The Alpha Queen And Her Chosen Mate

Kelly

Goddess, I felt like I had been thrown into a meat grinder. I cracked my eyes open and was instantly blinded by the sun. Where was I? What happened? Last, I remembered we were deep within the cave with the Naga creatures. I g*****d and sat up, now noticing we were on the path leading to the cave.

“She’s up.” Emmett said, at my side in an instant with a canteen filled with water. I took it and shamelessly gulped down as much as I could in one go, my body begging for hydration.

“What happened?” I asked.

“The Naga took your soul out of you,” Emmett explained.

“Why?” I frowned, vaguely remembering feeling like all the air was leaving my lungs.

“He wanted to see if you were pure and worthy of the crystal or not.” Jonas said. “He put your soul into the tree and it projected all of your memories onto the leaves.”

“Sounds invasive.” I said, turning red. “Did…did you guys…see anything?” I struggled to ask.

“We saw everything,” Jonas answered.

A thousand things flew through my head, things I was hoping would never reach the light of day. Things I never wanted to speak about. And they knew it all.

“Did we get the crystal?” I asked, clearing my throat uncomfortably, assuming we didn’t.

“Did we get it? No.” Jonas laughed. “But Thorin over here might have something to admit to.”

“Thorin?” I asked, looking over in his direction.

He smiled broadly and tossed me a small leather pouch. I looked at him in disbelief before opening it up and pulling out the beautiful violet crystal. “Goddess, how did you get this?” I asked.

“Evil serpent wanted to kill you, but Jonas and Emmett defended your honor. While snake was distracted, I took the opportunity to steal crystal.” He said proudly.

“Bro, I still don’t know how you did it when there were a hundred sets of eyes that could have caught you.” Jonas chuckled.

“How did you do it?” I asked, feeling intrigued now.

“I play idiot.” He shrugged. “I had feeling snake could not be trusted, so I began formulating plan as soon as we arrived. In water there were many crystal shards, similar to one snake had. While Emmett, Jonas, and snake, had their backs turned, I pretend to get you water. I stumbled and ‘fell’ into water, grabbing handful of crystals. I knew snake has no arms, so he had to have set down crystal somewhere. I found it next to his coils. So, I pretend to trip again in panic, and swapped crystal for crystal.”

“Oh my goddess.” I laughed, shaking my head. “I can’t believe you got it. You bested deities, Thorin.”

“I could not have done if they did not distract, it was team effort,” he said, flicking his head in Emmett and Jonas’s direction.

“You guys are amazing.” I sighed, feeling ready to cry.

“What’s wrong?” Emmett asked.

“Nothing…it’s just…I feel like I keep failing in all of these missions.”

“That’s not true.” Jonas said, handing me another granola bar, goddess I was getting sick of eating these. “If it weren’t for Keres going ballistic, we would never have found the old woman and young girl and might not have found the moonflower. And if the Naga wasn’t distracted looking over your life, Thorin might not have been able to swipe the crystal, because honestly, I don’t think he was going to give it up.”

“I suppose, when you put it that way.” I said, hanging my head.

“Yes, now, we have another full day until we get back to our hotel. I think it only fair that we spend that time listening to your side of the story,” Jonas said, helping me stand.

“My side of the story?” I frowned.

“We all just got uncensored blurbs of your life and have many, many questions. Before any of us jump to conclusions, I think it best for you to start talking.”

“…oh.” I said, taking another bite of granola.

“Solnyshko, we have seen it all. We just want to know why. Rest assured that we all have our own dark closets.” Thorin said, leading the way.

“Well, where would you like me to begin?” I asked, falling into step with the guys.

“You killed your mate?”

“You were pregnant?”

“The affair with King Derek?”

The guys answered at the same time.

“Oh goddess…why don’t I start from the beginning and you can ask any questions as we go?”

“Alright.”

“Da.”

“Sure.”

I took a deep breath as we continued along and started at the very beginning when Keres first arrived. I told them about my first mate, second mate, leading up to my time with Derek. I didn’t spare any details, admitting to having slept with all three men somewhere along the way. Of course, it was never at the same time, or even the same year really. I wasn’t a w***e, but telling them and then having the uncomfortable silence made me feel like one. Each of them seemed to be especially keen on one part of my life or another. Part of it bothers them more than the rest. Jonas seemed to have the biggest problem with me sleeping with Thorin just days before my ceremony with King Derek. Thorin got hung up on my terminated pregnancy and Emmett with me killing my second-chance mate.

I didn’t know where that would leave any of us in all of this. Would any of them still humor the idea of being my chosen mate? I have never even suggested the idea of taking a chosen mate, especially since I know none of them have met their fated yet. I didn’t want to take that away from them, but none of them have found their mates and it’s been ten or more years since they shifted and were able to find them. Would they consider choosing me? Or did I just ruin everything by telling them every gorey detail of my life?

– – – – – – – –

Thorin

I had no idea of some of the things Kelly had admitted to. She was pregnant once? She chose to terminate? I tried to think back all those years ago, wondering if the signs were there and I just missed them. Had I known…I would have been a more honorable man than her deceased second-chance mate. I would have offered to care for the pup with her. She spoke of feeling alone quite often, yet I saw her nearly every day. Could I have done better? I should do better, I will do better. Will she give me the chance?

– – – – – – –

Emmett

Keres was certainly no joke. After Kelly opened up to us, I received so much clarity about her entire situation. Now I know why King Carson did the things that he did, and why Kelly was so agreeable to them all. Her wolf murdered Kelly’s mate with her bear hands and then ate the heart. Goddess, we were lucky that more didn’t happen. If only someone had come to me with the truth sooner, I could have told them to check with an exorcist first. It was truly a miracle I found something to help, but that wasn’t good enough. Kelly needed a cure. She deserves better. But will I be able to find a cure? Can anyone find a cure to the madness that is Keres? Will she give me another chance?

– – – – – – –

Jonas

Finding out that Kelly slept with Thorin just days before her ceremony with King Derek was upsetting. I’m not sure what bothered me more, the fact that she broke her oath to form a union with the King by cheating on him, or the fact that it was with Thorin and not me. Is that terrible to think? We have been on and off for years. She even admits to it, so why him and not me? Timing maybe? She did say it happened right after a fight with the king. But who could ever fight with her? She was amazing. I know I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if she was upset with me. I guess thank goddess that the union fell through. Now I have a chance to show her how she should be treated. But will she let me?