Chapter 42
The Lycan queen of Asmoria.
Ralphine wasn’t sure she would ever get used to that title and not when it seemed like she had more enemies than friends. Well, she had never had friends, Her only friend had moved to the city, and left her in Koslov. It was something she hadn’t paid much attention to, but now that she was back in Asmoria, and only had Miroslav to rely on, Ralph wondered if she would ever be able to make friends. Sure, she had Kara, but Karg was her High Guards, her warrior, so it wouldn’t make any sense to be friends with her.
“Your coronation is coming up, Ralph,” King Miroslav reminded his Erasthai who was currently taking a break and was staring into Astoria from the king’s window. They were currently in the king’s office and were preparing for the big day. Of course. Ralphine had wanted a smaller ceremony but then she was the Lycan queen, the woman who would lead them for years on end, especially now that her Lycan had developed.
“What if it goes awry? What if this becomes the reason someone attacks Asmoria again? What if I am just a streak of bad luck? What if there are- Ralphine said defeatedly.
ring
It had been five weeks since she had come home and honestly, it scared the hell out of her. She wasn’t used to peop about her, about what she did, and whether she was fine or not. She wasn’t used to people genuinely wanting to interact with her or even wanting to spend time with her. She had grown up alone and in all that time, she had only ever been in pain. Being the outcast in Koslov had come at a price so great it had fucked her up a little.
Perhaps that was why she was skeptical about all of this. The Lycans were the first good thing that happened to her and even then she had been riddled with betrayal from Polina and Drescher. There was no telling who was next and what kinds of people couldn’t be after her. The Lycan queen’s position was the greatest position in the realm, even more than the king Miroslav, and she was to take over. That scared her, a lot
“Leave the room,” King Miroslav growled out, and Ralphine looked at her mate before she began walking out. There were a lot of gasps in the room with the king’s statement, almost like it was unexpected yet at the same time, Ralph had been expecting this. There was too much for her to absorb and understand. Maybe that made her a risk to them all, but what else could she do when the fates had already made that decision? It wasn’t like they could go back and take their worlds, yeah!
“Okay,” the Lycan queen whimpered sofily before she made her way to the door. This wasn’t her first rodeo with people in power so instead of the heartbreak she always felt and the pain of being pushed away, she just bowed her head at all of them. and then made her way out, only for the king to speak again.
‘Please don’t let him shame me here with them, please, Ralphine prayed to the deities in silence as she watched her husband. She had grown up in humiliation, but since she had come to Asmoria, she hadn’t experienced humiliation. If this happened to her with these people, she wasn’t sure she would take it. Maybe she would decide to be a rogue in the end and try to live out the rest of her days in the human lands like her best friend, Ivanov.
“I said leave. Are you all deaf?” the king asked again and this time, everyone scrambled to leave through the different exits in the room, while Ralphine stood there like a deer caught in headlights. She was thankful he hadn’t humiliated her before them but it got her curious about what the king wanted with her this time. Then again, this was her erasthai, the man who was to love her, the man who was in love with her. Perhaps shed some little faith in him?
“Baby…” The king began as he walked towards his worried erasthai. He hated it when she doubted himself and while she had promised that she wouldn’t do it, there were just some things that she couldn’t help. Sure, she wasn’t exactly the best of them all in combat or even Asmoria’s intelligence, but she hoped that maybe, just maybe there was a way out for her, one that didn’t involve pain and losing more people. She couldn’t be the reason more people died.
In the past five weeks, she had had nightmares about the day the Lycans came for her in Koslov. She thought of the children that could have been killed, the men and women whose lives were taken because they had come to help her out. She had been weak and there was bloodshed. Ralph was scared that she would be in that position again and she wasn’t really ready to be leading the Lycans. She couldn’t handle it if someone died to save her again. It would fuck her up so badly and even she
knew that.
What if this is an unworthy risk, Ibrahim? I know we have all prepared for this and maybe I’m just panicking for no reason.
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Chapter 42
but what if Drescher has people come for me again? What if Polina betrays you again? What if it’s someone you trust? What if the Lycans rebel? There are so many things happening in my head and I can’t think straight, Ibrahim. I keep thinking of the dead children in Koslov and what happened to them. It’s my fault for forcing your hand on them.
“Maybe if I hadn’t trusted Polina, maybe I hadn’t tried to get out for some air, maybe if I hadn’t accepted the Drescher letter, maybe it all would have been different, Ralphine said defeatedly as she looked helplessly at her mate. She had a feeling that he was looking at her as a weak mate, but then when Miroslav pulled her into a warm embrace, she wasn’t sure anymore. She could feel how he was trying to calm her down with his touch, his warmth, and even the mate bond.
