KATOMI - RISE OF THE FAE QUEEN

CHAPTER 29 – TRUTH AND DEATH

KATOMI’S POV

‘Luna’

I was standing in the admin office Thursday morning talking to my teacher Dwayn about an essay I had due, Wyatt had dropped me off early because I needed to get changed, so I just went straight to school after I was dressed

I looked over to see Melissa, a young secretary around 23, she was wearing a comfortable light blue dress and holding a stack of papers but looking rather flustered

‘Yes’ I smiled at her, I knew there was no point in telling her not to call me Luna, everyone was terrified of what Wyatt would do to them if he heard them use my name

‘We have a new transfer joining us this morning and I was hoping you could show him around’ She said ‘You both have home room and science together this morning according to your rosters so I was hoping you wouldn’t mind’

‘No, I don’t mind, where is he?’

‘Just outside the office on the bench’ She told me and handed me a piece of paper ‘This is his schedule, thank you so much, I’m swamped today, Andy is sick’

‘I’m sorry to hear that’ I smiled ‘Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it’

‘Thank you, Luna,’ She said and rushed off, mumbling incoherently about Andy

‘I should go Mr Jones’

‘Right’ He said ‘Just make the corrections we spoke about and get it back to me, but otherwise, you did a great job’

‘Wonderful’ I smiled and spun around, heading towards the door

I turned towards the bench sitting along the wall outside the office and froze in surprise

‘Logan?’

The boy I’d met at the shifting ceremony was sitting on the bench listening to music through his headphones but upon seeing me, he pulled them out and tucked them into his blue jeans

‘Kat’ He sounded excited, and his face lit up but then he’s face went blank ‘Sorry, I guess I should call you Luna now’

‘I guess’

‘I suppose it makes sense why he reacted the way he did at the shifting ceremony’ Logan put his hands in his pockets

‘About that, I’m really sorry’

‘It wasn’t your fault’ He shrugged ‘He’s the Alpha and you're his mate, if I’d seen someone with my mate, I’d have reacted the same way, I’m lucky he didn’t kill me’

‘Actually, I was apologizing about me’ I explained, I noticed his eyes widen when I called Wyatt by his name rather than his title ‘I shouldn’t have gone into that room with you or made you think…well anyway, I’m sorry’

‘My fault for hoping I guess’ He murmured ‘Someone as beautiful as you wouldn’t have gone for a guy like me anyway, Alpha Wyatt’s a lucky guy’

‘Don’t think so negatively about yourself’ I reached out and touched his arm ‘You’re a great guy, we just weren’t meant to be, you’ll have an amazing mate one day, I know you will’

‘I’ll find out one day, won’t I?’

The first bell sounded, and I looked down the hall, students had started filing into the building

‘We should go’ I past him his schedule

‘What’s this?’

‘Your class schedule’ I explained ‘I’ll be your tour guide today so if you’ll follow me and keep your hands and feet inside the school, at all times’

He laughed and grabbed his bag, flinging it over his shoulder before following after me

‘Right this way if you please’ I gestured towards the left of the hall and started walking ‘Now to your right is the boy’s toilet’ I pointed towards a blue door with a male symbol on it ‘If you don’t mind catching something, that’s the bathroom for you however if you’d rather not walk away with an STI from the football team, I suggest using the bathroom on the second floor’

‘And if I want to use the girl’s toilets’ He winked ‘Where are they’

‘Please keep all questions to the end of tour’ I smirked

I continued my tour all the way to home room, pointing out class rooms and the best routes to get everywhere, a few students were already inside when we pushed open the door and went inside, waiting for the next two bells to sound

‘We don’t have assigned seating’ I told him and headed towards the back where Bronwyn and I sat 'But everyone usually sits in the same spot'

‘So, who sits next to you?’

‘My best friend’ I pointed to the seat in front ‘Do you remember Bron from our birthday’

‘I do, she’s hard to forget’

‘She is’ I laughed ‘No one sits there’

Logan looked glumly at Bronwyn’s empty chair before he sat down in front of our desk, we kept chatting while the other students arrived, a few of the girls smiled and blushed when the saw Logan.

