Queen of the Beasts *Sample*

Chapter 21

Though I had certainly damaged my relationship with Griffin he seemed beyond enthusiastic to progress forward with me and after living with Thorn for a short time his easy smile and constant delight were always welcome. A few days after my return he suggested we go for a walk in the gardens and I agreed instantly. Yes, our relationship was being put back together piece by piece but my actions were not so easily forgotten. Every night my door was locked, keeping me contained, and I was only allowed outside with some form of supervision. So the thought of being outside with Griffin was more than enough to be excited about. The fresh air, the sun, and the man I cared about, it was quite the lovely combination.

"How was your night?" Griffin asked as we wove through the gardens on a gravel path.

"It was well enough. Sleeping inside and on that bed is infinitely better than trying to keep warm under a tree." I responded.

Griffin gave me the best smile that he could muster but it was tense at best. It was becoming very clear that he wasn't comfortable with discussing my sudden departure and my rogue roots just yet. I also noticed the way he casually changed direction, moving us away from the forest I had escaped through, and towards the stables on the other side of the property. When I followed him without hesitation I saw the way his shoulders slumped and heard the breath that he let pass through his lips. Evidently, he no longer trusted me to control myself and I couldn't say that I blamed him. Shifting and running back to my friends was not something I had intended to happen and I had admitted that I hadn't been able to stop the shift.

"What about you?" I continued, trying to distract both of us from the obvious concerns looming overhead, "How was your night?"

"Restless."

"Oh?" Perhaps the lecture I had been waiting for would come now, on this beautiful day, tarnishing the sound of the bees buzzing by and the sunshine. I was no fool, I knew my actions would have to be confronted more completely at some point.

But that would not happen today.

"I've been thinking a lot about the mark." Griffin confessed and I watched as his hand cradled the nearly healed scar. "I know that in werewolf culture it is symbolic for an everlasting commitment. We spoke very briefly about the human equivalent: marriage. I think now that you have marked me it's time for us to get married and for you to take the crown as my wife. I was thinking about the festival next month, with so many events occurring and visitors arriving at this time we would have to plan very little."

"Next month." I whispered, dread washing over me.

No, I wasn't against Griffin anymore. By marking him I had actively chosen him. However, I could not betray my little pack. Yes, I defied their way of life now, but they had still gotten me through several moments of adversity. We may be different now but I still cringed at the thought of my sweet Hunter curled up under a tree, shivering in the cold weather and going hungry when a rabbit or fawn darted out of his grasp. Regardless of the rift between us I could never fully abandon them.

On top of that I had never considered being a queen. At one point I had been the daughter of an alpha but that seemed like a lifetime ago now. And even as the daughter of an alpha I knew the best I would ever do in life would either involve being mated to an alpha or a beta of another small pack. And after I had gotten lost my only potential love interest had been Thorn and it was bore out of necessity. I never thought about being more or less than what the circumstance allowed.

And being queen entailed a lot more than I had been raised to handle. I didn't know how to wear dresses that were covered in jewels. I didn't know how to curtsey or how to sip tea without offending anyone. Though I had never seen either of the queens in person until recently I had heard great tales about them my whole life. Queen Willow, the woman who came from rubble and bloomed into a compassionate, educated queen. Her daughter, Queen Athena, had always been a force to reckon with, as strong in the library as she was in battle. The sounded like goddess living among us.