The Lycan king hated it when she blamed herself for everything but this time, he didn’t say anything. He just held her closely, soothing her, and calming her down. It was like he understood and that was strange because Ralphine could have sworn the books never mentioned any other side of the great Miroslav Ibrahimovich.
“Tll pull back. but you must promise me you won’t try to run or hide from me,” King Miroslav said softly and Ralph just smiled against his shoulder. He had known her so well it was almost pleasing. Maybe in the end she wasn’t really alone in the cruel world, right?
“Okay, Ralph said, making the king relax.
When Miroslav pulled back, he held her hands and walked her over to the balcony. He knew she needed some air and with the preparations for her coronation, he knew it had to take a toll on her. Even he had been scared of his coronation when he had been told he would be stepping up as king. It had all been so sudden that he thought he would make the worst king. Maybe he was the terrible king for their enemies, because for Asmoria, King Miroslav was the best they could ever have and it wasn’t because he had swayed them. They had chosen him and loved him
“We may be beasts, Ralph, but we understand some basic human emotions. I don’t want to dismiss your emotions as jitters, because I know they are not. I know you’re worried about what they will think about the decisions you will have to make, about whether there would be good things in Asmoria with you, I know all that is running through your mind and is probably driving you crazy, but Ralph sweetheart, that is life
“You are the best choice for the kingdom and the fates okayed it which is why your Lycan grew and developed in just five weeks despite the trauma you went through. I am not telling you things to ease you into the role, but because I was once there too,” the Lycan king said and his queen looked at him in surprise. Maybe finally they were finding each other slowly through their experiences, right?
“What?” Ralph asked amusedly. She couldn’t believe that this king could have been in her state, ever. Miroslav was confident, he oozed a dark aura, built even without that, he looked like the kind of person who would face everything sent his way with more grace than anyone else. The tables could turn on him and he would still be at the table winning.
“I was young when my father told me I would be the king. I knew nothing of the kingship, just that I had to walk in, and people would stand and bow. I hated the concept of power because it made me feel like there were so many things that 1 could do, instead of sitting on the throne and giving orders. Father never went to war. Of course, many assumed that he was weak for battle, but Father was strong and a great strategist in war. He was powerful and never took no for an answer. He always preferred to make decisions in the throne room and Mother was always with him too
“Of course, they tried to ease me into the role, but it never worked, because I never liked it. All I wanted was to be a young boy and live a normal life. But then my life was nothing close to normal. I just hadn’t realized it yet. I only came to learn of it, when my parents were murdered in the throne room. It was plain murder and the culprit was never found. Everything went dark then and that brought to light the king that everyone hated and feared. But that never mattered to me.
“All I wanted was to find the one who did that to my parents, and I did. It was a pauper paid off by the warlocks, to come and take them out because then it would be easier to dispose of me, and then they would have the throne to themselves. I wanted to leave the throne, but then each time I wanted to, there were more attacks and more people that needed to be dealt with. Strangely enough, the Lycans began taking pride in the kingship and the type of leadership I had. They didn’t care that I was what many called the devil they embraced it.
“So, if they can embrace a devil like me, love I know they will adore you. You’re beautiful, kind, and full of love. You don’t see it yet but when you walk into a room, everything shines. It’s ake you’re the light we all need in our lives, Ralph Wherever you go, whatever you do, you always do it with love. Ifour positions were switched, I know my people wouldn’t want me, because of how dangerous I am, but you, Ralph, are their glimmer of hope. The sun shines brighter on your face
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Chapter 421
and you let it illuminate the entire kingdom.
“You haven’t been crowned yet, but the people consider you their queen of hearts. You won’t be doing this alone. Ralph. I will be right there with you, every step of the way. If you’re worried about the mating and pups. We can wait it out. As long as you’re my queen and as long as you’re happy, the pups can wait, we’re immortals now, love.
“We will have an eternity to bear children and nothing will come our way. You should never feel scared when you have me. love, never,” the king explained and Ralphine smiled at him. She had never expected that he would open up to her, but then he was always full of surprises, but this had to be the best of them all. Maybe the king was changing for the best, after all. “I love you,” Ralph whispered after a long silence, before she lugged the king again. If they were to get through this, then
they would do it, together, right?
Even if they had a traitor?
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