‘There you are’ Bronwyn growled at me, she came in wearing her cheerleading outfit and looking furious

‘What’s wrong?’

‘Liz, what else!’ She growled and slammed her bag down ‘Logan? What the f*ck are you doing here’

‘Classy Bron’ I smiled ‘He just transferred’

‘Who the hell transfers during mid terms?’ She asked ‘How stupid’

‘Anyway what did she do this time?’

‘She went to the coach and said I was harassing her’ Bronwyn snapped ‘She wants to be head cheerleader but there’s no way in the fiery pits of hell that that b*tch is getting my squad’

'What are you going to do?

‘Well seeing as you won’t banish her from the pack like I’d asked’

I rolled my eyes, Bronwyn had brought this up a on Monday but I shut it down, I wasn’t banishing anyone, I’d leave Wyatt and Kai up to those kinds of things

‘Which I won’t’

‘Oh fine’ She pouted ‘Then I’ll think of something else, anyway, how did things go with you and Alpha Wyatt, are you still mad at him?’

‘Are you two fighting?’ Logan asked, sounding too hopeful for my liking, did he want Wyatt and I to argue

‘No’ I shook my head, not wanting to tell him about my private life

‘So, what happened?’ Bronwyn asked through the link now, as our home room teacher Joanna was walking inside

I bit my lip and blushed, looking down at the table as I remembered everything we’d done, Bronwyn squealed and grabbed my arm

‘You did it!’

‘Of course, not’

‘Dam it Kat’ She whined ‘What am I going to do with you’

I rolled my eyes, still blushing

‘So, what did you do?’

‘We got closer’

‘Come on’ She groaned and tugged on my arm ‘At least give me something, is he… you know’

I looked at her in confusion and she rolled her eyes ‘Size Kat’ She snapped at me playfully ‘Is he big?’

I growled and she jumped back in surprise ‘Sorry’ I said instantly, everyone in the class looked at me in fear ‘Sorry’ I said out loud and looked down at my hands

‘I’m sorry’ Bronwyn said back ‘I forgot how protective mates can get, especially Luna’s, I shouldn’t have ask about Alpha Wyatt’

‘No, it’s ok’ I hushed her quickly ‘I shouldn’t have growled at you, I didn’t mean to’

‘It’s fine Kat’ She giggled ‘And anyway, from your reaction, I got my answer, lucky girl’ She winked

‘BRON!’

‘Luna’

Shit, I looked up ‘Here’

‘So, when are you planning on giving it up?’ Bronwyn continued

‘When it’s the right time’

‘Well, you’re already covered in the Alpha’s scent so the right time won’t be long’ She giggled

‘We’ll see’

‘Does he still want you to move in?’

‘Yes’

‘I say just go for it’ She told me before turning to our teacher ‘Here’

‘I’m not ready’ I sat back in my chair ‘Can we drop it please, let’s talk about you, how are you going to get back at Liz?’

Bronwyn’s face lit up and we started making plans, I know I shouldn’t be involved, what with me be the future Luna of the pack but Liz really needed to be taught a lesson, she was so horrible to everyone.

Once home room let out, I went with Logan to our next class, this time we sat together, I usually sat alone as I always worked from a more advance curriculum, but Logan didn't seem to mind

Logan was hopeless so I had to help him, a difficult task, at one point, he mixed the wrong chemicals together and it exploded all over us, I screamed in fright and two of my guards came barging into the classroom, scaring half the students.

Once I’d calmed everyone down and sent them off again, Login and I headed to the showers to change, luckily, I had my gym sweats to put on.

During Lunch I told Bronwyn about the dinner on Saturday night and how Michiana would be there, she told me I had nothing to worry about but still insisted on going shopping to find the perfect dress

‘What you wear can be a weapon’ She’d said, dead serious ‘You want Alpha Wyatt’s eyes on you all night, not that they wouldn’t be anyway’ She added ‘But still, a girl can never have enough weapons in her arsenal’

‘I’m not going to war’

‘Of course, you are’ She shook her at my naivety ‘This b*tch wants your man, make her pay for it’

After finally agreeing to go shopping after school, I texted Wyatt about my plans, letting him know that I wouldn’t need to be picked up because I’d ride with Bronwyn, however he insisted on having Liam drive us to the mall and then asked if I was going to be trying on lingerie as well then he’d need final approval, so I’d need to text him pictures.

