The Gold Queen (Prequel)

***Sofia ***

The days seem to merge together as we prepare the kingdom for war, developing a new emergency alert system between the packs that even Julian could not decode. We also had every pack set up medical teams and emergency supplies that could be shared between packs. Emiliano would be in charge of the medical teams and coordinate their movements during attacks.

Daniel and Mateo have been on the search for arms dealers to acquire silver weaponry we could use against Julian’s troops. It would be an expensive feat due to the silver but would be worth every penny if it meant we could defeat Julian.

Before I know, Wednesday arrives, my meeting with Queen Lorena taking place in just a few hours. I haven’t told Mateo of my plan, afraid he might get too emotionally involved. I would just have to deal with the Queen on my own.

As I attempt to climb out of bed, two strong arms wrap around my waist, Solana purring with delight at our mate’s touch.

“Where are you going this early,” he chuckles against my cheeks. “You’re not an early bird.”

“Voy a ver a mi novio {I’m going to go see my boyfriend},” I tease, earning me a growl.

“Very funny,” he scoffs, rolling me onto my back and pinning me beneath his body. “But you are mine!”

I stare into his gorgeous silver eyes, becoming lost in the stormy grey swirls of his irises. He was still in pain but he was dealing better.

“Yours,” I whisper, twirling a few tendrils of his hair with my fingers. “And you …” I boop his nose. “Belong to me.”

I press my lips against his briefly before pulling away. I had much to do today and could not afford to stay in bed all day, no matter how sexy my mate looked with his tousled hair and his sleepy voice.

“I have a meeting with a new client today in Tampico,” I sigh, pushing my arms against his chest. “So I have to go soon.”

“Still thinking of expanding the hotel chain?” He asks, rolling over on his side.

Despite our pack troubles, business was booming for Hotel Reyes, our profits nearly doubling this year alone. It was the best time for an expansion and to gain some allies in the process.

“Yes,” I say, getting to my feet and stretching. “So what are your plans for today?”

“Danny found a guy who could get us the weapons we need,” he shrugs. “We’re going to talk prices.”

“Don’t worry about the cost,” I reply, walking over to him and cupping his cheeks. “Buy what you need, amor. Whatever it takes to make Julian pay, get it.”

“Yes ma’am,” he salutes me, giving me a k**s and patting my a*s. “Have a good day, my love.”

I almost feel guilty for lying. “You too.”

———

Emiliano is busy setting up those medical teams so I decide to take an unlikely companion with me instead. Karina. Or better yet, Karina and Chava.

“So who are we meeting here?” Karina asks as we walk to the quiosco.

“Lorena,” I reply cooly, handing Chava a toy to keep him entertained while we wait.

“Julian’s wife!” She nearly yells.

A few people passing by give us strange looks and I glare at Karina to be quiet.

“Yes,” I hiss, trying to hide my irritation. “Her.”

She falls quiet for a minute, setting Chava down on the steps.

“Are you out of your mind? You’re willingly putting my son in danger!” She snaps back, not caring that several people were now watching us.

“Karina!” I growl, my Royal voice presenting itself. “Enough.”

She cowers back, pulling Chava to her chest.

“You and your son will be fine,” I sigh, straightening back up. “I give you my word. I chose you to accompany me to make Lorena feel safe. If I brought guards and my gamma, she would run. But you and a child pose no threat. I would never put your lives in danger. Ever,” I snap, a bit hurt she would even think I would ever put her child in harm’s way. “So relax. Any sign of trouble, you run and take Chava with you. We own a hotel two blocks from here,” I add, pointing to a building in the distance. “You’ll be safe there.”

Calculated risks. A good Queen only makes calculated risks and I had thought this out carefully. I had chosen noon at a public setting with lots of people coming and going as the venue for this meeting. An attack here would be exceptionally difficult for either of us to execute. We were perfectly safe.

Karina seems more at ease now that I’ve given her a plan of escape and we wait quietly for Lorena to arrive.

We have never been close friends, but I hold on to the hope that I can somehow convince Lorena to side with us. Noon soon comes around but still there is no sign of Lorena. I begin to feel on edge.

Could she have warned Julian of this meeting? I wonder. Were we about to be ambushed in broad daylight?

As I’m having these thoughts, a familiar voice calls out my name.

“Your Majesty,” Lorena calls out, a group of guards surrounding her.

She bows a little as she greets me while Karina and I stare at her guards suspiciously. I count 8 but suspect there are more waiting nearby.

As she comes closer, my wolf begins to stir, sensing something different about her. My eyes go directly to her belly and it all begins to make sense.

She’s pregnant, Solana comments.

Feeling my stare, Lorena’s hand holds her stomach protectively.

“You’re with child,” I whisper.

She offers a tiny smile. “Six weeks. I’ve only just recently found out.”

That explains the guards, Solana sighs.

“Congratulations,” I nod, forcing a smile and hiding my disgust.

This might be a bit more difficult than I anticipated, I conclude. There’s more at stake for her now.

I point to a bench near the quiosco. “Shall we sit?” I ask.

