The Gold Queen (Prequel)

***Sofia***

My girls sleep soundly as I labor over my writing, my hand trembling with every flick of my pen. Tears threaten to spill onto my cheeks but I quickly wipe them away, unwilling to get a single drop on my work. When I complete the letters to my girls, I place them in an envelope with the Sol de Oro emblem and seal each into the medallion boxes.

With the letters tucked away safely, I call everyone to the bedroom, ready to announce my plan. Emiliano paces back and forth anxiously as he waits for me to explain.

“Now before I say anything,” I sigh, glancing specifically at Emiliano. “I just want you guys to know that my mind is already made up and you cannot change it.”

At that, Emiliano looks up and glares at me. “Sofia, don’t do something stupid,” he warns, pointing at the girls in their cribs. “Remember that you are not alone anymore. Those pups need their mother.”

“It’s because of them that I have made this decision,” I reply calmly, Emiliano’s face sinking.

“So what’s your plan?” Valentina asks quietly.

I stare at my hands, afraid to see the devastation in Emiliano’s eyes. “I’m going back to Sol de Oro for Mateo’s Funeral,” I murmur.

“No the f**k you’re not!” Emi roars, towering over my small figure. “Mateo would never forgive you for taking such as risk-“

“Well, Mateo isn’t here now is he?” I reply coolly, Emi’s face seething with rage.

“You’re not going,” he responds sternly. “I won’t let you.”

“I’m not asking for permission, Emi. The decision’s been made. I’m going…” I sigh, every cell in my body completely drained of its energy. “I’ll lead the remaining troops to hold off the witches and vampires long enough for you four to escape with the girls to some place safe until I can reunite with you again-“

“Are you out of your mind?” Emiliano shouts, pushing his hands into his hair in disbelief. “You want to go fight those witches and bloodsuckers after what Mateo did for you and the pups?”

I frown at him, rising to my feet and walking to where my little girls lie beside each other in blissful sleep.

“I know what Mateo did for me and the girls, Emi,” I whisper, reaching my hand into the crib and rubbing the pad of Celina’s foot with my thumb. Her tiny toes curl and she smiles in her sleep. “But Aurora and Celina deserve to live in peace and they can’t have that while those witches are after them. I need to stop this war before it can take them too.”

“Then come with us!” Emi snaps, unable to understand my dilemma. “We can go to the U.S. and -“

“And do what, Emi? Hide?” I scoff, turning back to look at him. “What about my Kingdom? My people? The people I swore to protect? Haven’t my wolves suffered enough loss because of me? You want me to abandon them and hide like a coward while those witches wreak havoc on their lives? Well I’m not a coward!” My throat burns with angry sobs.

This has to end now.

Emi shakes his head at me, his breaths hard and furious. “No,” He snarls.

“I leave in two hours,” I whisper.

“I said No!”

“My things are packed and I -“

Before I can finish my sentence, Emiliano wraps his fingers around my shoulders and shakes me. “For Goddess sake, Sofia, I said No!” He pants, his usually warm eyes growing cold with fear. “I already lost my brother, I can’t lose you, too. I can’t … I ca…”

He breaks into a sob, resting his head on my shoulder as he loses the strength to stand on his own. Seeing her brother in pain, Valentina wraps her arms around his waist, and lays her head against his back.

“My people need me, Emi,” I sigh, cradling his head. “So I need you and Vale to protect my pups until I can reunite with them… can you do that for me?” I ask, cupping his cheeks and pleading with my eyes. “Can you take care of my girls?”

He closes his eyes and swallows back a sob. “Always,” he replies with a murmur.

Suddenly, the door slams shut as Karina storms out of the room.

“She’s just…” Emi’s voice trails off and I heave a heavy sigh.

“You don’t have to explain,” I say, forcing a smile.

“Don’t worry about Karina,” Valentina chirps as she wraps me up in her arms. “She’ll get over it. Just tell us what to do.”

I nod, providing instructions to the twins and handing them the documents Mateo had prepared for us.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to part at the border,” I warn them, rushing over the medallion boxes. “If I don’t defeat the witches, keeping the girls together will be dangerous. They need to separate until the time comes for them to reunite for their first shift,” I instruct. “These are the girl’s medallions. They’ll need them if I don’t make it back…”

Emi clenches and unclenches his jaw, still angry with my decision. I turn to Valentina who smiles timidly at me.

“This is Celina’s box,” I say, placing the box in Valentina’s hands. “Vale … can you and Danny take Celina?”

Danny steps forward and takes the box from Valentina’s shaking hands. “It would be an honor to protect her, your Majesty.”

My heart relaxes with relief and I turn to Emi who stares solemnly at me. “Can you take Aurora?”

He responds with a simple nod, swallowing whatever words he wanted to say and reaching for Aurora’s box. I hate the look in his eyes but my decision is final. I need to return to Sol de Oro. They all give me a few final moments with the girls while they pack their belongings for their trip to the United States.

