The Werewolf Queen

Prologue

"The true honor of a werewolf royal is making sure that you fit the immense and difficult standards that the werewolf community puts forth onto you." My father spoke, pacing back and forth in front of the bed I was laying in. 

"You need to be the best werewolf female they have ever seen, or they won't accept you, and well, you know the rest." My father waved his hand as he continued. 

It wasn't long until my 21st birthday, where I would be sworn in as the new Queen of the Werewolves. I had about three months to prepare for my coronation, where I would be put on display for the entire werewolf kingdom and become their new leader. 

My father turned back to me, halting his steps. "I have lined up delightful suitors that I think would be a perfect fit to stand by you at the throne. 

I gave my father a blank look. He knew what that meant, and I saw his face slightly deflate as I stared at him without saying anything. A werewolf's entire life is centered around finding their soulmate, the person they are meant to be with for the rest of their life, the person the Moon Goddess specifically picked out just for them. Some werewolves reject their mates, but that's incredibly rare and is extremely painful on your wolf. 

When I was little, I would go on walks with my mom and talk about finding my mate. We were never truly sure if I had a mate, since I was half werewolf and half fae, but I had always hoped that I had one. Faes don't have mates, they just pick who they want to be with, but most are pretty monogamist. My mother, however, wasn't. 

I admired my parent's love story. It was special, in a way. My father suffered for years, his wolf going dormant, due to the death of his mate in a war against the vampire kingdom. My mother saw this, and her being a fae healer, she wanted to help him in any way that she could. It was shocking for my father, that a fae woman would want to help him because werewolves don't get along well with any other species. Soon they fell in love, but my father had to keep her a secret because he was the werewolf king and if any wolf found out that he was seeing a fae woman, he would be killed and someone else would have to take the throne. 

Not long after that, I came along. It was hard for my father to explain my sudden presence as he had to claim me as his next heir, but he gave an excuse that he slept with a werewolf woman and she didn't want me so that no one would find out that I was half wolf, half fae. 

I looked at the mirror to my right as my father started to talk again. I smiled, thinking of my mom as my appearance came into view. I inherited nothing from my father, my dark hair came from my mom, along with my silver eyes and my freckles. I was a spitting image of her. 

"You're thinking about her again." My father murmured, looking at my reflection now too. 

"How could I not? It will be almost six years that she's been gone." I said to him, looking back at him now. 

My mother died trying to fight off a vampire that was sent to kill me. Thankfully I didn't see it happen, but when I heard the news, I couldn't get out of bed for months and I couldn't talk to anyone about it because no one could know I had a fae mother. 

My father sighs and sits down on my bed, taking my hand in his. "I miss her too, but she wouldn't want you to be like this, so close to your coronation. During this time, Maeve, you need to have full concentration." 

I rolled my eyes and pulled my hand away from him. "I know, dad. Just let me be for now."

He nods and gets up. "That's fine. I have meetings soon, anyways. The suitors are coming at six o'clock tonight." He gives me a kiss on the cheek then exits my room, leaving without a goodbye. 

I knew what that meant. I would have to pick someone to rule with me tonight, then I would have to go up in front of the highest ranking families within the kingdom so they could decide if my suitor and I would be good as a King and Queen. Then, if they say yes, I would be able to continue on with my coronation.

I only hoped my mate might be there tonight, but knowing my luck that's not the case. Usually, wolves will wait years upon years to find their other half, however, royalty is different. If I don't find my mate by the age of twenty, I have to find a suitor so that my coronation can continue on and I don't rule alone. 

But I knew that me having a mate wasn't a guarantee, so waiting around for one would be selfish of me when it came to my kingdom. I had a responsibility to them and what if my mate wasn't accepted as the man to rule beside me by the werewolves? Then what? I knew the men my father had picked out would definitely be accepted by the werewolf community so I knew I couldn't take the chance of trying to wait for a mate.

But my god did I want to. 

I watched all of my friends find their mates, I'm so incredibly envious of all of them. They were all so happy and then there was me, still mateless at twenty. Starting at the age of sixteen you can find your mate, that's when you first shift and your wolf becomes apart of you and starts looking for your other half. Usually people didn't go longer than a couple of years without finding their mate, for me, it's been almost five years. 

Maybe I truly don't have a mate. 

And if I do, would he even accept who I truly am?