I instruct Karina to leave us be and Lorena dismisses her guards as we settle down to chat.

“Why are we here?” She asks, glancing around the crowded plaza.

I pause for a moment, weighing my words carefully. “Julian has killed two of my people in cold b***d…” I start, eyeing her reactions to see where she stands on the issue.

She shifts uncomfortably in her seat. “I am…. sorry for your loss,” she says quietly, fidgeting with her hands. “But that is the price of war.”

Her comment infuriates me and I speak without thinking.

“A war your husband started,” I nearly spit, Solana threatening to come out.

Just how stupid could she be?

“No,” she shakes her head, as if this was an opinion that could be denied. “Your husband started this,” she says with a challenging tone. “He ended our alliance and humiliated Julian. After all that our Kingdom has done to fight alongside you against those wicked vampires, you people decide to end our alliance and declare us your enemies!” She scoffs. “What exactly did you expect? Do you know who my husband is?”

It becomes apparent she has no idea what kind of monster Julian truly is.

“And now you call me here for a meeting to discuss goddess knows what,” she adds, nearly shaking with anger. “What is it you want from me?”

Her animated speech puts her guards on alert and I notice several of them get closer but stay far enough away to still give us some sort of privacy.

“I need your help to take down Julian,” I respond nonchalantly, keeping my body language cool and collected.

Her eyes widen in shock and she rises to her feet with indignation.

“What!?” She nearly screams at me. “Are you insane!? Why on Earth would I help you take down MY HUSBAND? I’m carrying his child! I am his QUEEN,” she snaps

I slowly rise to my feet, unable to believe how naïve she was. Although I am shorter than her, my royal presence makes her nervous. I can hear her heart quicken as I stare up at her. She could have a title all she wanted but we both knew who the real Queen was.

“His Queen?” I ask, shaking my head at her. “You may be his wife, Lorena, but you and I both know you are no Queen to Estrella del Monte… But…. I could help you. I could turn you into a real Queen-“

She smirks at me, a little chuckle escaping her lips. “Oh Sofia… Always so arrogant. You’re just like Julian. You think you are better than the rest of us for being gifted but I see right through your little façade. You’re jealous of me,” she says, rubbing her belly proudly. “I have everything you don’t have. I’m richer, own better lands, have a powerful husband, and have an heir on the way. What do you have? A husband your own mother can’t stand? A barren belly? Is he not good in bed, Sofia? Can you not stomach waking up to a boy half the man Julian is?”

Solana snarls violently, but I restrain her knowing Lorena’s words were just that, words. I loved my husband. I made passionate love to him every night. I was worshipped like a goddess by him, adored, loved, f****d by him. There was no comparison. I did not regret my decision to choose Mateo over Julian. But I could tell she regretted her marriage. I could see it in her eyes.

“Don’t you see?” she sneers. “I don’t need your help. I’m already more Queen than you will ever be.”

I have to hold back my laughter and compose myself before I lay down the facts for her.

“Richer?” I laugh. “That’s Julian’s money, not yours. If I’m not mistaken, your family doesn’t have a penny to their name. Last I heard, your daddy was bankrupt…” I chuckle, the smile on her face evaporating. I’ve never been one to brag about money, but the b***h was asking for it. “And more lands? What good is all that when you don’t get a say on how those lands are run or how your people live? And by the way, your powerful husband got his a*s handed to him twice by my mate,” I chirp, my chest swelling with pride as she cowers back. “Don’t fool yourself, Lorena. You’re not his Queen, you’re just the girl he has to f**k in order to appease the laws of his people. Julian has his whores. He doesn’t love you and he certainly won’t need you after that baby is born,” I shrug. “Face it, Lorena. You mean nothing to him. You never have and you never will.”

Angry tears fill her eyes as she glares at me. Her fists clench at her sides as I continue to explain just how small of a pawn she was in Julian’s scheme. It is cruel, but so is reality. There is no point in sugar coating her dire situation. Once Julian has his prince, he would have no use for his wife and I did not think he would keep her around much longer afterwards. Lorena needed to see who her real allies were and they certainly didn’t include Julian.

“You were nothing to him on the day he married you,” I whisper. “And you will still be nothing when this war ends.” I reach out to her hand, hoping to get my message across. “Let me help you become someone even Julian can not break. Let me free you -“

She swings her arm around towards my face, but Solana reacts faster than I do and manages to keep her open hand from touching my cheek. The anger doesn’t leave her face as she speaks and she takes a few steps closer to me so that we were only inches away from each other.

“Sol de Oro will fall, Sofia,” she hisses, her breaths fast and harsh with rage. “And when it does, I’ll take that crown off your pretty little head and watch you burn with your throne.”

She yanks her wrist out of my hand and spins on her heel, storming off with her trail of guards.

I think you just made things worse, Solana grunts. Stupid b***h is blinder than a bat.

Karina and Chava hurry over to me.

“Can we go now?” Karina asks, looking around nervously. “I have a bad feeling about this entire situation.”

I massage my temples in frustration. “Yes,” I sigh. “Let’s go home.”

Little did I know just how true Karina’s prediction would be.