Wrath of the Wolf Queen [HOTWP #2]

Chapter Five: NAOMI

Walking down the halls of the Gahndor palace, I feel the wounds on my flesh healing. It seems when Queen Selene brought me back, it fixed everything. Now my healing capabilities are like that of a normal werewolf's.

Except for my infertility. I still haven't had my first bleed, and that shakes me to my core. How will I produce heirs for the throne? How will I have children with Kohl, a desire that grows greater every day?

I swallow down the worry that comes with that thought and steel myself. I can't think about that right now. I need to get through seeing my mother first.

I approach the double doors of the throne room. It's the back entrance, reserved strictly for the royals and their company, and so there's always one or two guards surrounding it. The two on duty today rush to pull them open. Me and Kohl breeze through a second later.

Two black thrones sit before us. I take one, Kohl takes the other, and those in our circles stand beside us. Althea, Macy, and Kairi on my side, and several of Kohl's on his side.

And in the very centre of the room, standing on the black carpet that splits the entire thing in half, is my mother.

I swallow. Hard. She's just how I remembered. Thick, flowing chestnut hair to match the warm tones of her skin. A green satin dress to mark her status as noble. And eyes that, despite being warm brown in colour, glint like icicles in winter.

There's a tense silence as we stare at each other. Mother sizing up daughter – weighing, assessing, judging. An acerbic smile spreads over her face. "Hello, darling daughter."

I feel my face twist with disdain. Even now, she refuses to use my proper title. Even now, with me up here and her down there, she wants to degrade me before my own people. To tear me down like she always has.

"It's 'Your Majesty'," Althea spits from my right, and it's only then when my mother turns to look at her eldest daughter that I see genuine hurt on her face. Her favorite daughter, now standing beside her least-liked child. I have no doubt Althea's loyalty to me has wounded her beyond words.

"It's a shame," my mother begins sharply, "that the Agnarys flame went to her, and not you, my dear Althea."

My fists tighten around the armrests of my throne. Althea says nothing. She just stares at our mother with eyes like ice, her face as unyielding as stone.

"What is it you want, Mother?" I bite out, and my mother's eyes snap back to mine.

"Why, merely to see the new queen in the flesh." Her smile is similar to that of a viper's. I see Kohl tense beside me. "It's interesting to see what has become of my little Runt."

A fist of anger tightens around my chest. "Well, you've seen her," I snap. I nod towards the doors at her back. "You may leave."

She puts a hand to her chest in feigned hurt. "Oh, my. It seems some of that Gahndor cruelty has seeped into your veins. Is that right, my love?"