm and sunny morning in the kingdom. The birds were chirping, the deer were pacing, the grass at the forest was green and fresh, the air smelled like spring had come to stay. Elara was sleeping soundly at her large fluffy bed, no worries reflected on her beautiful heart-shaped face. She smiled in her sleep.

    “Elaraaa!! Elara! Elara wake up, for Moon Goddess sake! Elara!”

    Elara growled, pissed, but did not move an inch. She didn’t like to be disturbed on her sleep as sleeping was one of her favourite hobbies. But that chilling unmistakable voice was coming closer, so were her footsteps. The door of her bedroom burst open by a 5.2” skinny young girl.

    “Elara! Oh, come on!” Hendaya frowned at the sight of her best friend still on bed but her face quickly lighted as she’d just had an idea.

    “Asue!”

    As the little girl lowly whispered that strange word, a group of small clouds began to gather from the ceiling onto Elara’s head resulting in a huge one and quickly getting awfully grey. Even a small lightning was seen among them followed by a rumbling of a thunder. In a blink of an eye, rain started pouring over the young princess’ head.

    “Hendaya! She shouted annoyed. “Stop it!” Elara fled out of the bed and run away from the rainfall but the clouds were chasing her across the room. She was already soaking wet…and fully awake.

    “Hendaya! I told you a million times that I hate you using your magic on me!” Elara sounded awfully harsh but the little witch kept laughing her head off. All the palace must have heard the princess stormy wake up call.

    “Happy 18th birthday, lazy bones!” Hendaya stopped his mockery and crashed into her friend’s body in an explosive hug. “I hope you like this birthday present of mine!” As soon as she said that, the rain stopped and the clouds turned into a shiny colourful rainbow above them. Elara could not help but smile and hug the witch back.

    “I love you too” The princess sincerely claimed.

    Hendaya was the daughter of the King’s Beta and Elara’s best friend. They grew up together at the palace, as they were the same age, yet their education was so different. While Elara had to train and study hard every day to become a strong and wise werewolf leader, Hendaya had to practice her magic with her mother, the Royal witch. However, her cheerful and bustling character made her get bored easily and her mother was having great difficulties in teaching her without losing her patience. Still, Hendaya’s tricks were more than effective, as it was proved that morning. Both girls broke their embrace and the witch began hopping around the room, talking non-stop, excited.

    “I could not wait for you to wake up! I had to bring you your dress for the party tonight. Look, isn’t it perfect?” She shakes her hand a night blue mermaid dress flies from behind the door to the ceiling, hanging from the rainbow above. The upper part  of the gown was made to highlight Elara’s smooth body curves while the long skirt had lots of little moonshine beads to make her shine like a gem. Elara sighed. She loved the dress but the event for what it was ordered sent her chills through all her spine. She threw her back on the bed again, the first sunrays of the morning warming up her face.

    “I was dreaming I was a princess no more so we could finally run past the north border of the forest. And be free at last”. Elara looked at the huge walls and then at the window from which the fresh breeze of the forest was filling the room. Hendaya’s sudden voice brought her back to earth.

    “I know you’re not very excited about tonight but think positive…many handsome, strong and well-built men are coming to fight for a place by your side. Even if you’re not interested, at least it’s gonna be a pleasant view!” She jumped on the bed beside her, rolling from side to side while giggling. “Maybe I can find my first-sight love with whom buy a wonderful house near the lake and live our happily-ever-after life together with lots of children, cats, dogs, birds…”

    “Uh huh” Hendaya was daydreaming again with her perfect mate but Elara did not think such thing could suit her anyway. Her parents weren’t fated mates and they loved each other so much. She would love to be just like them, to choose someone by herself, out of the ties of a strange invisible, almost mystic bond. Her wolf strongly disagreed with her in this matter as she was looking forward to find her mate, her other half. Elara thought her wolf and her would agree someday about that matter but for now, she had no hurry. They both had lost track of Hendaya’s endless babbling.

    “…and, that could come true tonight at the party so, you have to prepare yourself to look as stunning as ever, like the charming and well-educated princess your parents want to show off to the rest of the world”. Hendaya was pointing her finger right at her. Elara rolled her eyes up just at the thought of that image.

    “I’d prefer to look like a femme fatale than like a whimpering always-waiting princess, Hendaya”

    “Oh!” The princess let her best friend speechless after that statement but the witch quickly recovered and fought back, tilted her head and lifted her right index finger. “You know, ‘the perfect queen…”

    “…knows how to behave properly in each situation’.” Elara ended the sentence sounding like a machine. “Please, stop reminding me of my mother, Hen, it’s still too early in the morning. Besides, Alex has never complained about my dressing, nor Mario or Brandon…”

    Hendaya lifted his arms in defeat. “Ok, ok, I see. For me it’s too early in the morning to hear about your affairs, Ela”

    Both women laughed together. They were so different, yet so close. Elara Moonrise, as the werewolves’ King only child, was supposed to become queen soon. And to secure her position at the throne, she must choose a strong Alpha, preferably of a large pack, to rule beside her. They will both have to listen to their people’s demands, cut the disputes of the packs and maintain the peace her father risked his life to achieve in the past. But that wasn’t Elara’s wish. She dreamed of travelling afar, discover new places, meeting different people and shape her own destiny. She wasn’t sure if she would become the queen her people hoped her to be.

