The Gold Queen (Prequel)

***Sofia***

“Mateo,” I murmur, the sound of my own voice jolting me awake.

My eyes flutter open, a bit of light peeking into the barn from the door. As I readjust my eyes, I realize Mateo is nowhere in sight, living now only in my dreams. My heart grows heavy knowing I would never wake up in his arms again.

I hear Valentina and Emiliano whispering to themselves as they sit by the door, both of my pups in their arms. Valentina holds a pup to the light and giggles to herself.

“Oh, she’s got the Altamirano nose,” she chuckles. “Poor thing.”

Emiliano rolls his eyes at her. “Vale, they’re not even a day old. They don’t look like anyone yet!” he huffs. “Besides… what’s wrong with our nose?” he pouts, pinching his own nose.

The sound of me getting up has them turning to me, Emiliano struggling to get up without waking up the pup in his arms.

“Hey, Sofi,” he murmurs as he crouches over to me. He places a hand on my forehead. “The pups woke up a while ago and we didn’t want to wake you. You looked so peaceful in your sleep,” He adds, kissing my forehead.

“Soñe con Mateo {I dreamt with Mateo},” I sigh, reaching for my pup from Emi.

Emi wipes the tears that spill onto my cheek and I force a smile for his benefit. The pup begins to fuss, wrinkling her face as she prepares to cry.

“Aurora is a little hungry,” Emi chuckles. “I tried to keep her calm for as long as possible but there’s only so much I can do,” he smiles sheepishly, turning away to give me privacy as I pull out my breast to feed my pup.

Aurora quickly latches on, her whines slowly going silent. I take a good look at her for the first time, taking in her tiny little features. She looks at me with large golden eyes as she suckles, her tiny hand poking out of her blanket to grab my breast.

“Hello Aurora,” I whisper, stroking her little nose.

She definitely has my nose, not Mateo’s, I giggle to myself, examining her small face.

Thick jet black hair sticks out from her little hat while dark golden skin covers her body and I realize my little girls will look just like me.

I pat Aurora’s back after she’s finished and luckily for me, she falls back asleep without a fuss. Celina on the other hand, wails violently, waking up everyone in the barn.

Valentina hands her over chucking to herself. “She’s going to be a handful.”

I cradle the pup and force my n****e into her mouth until she finally calms down enough to feed. Her large tear filled eyes look up at me and I hold back a sob when I realize Celina has Mateo’s silver eyes.

I stroke her cheek as she nurses, wishing with all my might Mateo were here to see our beautiful pups.

There’s a knock at the barn door and Emiliano lets Itzel and her kids in, a tray of food in their hands. They each hand us a bowl of beans and fresh tortillas .

“I’m sorry,” Itzel apologizes, a slight blush on her cheeks. “T-this is all we have.”

“It’s more than plenty,” I smile as I take a small bowl from her. “Thank you.”

Ramon carries in a large bucket of water, Danny taking it from him.

“For you to wash,” Ramon smiles apologetically.

We thank the couple and their children for their hospitality and Valentina runs out to the car to get us all a change of clothes.

I enjoy my delicious bowl of beans, my two pups sleeping soundly in a pile of hay beside me. I watch as they curl up next to each other, Aurora resting her chin on her sister’s head to keep her quiet. After the meal and a quick wash, we prepare ourselves to leave. My body is still exhausted from the previous night and as I struggle to get up on my own two feet, Emi comes up behind me and scoops me up in his arms.

“Don’t worry, your Majesty,” Emi smiles. “I’m still here. I’ve got you.”

His kind words make my heart hurt and I bury my face in his chest to keep him from seeing the tears in my eyes.

“Ahem,” Karina coughs. “We should get moving. Our destination is still two hours out and I would like to get Chava to a safe area soon.”

She glares at Emi and I, unspoken words exchanged between her and her mate. Karina takes Chava by the hand and heads to the car, Valentina following close behind with my two pups in each arm. Emi says nothing as carries me to the car and I realize our bond bothers Karina.

I don’t understand… I think to myself. Emi is my mate’s little brother. He is in pain too. Was it wrong for us to lean on each other now that my Mateo was gone?

No, Solana whispers. Emi is your gamma. He is only doing what Moon Goddess intended. Karina just… she doesn’t understand that.

Emi carries me out quietly, Itzel and her kids waiting by the car holding up styrofoam plates with warm food.

“To keep your belly full until you get home,” Itzel says, handing Emi the bowl as he sets me into the car. “Dios te bendiga a ti y a tus niñas. {God bless you and your daughters},” she murmurs, blessing me with a cross.

