The Wolf Queen (The Queen's Slave, Book 2)

Six: Murder

I stepped back and cursed, glancing around in hopes a miraculous escape would reveal itself. After a moment of stubbornness I gave up, accepting the face that I couldn't run from her. My muscles tightened with the urge to shift, to assert my dominance over the threat. Her ebony eyes gleamed with hunger and excitement, tracking every movement I made although she did not risk taking a step towards me. I knew that she wanted me to run and scream, fleeing in terror. She was a predator, she enjoyed the chase.

Although, so did I.

Perhaps it was foolish, but my pride and status as a wolf would not allow me to flee, so I stood my ground and rose my chin in defiance. A faint smirk flashed across her lips, brushing the lethal edges of her fangs. Swallowing, I slowly reached for my bow from where it was wrapped around my back, releasing a low breath as my fingers brushed the freshly lacquered wood. Despite the terror I felt at harming my mate, my fingers didn't waver when I knocked the arrow and gave the string a light tug to ensure it's stability. Hardening my heart, I swung the bow up until the point was directly level with her chest. She didn't look worried, merely amused, which irritated me even more. Her monster smiled, a sinister expression given the longevity of her fangs and the ruby red of her lips.

"So, we are finally having that fight," She drawled, relaxing her posture a bit and crossing her arms as she leaned against a nearby tree. I pursed my lips as memories of the day she introduced me to Vienna flashed across my mind. Her smile grew wider, no doubt reading the thoughts as they crossed my face.

"I won't be taken again." My words trembled slightly, revealing my unease. If I were to be honest, I wasn't sure that I was capable of even firing the arrow. Not with the enormous brick wall I had put up between us, ensuring that she stay out of my head. It was bad enough that I saw her in my nightmares, it was bad enough that I ached of heartbreak and pain. I couldn't bear the thought of her taking the one thing I had left; my most private and intimate thoughts.

"Oh I very much doubt that."

My throat grew dry as her dark gaze traveled from my face and all the way down to my feet before making its way quite leisurely back up. "It is a shame, the way your calloused fingers wrap around your weapon, I'm sure I could think of a few other ways to put them to use." My brows rose incredulously at the way she practically oozed confidence and sexuality. Not to mention I was slightly offended at the way she blatantly flirted with me when I held a weapon to her chest that could be fired at any minute.

My so called "calloused" fingers flexed on the fletching of my bow as she took a step forward, testing the boundaries of my threat. "I will shoot." I set my jaw, willing that small spark of defiance she had managed to wither inside me, to grow into a wildfire. My wolf paced anxiously, not wishing to hurt our mate but definitely wishing to put her in her place.

"No, you won't." Another step had my fingers quivering, my muscles tensing in preparation.

"Try me." I snarled, feeling tears of rage brim in my eyes. Her demon eyes seemed to sear right through me and straight into my soul. My jaw was clenched so hard my teeth ached. Closing my eyes, I inhaled a deep breath, knowing what I had to do and hating it. Opening my eyes, I leveled a steely glare at her and released the arrow, the breath whooshing from my chest. There was a brief moment when I released the arrow when time seemed to slow and I could only hear the deafening sound of the blood rushing to my head. What happened next was what I could only describe as spectacular, much to my disappointment. Her fingers came up and snatched the arrow right out of the air, as easily as one would a feather that floated by in a soft breeze. Then everything sped up and the sound of my heartbeat grew louder, fluttering inside my ribcage like a trapped bird.

Her fingers snapped my strongly crafted arrow like it were a mere toothpick, the once sensual air around us growing cold. I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared out of my mind, my bow lowered to my side as I swallowed, meeting her gaze head on. I think perhaps the scariest thing I noticed was that on the other side of wall keeping our thoughts apart, was complete and total vast emptiness. Nothing, no emotion, no presence of her whatsoever. Her features was so severe and devoid of any expression that I finally realized my own mate may actually be capable of killing me. Which seemed quite silly since she'd done all but that in all our time together. I decided to make a run for it, again. My canines ached to descend, my body thrummed with the beginnings of the shift. It came much more swiftly and painless than any other, fueled by my fear and adrenaline. Her words echoed around my skull as I fled east, my paws barely touching the forest floor, my mate hot on my heels and eager for my blood.

"Run run, little wolf. The lion lies in wait."

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