The Northern King

𝕍𝕀𝕀𝕀

The villages were spotted around the forest but seeing as we had yet to pass through one, I doubted that Crescent was thriving as they once did before. Lord Nox was in deep thought as he scribbled in his book whilst Genevieve snored beside me, her head jolting along with the carriage but it didn't wake her. 

Tossing my gaze back out the window, my fingertips touched the pane that frosted from the dramatic temperature drop. Immediately, the ice began to thaw as my power surged, warming the carriage. I became fascinated with the way the coldness clashes against my warm hands, gold swirls slowly slithering against the glass.

"Your Majesty, why is the carriage feeling like a furnace?" Lord Nox murmured without looking up, glasses perched at the bridge of his nose.

I immediately moved my hands away. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

He hummed in disbelief but didn't press any further. After a heartbeat, I glanced back out the window, watching as the trees blurred into one. From my father's journal, I knew that the King would live in the mountains, his castle shielded by a stronghold. The castle was tall, disappearing into the clouds, and mighty, built from silver and steel. Statues of wolven creatures were moulded from granite and sat atop of the castle, warding off anyone that dared to enter. 

He spoke about the packs, more specifically the hierarchy of a pack. I reached into the bag kept by my feet and pulled out one of his journals that managed to survive my wildfire. The familiarity of his penmanship brought tears to my eyes which I quickly blinked away before they had the chance to escape and ruin what little I had left of my father. 

Brushing my fingers over the cursive words, I mouthed silently what my father had learnt. Within each pack, there was an Alpha, a Beta, and finally the Gamma. The latter two were responsible for overseeing the security and militia of the village. The Alpha was responsible for everyone. Then, there was the Luna, the Alpha's mate. Like Christian had said, every wolf had a fated other half and when an Alpha found theirs, it had meant they would become the Luna. For a second, I mused whether that applied to me. However, it must be different when it came to the King.

The King was the Alpha of all Alphas; he had the authority over all wolves in the province. The fact that he was capable of having a mate was a blessing in itself, wrote my father. He also noted that Crescent had its own court; instead of nobles, the court was filled with the Alphas and Betas from the surrounding villages. On one occasion, he was lucky enough to see the council gather and was in awe when he saw the type of power the former king's commanded. 

A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of Christian's dominant aura attached to those intense silver eyes. Glancing down at my attire, I was dubious at whether it would protect me from the bitter cold. My maids had me dressed in a gown as white as the snow and a fur cloak with hints of blue. Gloves reached my elbow yet I could still feel the coldness nibble my flesh hungrily the further we entered the forest.

"How long do we have left to go?" I asked, noticing the sun on the horizon, rays of lights streaming through the gaps as it eagerly searched to dispel the darkness.

It looked like something out of a painting: ethereal and surreal.

"We have yet to cross the Silverstone River so maybe another three hours," Nox replied, glancing at his pocket watch before tucking back into his coat. "You should rest, Your Majesty."

"I can't even think about closing my eyes," I revealed, quietly. He peered up and I sighed. "I'm nervous."

"Why is that?"

"What if I'm not capable to be their Queen? I'm not a wolf. I don't understand their customs or traditions."

"It will be a bumpy transition at first, I'll admit, but you are to be their Luna, Mikayla. That's all that matters to them. You may be a fae but you are more than capable of ruling another kingdom. I assure you."