From Princess To Queen

Second Thoughts

Xavior woke up, letting his beautiful mate know she could get ample rest for her upcoming fight on this day. He was wondering if King Matthew was going to forfeit but hoping not. He knows this fight will most likely be to the death because of his actions toward his soon-to-be wife. He was not having second thoughts but wondered if the king had them just by how he acted yesterday.

He showered and dressed, headed out the door, shutting it quietly not to wake Clara from her deep sleep. Dunken met him in the kitchen, grabbing a piece of fruit and heading out to the arena where the fight would occur at sundown. They saw how big it was when they arrived, but it still needed work.

“I thought everyone cleaned this up after dinner last night?”

“Thought so too, Dunken, but it needs much more work before my mate comes here. I do think this is a safe place to have it.”

“Having second thoughts about tonight?”

“Yes, about doing it here, and no, not about the fight. I need to ensure it is safe for all parties involved, and it does not satisfy me.”

Dunken pulls out his cell, searches through his photos, and finds what he is looking for are the pictures he had taken of Clara practicing and fighting in her mother’s pack. He even had videos of her training with her siblings showing off her fighting skills and magic.

“Look here, Xavior, this may change your thoughts about how this ring compares to Meira’s pack ring. Also, watch the videos I had taken; she is pretty badass. She will win this fight, hands down. Remember the arena they are in and compare it to ours.”

Xavior looks at the pictures and watches the videos of Clara doing what she does best. There was sound on the videos, so he could hear the others talk to those who were training, but there was one very familiar voice. He took notice that the trainees were not allowed to speak, but one of them was, and AJ was telling him to keep quiet. But the voice was berating Clara, and by her body language, she was getting pissed at her assailant.

“Hey, who is that person that is talking? It sounds familiar.”

“Don’t know who it is, but I did not recognize it till now.”

“Did she know who she was fighting?”

“No, but keep watching it and see what happens.”

AJ was yelling at the person who was criticizing her. Then AJ yells ’It’s your head that will roll; you have been warned!” Xavior watched the fight, and Clara produced a sword and beheaded the person. Xander stands there watching the other videos, but this time looking at the grounds they are fighting in. AJ has no sand, pads, or anything on the ground to help soften the blows. He was here and had to ask why he trains this way.

“Okay, so ours is better than what they have. There is actual hard ground that you would find in the woods or borders of packs. He does not have anything to protect the trainees.”

“Nope, he says they need to practice on hard ground like they were in some type of war.”

“Huh? I do not get it...OOOHHHHHH, now I get why.”

Dunken had to slap him on the back of the head while laughing on their way back to the castle. They had been gone for a few hours, but the cooks were busy working their magic with breakfast foods. He asks the chef to make three plates and send them to his suite. AJ approached them with a broad smile as they started to walk out. Xavior noticed that he had a different smell and noticed a mark on his neck.

“Hmm, your scent has changed, brother.”

“Uhh, yeah, I found my mate. Sorry about that.”

“Do not apologize to me about it. Clara has plenty of single women and men in her pack and palace. So who it may I ask?”

“His name is Tailong. He is a dragon.”

“WHAT?!” both Xavior and Dunken exclaimed with wide eyes.

Clara walked in at that time, looked at the men standing there, and busted out laughing. She could not believe her mate and his Beta did not know dragons were around, especially in her royal guard. She shook her head and walked past them, and headed out the door for a quick run. Lydia needed out, and she obliged to let her out before they ate breakfast.

“Where did she go?”

“Guess a run? I see her wolf out there.”

Xavior linked her, letting her know breakfast would be served in their suite in about thirty minutes and that she needed to hurry back. Lydia loves to hunt for her food but not today. It was just a quick run to get rid of her nerves and clear her mind about what was coming a few hours from now.

She headed back to the castle, and Lydia gave her back control, upset about being unable to hunt for her breakfast which was okay with Clara. She wanted to know what was on the agenda for the day besides what she has going on in her office. She walked up the steps meeting Xavior, who had a robe waiting for her since she had shredded her outfit when she turned. He picked her bridal style and carried her off to their suite setting her down on the couch after walking in.

“Here is your breakfast, me lady.”

“Thank you, my lord.”

He sat down, took the lid off her plate, and fed her. He scooped her up and sat her on his lap, handing her the plate and feeding her.