‘Nice try perv’ I’d text back, laughing to myself, I really enjoyed our lunch time flirting texts, I hope he didn’t find it too childish

‘Either you send me those pictures, or I’ll send someone to your house to pack up all of your things and move them to my house’

I laughed so hard at his threat

‘As if, you wouldn’t want some random pack member rummaging around in my under-wear draw’

‘I’ll just get them to move the whole cabinet, no need for them to open any of the draws’

Shit, he had me, before I could answer, he text me back

‘Sorry baby, I must go, stay with your guards when you’re out and text me those pictures, love you xxoo'

I pouted, I didn’t want him to go but I guess he was busy today, like every day

‘I will, xxxxxoo’

After school, I took Bronwyn’s hand and dragged her out to the parking lot, she was flirting with Simon, one of the senior Beta’s who was asking her to prom so I was forced to drag her away.

‘Do you think Wyatt will want to go to Prom again this year?’ I asked Remi

‘Maybe?’ She responded ‘If he does, at least I get to share the moment too this time, I hope mate wants to dance with us again’

I pushed it out of my mind for now and continued to the car where Liam was waiting

‘Hello’

‘Hello Luna’ He said back kindly ‘Did you have a pleasant day at school?’

‘I did’ I answered and pushed Bronwyn into the car, she was still looking at Simon will lust ‘This is Bronwyn, we’re going to the mall’

‘Yes Luna’ He nodded ‘The King informed me of your plans’

I jumped in and Liam closed my door, I really wouldn’t get used to this whole driver business, Bronwyn however, seemed perfectly content, she stretched out comfortably on the white leather seat, throwing her legs up onto my lap

‘Ok’ She said ‘Let’s go over our game plan’

I rolled my eyes but listened as she went over our shopping strategy, which shops we’d go into and in which order, shopping with Bronwyn was always a mission, she shopped like no one I’d ever met, I liked to just wonder around and buy what I liked, Bron however would speed walk through stores, grabbing things at random and discarding them if they didn’t suit her already formed idea of an outfit she’d had in her mind.

‘We won’t be too long’ I told Liam as we got out of the car

I was starting to get a strange feeling now that we had arrived, I felt like something bad was going to happen but I was trying to ignore it, it had to just be nerves about the party

‘Scratch that’ Bronwyn waved her hand and grabbed my wrist ‘We’ll be at least 4 hours, get comfortable Li’ She winked at him and carted me off, leaving Liam standing there with his mouth open, staring after Bronwyn

‘It’s already 3’ I complained ‘I don’t want to shop for four hours’

‘Fine, 3 then’

I growled but she ignored me and pulled me into the first store on her mental list.

2 hours later I was starving, ever since being with Wyatt, my appetite had increased, I’d mentioned this to him and he said it was natural, I was instinctively bulking up to prepare for my first heat which should arrive in about a week, I’d blushed profusely and told him to change the subject.

‘Bronwyn’ I growled grumpily as she tried to drag me into yet another store.

Our mall was huge, 4 stories high and over 200 stores, Wyatt had built it so the pack didn’t have to travel off the territory into the human cities for things we needed

‘It was just a dream’ Remi commented

‘I have everything I need’ I complained ‘And my feet are killing me, let’s go already’

‘You’re a Lycan’ She rolled her eyes ‘Your feet can’t hurt from walking around’

‘Bron!’

‘Fine’ She sighed, shaking her head ‘You’re lucky I love you’

‘Yeah, if I was really lucky, you’d have let me leave an hour ago’

Bronwyn laughed and put her arm over my shoulders as we walked out of the mall, I was thrilled to leave, not just because I was tired and hungry but because everyone was looking at me, word really had spread like wildfire that I was Wyatt’s mate

I even had staff refuse my money when I tried to pay, they said that Wyatt had sent out a mass link informing all the stores that I would be there today and that I was to be given anything I wanted, having a mate that owned everything and had more money than he knew what to do with was very intimidating.

