The Alpha Queen And Her Chosen Mate

Kelly

I was only halfway to the security gates leading into our pack when a group of warriors swarmed me. It became a big todo right away. I was escorted by at least thirty warriors to my father’s office before anything else. He was sitting at his desk with a scowl on his face.

“Leave us.” He all but growled.

I swallowed hard, repeating my story to myself again before the last person left, shutting the door behind them.

“I was angry that Emmet was taking away my pills so I went looking for an alternative. I’m sorry I didn’t tell anyone.” I blurted out.

“Do you have any idea how worried we were? Do you know how much turmoil you have caused not only your family and friends, but also your kingdom?!” He roared.

“I know. I am very sorry. It wont happen again.” I said, fighting the tears that were pricking at my eyes.

“Your right, it wont. From now on, you will be on house arrest until I can figure out what to do with you.”

“Figure out what to do with me?!” I scoffed. “What is that supposed to mean?!”

“You have made it abundantly clear that you are not fit to become queen. So until I figure out what to do with you next, you are to stay within the palace walls.”

“Thats not fair!” I began to protest.

“No. What’s not fair is how worried you made everyone. What’s not fair is how many warriors were working around the clock to find you, separated from their own families for longer than necessary. You are a selfish woman, Kelly, and you will not become queen if I have anything to say about it. Now leave. Go see your mother, she has been worried sick.”

“You are impossible!!” I screamed before storming out and going back to my room.

I took three of my tiny squares and let them dissolve on my tongue. In half an hour I would start feeling much better. Did I forget to mention? I’m still using. I never stopped actually. Not for King Derek or for Keres or for anyone else, for that matter. And I’m not even sorry, especially not now. How dare he threaten to take away my birthright!

Keres has been awake since I ran out of the pills Emmett gave me, but the drugs I was taking now made her and I both super chill. We haven’t had any incidents and I’m not dead, yet. Both positives, even though it came at a price. So I felt that my reasons for leaving were justified. What else was I supposed to do?

“Kelly?!” I heard Kelsey’s frantic voice outside of my room. “Oh thank goddess you’re alright!!” She cried, pulling me into a tight hug.

“Hey…im doing just fine.” I said, hugging her back. “Wait, are you pregnant again?” I asked, putting her at arms length.

“Kinda.” She chuckled, wiping her eyes.

“Kelly?!” My mother called. She was wheeled in by my sister Kylie who wore a guilty expression on her face.

“Mom!” I said, mustering up what little enthusiasm I had left to greet her. I would ask why she was in a wheelchair but figured now probably wasn’t the time, and I probably already knew the answer.

Everyone swarmed me with questions to which I gave vague answers. I appreciated the concern, but I just wanted to be left alone right now. I was mad at my father and tired from traveling. I also had no idea what I was doing with my life, which bothered me the most. Thankfully, the drugs were starting to kick in, so I didn’t have to dwell on it too long.

– – – – – – – – –

The next day, I moseyed around the palace. I felt out of place. I didn’t know how to act. I guess I know how Kylie feels now. Maybe I will go and visit Throin. I’m sure he will be up for training. After losing the guards assigned to keep an eye on me, I made my way to the training field where he was normally posted, disappointed to see that he wasn’t there. I went to his house next. It looked like he hadn’t been home in a while. There was a film of dust covering all the surfaces. Where could he have gone?

Just as I was thinking of it, I heard the door creak open and wiped my head around to see Throin standing in the doorway. He looked more rugged than normal, smelled more rugged too.

“Hey Throin.” I smiled.

“Solnyshko,” he said, his voice just above a whisper, laced with disbelief. He dropped his duffel bag to the group and took three large steps to get to me, pulling me into a hug. “I thought worst.”

“I’m okay…” I reassured him. “I missed you.”

“I went looking for you, you were hard to track…Good work.” He nodded, his eyes gleaming with pride, or maybe tears.

“Thanks.” I said, hanging my head in shame. If only he knew where I had been. If he knew what I had done.

“We train?” He asked.

I nodded and we headed over to the field. If anything could make me feel normal again, it was this. Throin handed me a sword and we began slowly circling each other. I wish I could say I did well, but in fact I did worse than before we started training several years back. I was tripping over myself and leaving myself open for hits too. Thorin caught on quickly, his demeanor shifting from excited about seeing me, to skeptical, to fully on guard.

“What is wrong?” He asked, sticking his sword into the ground.

“I’m fine, just a bit tired.” I lied.

Thorin narrowed his eyes at me, looking me over. His eyes landed on the ground. s**t. Laying at my feet was the baggie filled with my contraband.

“What is this?” Thorin asked, picking it up and looking it over. If I thought the guilt I had felt towards my father was bad, this was way, way worse.

“Nothing.” I said, swiping it back. “It just helps keep Keres calm.” I shrugged.

“From evil plant doctor?”

“He’s not evil, and no…I got it from somewhere else.” I said sheepishly.

“You take the illegal drugs now?” He frowned.

“Throin let me explain, I just needed something to-“

“Nyet.” He shook his head. “We are done training.”

“Done? What do you mean done?” I asked, my stomach turning.

“I will not train addicts.” He said, turning away and collecting our swords. “Too dangerous.”

“I’m not an addict!” I scoffed.

“You either use or are in remission. No inbetween.”

“Thorin-“

“Nyet. Get clean then come back.” He said over his shoulder, leaving me by myself again.

Now what was I supposed to do?

– – – – – – – – –

“Hey Emmett.” I said as cheerfully as I could muster.

“Princess Kelly. Can I help you?” He asked, hardly sparing me a glance.

“Not you too.” I sighed, flopping down on his couch across the room.

“You had everyone worried.” He said, continuing to jot down notes in his journal.

“I’m sorry, okay!?” I bit back, sick of hearing how I made everyone else’s lives more inconvenient. It must have been so hard for them. Not hard for me, the person going through this mess. My life is so easy, living with a monster inside me. How dare I seek out additional help without first consulting with them!

Emmett let out a sigh before getting up from his desk and sitting on the coffee table across from the couch. “Kelly, I promised I wouldn’t give up if you didn’t. And I meant that. I still mean it. I know ending the medication was distressing, but it would have killed you. Now, I’m working on a few different concoctions, but I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to find something that will work for you soon enough.”

“Dont bother. I already found something.” I said, pulling out my baggie filled with tiny squares.

“Kelly-” Emmett said disappointedly.

“It works, Emmett. I don’t care what else it does to me. It keeps Keres under control and that’s all that matters.”

“Its not sustainable.” He shook his head. “How will you function as queen if you are always in a state of psychosis?”

“I wont. My father has already said he refuses to make me queen. So what does it matter?”

“I promise, I will find something better. I don’t care how long it takes me, I will find something that works, you have my word.”

“Thanks, but I’m not holding my breath.”