“Much better. I like you sitting on my lap and letting me feed you.” Kissing her on her soft velvety lips.

“I like this too, but I believe this is our first time doing this.”

“Hmm, guess we will have to make it a habit now won’t we love?”

“Guess we will have to do that.”

He finished feeding her then she, in turn, fed him while sitting on his lap. Once she finished and put the plate back on the table, she wrapped her arms around his neck, taking in his scent and calming her nerves. He knew she was nervous but did hugs best to help calm her, it worked as she started getting sleepy, and he moved her to their bed. Chucking off his clothes, he climbed in beside her pulling her into him; they settled down for a mid-morning nap.

Meira was in the royal wing visiting her soon-to-be ex-husband, or she would become a widow. She wanted to know how he was doing but also wanted to let him know that his eldest child had found his mate. She also wanted to gauge his fairing about the challenge later that night.

“Matthew, how are you doing?”

“I am okay, Meira. Why are you so concerned?”

“Huh, defensive much, Matthew? I came here to let you know that AJ found his mate, and they mated and marked each other last night.”

“Who is she, some whore?”

“Matthew, watch your words and tone. I am still the Queen of this pack! His mate is Tailong, who is one of the royal guards.”

“Seriously? HE IS FUCKING GAY?!”

“They are fated mates, and yes, he is; he always had been. I love having a son-in-law who is royalty.” She giggled with eyes so bright.

“He is not my son, my sons are straight, and that is that, Meira.”

“Why did you refuse to give the crown up to Clara?”

“She is not fit to be Queen, never was and never will be. I will fight her till death tonight as I am a male and superior to her and all women.”

“Guess you belong with Libby then; you are as ignorant as she was. If I do not become a widow, I will divorce you afterward. I had the papers drawn up already. By the way, my little girl is not yours.”

She got up and left him standing there, not knowing what to say. She had tears welling up in her eyes as she walked away to what was once their office. She sat at her desk, now Xaviors; the oversized desk is now Clara’s. She was trying to control her sobs but could not do so. She had so much pain given to her after he kicked her and her son out of the castle all because of Libby.

“Moon goddess, I pray that my Clara has the strength to kill her father in the first five minutes of their fight. He was good, but now he is a cold-hearted son-of-a-bitch. I know it goes against you for mates to break apart, but I have a new one back home, and we want to mark each other. You know we have a daughter together, but it is time he becomes my second-chance mate. Please help Clara get the life she should have had five years ago.”

She started to hiccup after her sobbing. Xavior and Clara were standing outside the office listening to what she was asking of the moon goddess. Clara had tears in her eyes at her mother’s answers and knew what she must do. She must kill him within two minutes of their fight. They left their office to let her mother have some time to herself.

Clara wanted to go to her father, but he was storming down the hall toward them with eyes that could shoot daggers at her. He was huffing when he approached them; he grabbed Clara by her arms and hit her across the face knocking her down to the floor. She looked furiously at her father and punched him so hard it knocked him on his ass.

“I will see you in the arena that Grandpa had set up long ago. Be prepared to die tonight, your highness. Nope, you sure as hell never deserved that title or the crown. You were never there for us, and you banned Mom from the castle but only to go into the forest to see her and have my baby brother. I hope you were severely hurt when she mated with her second chance mate and had my sister.”

With that, she turned around, holding her head high, walking back to her room with Xander hot on her heels. He pulled her into his arms, holding her to calm her down but then had second thoughts about it. He looked down at her, kissing her on the cheek and then on the forehead.

“Hold onto that anger that you are harboring right now and use that as your momentum in the arena against your father. Make sure that he pays with his life for not raising you, letting you train properly, forcing Meira out of the castle, and hating your brother as he is gay. Harness all that to throw that final blow against the king.”

She nodded and softly whispered, ‘I will do that, but I am hungry again.’ He just laughed, looked at the clock, and saw the time. It was nearing dinner time; it would be time for the fight a couple of hours afterward. They got ready to go down to the dining hall and sat in their places to eat with those pack members who did not want to cook.

They finished dinner and spoke with the members taking in what they wanted to see changed. They took it all in and made mental notes to address them in a meeting later in the week. The time came, and she excused herself and returned to her suite. She dressed in her clothes for fighting, keeping herself hidden except for her eyes. She walked out with her two guards into the arena. She had masked her scent so he could not smell or know where she was or how she would attack him.