From Princess To Queen

What to Choose

The adults left their children home so they could not watch their king and princess fight for the title. Everyone agreed that King Matthew should pass the title and crown to his daughter but now understood what had happened in the castle behind closed doors. It was all Libby’s doing that had the kingdom nearly in shambles, putting them all on edge. They started to get back to normalcy once the princess took over the king’s duties along with her mate.

Xavior knew how to run his pack, so he guided Clara with her kingdom when she started to take over. It helped that she knew most of the members but was getting very acquainted with those she did not know since her father kept her hidden in the castle most of her life. Of course, she had taken it upon herself to train with her brothers and sister, and her mother then came back to train with some of her warriors against her father’s demands.

Those that were attending the fight gathered at the field where the fight was going to take place. Xavior, Dunken, and most warriors ensured enough space between the spectators and fought to keep them out of harm’s way. Dunken had met some of the warriors beforehand and set up some places where people could sit and watch. Xavior walked up after dinner and discussed the rules and how to handle the situation in case it got out of hand. The pack doctor and a couple of nurses were on hand to assess broken bones, badly torn flesh, etc...

King Matthew was the first one to walk up to the ring and started to prepare himself for the fight. He and Clara were prohibited from speaking with the audience or anyone involved in the fight. Clara walked in, all dressed in her fighting outfit that looked like a Ninja Warrior. She was not far from that, but she was more leather, and her father would see how lethal she was.

Xavior walked into the center of the arena with a microphone turning it on and asking the people to settle down and give the fighters a wide birth so they could not get hurt. He made sure that both fighters did not approach the center where he stood so that he could make his announcements and give the rules according to what his team had discussed.

“Good evening to all who are attending this challenge. This is the night our princess will take the crown and become our rightful Queen. We will have our wedding and coronation ceremony at the same time. I will not give introductions. King Matthew Lyons accepted the challenge about a month ago against his daughter Princess Clara Lyons. Please remain in your spots at each end of the ring until Dunken requests your presence, and a guard will then escort you both.

“Princess, King Matthew, here are the rules:

You may use weapons of your choice.

You may shift into your wolf or Lycan.

And last but not least, this is a fight till DEATH.

“By shaking your heads with a yes or no, do you understand the rules?” They both nodded their heads yes.

“Do you both understand this is a fight till death, no matter how long this fight lasts?” Again, both nodded yes.

“To all who are watching and participating, they have acknowledged they understand the rules and have agreed to them. Dunken, please come to the center of the ring.”

Dunken walked four significant strides into the center of the ring where Xavior stood. He took the mic from Xavior and watched as he turned on his heels and walked to the side of the ring. He allowed Dunken to start the fight once they were in the center with him. Once Xavior was clear, he looked at both parties and nodded to them.

“Guards, please bring the fighters here towards me.”

The two guards held onto the arms of their fighters, bringing them forward and standing by them until Dunken dismissed them both to leave the ring. He looked at the guards and told them they could leave the ring, and they both turned and left but not without telling the opponents good luck. Dunken saw the blank stare in Clara’s eyes and knew this fight might not last that long, but he was hoping that it would be so that her pack could see just how good she was, plus to let her father witness his daughter fighting for her life so that he could go out being proud of her.

“Fighters, you were given the rules, and both have acknowledged that this is a fight till the end. Anything can be used, including your wolf and Lycan. This is a challenge that both parties agreed to keep the title and keep the same ruler or have a new heir to the throne.”

King Matthew smirks, knowing he will not let his daughter take the title away. He would make sure he made her fight a living hell and kill her at the last minute. At the same time, she observed him sizing him up before they were to separate at the words of Dunken.

“Fighters, with all that has been given to you, please shake each other’s hands and step twenty paces away. DO NOT move until I have permitted you to start the fight. Do you both understand?” “YES!”

Dunken walked out of the ring with four significant strides and the mic in his hands. He looked at Xavior, and he nodded to give the signal.

“Fighters take your stance when the horn blows, then start the fight. Good luck to both of you.”

He looked at Meira and nodded to blow the horn, and as she did, the fight started.

Matthew looked at Clara and sized her up and down to see if she would make the first move. He could not understand what she was doing and why she did not make a move on him just yet. He fought, glaring, snarling, and smiling at her, knowing he would have to make the first move against her. He started running towards her until he approached with his fist, ready to hit her in the face. Clara watched his move and smirked under her veil, dunking and spinning out of reach as he stumbled to the ground.

He got up and turned back around, looking at the back of her head, smiling all the while she was listening to his steps and waiting for his next move. He ran at her again to take her in a chokehold, but to his dismay, she jumped and flipped over him, grabbing his arms, throwing him down, and pinning him. He looked at her wide-eyed, knowing that this fight would not end well for him.

The challenge continued for three hours, and Clara was wearing him out with many injuries to his entire body. Nobody could believe their eyes for how long he lasted. Matthew was not about to give up, and Clara was getting pissed off that he was not dead, yet she could not figure out why until her mother mind-linked to her that he still had magic and poison, which gave him strength. She was furious and asked her mother if she had given it to him so he could stay alive and not die.

The non-response was almost enough to kill her mother, who has been nothing but a rock these last few weeks, and with this, she decided to end the challenge by killing her father. Matthew looked at her through the eyes of his wolf, who pushed Matthew back because he wanted a final blow to Clara, but she was done with both of their charades. Matthew mind-linked Meira telling her how proud he was of his daughter and that he was sorry for all he had done to her and his family. Meira started to cry, knowing that this would be the last she would ever hear his voice.

