Lycan King's Nemesis

**GWEN**

"Do you know how many of the King's relatives reside around here?" I asked Kora as she helped me detangle my hair when I came back. She was using some rosewater ointment in place of lavender as she insisted the new product was more effective and would have my hair silky and make the blonde shine.

She shook her head, still focused on her duty. "The only King's family that lived closely died three years ago in an attack."

"Oh... what about the former Queen's former family?"

She finally lifted her eyes at me, combing her fingers through my scalp in a soft massage. "I think the former Queen's family resides somewhere close to the Eastern border. Though, if you are asking because of the Princess, I doubt she would go to them."

"Why?"

She shrugged and looked back down, taking the container to spray more content on my hair. "The King and his sister hardly know anything about their mother's family. He hasn't even been here since their birth." "How do you know all these?"

"Because my mother worked here as a maid before me. She told us everything about the royal family."

"Oh, okay. Now, I comprehend." My shoulders sagged in disappointment. I hoped to get headway information from her but now all that is ruined. Where are we to look for Abby?

As I scrubbed my body in the tub later, my head swarmed with possibilities. Yet, there was no lead. If only Ashton would speak to me. Or... the former Queen!

I quickly rinsed off and left the bathroom, taking my towel with me. I was cleaning my body in front of the mirror in my room when my eyes paused on my body. I was taken back for once as I stared at myself.

I don't allow myself this luxury as it made me sad each time I did it in the past. I didn't want to have this perfect curvy body glaring back at me. I needed a change! Positive changes. Baby-growing changes.

Perhaps, Ashton has given up on me. The other time he asked me about it and I had distracted him from it. It must be bothering him despite him not showing it. And now, everything is in shambles. I didn't even have the time to visit the temples anymore.

Shaking my head, I turned away with my body lotions which I massaged into my supple creamy skin. Done with that, I wore my red undies and sexy lingerie and finished by picking up the palazzo trousers on the bed to wear. It was a black chiffon material I had picked up at the last shopping. I complemented it with a sunset yellow short top that stopped at my belly button, instantly onto the waist of the palazzo.

I faced the mirror and swirled side to side, liking the combination. My hair was already packed in a high ponytail. So, I used a brush to define the edges, tapped in some powder, pinched my cheek and applied a nude lipgloss that made my already plump lips sexier.

I smiled.

I grabbed my small pouch and left the room.

Locating Charlotte was not hard work. For a mother, one would think she would be drumming down the palace with cries of her missing child. Trust Charlotte to be impassive. With her, I now understand why Ashton is the way he is. Their personalities were so unpredictable. This minute they're loving and the next, they're as cold as ice.

At the private parlour, I knocked gently and waited.

"Come in," She purred in a sultry voice.

I looked side to side of the lonely hall, patted my hands down my dress, then turned the know to unlock the door and go in.

She sat beside one of the windows that let ventilation into the not-so-prominent room, her right eg elegantly tucked above the right one, as she inclined to the side and observed the outside.

"Hello, mother." I greeted her, looking from the right sofa to the left and trying to decide which was closer to her to sit on. She didn't reply to me.

I knew she was also mad at me. I only hope she grants me listening ears.

As I sat down, I made sure I maintained proper etiquette, my eyes travelling to her still looking outside without acknowledging my prudence. There was a bottle of a brown substance which would be placed in the category of alcohol, seated on top of the baby glass table at the centre of the room and a glass bearing the content. I don't know if she was the one who had reduced it to its present slight portion. Albeit, it was kit my business.

"Care to join me?" She suddenly asked, twisting her head off the window to graze at me. In her eyes was despair well hidden. It made me despise myself the more. I was ruining everyone's happiness. Abby, Ashton, now their mother. "Thank you, mother. I-is now the right time?" I queried subtly, still treading cautiously. I looked up at this woman for direction. Her ways might be too hard, nonetheless, she was once a great Queen to these people and the people still revered her. How could I not like her?

"Everything is always the right time to speak for a Queen to speak to her subjects, Hwendolum." She carried on, picking up the glass which she sipped from. "Forgive my drinking habit. It has helped me over the years to remain lucid." Alcohol? Is that why Ashton takes delight in taking it too? I haven't tasted it and don't envision tasting it as I knew I didn't have a head for it. When Julian had tried to entice me into taking it back in my former pack at a pup's party, I had vehemently refused. But my sister, she was so good at it. That was his she earned the name 'fish' from me.

"Why are you here? Your Kingdom is burning down, what are you doing to rectify that?" She gave me her full attention.

Her question left me uncomfortable. I came here to ask if she had any clue as to where Abby might have gone, not this. I was not prepared and a question like this, I don't think I could ever be prepared for.

