EVANGELINE.
Danciana and Maryka slowly rise to their feet. From their pale faces, they were not expecting that. I rein in my aura, glancing around. No one moves. I guess I don’t need to use my powers. They bow down to my simple commands. They can sense who I am. My presence alone is enough.
“You should be ashamed for having your mate thrown in prison and betraying him,” I say icily to Maryka. “Hold your tongue unless I ask you to speak.”
Her eyes flash, her lips quivering with anger, but she is unable to argue with me.
“These lands once belonged to the Night Shade Pack. You are making a mistake, Evangeline, and remember the king lives. You are not in charge.” Danciana says haughtily, but despite her calm exterior, she’s terrified. “I am acting on his behalf.”
“Oh, I am, and when the king comes forth, only then will I speak to him. As for acting on his behalf? I don’t see him submitting to another pack!” I growl.
She flinches, her eyes darting around the room as I advance upon her.
“You, as the King’s Luna, should be representing him! Not defying his beliefs.”
With each step closer, I also pay attention to those around me, realising that more than half of the men are wearing the crest of the Night Shade Pack.
“She is a traitor! Apprehend her!” Danciana shouts, forced to step back.
But no one moves, and I reach her; reaching up, I rip the crown that she wears off her head, tossing it onto the throne behind her.
Gasps fill the room, and even Danciana is visibly shaking as she realises she can’t move, my eyes blazing as they dare her to defy me.
“Luna Evangeline!” Philip exclaims. I glare at the member of the king’s court, instantly silencing him.
“Being the Goddess sure makes for a boring showdown,” Ragnar mutters, and I almost smile.
“Lock the traitors, Danciana and Maryka Vilkas, in the dungeons, where they will remain until their sentences are announced!” I growl, my eyes blazing.
There are probably traitors here who do not wish to see me as queen, or some forced or bound to serve the Luna Queen, or should I say Ex-Queen.
“You are making a mistake. YOU FOOLS! SHE’S THE TRAITOR!” Drystan thunders.
“Oh, shut the fuck up. You chose the wrong side,” Ragnar growls.
“Lock up the twin princes up, too,” I state icily. “Where are the king, the other princes, the Beta, and Kash Donovan?”
“The king is in the hospital wing. The rest of the royal family who disputed the queen, the Beta, Gamma, their families and a few others are being held in the torture dungeons.” One of the warriors says, bowing down to me.
I clench my jaw, turning and leaving the hall.
“Ragnar, please find the Beta and the rest, and summon an emergency meeting with those who are in the dungeons. As for the council members who were on your mother’s side, imprison them. And then we will set out.”
“Sure, and for that, are we travelling in wolf form?” He asks.
I nod. I can’t risk using the portal for everyone. I will return first, but before that, I need to see Ambrose. An unease is filling me, urging me to hurry. I head to the hospital wing, and soon, the king’s scent reaches me.
Entering the silent hospital area, I follow my nose until I am at the door to the king’s room. Two warriors stand guard at the doors. “Step aside,” I command, and they obey immediately, despite their concern.
Pushing the door open, I pause when I see the sleeping king. But it is his state that shocks me. He’s hooked up to a machine, and he’s hooked up to blood. His body is covered in bruises and gashes. Whoever he fought had injured him badly.
Anger flares through me.
He put up a good fight,
Whoever touched the king or has any information regarding what happened, I want reported to me,
My heart is thundering as I stare at the king, taking a deep, shaky breath.
He’s pale, and his heartbeat is weak. I cross the room, my footsteps echoing in the silent room, and I place a hand on the king’s forehead.
His time is near. I can feel him nearing death’s door.
I close my eyes, hesitating as I am about to summon my powers. But deep down, I know if I do, I’ll be messing with the balance of life and death. He is already teetering on the brink of life and death. This means he now falls under another God, the god of death himself, Hades.
You can’t,
I know,
Sighing, I look down at the king. He has seven sons, yet on his deathbed, they can’t be here.
Ragnar, your father is on his deathbed, please come to his side,If you can, bring Alcazer and Chasyn, too. Please make haste.
There’s silence, but I know he’s heard me.
Understood. It'll be just Alcazer and I. Chasyn isn't in any position to come,
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper, looking down at the king, unable to stop the tears that trickle down my cheek.
Don’t cry. Everyone dies,
I can’t help but smile at her words.
I know, but he was a good king,He was one of the rare people who treated Zedkiel like a person and not a monster.
Yeah, he was a good Dad,
I wipe it away, and just then his eyes flutter open, making me hope that somehow he will be okay, but I know that is just wishful thinking.
It takes a moment before he recognises me.
“I thought … I was meeting the Moon Goddess,” he says softly, smiling slightly. And I can’t help but return it with one of my own, even if my heart is breaking inside. His eyes twinkle, and I wonder if he knows more.
“It’s just Evangeline,” I whisper, “Your daughter-in-law.”
“I do wish we had more time, but alas … life has its own plans,” he says, taking a breath.
I caress his face with one hand. “Your Majesty,” I whisper, not knowing what else I can say.
