Chapter 210

Fiona

“Thanks for coming Laxus,” I say as he helps me out of the car. Sophie, Nova, Laura, and Claire all wave from the sidewalk. Nova immediately bows in her passionate, yet rigid manner, while the other girls all welcome us.

“Luna, I made you these prenatal vitamins,” Laura says, pulling out a little bottle of chalky pills. She passes them to me, pointing at the ingredient list, “All the herbs are straight from my garden and were prayed over by Claire here to bless you and the baby.”

“Thank you. I hadn’t had time to make my own, so these are very nice,” I tell them both before tucking them away in my purse.

Sophie claps and throws her arms around me and Claire, who is the other person closest to her. “Let’s get our shopping done. Luna Fiona needs some new clothes and wants to explore the Kingdom Center, so we are now her guides. Gamma Laxus, will you follow or lead?”

“Follow,” he and Nova say at the same time. I nearly laugh when they look at each other surprised, but he confirms, “I’ll follow. Nova, you can lead.” She puts her right fist over her heart in some sort of salute and moves to the front of the group.

The group leads me to a strip of clothing stores off the main street, and Claire gasps. She makes a beeline for a little pop-up cart that has figurines, and because I’m curious, I follow.

“These are amazing,” she whispers, picking up a slightly blue colored glass figure of a woman. “This is Moon glass, the only substance, other than moon stone, that we believe to be spiritually connected to the Goddess, kind of like how humans believe crystals have special abilities.”

She turns the figure over in her hand then places it in mine. It’s cool to the touch and sends a shiver down my spine. The wolf pendant around my neck pulses, and Claire’s eyes widen.

“That was… has that happened before?”

I nod, touching the pendant as it goes still again.

“It protected me one time, when I was in danger,” I tell her, and she stumbles back.

“We don’t have time to talk about it now, but would you tell me about it another time?”

“Of course. Do you want one of these figures? I’d love to buy you one as a thank you for helping with the pregnancy vitamins,” I tell her, and again, she gasps. Her glasses jiggle on her nose and slide down as beams.

“I would love that.”

She waits with barely concealed excitement as I purchase the little glass trinket and hugs me when I give it to her. It makes me think of Isla, and I make a mental note to contact her later. I haven’t talked to her in a while because of everything going on. I have so much to tell her.

As we stand in line for a sweet treat that Nova swears will have me craving more for the rest of my life, Sophie squeals, grabs my arm, and drags me to a store called The Fit.

“I can’t believe they’re open! Usually Monday is their restock day, but GAH! It’s my favorite store and we’re bound to find loads of cute clothes for you,” she cries, and I mean literally. A tear slips down her cheek as we burst into the store.

“Welcome to The Fit… oh Sophie! Long time no see!” A girl around Sophie’s age says, smiling.

I follow Sophie to the dress section as she begins tearing through outfits and throwing them at me. In no time, I’m holding a pile of clothes and having a hard time seeing anything.

“Uh, Sophie, don’t you think this is enough? I don’t have anywhere to wear these,” I tell her, and she laughs.

“You and Ethan will have dates to go on, I’m sure.”

“Maybe, but not right now, besides he—”

The shop door bursts open, and Nova, Claire, Laura, and Laxus tumble in. Laxus slams the door closed behind them just as I notice a mob of protestors gathering outside the shop.

“False Queen!” Someone yells.

Another person bangs on the glass door, thrusting a poster against the glass that says: “Down with the human Queen!”

The yelling grows louder as Nova joins Laxus in pushing against the door. People scream profanities and threats, pointing at me and raking their finger across their neck like a knife.

“Humans are filth!”

“Screw the rules! We don’t want a human Queen!”

“She needs to die!”

With each chant, my chest grows tighter. Why couldn’t they just leave me alone?

Ethan POV

“Our main focus should be the possibility of rebellion in the North,” I announce, glancing at the notes I’d written. “There have been more stories about Lycans shifting loyalties, and there are instances of families moving out of Northern packs. I got two requests this past week alone from two families wanting to join my pack.”

“Yes, that is worrisome,” a council member says, rubbing his chin. “There is also the increased movement and rate of rogues being spotted on pack lands.”

“I captured two rogues trespassing on my land just a few days ago while they harassed my mate.”

Several sets of eyes bounce to me, concern flowing from them. Not every council member agrees with a human Queen, but they also cannot change things because they support the throne, not undermine it.

“Is she alright?” Councilman Hennan questions, leaning forward.

“Yes, she was frightened but—”

Fear suddenly fills my body, and I stand, reaching out to Fiona through our bond.

“Fiona? Can you hear me?”

She doesn’t answer, but the fear grows, nearly drowning everything in my mind. The only thing she feels is fear right now, and even pushing through it, I can’t get to her.

Zev growls, and before I can reach out to Fiona again, I’m shifting and running toward the Kingdom Center.

“I’m coming, Fiona!”

She still doesn’t respond, so I try Laxus.

“What is happening?” I growl, pushing myself past my limits.

“Protestors. We’re cornered in a shop, and they’re trying to force their way in. The Luna is hiding while Gamma Nova and I are keeping anyone from entering the front. My backup is struggling to get the protestors to leave.”

“Alpha, there’s too many of them to deal with peacefully,” Michael links me.

“And if we hurt them, it could cause more problems,” Robert adds.

Growling, I turn the corner on to main street and find exactly what they mean. A crowd much larger than the one from the other day surrounds the little shop. I shift back to my human form, sticking my hands between people and trying to push them aside.

Michael and Robert appear at my side, pushing and yanking people out of my way, but for every one person they move, two more take their place.

Zev growls when Fiona’s fear spikes again, and I can’t stand it. I roar loud enough to shake the ground.

Everyone freezes, and I jump to action just as a loud, ear-piercing scream splits the air.