Lost in the world of this story? Make sure you're on Ñe5s.org to catch every twist and turn. The next chapter awaits, exclusively on our site. Dive in now!

"I-I have been having sleepless nights thinking of what to do, Mother," I confessed. "But it's not working. Things seem to be falling apart with every dawn. And-and my mate, he hates me and even when I try to reach out he shuts me out." I let the words flow from my heart. Because truth be told, I was frantic. Utterly and disgustingly helpless for a Queen. "I am nothing like you. Maybe I am not even fit to be a Queen."

To my dismay, she began chuckling. Dryly. "You are that kind of Queen?"

My brows lifted. "What?"

She pointed at me feverishly. "So, you are that kind of Queen that gives up when things get tough?"

I gaped. What was I supposed to say to that? I was overwhelmed by how they were all happening at once. When I had agreed to marry Ashton it was to be his mate, I didn't envisage multiple problems arising at once that would leave me helpless. I didn't envision death or suffering. I merely wanted to be my husband's mate.

"You have to realize that the position you have been placed in is not only scary but one of great significance." She lowered her glass and entwined her fingers around her elevated knees. "In a Kingdom such as this, there are always, always bound to be problems. Big, big problem! And the people don't care, all they want are solutions. You have to be ready for them all the time because the minute they realize you are not giving it to them, you become a worthless Queen and lose their respect!"

My mouth was sealed. She was right. And yes, I was not sleeping. I have been raking my head for solutions, the only obstacle was that more problems kept piling on top of the other problems. It looked like before one problem would be solved, another came up to distract it and divert our attention in another direction and that was trying to drive me crazy.

"When I recently married my husband," she continued softly," the next two weeks, he lost his father to the humans in what I could term a bloodbath battle. We were on a honeymoon which was cut short, of course." Her face at this point was despondent. I could tell she was reminiscing the moment as she recounted it. "I was disgruntled at the situation and wanted my husband to let his Beta handle it. But trust my mother-in-law she was soon bashing me about. She was not as kind as I am to you, Gwendolyn. She was what you call the harridan." She went off in a melodious laugh that rang like a bell in the room.

"Arh, Gwen, from then onwards, it was from one problem to the other. We never rested. The humans back then were very... relentless. They needed Lycan pure bloods by all means so we were often at war. No rest. And that was when I learned to win in this war, I must be ready even in sleep to fight."

She grabbed the bottle from the table, poured in a generous amount in it, dropped it on the table and pushed it to me. "Drink it. Everything!"

My eyes dilated, tithering back and forth in confusion. Was this necessary? If I take this I might fall asleep here and I knew very well how bad that would be.

"I-I don't have a head for it, Mother."

"You can't be worse than me before I found the glory in this, Gwen," She grinned and waved me on. "Go on."

I took the glass with my two shaky hands and placed it on my lips. The stench was gut-ripping. But if this was what Charlotte wanted, then, so be it. At once, I threw it down my throat and gagged

I collided the glass back on the table and tapped at my chest to dim the sting. And the taste...yuck!

Nevertheless, in all these what got my attention the most was the sound of Charlotte's laughter at the other side of the table. It was funny how she found my act too amusing. Recovering, slowly I grazed my eyes at her.

"Don't worry with time you will get used to it." She intoned, signalling I hand the glass over. I did. "We will have more cuos together in secret hence froth. Your husband must never know."

This woman was far mysterious than I imagined. And shockingly, I didn't pass put immediately as I thought I would.

"So, what really brought you here, Gwen?" I sighed within. I thought she would never ask.

"Abby," I admitted. "I need your help to find her. Anything you tell me would be of immense help."

"Abigail is full grown woman that is capable of her own decisions, Gwen." She dead panned. I thought she was sad her daughter was missing. "Trust me when I tell you she would be fine. Once she is okay, she would return home." "Has she done this before?" I had to ask.

"Well... unless I'm to count when she was twelve and ran off into the woods the day her Dad shouted at her, then no. She came back the same day, anyways."

"Then we should be worried."

"So, what do you me to do? She disobedied me and left."

"She was hurting, Mother. I need to find her, please."

"I don't know anything, Gwen. I know what you are thinking that I am a bad mother and that is okay. But I have had enough that I need my repose. She would be alright."

"Do you have any family where you think she might go to?"

She seemed to think about it. Then she tsked and shook her head. "No, my family left the Eastern border for the Wrst an even if they didn't, we weren't that close." Her well-styled curls shuddered. "Though, now that I think about it, she once confided in me about a secluded place Williams took her to at Augustine." I don't know if it's in my head but her eyes enlarged as she sat forward. "Augustine. She would be stupid to go there!"

"Where is Augustine?" I asked eagerly, delighted with this new information.

...