"The dead has no business with the living," Caspian snarled at her. "Why are you here? Who summoned you, to earth, to my Kingdom?"

Unveiling her cloak, she walked forward. Towards us, in a red dress, with her chin held up high, sashaying.

"You have no idea, do you?" Lydia constructed. "Oh Ava, you can't keep things from your own mate?" she said, in a façade of a worried expression.

She was clearly trying to create a problem, and use it to her advantage. But I wasn't that stupid.

In a fighting stance, my paws elongated from my fingers, so did my fangs from my teeth.

Get behind me. Caspian mind linked me. I have to protect both you and our pup. He added protectively.

Now.

I did as he said, while he stepped forward at her.

"You used to be an ex-Knight; whose death was honored amongst us. Seeing you here means only two things. That you were summoned or never died." Caspian seethed, with a look of dominance. "If it's the latter, then we are going to have a problem."

She leaned in, on the cusp of the balcony. Her hands scraped through the top of the piece of wall, using her dark extended witchy fingers. While her face held a look of mockery in them.

"You do not know the battles you fight. It's a more lot than you can handle, Caspian. That's why Teta sent me, to tell you to back off," Lydia spat with a vicious look. "He gives you three days to repent and marry Princess Evealah, bringing glory to the dynasty he worked to build. Or suffer the wrath, wars and blood shed—"

"Psst." Caspian retorted, with his beast growling.

"Get rid of her already." Lydia ignored his reaction, saying. "Eliminate the girls, so they don't leak the information about what goes on in the castle. Come to your senses and eliminate Ava—"

"I won't watch you insult my mate, who is also your Queen!! So, you choose submitting this instant, or I will make you."

Caspian exclaimed immediately, exerting dominancy.

I didn't understand what was happening, until realization sprung upon me. Lydia had sworn a blood covenant, when she came to this pack; this dynasty. That made her bare her neck. But I knew it was matter of time, before she did something, with her evil pearl.

"Relay this information to him. I have no intents in doing his bidding from now on. He could do his worst, I'm ready to fight him with all I have, Lydia."

"That would be step mother to you," she seethed, before fleeing off the balcony with a Knight's technique. I aimed to go after her, but Caspian held me in place.

"Why?!" I growled at him, in annoyance. "I could get her, bring her here now, and torture her,"

I cried, with reddened vision, with a hand of my belly protectively.

"I won't see the day you'll be at harm's way, wife. I swore to protect you till the end," he constructed. "Till death do us apart,"

"My King!"

From the entrance to the balcony. It was shadowy at first, but when he came nearer, I realized who it was.

Elder Zu.

The reddish light from Lydia, was gone and there was no sign of her. I realized she had left. Quickly, I looked down, only to sight a running figure, on a horse, below.

"Give me your bow!"

I exclaimed at Elder Zu, setting it instantly, knowing she mustn't get away. I positioned it, shooting it at her immediately. It was quick, but it hit the horse, because she ducked.

Lydia came down, running off with her legs. She was so fast. Really fast, when she entered the forest ahead.

"She's headed North. I will go after her, with some men. Please stay in the walls of the castle, Your Highnesses," Elder Zu bowed down, saying. I handed him his bow and arrow, with my thoughts wandering on how we hadn't noticed her in our midst all the time.

Was the pearl as strong as that?

The sooner Elder Zu left, Caspian pulled me with him. We walked back to the throne room, with his grip on me, like nothing happened. I gave out a polite expression, as we walked to the dance floor.

"I believe we have lots to talk about, wife." Caspian stated, with his hands snaking around my waist. While mine rested on his shoulders, with my heart racing.

"Don't believe what she says, it wasn't any of my intent to keep anything from you." I replied.

"What happened to no more secrets?"

The sooner he asked me that, it was time to exchange partners, and I went out of his grasp to an unknown male's. I felt my wolf stir, from it, wanting to go to our mate's arms.

Just as I looked up to who had occupied my next dance, my eyes bolted in shock.

His hair was now neatly shaven, so different from how it had been before. Chin as astute and firm, as it had been. Clothed in a neat fabric, not for the high class but not for the low class either. Just in between.

Moses.

"Didn't expect to meet you like this, Ava." he constructed.

The minute he said those words, I breathed in fast paces, almost running out of breath. Asking myself various questions, as to why he, was here?

"Where is mum?"

I gulped, asking him instantly. His hands untangled from my waist, as the music stopped, bringing my hands to his chin and kissing them.

"Heard you married the beast..." he trailed, with a hint of sarcasm in his tone. "The one who inflicted pain and suffering to the girls. Reason why the girls lost their lives."

He added.

I knew he didn't know the real truth. Nor the battles I had to face, without him. Thus, I ignored his words.

"Where is mum, Moses?" I asked again.

"She's well. Came with me to the palace, just as the Queen summoned." Moses answered me.

"You know I used to think you were different. Better from people who wanted all the power for themselves."

"But you're even worse. Far much worse." he whispered into my ears saying. Just as he walked away, I felt a part of me slip. Pained, that he would think of that.

As my friend, first love, one which I did expenditures and adventures with, in the past.

"My Ava,"

It happened so quick. A woman wrapped me in her arms, hugging me. I was about to pull back, but my wolf sniffled the scent, before realizing.

"M-mum?"

My entire face softened, and tears were quick to my eyes, the minute I took in her face. She looked far from what she did in the past, so much better. Mum looked aged, but still beautiful. She was brighter, and she knew me.

"T-thank goodness, you...you recognize me! You do, mum!" I said, hugging her again, and again.

"I do, dear. Luckily, I do. After that day you were chosen, I woke up." she cried out.

"It's all my fault. I should have paid more attention to you, who was left. Instead of dying off with Jasmine. Instead of giving up because your father gave up on me."

"On us." she added.

"You really scared me, mum. You did..." I trailed out, closing off, the fact that she had not accepted me for who I was.

That she made me stay away from books, telling me that part would put me in trouble.

"I have something to tell you," Mum stated immediately.

"If it's about education or books, no worries cause I'm Queen now. I'll enact the law, and it would be allowed, mum," I stated, hurriedly. "Think of it, a world where there would be nothing like choosing. Where girls would have rights, mum. I will—"

"Your father returned."

...

A new update it is.

You know where to read ahead chapters on♥️♥️

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