    “You really need a walk by the north border before tonight, don’t you?” Hendaya caught the line of her friend’s thoughts and looked at her with her bright blue eyes.

    “Sure, I do but I fear I’m lack of time. I am already late for my training and after that there’s Palvin’s tedious lessons about the most important members of each pack, etiquette and so on…”

    “Elara, don’t make any excuses. You can always escape, as we always do. Same place, same hour? I promise to do a new magic trick that will make Palvin get astonished!” Hendaya said with child excitement on her face. Elara chuckled at her enthusiasm.

    “Deal!”

    And with that promise in the air, Hendaya walked happily out the bedroom to let her prepare herself for the day. Elara’s smile was still stuck on her lips. She walked towards the bathroom, ignoring the dress floating in her room ceiling, and looked at herself in the mirror. Her pale skin made a contrast with her long wavy red hair and in her hazel eyes were still the remains of her last dream. Her wolf was uneasy since she woke up, as if she was expecting something, although she didn’t know what. Elara thought a run across the forest would ease her and her nerves as well. She disliked the purpose of the party tonight but it was her birthday anyway, she wanted to enjoy the day. She washed her face at the basin and combed her hair, putting it into her usual top knot for training. She chose her favourite pair of black leggings; they were old and overused but she felt really comfy with them. A pink tank top and white sneakers completed the look. “Ready to kick asses” she whispered to herself. She was about to leave when there was a knock on the door.

    “Come in!” She hurriedly answered.

    “Good morning Lady Elara. Let me wish you a very happy birthday”. Cyntia, her personal maid, brought a tray with a big coffee mug, orange juice, eggs, jam, toast, cheese, butter and wild berries marmalade, her favourite. “As today is going to be a very busy day, I brought you some breakfast, what would you like to eat?” Behind her, another maid was holding a huge bunch of dark blue roses in her hands, their petals sparked like millions of delicate sapphires. Elara put her eyes on them and gasped in surprise.

    “These are from Mr. Rockwood, he brought them himself early this morning” Cyntia said with a smirk.

    Alex. Elara’s latest affair. 6.2”, bronzed skin, well defined muscles, over-the-shoulder golden hair and curious grey eyes. One of the best warriors of the kingdom. And hot, so hot. Kind and disciplined but a player, just as she was. Some could say they were indeed a perfect match but not for the purpose of ruling a kingdom, that was for sure and they both knew that. Hence, they were just having a lot of fun together and it had worked for the last few months. Although they also knew it couldn’t last long. Tonight, this game would be over.

    “They’re gorgeous” Elara said with a wide smile and a little blush. The maid put them in a vase with water and left them on the centre of the main table. Elara walked up to carefully touch them. “Cyntia, please, just some coffee and a toast, I’m already late for my morning training”.

    “Of course”. Cyntia began serving breakfast quickly and efficiently. “By the way, your mother, the Luna Queen wanted me to remind you that the hairdresser and make up artist will be coming at six. I shall be here before that hour to prepare the bath”

    “Thank you, Cyntia, I’ll try to be on time”. Elara moved on from the bouquet and gulped her coffee and a marmalade toast while standing. She was always late for everything, so she usually ate on her way to…everywhere.

    “Would you like something else, my Lady?” Her maid amusedly asked.

    “Nope, Cyntia, thank you so much for the breakfast. It was delicious!” Cyntia smiled and both maids bowed politely before exiting the room.

    Elara took a last glance at the roses with a mixture of embarrassment and pleasure. Blue roses were her favourites but the rarest of the kingdom. Impossible to cultivate at greenhouses, they only grew wild at the north border, where the climate was just slightly cold and humid. Also, their sweet and fresh fragance was so special that the most exclusive parfums always included a little bit of a blue rose. For that reason, they were truly expensive. She was wondering why Alex had chosen this special present now as they don’t usually exchange gifts. That kind of details did not fit him, didn’t they?

    Out of the blue, the husky voice of her trainer sounded really pissed inside her head.

    Lady Elara, we’re all waiting for you.

    “Uh oh”. Those words meant everything. He didn’t like latecomers and she was a professional one. She looked at the wall clock and cursed. “s**t!”

    I’m on my way. She said through the mindlink and run as fast as she could towards the training grounds.