"Tonight I can write the saddest lines. I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too."
-Pablo Neruda
Sirens By: Cher Lloyd
My palms were sweaty as I nervously wiped them on my training pants, taking in my appearance while Emilee finished and touched up my hair. I ran my eyes over the crown of braids, interwoven with soft gold thread and lined with little silver rings. When I asked where she had gotten such finery, she merely winked and said it was her secret. Through the small mirror I took in my appearance. The harsh cut of my jaw, cheekbones, and pursed lips formed a hard and rather unapproachable exterior. I lingered on the azure of my eyes and they way they shone brightly from underneath long lashes. Emilee had clothed me in our traditional training uniform, a faded crisscrossing leather top showed off the scars at my back and the muscles ribbing my abdomen. From the waist down I wore loose pants that allowed for free range of movement but cinched rightly around my waist and ankles. My feet were left bare, and I carried no weapons except a six foot tall oak staff, sanded to perfection.
Emilee handed me the staff and placed her hand on my shoulder, watching me through the mirror. "Are you ready?"
I blew out a breath and turned to face her, my nerves fading at the determined look in her eyes. Her hair was braided back into two braids resembling fish tails, drawing attention to her delicate features. "About as ready as I'll ever be."
As we walked the hallway to the pit, I felt like I was dreaming. I could hardly feel my feet touching the ground as we entered the cavernous room, now bare of tables, instead the entirety of the pack surrounded the outer edges of the crater in floor. My gaze immediately surveyed the crowd, weeding out my opponents. I found the group rather easily and was only mildly surprised to see Jacob among the faces. His lips pulled to one side in a lopsided grin as he mock-saluted me. I offered a polite nod to him and winked at my brother's before facing the alpha. His unwavering azure gaze was cold and detached, his short hair smoothed regally back from his face.
A crown of running wolves swam in his white hair as he moved towards me, the light blue long-sleeved tunic hugging his arms drew attention to his muscled frame. As I dropped to one knee, every wolf dropped with me. "Azalea Albescu, you are here to challenge fifty two eligible males and one female of this pack on behalf of your mate Queen Elizabeth Bonaparte, are you not?" Shocked whispers broke out around us at the mention of Elizabeth's title, but silenced as I spoke.
"I am." Biting back my surprise at his mention of the females who had entered, I was proud when my voice came out clear and strong, echoing in the space around us.
"Are you prepared to accept the rules of the challenge for the good of the pack and acknowledge that should you lose, you will no longer be eligible as our heir and your life will be forfeit?
"I do."
His eyes darkened to cerulean, harsh and unforgiving like high tide on a stormy day. "Very well. Last but not least, are you prepared to swear your lifeblood to the pack should you win this challenge, binding us together in body and mind? Are you prepared to put the pack first and bring two races together as one in order to rid this world of evil, even at the possible cost of your life?"
I met my father's gaze with determined fire in my belly, having known all along what the cost of losing the challenge would be. Opening my mouth to respond, I stumbled when Elizabeth's awareness leapt to life, surging forward in my mind and locking my jaw shut before I could utter my final proclamation. It took me entirely too long to realize that I could fully sense her presence in the room, and I wondered how I hadn't before when the amulet nestled between my breasts began to heat. My gaze snapped up and immediately clashed with a certain redhead leaning rather languidly into the arch of the doorway.
I could only hope my gaze conveyed the entirety of all the rage I felt at her appearance. As if sensing the strong emotion, Camille blew me a kiss, her lips spread in a mischievous grin. I realized that she must've cloaked herself but not her sister, because the moment Elizabeth stepped forward every wolf snapped to attention. Thankfully, no one was foolish enough to try and stop her, but coiled tension as thick as the dark clouds of a thunderstorm moved in as she met each wolf's eyes before finally settling on mine.
"Hello my love." Her expression didn't waver and remained stoic as she spoke into my mind.
I forced myself to appear indifferent and turned my gaze away, even as the seductive warmth of her voice threatened to turn my body to mush. A throaty chuckle reverberated through my mind, her response to my silence. Even as annoyed as I was at her sudden appearance, I wasn't exactly surprised. I knew there was no possible way she would ever let me fight a horde of unmated wolves alone, despite the fact that I was perfectly capable of defending myself. I had only mildly hoped that her loud mouth of a sister wouldn't blab, but I should've known better for even entertaining the thought.
My eyes tracked her lethal frame as she strode forward and effortlessly parted the sea of bodies, unable to draw my eyes way. The tight fitting jumpsuit she wore accentuated her voluptuous curves and firm muscles deliciously. Her long hair was piled elegantly atop her head in a neat bun and centered perfectly inside her crown, the proud silver drawing attention to her caramel skin and bright gold eyes. I clenched my jaw so hard that I worried my teeth might crack when she moved to pass into the crater and Markus stepped forward, barring her path. Ignoring the rather large beta wolf, Elizabeth met my father's gaze with unwavering intensity, inclining her head in greeting.