His heart rate is dipping and rising, making my nervousness rise.
Time is short. Hurry, Ragnar!
He looks around, his eyes shadowing. “Where … where are the rest?” He asks softly.
“Some of them are coming,” I whisper softly.
Does he know what happened? Or if he even remembers it.
“Ah. Zedkiel? Where is he?”
“He isn’t here,” I reply, wishing he was.
The look of disappointment on the king’s face breaks my heart.
We need you, Zedkiel.
“I won’t last … You need to take your place … as Supreme Alpha …” His eyes flutter shut, and his heartbeat becomes erratic.
“I will. Relax, Alpha Ambrose. Ragnar and Alcazer are coming!” I exclaim in a hushed whisper.
Ragnar, hurry, please!
“Cut … cut my hand,” he murmurs. “I must hand you the title, I know … there’s no time for a ceremony … I …”
I don’t want to, but we both know his time is short. With a heavy heart, I make a cut in both of our hands.
“I, Ambrose Vilkas … the Supreme Alpha of Alphas, renounce myself as King and Alpha of the Moonstone Pack. I pass my position to the rightful Queen … Evangeline Vilkas, to lead this pack to prosperity …” His voice is ragged as if each word is a struggle for him.
We join hands as he smiles warmly up at me, and he nods, encouraging me to speak.
“I, Evangeline Vilkas, accept the power and position of Ruler and Alpha and vow to always uphold the laws and ethics of the Moonstone Pack.”
I feel the shift in power, the snapping of the mind connection to the rest of the pack filling my head.
“It is done … Take care of them all … I leave the … rest to you …” He murmurs.
“No. Wait!” My heart is thumping, and I shake my head.
Suddenly, I sense another entity in the room, and I know that it’s time for him to go. My head snaps up as I see the cloaked, hooded figure hovering above the king as his soul is tugged from his body, and I close my eyes as I feel Ambrose’s life force fade away.
The hooded figure turns to me, and despite being faceless, I know he’s watching me. Neither of us react before he turns and disappears.
He’s taken.
The sound of hurried footsteps approaching, the shouts of alarms of the doctors as the machine goes flat, the steady beep ringing in my ears, but nothing is louder than the thudding of my own heart as I stand there trying to contain my emotions.
“He …” Ragnar’s voice comes as the door is thrown open.
Silence follows as everyone realises that their sovereign is gone.
“The king’s dead,” One of the doctors whispers, horrified.
“The Alpha … this-”
“He’s gone, but we have a new Alpha. Pledge your allegiance and place the king’s body somewhere safe until we may mourn him,” Alcazer says coldly.
I turn to see him leaning on Ragnar, who is supporting him. He’s in a bad state, clear signs that he put up a fight.
Both brothers lower their heads slightly to me, but I have no time for protocol. I close the king’s eyes and turn away.
“Take a moment to be with him. I will wait outside,” I say softly.
We need to ask them about the others,
Give them a moment,
I’m sorry I couldn’t do more.
“Alpha, if there is anything you need us to do,” the guards bow their heads in submission.
I shake my head. “Take a moment to mourn your king,” I say quietly, my heart squeezing.
What will I tell Zed? How will I tell him that his father is gone?
A few minutes pass before the brothers exit the hospital room, both looking sombre.
“How are Amora and Kayla?” I ask Alcazer.
“Alive,” he says, and Ragnar frowns.
“I commanded the guards to bring everyone to the hospital,” Ragnar says, frowning, motioning down the hall.
“Who else is there?” I ask.
“Kayla, Amora, Kash and the Beta and Gamma alongside their families. Adonis is in bad shape. I think he put up a fight when he got back. Then there’s Lucia and Alistair, believe it or not. Omegas.”
“Lucia?” I ask, my heart skipping a beat.
He nods curtly.
“She tried to protect Chasyn from Maryka and almost died,” Alcazer says. “If Kash didn’t intervene, she would be dead.”
Worry consumes me, and I walk swiftly towards the ward.
The doors to the ward swing open, and we step inside. There are several beds, and I spot Kayla instantly as she’s sitting on the bed, nodding at something the nurse just said.
“Yeah, plus there’s something else you should know about Lucia,” Ragnar remarks.
I raise an eyebrow, but he doesn’t explain further, simply turning to his wife.
“You’re awake,” Ragnar says. She turns, and her heart skips a beat.
“You’re alright,” she says, looking him over.
“You don’t sound too pleased,” he remarks moodily, going over to her.
She tilts her head before she stands up and wraps her arms around his neck tightly.
“I’m more than pleased.” She says quietly.
Evelyn scoffs. Mushy couples,
They go well,
Yeah,
I turn my attention to Kash, who is stirring. Chasyn is indeed in a bad state, lying there unconscious. Then, my gaze finally lands on Lucia. Her blond hair is coloured red with dried blood. I can barely recognise her from the brutal swelling in her face, making my anger flare.
Maryka beat her violently.
She’s still unconscious and in a horrific state, but what shocks me is the prominent curve to her stomach and the steady, gentle heartbeat of an unborn pup.
She is pregnant.