The strange feeling I was having was getting stronger too, something really bad was going to happen and I wanted to go home.

As we approached the private parking area reserved specifically for the pack leaders, Remi started getting restless and there was a strong smell of blood.

‘STOP!’ She screamed and I froze ‘Don’t go’

‘You feel that too?’ I gasped as my heart raced, the bad feeling went into overdrive, and I knew it was going to happen soon

‘What’s up? Bronwyn looked at me ‘Why’d you stop, these bags are heavy, come on’

‘RUN!’ Remi screamed

‘Bron’ I dropped my bags and grabbed her arm ‘Somethings wrong, we have to go’

‘But’ She looked around ‘I don’t sense anything, I can smell blood though, do you think someone’s hurt?’

‘Your Majesty!’ A male voice called out to me, I spun around towards the car where a tall man I’d never seen before was walking over to us, though at the same time he felt very familiar to me

His black hair was messed and his clothes were crumpled and one of his sleeves was ripped

‘WYATT!’ I screamed through the link, this man was not a friend, I could sense he was threat, but Wyatt didn’t respond, something was blocking me from linking him

‘My names Troy' The man told us 'Liam had to leave so the Alpha sent me instead, you’ve dropped your bags, here let me help you’

I took a step back, pulling Bronwyn with me and pushing her behind me, I tried linking her to run but I couldn’t get through, what was going on.

‘THE GUARDS!’ Remi shouted

‘Shall I take you home now Luna’

‘Don’t let him know we know!’ Remi growled

I took a shaky breath and smiled ‘Yes, that would lovely’ Bronwyn looked at me with wide eyes ‘But first, I have to use the bathroom’

‘You can’t wait until you get home?’ He asked, his eyes darkening slightly

‘I can’t’ I smiled ‘Small bladder, such a curse, we won’t be long, you can wait in the car, we’ll be right back’

I turned around, where were my guards when I needed them, I pulled Bronwyn quickly towards the elevator but when we reached it, we found Darcy, one of my guards, he was unconscious and bleeding from his head

I rushed over to him, checking for a pulse, mercifully he was still breathing, Bronwyn screamed, and I spun around

‘You couldn’t just come quietly’

‘BRON!’

Troy was holding a silver knife to her throat, and she was frozen in fear, tears falling down her face

‘DON’T HURT HER!’

I heard running behind me and the busted open, and my other guard Natalie rushed out, looking around frantically, when she saw the situation, she grabbed me and shoved me behind her

‘LUNA STAY BACK!’

‘NO’ I screamed ‘HE’LL HURT HER!’

‘STAY BACK!’ Natalie shouted, her eyes were pitch black ‘LET THE GIRL GO!’

‘I will when she comes over to me’

‘That’s never going to happen!’ Natalie growled ‘Give the girl back and surrender now or die!’

I looked frantically at Bronwyn, she was shaking and looking at me with terrified eyes, Troy slid the knife lightly against her skin, cutting her slowly, causing her to cry out in pain

‘NO!, I’ll go!’ I screamed, I tried to rush over to them, but Natalie grabbed me and flung me back

‘DON’T MOVE!’ She shouted, her eyes still glued on Troy who smiled and threw the knife, hitting Natalie in the chest

‘NO!’ I screamed, I grabbed her as she hit the ground

Troy took advantage of my distraction, he tossed Bronwyn to the ground and launched at me, grabbing me around the throat and slamming me into the concrete floor, my head hit it hard, and I felt dizzy as the smell of my blood filled the air.

Troy tried to drag me up again, but I spun quickly, despite my blurred eyesight, I flipped my leg over him and flipped him onto his back before rushing over to Bronwyn and pulled her up.

Troy recovered quickly and jumped up, I pulled out the hidden dagger from my boot, I always kept it with me in a hidden compartment in all my shoes, even after being stabbed in the heart and today I was grateful my dad had insisted upon it.