Her voice commanded attention when she spoke, drawing equal parts hostility and curiosity. "Forgive the intrusion, I do not wish to cause strife." Her voice was calm and polite, but devoid of any emotion. "I couldn't help but stop by, seeing as the bond I share with my mate, is in question." I held my breath as a long moment passed, inwardly sighing in relief when father finally waved Markus off, allowing her to pass. The pack reformed a tense circle around us as she stepped in front of him, clasping her hands behind her back.
"So, you are Ravenna's daughter." My father's features revealed nothing as he spoke, remaining frustratingly stoic behind his full beard. I subconsciously bristled as he sized her up, looking her up and down, but forced myself to calm when the skin of my arms began to ripple in warning.
"No, I am Rueben's daughter." Elizabeth's voice was a low growl and I made a subconscious noise, unable contain my surprise at the mention of her father's name. I had heard it once in passing from a gossiping maid and had never thought to bring it up, but I had heard that Ravenna often kept a harem, and Rueben had been her favorite "toy". Elizabeth rarely spoke of him and her family situation was already quite delicate, so for her bring him up now in front of the entire pack sent my mind into a whirlwind of what significance it held to the events of the challenge.
My father's eyes flashed with slight surprise. "Hmm. I met him once, your father. Many years ago when I was a young male and not yet king but on my way there, I stumbled upon a badly beaten man with a child escaping from the palace. My pack took him in until my parent's village was raided by Ravenna's men. She was a hellion of a girl," his chest rumbled in a low chuckle, pausing briefly. I was unsure whether it was to gauge her reaction or cause suspense. "And quite powerful. But your father was an honorable man in the time that I had known him. Yet unfortunately it seems like that same honor was not instilled in you."
My jaw dropped in shock. My father had known Elizabeth's father? The questions and possibilities piled together in a giant mess in my mind that I was unable to even consider making sense of, especially as the last few words of his sentence finally registered with my brain. I met Camille's eyes across the room but she looked unconcerned and almost bored as she picked at her nails. I rolled my eyes and growled silently, stepping forward, fists clenching and unclenching at my sides. I had no doubts that there was a reason for this charade, but it was frustrating. The looming threat of the challenge sent my blood roaring through my veins. My wolf paces anxiously, eager to take our place as heir and just as eager to begin uniting the packs. The faces of the pack swam before me; Emilee, Jacob, Lacy, Owen, even Castile, who was wrapped in Elijah's arms.
Elizabeth didn't look offended but merely smiled gently.
"You would be correct. I can and will never be able to live up to my father's honor. Your daughter however, is every bit as strong and resilient as you raised her to be. I am not foolish enough to believe that you will trust a single word I say, but I must say them regardless. I have terrorized your villages and stolen family members from their homes under the orders of my mother. I have killed fathers, mothers, and daughters, for her. Most shamefully, I allowed my fear of her to control me. I was her muse, calm and controlled, the perfect assassin. Right up until I met your daughter. I am here to fight for her, to claim her as mine. But not only that. I am also here to fight for those she loves," She paused, letting her words sink in and wrap around the pack.
I could hear the whispers as they broke out around us and met her eyes, the compassion there softening my heart. "I am here to unite our worlds. And as much as pains me to say it, I need your help to rid this world of my mother's evil and it would be an honor to fight beside the king of wolves."
The silence was deafening in the long moments after the last of her words faded into the air, leaving the pack and I eagerly waiting for our alpha's response. Tension pressed heavily on my shoulders and I was more aware of my wolf heritage in this moment than I ever have been.
Only this time it became my curse.
I knew if he ordered the pack to attack her that I would do everything in my power to resist but in the end I wouldn't have a choice. But then my father's hand stretched out in a gesture of acknowledgement and as she grasped his forearm I felt like all the breath in my body exploded into relief and hope.
I stood back with Emilee as my father once more recited the sacred vows of the challenge, my heart beat loud in my ears. Now that Elizabeth had officially entered the challenge and claiming me as hers, I was no longer a contender. "You willingly enter the challenge knowing that should you lose, your life is forfeit? Last but not least, are you prepared to swear your lifeblood to the pack should you win this challenge, binding us together in body and mind? Are you prepared to put the pack first and bring two races together as one in order to rid this world of evil, even at the possible cost of your life?"
Her eyes met mine and never looked away, her fingers a phantom touch across my cheek. I searched her face and found nothing but unwavering determination and love. I knew in that moment that I had to put my fear and anger aside and trust her. Because this wasn't about me, this was about Elizabeth writing her wrongs and changing the future, her future, her legacy, for the better. My heart pounded through my veins as she uttered those final words, changing the course of our life and future forever.
"Yes, I am."
Not sure how I feel about this chapter but I wanted to take a different approach regardless. The last few chapters have shown how violently protective/possessive Elizabeth is of Azalea and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, I wanted to honor her character in a different way. I wanted her to be noble and selfless, to show Azalea that she not only loved her but she wanted to love her family as well. This chapter was a lot, and more will be explained soon! I need a little while to figure out how to bring the challenge together because honestly I am stuck 😅 but anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this one! I will do my best to have another up soon ❤️ as always, I love your comments and can't wait to see what you think!
All my love, K.