He once again charged at Clara, nearly stumbling to the ground, and when Clara saw what he was doing in his wolf form, she willed a sword in her hand. His wolf saw it, eyes wide as saucers, and he was snarling like a rabid dog as Clara took and ran towards him, sliding under his body with the sword held above her head, gutting the wolf with blood gushing out. He fell to the ground, still breathing, and his long scar started healing as quickly as it was sliced open. She turned around and ran towards him, decapitating his back leg, stabbing him, then slicing his head off.

Everyone watched the scene unfold before them when Meira ran into the center with her hands up, creating a fireball to throw at Clara. The spectators moved quickly out of the way so they would not get hit or injured by the fireball when Clara spoke with an Alpha voice to stop her mother in her spot.

“What the fucking hell did you do to him?” She was yelling at her mother.

“I protected him. That is what I did.”

“Guards put her in the cells before I kill her, too, for hindering the challenge.”

The guards did as they were told to, but she put a spell on her mother so that she could not use her magic on her way to the cells or while in the cell. Xander was unhappy at the events that had taken place and watched as Clara sped and walked to the cells where her mother was being taken. He did not need to tell everyone to dismiss from the arena as they did so once Clara took off. They could not believe their Queen had done such a task to make her daughter lose the fight.

He and Dunken followed Clara to where she was going as they also wanted answers but saw Felix following beside them. He was full-blown steaming about what happened, and they understood how pissed he was. Since he found his mate and saw his mother killed, he had taken a turn for the better, even though there were scars that would forever be embedded; he was doing what he could to the person he should have been all along.

“Why are you heading our way? And why are you not with your father?” Dunken asked.

“We came for the day to collect the remaining items for Shelby. But THIS what Queen Meira did has mother written all over it.”

“What do you mean by ‘this has mother written all over it’?” Xavior asked

“You do not know much about the Queen, do you? Does Clara even know that much about her family tree?”

They were stumped by what he was saying and could not respond. They entered the cells, where they could hear Clara pacing the floor before her mother. She was red hot and could not talk but glaring at her with every pass. Xavior stopped her as she ran into him head-on into his chest, not realizing she had company.

Meira looked at the company, and her eyes widened when she saw Felix standing there. She was furious that he was there with the rest of them, not wanting him to say a word of what he knew. She pleaded with her eyes, and he slightly shook his head ‘no’ as he would reveal something that he had just learned.

“Princess Clara, I need to talk to you; like right now, it is essential.” He pleaded.

“What you have to say, you can say in front of us.”

“Ugh...Fine, but do not fly off the handle with me. Direct it to your mother, okay?”

“Fine, I won’t do that; proceed, Felix.”

“Queen Meira had had a sister that was banished from the coven when she came to my biological father’s pack. She was a child, and her parents adopted and raised her, knowing she was a witch. When she got older, she killed her parents and got pregnant with me, then was banished once again by my grandfather. Father wanted to take her on as his mate, but grandfather did not want her around.”

“So, what does that have to do with Mother?”

“Meira? Care to explain to your Clara, or should I continue?”

“Fine, I will continue since the cat got your tongue. Libby Forest and your mom are sisters; we are cousins, and to be quite honest, it is gross that my mom wanted me to mate with you. No offense but ewwww!”

Xavior and Dunken chuckled but looked at Meira when he said those words. They gagged her reaction along with Clara’s and laughed at what Clara’s face gave way. Clara made a gagging sound and shivered to mutter, ‘Thank god that did not work out.’

“What does this have to do with Meira?”

“She had kept in touch with her sister all along, knowing what mother was doing to Matthew but did not stop her or kill her herself. Why is that Meira, hmmm?”

“She’s my twin, so I could not kill or stop her. Forcing you to mate with Clara was her idea to keep the royal bloodline of wolves and witches alive. But we are wrong, we’re wrong, and yes, I did help with many things, but what she did to the rogues, and you were all alone, just not Matthew. He was very loving initially but abusive after AJ was born. I could not just leave him as we were mates; he wanted at least one more child, and that was you. He wanted to keep us here but forced us to leave without you. He raised you to believe we were dead.”

“He was tough but never laid a hand on me, but I could see he had those qualities about him. He never would tell me about you or my siblings, although my aunt told me about you, all of you. But you knew who I was when I started to come to train with all of you until I called you out on it.”

“Yes, yes, Clara, that is very true.”

“I’m leaving. I have to have some room to breathe.”

She walked out, heading back into the castle to the kitchen, opening the fridge, getting a couple of water bottles out, and chugging them down. Xavior and Dunken watched her solemn façade. They were proud of what she did and had to do. She opened the fridge and got three more bottles and some pies and cheesecakes. She grabbed some forks, giving them to her mate and Dunken; no words were said as they dug into the sweet treats before them. Dunken ate a few bites, cleaned his mess, and went to bed. Xavior and Clara followed suit after another fifteen minutes.

She walked into the bathroom, stripped down, turned the shower on hot, and walked in, letting the water fall over her head and tired muscles. She relaxed, showered, turned off the water, dried herself off, and headed to bed. Laying down with the covers over her, she started crying and did not stop until she fell asleep with Xander holding her close to his chest.