I held it up as I shoved Bronwyn behind me

‘You think that’s going to help you’ He smirked as he started circling us

‘Even if you kill me, you’ll never get out of the territory alive’

‘I don’t plan on leaving alive’ He said casually, he walked over to Natalie

‘DON’T TOUCH HER’

Troy smirked at me as he leant down, he wrapped his large hand around the end of the dagger and ripped it from her chest, she groaned in agony, I knew that pain only too well, we needed to get her to the healers before it was too late.

‘I didn’t expect you to look so much like her’ Troy commented as he began circling us again, I pushed Bronwyn with me as he moved, I kept my eyes glued to Troy, watching his movements like a hawk, remembering my training

‘Who?’

‘Kalari’

‘You knew my mom?’ I asked in fear, did he know I was Fae?

‘I should’ He smirked and pulled out a red pill, he bit into it and he’s body started shifting, no longer did he have tanned skin, it was now sparking silver, no longer did he have dirty brown eyes, they were now a beautiful creamy brown and he’s ears pointed 'She was my sister’

‘Sister?’ Bronwyn whispered, she looked at me, her eyes sweeping over my body

‘My mom didn’t have a brother!’

‘I’m sure there was lots that b***h didn’t tell you!’

‘DON’T CALL HER THAT!’

Troy laughed ‘I was so thrilled when Raemair finally did away with her’ He smirked at me ‘Tell me, did she suffer as much as they say she did, did he really crush her skull under his boot while she screamed in agony’

‘F*CK YOU!’

‘Language young lady’ He reprimanded me and laughed ‘Don’t make me put you in time out’

‘Go to hell!’

‘I was so happy when word reached us of her death’ His face lit up as he remembered, this guy was crazy ‘I would finally get my rightful place on the throne but even after all these years, mother still refused to crown me and do you know why Katomi’

‘I don’t care!’

‘You’ He said, ignoring me ‘Turns out, she knew you were alive this whole time, just waiting for you to come of age, just waiting for you to take your place amongst our people, I was being passed over again and for what’ He spat ‘A half breed b*tch, some mutant f*ck who is mated to our enemy, mated to the man who killed her own grandfather, yes Katomi’ He looked at me with rage ‘Mother knows all about your little mate and trust me, she’s not pleased, she already lost Kalari to a disgusting dog, she’s not going make the same mistakes, she’ll kill him to get you back and she always gets what she wants’

‘I DON’T CARE WHAT SHE WANTS!’

‘You don’t deserve the crown!’

‘I DON’T WANT IT!’

‘You and Kelari both’ Troy screamed and took a step closer to us, I quickly pushed myself and Bron back ‘She chose you over her own people, she let Raemair take over just to hide some half Lycan freak and now you shack up with a Lycan who’s own father actively tried to wipe us out!’

‘Wyatt isn’t his dad!’

‘NO?!’ Troy stepped forward again ‘So he isn’t responsible for the death of thousands of our kind, you stand by his side why he kills your own people and you do NOTHING!’

I felt tears fall down my face, guilt filled me, crushing my heart

‘You don’t deserve to be Fae’ He shouted, ‘You don’t deserve to be QUEEN!’

‘And you think you deserve to be King!’ I shouted back ‘You’re crazy, I’m not the reason grandmother passed you over, it’s because you’re psychotic!’

‘I told you’ He smiled viciously at me ‘I’m not getting out of the territory alive, I was never getting the throne, mother will give the crown to my son before she ever considered giving it to me, but at least I can make sure my son doesn’t get passed over for some dirty blooded Lycan b***h, at least I can kill you and get my revenge on Kelari and your mate for taking my fathers life!’

Troy attacked, he was fast, he stabbed at me with the dagger, but I flew to the left

‘RUN!’ I screamed at Bronwyn, but she just pulled out her phone

Troy came at me again, I dodged another attack but only by inches, I swung my own knife at him but he kicked me in the chest and sent me backwards, I quickly straightened myself and he attacked again

I dodged him once more and swept out my leg causing him to trip and fall to the ground, he screamed angrily and jumped up and ran at me.