I rummage for my bag and find my stash of cash, counting out $20,000 pesos and handing them to Itzel. She stares at the money dumbfounded, a flicker of fear in her eyes.

“Don’t worry, I’m not the cartel,” I chuckle, Itzel letting out a small sigh of relief. “I’m just a business woman and this is a small thanks for your kindness to my family and I. I will never forget it,” I smile at her.

Tears fill her eyes. “B-bless you… you don’t know how much we need it,” she hiccups, throwing her arms around me. “Thank you so much! May God repay you for this!”

She steps away to wipe her tears and Emi finishes loading up the car and closes the door. Danny puts the car in drive and I wave to our new friends as we drive away onto the old dirt road. I try to take a pup from Valentina but she just shakes her head at me.

“I’ll watch the girls while you get some rest,” She chirps. “Trust me, you should take advantage of a nap. You’ll need all the rest you can get.”

After a bit of convincing, I give in to Valentina and curl up beside Emi, forcing my eyes closed in hopes of dreaming with Mateo. He never appears in my dreams however, and for the next two hours, I find myself floating in a dreamless sleep.

Emiliano gently taps on my shoulder, the car coming to halt.

“We’re here your majesty,” he whispers. “We’re safe now.”

My eyes flutter open to find myself curled up in Emi’s lap. He strokes my hair gently as I come to and I stretch out my legs while I yawn. Refusing to let me out of the car on my own, Emi carries me, throwing my bag over his shoulder.

The safe house is located in a rural human town in Nuevo León, surrounded by lush pastures and peaceful quiet. Mateo loved it immediately, wanting a place where our pups could run freely and grow up happily.

Inside, we find a small kitchen, a living area, and four small bedrooms. Emi takes me to the master room, Valentina close behind with my pups in each arm. I feed my pups and change their diapers, letting them sleep in the crib their father built for them.

I hold back tears and a chuckle as I remember how he built it.

***Flashback***

“I don’t need instructions,” he grumbles, tossing the small booklet on the bed. “It’s just a couple screws,” he laughs.

He stares at the pieces in front of him, smiling like an i***t to himself as he tries to put them together. I raise an eyebrow at his finished product, two extra planks and a pile of screws sitting on the floor.

“Teo, where do those go?” I ask, pointing to the very important leftover material.

He grins cheekily at me. “Nowhere. They give you extra pieces in case you have fat babies,” he shrugs, stepping back to showcase his creation. “What do you think? Good, no?”

I howl in laughter as I look at the picture on the booklet and the crib Mateo built, neither one resembling the other.

***

“Don’t worry, my loves,” I whisper as I set the pups down for a nap in their crib. “I made him read the instructions,” I chuckle softly.

Emi agrees to watch the pups while I take a much needed bath with Valentina’s help. She helps me into the tub, taking special care to be as gentle as possible. The hot water feels amazing, my entire body unwinding with the heat. The silence, however, fills my heart and my thoughts slowly become consumed by Mateo.

Was he in pain when it happened? Did he suffer? Did Julian do this?

No, Solana says firmly. Julian was nowhere near as strong as our Teo.

I nod at this, knowing in heart Mateo would have taken Julian with him to grave before letting him get away to hurt the pups and I.

Suddenly, we hear Celina’s wails through the door, Valentina chuckling to herself.

“That little girl has some serious lungs,” She laughs, getting up to close the door.

“Bring the girls in,” I murmur, needing to see my mate in my girls.

Valentina fetches Celina who cries furiously in her arms.

“Ya, mi nina,” Valentina coos. “Oh, you’re just being loud, aren’t you?” she says softly, slowly undressing the pup and placing her on my chest.

Celina’s cries grow quieter as I splash warm water on her back and she nuzzles her head in my neck. Valentina brings in Aurora who just stares at the world around her curiously. She undresses the pup and places her next to her sister on my chest.

If only Mateo were here, I’d be complete…

“Celina has her daddy’s eyes,” Valentina whispers to herself. “How wonderful is that?”

I stare at the two pups on my chest. They are Mateo’s last gift to me.

“It’s beautiful,” I sigh.

—-

After the bath, I set the girls down for another nap and check in with Danny on news about the Kingdom. His face is solemn as he reports back to me.

“T-the reinforcements were too late,” he says quietly, putting the phone back on the hook. “There were… uh… there were no survivors…”

A single tear slides down my cheek as I digest the news that my entire army was slaughtered alongside my mate, my fingernails burying themselves in the couch fabric in anger.

“And Julian?” I nearly snarl, wiping the tear on my cheek and hardening my face. “Is that sick bastard still breathing?”

