She had only just sat at her office desk when a knock at the door came and Eva swept in, carrying a tray of light snacks, a drink and another message.
"Oh for goodness sake, what now?" Ann muttered as she crammed half of a bacon sandwich into her mouth with a mouthful of tea and Maeve practically purred.
"I don't know, but it looks kind of important." Eva answered as she plonked herself down on a chair opposite and sipped on a coffee.
As soon as Ann's eyes landed on the seal and the familiar scrawl that could only belong to Adam, her heart was in her throat.
She wasted no time in ripping the message open and her eyes scanned the message inside quickly.
Scouts captured. Border.
She was moving before the ink had even dried on her own reply and the guards fell in behind her without question.. The courtyard was still half-asleep and the cook fires not yet been lit and by the time she had threatened a commander into driving her, the sun was already beginning to set.
"He's going to be livid when you arrive you know," Maeve grinned wickedly
"Well, he should be grateful that I took a car and not one of the horses instead," Ann grumbled back, picking the skin on her thumb as she stared out of the window.
"I would have paid to see that honestly!"
"You're an idiot...you're inside my head, you wouldn't have to pay."
"Shhh Queenie. Don't ruin the imagery." Maeve snapped in irritation as she settled back with a dreamy look on her face, "Picture it. The heavily pregnant Alpha Queenie riding in on a fine white steed, long, flowing gown trailing behind her.."
"I'm wearing trousers and a blouse right now Maeve.."
"...AS HER PRINCE CHARMING," Maeve continued, shouting above Ann's reply as she shot her a furious glare, "stands in teh middle of his men, mouth agape at the absolute fucking audacity of his wife not listening to his demands for her to stay behind the safety of the walls of the palace."
"It's hardly safe there," Ann snorted "What are we on now? Two assassination attempts and regular whisperings of trying to dethrone me?"
"It'd be like a fancy version of Lady Goddiva..just with a bunch of snarling werewolves and an angry alpha decapitating anyone who dares to look upon the majestic beauty of his beloved Queen."
"You're unhinged, Maeve. It's nothing at all like Lady Goddiva. For one I'm fully clothed thankyou very much, can you imagine Adams reaction if i was fully naked?"
"Mmmm it would be delightful." Maeve purred as she wiggled her brows suggestively.
"That doesn't help with how unhinged you look Maeve."
"It wasn't supposed to." She smirked in reply.
"Second of all, wasn't Lady Goddiva riding naked to get her husband to lower taxes?"
"Maybe you could do it to persuade the nobles to raise their tax contribution…start a new trend…or a new platform…maybe Eva and Coral can help with setting it up. We can call it…OnlyQueens"
"Oh for fuck sake Maeve."
"Yeah yeah , I know, shut up" she parroted in an imitation of Ann's voice and rolled onto her back with her legs in the air, pointedly ignoring her.
Ann sighed and rolled her eyes as the first signs of the outpost came into view.
Two towers, a palisade, a barn inside the yard that doubled as a holding shed and a main building that housed the beds and living quarters for the men posted here. The warehouse that they were using as a makeshift garage was full of various vehicles and wolves were already clustered along the fence when she arrived, tense and quiet in a way that told her Adam had kept them focused through the day and he expected the same as night fell.
A panicked shout rang across the yard as they called for Adam and he came rushing out of the main building with two of his commanders close behind.
"Ann! What are you doing here?! It isnt safe! Who would even be stupid enough to bring you out here!" He rushed out as he pulled her into a hug and his eyes found the driver who was doing his best to make himself disappear.
"I'll deal with you later," Adam snarled menacingly at the driver before turning to the guards that accompanied her, "And you three! What the hell possessed you to let her leave the palace?! After I gave strict orders.."
"Adam, behave," Ann interrupted with a fierce look, "They brought me because I am their Queen in case you forgot and any order that you give, is superseded by any that I give."
Adams wolf rumbled unhappily in his chest as Ann continued.
"Second of all, When did you give the order for me to be kept prisoner in my own home? Hmm?" She pressed as Adam had the decency to look sheepish.
"Busted," Maeve snorted.
Ann took stock of his appearance and frowned.
"I would be angry with you if you didn't look like you'd been throwing your weight around already," She murmured as she reached for the shirt that was torn across one shoulder again.
Adam sighed and turned his head to check on the guards at the gate and she noticed all of the bruises, old and new. shading his jaw, and there was dried blood along the back of his hand.
"I was just getting some of the wounds seen to," He mumbled like a child that had been caught not behaving.
"Well, come on then, I can help with that while I'm here." Ann said softly, letting him wrap his arm around her and allowing him to walk her back to the main building. It didn't escape her notice how he held her tightly against him, and how his wolf rumbled contentedly at her touch.
"Now, are you going to tell me what happened?" Ann said as he took a seat back in the medical bay.
"You really shouldn't have come, Ann," He grumbled as she dug through the supplies and collected what she needed to treat and dress his wounds.
"There's a lot of things that I shouldn't do, Adam, we've established this," she murmured as she placed everything on the table between them, "I'm sure the Elders are collectively ordering a third assassination attempt as we speak."
"They wouldn't fucking dare," Adam snarled furiously, slamming his fist on the table and Ann chuckled.
"I'll tell you about my day if you tell me about yours," Ann smirked, holding his gaze and managing to get a smile out of him as well.
"Fine, but just so you know, I'm still angry that you came." He grumbled.
"It could be worse, I could have been naked if Maeve had her way..."