I continued to dodge his attacks and it was only making him crazier.

‘YOU HAVE TO FIGHT BACK!’ Remi screamed at me ‘STOP AVOIDING HIM AND FIGHT!’

I knew she was right, I hated this but I had no choice.

I took a breath to steady myself and started attacking, Troys eyes widened as he started stepping back trying to avoid me, I could tell he wasn’t expecting me to be such a skilled fighter, I was beyond grateful my dad had forced me to train as a child.

Troy screamed angrily and jumped towards me but I turned to the left and sliced my dagger down his chest before turning back at him, I ran towards him again but Troy flipped over me and his dagger sliced deeply into my forearm.

I screamed in pain and quickly spun towards him again, I could feel blood flowing down to my fingers.

‘Now we’re even’ Troy smirked at me before he launched at me again, the dagger aimed directly at my chest, I was forced to drop my knife as I grabbed his wrists, I grunted in pain as he slammed me into the cement again

‘KAT!’ Bronwyn screamed in fear but I didn’t know where she was standing, I was to focused on Troy

‘STAY BACK!’ I screamed at her when I heard foot steps getting closer to us, Bron wasn’t a fighter, she’d get herself killed.

He was stronger than me, I was already sweating with the effort of holding him back, Troys eyes were completely crazed, and he was snarling and breathing heavily as he used all of his strength to kill me.

‘CHANNEL MATES STRENGHT!’ Remi demanded

‘HOW!?’ I screamed back ‘I’ve never channelled him before, I just kind of siphon it to stop pain!’

I screamed as I lost a few more inches and the dagger tip dug into my chest

‘CLOSE YOUR EYES AND JUST FEEL IT!’ Remi shouted in fear ‘PULL IT INTO US!’

I closed my tear-filled eyes and did as she suggested, I felt for it, a strange kind of pull was there, I called to it, and I felt Wyatt’s strength seep into my body

My eyes shot open and I shoved Troy backwards, he looked at me in surprise as I straddled him, twisting the dagger so it was now pointing directly at his heart

‘DON’T MAKE ME DO THIS!’ I pleaded and wept ‘DON’T MAKE ME KILL MY OWN FAMILY!’

‘WE ARE NOT FAMILY!’ Troy screamed and let go of my hands

Without his strength holding my hands in the air, I fell down hard and the dagger pierced into his heart

My uncle cried out in pain as blue blood spat from his mouth and out of the wound.

Troy touched the wound and looked at the blood on his fingers while I stayed frozen in place, still holding the dagger and crying, he looked up into my eyes and wiped the blood over my face

‘TRAITOR!’ He said in Fae tongue before his hand slipped to the ground.

I couldn’t move, I stayed on top of him, staring into my uncle’s eyes as the light faded, my hands still firmly gripping the dagger

‘Kat’ Bronwyn’s gentle voice called out, it sounded distant, I felt something pulling at my fingers ‘Come away from him’

I finally managed to move my face and looked down at the dagger, Bronwyn was attempting to prey open my tight grip

‘Let it go’ She said softly ‘It’s ok now, he’s dead, please let it go’

I nodded, tears flowing down my face and let her pull me off and we sat down together with a cement wall behind my back

‘You’re Fae’

I nodded

‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘If anyone found out you’d be killed for hiding me’ I said numbly, still looking at my uncle’s face

‘I won’t tell’ Bronwyn promised ‘We have to lie, we’ll say he just tried to kill you because you’re the future Lycan Queen and that he wanted to get revenge because of what Alpha Wyatt did to his dad, we won’t say the other reason’

‘I can’t ask you to lie for me’

‘You’re not’ She said firmly and wiped her face ‘I won’t let anyone hurt you, I don’t care that your half Fae, you’re still my best friend, you’re still my Luna’

I closed my eyes, I wanted Wyatt ‘Wyatt?’

‘I called your dad’ She assured me ‘He’ll let Alpha Wyatt know, I’m sure everyone’s coming for you’

‘For us’ I corrected