“He was found on the hill… or what was left of him, I should say,” Danny corrects himself.

I let out a sigh of relief knowing Julian could never hurt my pups.

But the witches are still out there, Solana reminds me. We’re not completely out of danger yet. So long as those witches exist, Aurora and Celina will always be in danger.

“D-did they find Him?” Valentina asks, desperately trying to control her emotions. “D-did they find my brother?”

Danny nods his head, shifting on his feet uncomfortably. “His body was recovered this morning. He’s being prepared for a moon ceremony later this week.”

“I want to go,” I say, rising to my feet. “I deserve to say goodbye to my mate.”

“No,” Emi shakes his head. “It’s not safe. Mateo gave his life so you and the pups could escape. Don’t let his sacrifice be for nothing!”

“I didn’t ask him to!” I snap, my tears burning my eyes. “He.. he promised he’d come back to me! He promised! He promised me!” I scream, Emi holding me in his arms as I sob. “He promised…”

“I know…” he soothes, cradling my head. “I know he did. But you can’t go. Not when those witches could hurt you or the girls. It’s simply too risky.”

“Please,” I plead, crying into his shoulder. “I just want to see him. I need to see him one last time.”

“I’m sorry your Majesty,” he replies, resting his chin on my head. “But I can’t let you go.”

My hands ball up into fists. Why did everyone think they could decide my fate for me?

“You’re still our Queen and the Alphas of the Kingdom want to know what happens next,” Danny interrupts.

“Well, I’m not leaving México, if that’s what you’re expecting,” I snap.

“We can’t stay here, Sofia. It’s not safe!” Emi growls at me. “Do you not understand that?”

“What if we move to your Uncle Angel’s kingdom in San Luis Potosi?” Valentina suggests. “Luz Marina could be the perfect place for us to regroup and plan our next moves against the witches and vampires. We could resupply, get an army..”

“NO!” I cry out, Valentina taking a step back. “No more armies. I will not subject my uncle’s people to another war and sentence them all to death.”

“Then what do YOU propose we do, your Majesty,” Karina sneers. “Huh? You want to watch Sol De Oro rot alongside its King while you and your pups get to stay safe in this little house?”

Emi growls at her to shut up but she only continues spewing her ugly words at me as I gnash my teeth together, my emotions reaching their limit.

“How many more people are you willing to sacrifice for those two little insignificant pu-”

My hand makes contact with her cheek, the stunned look in her eyes not satisfying the wrath I am feeling.

“Don’t you ever disrespect your King or my pups again,” I spit through gritted teeth. “Those two insignificant pups, as you call them, might one day save your life for they are the greatest power to ever walk this earth. Those witches fear them and you should be honored to even be breathing the same air as them.”

I storm out of the room, rushing down to the bedroom where my pups sleep soundly. I pick up Celina, a small yawn escaping her lips, before scooping up Aurora and bring them both to the bed.

Tears roll down my cheeks as I stare at my two girls now wide away and smiling at me.

“You are not insignificant,” I murmur to them, the twins blinking at me. “So don’t you ever let anyone tell you that you are. This war… It started long before you were born. It’s not your fault,” I whimper, rocking myself on the bed. “It’s not your fault.”

Emi bursts through the door, his head hanging low in shame, Valentina coming in behind him. “I apologize for Karina’s behavior. She is just scared of those witches hurting Chava too.”

“That doesn’t give her the right to say all those cruel things to me,” I snap. “We’ve all lost someone in this war. All of us! I am scared out of my damn mind every time I look at my babies knowing those witches will stop at nothing to hurt them. Karina has no right.. No right to hurt me!” I cry, the pups preparing to burst into tears alongside me.

“I know, I know,” He sighs, crawling onto the bed with me. “And I’m sorry she doesn’t get it.”

Valentina climbs in with us, looking at the twins and plucking Celina out of my arms. “She is wrong,” she murmurs, stroking Celina’s nose. “These girls are anything but insignificant. They were loved by a whole army of wolves who were willing to die for them. They were loved by their father. They are loved by us… and we will do anything to protect them.”

She lays her head on my shoulder, gently cradling Celina until she falls asleep.

—

The next few days seem to drag on, Danny communicating with the Alphas about any suspicious activity from the witches or the vampires. I spend my days nursing my pups and drinking in every minute I can with them. They are so perfect, so precious, and they deserve to live a life without fear.

Karina’s words won’t stop replaying in my head.

How many more lives are you willing to sacrifice…

I have thought long and hard about her question and as I watch my babies sleep in their crib every night, I realize there is only one answer: None.