I peer down at my pups, Aurora now fully awake, her golden eyes staring at the mobile hanging over her head. Two small wolves hang from the mobile, a sweet lullaby playing as it spins. Wanting to bask in their beauty, I look down at the pups for a moment, memorizing every curve of their cheeks, the color of their eyes, the soothing scent that emanates from their soft skin. I want to remember the two little girls Mateo gave me.

As I lift Aurora out of the crib, Celina twists her face in anguish, feeling abandoned at the sudden loss of her sister’s warmth.

“Shh…It’s okay, my love,” I coo as I carefully pick up Celina. “Mommy’s got you.”

She immediately settles down when she feels my arm around her and I carry both pups to the bed. Tears fill my eyes as I look down at the two most precious gifts in my life, knowing I would never see their beautiful faces again for I had no intention of surviving my encounter with the witches.

My girls had to live long happy lives, even if I couldn’t share it with them.

“I’m sorry,” I murmur, kissing each of their temples.

The girls blink in their innocence and Aurora’s lips suddenly curl up into a smile.

“But it’s okay,” I whimper, wiping the tears that spill onto my cheeks and forcing a little laugh. “I’ll be the warmth of the sun kissing your cheeks every time you close your eyes and I’ll be dancing in the stars with your Dad watching over you as you sleep. I’ll be the sudden breeze rushing past you, reminding you how much I love you in the tiny whispers of the wind. I’ll be the earth beneath your feet, supporting every step you take on your journey. So no matter how alone you feel, just remember I’ll always be with you.”

There’s a small knock at the door and I quickly wipe my tears before Valentina and Emi walk in.

“We’re ready to go,” Valentina sighs, Emiliano still giving me looks of concern and worry.

“Sofia please,” he pleads. “You can come with us and…”

His voice trails off as I force a smile for him and shake my head.

“My people need me, Emi,” I whisper.

A few tears spill onto Emi’s cheeks but he wipes them away quickly and reaches for Aurora. I bend over and k**s her chubby cheeks one last time.

“I love you my little sun,” I murmur, Aurora smiling as she hears my voice. I cradle Celina for a few seconds more and k**s her forehead gently. “I love you my little moon. Be good for your tia.”

Valentina takes her from my arms, carefully holding her close to her body to keep her from crying out.

“I’ll see you off,” I sigh, following them all out to the car.

From where I stand, I can see Karina grumbling to herself as she and Danny load the car with luggage, the boys running around at their feet, curiously watching as their belongings are packed into the car. When Chava sees me, he quickly runs over and sticks his arms up at me, wanting to be carried. I indulge the little boy, peppering his face with k****s.

“Take care of my Aurorita for me, okay, Chava?” I smile at him, smoothing back his hair.

He wraps his arms around my head and smothers me with a big wet k**s.

“Let’s go!” Karina snarls, tapping her feet impatiently on the dirt road.

I put the boy down and he rushes off to his mother who tucks him into the car. She doesn’t even say goodbye to me, climbing into the passenger side without so much as a second glance. Emi lets out a snarl beside me but I shake my head at him to stop. A small whimper escapes Valentina’s lips and she turns to face me.

“Please be careful, Sofia,” She says, leaning over to k**s my cheek. “Your pups need you.”

I wipe the tears on her face and force a gentle smile for her. “Thank you for being the sister I never had.”

Fresh tears spring to her eyes and she finds it hard to speak so she only nods and walks over to the car, leaving just Emi and I at the door. His face looks as though it were made of stone, all of his emotions tucked away. It’s strange to see him so quiet… so cold.

“Do you promise to come out of this alive?” he asks after a long silence.

“I will do my best to keep everyone I love safe,” I reply carefully, Emi’s eyes filling with rage. “Don’t be mad at me, Emi. It’s going to be okay.”

“I made a promise to Mateo that I would always protect you,” he says. “You are asking me to break that promise by making me leave you here.”

“Then make him a new promise,” I compromise, staring down at the pup in his arms. “You protect Aurora as if she were me… Be her gamma and make sure no one ever hurts her. Can you do that?”

He nods solemnly and I stand on my tiptoes to k**s his cheek. “Thank you. Thank you for everything,” I sigh, my heart filling with relief knowing my pups would be well taken care of in my absence.

I hold back bitter tears as I watch him climb into the car, Aurora curling up in his chest for a nap. The car drives off down the dirt road, Chava waving at me from his seat. I stare at the road for an eternity before I finally force myself back into the house to wait for my ride.

Almost two hours later, a car finally approaches the house and an Alpha from the southern province, Alpha Enrique, steps out to open the door, greeting me with a bow.

“Are you sure about this, your majesty?” he asks as I climb in with just a small bag.

“Take me home, Alpha.”

—-

The five hour drive seems endless but after driving past similar pastures and trees, the familiar mansion appears into view, my eyes glued to the last place I saw Mateo.

“I’ll always come back to you,” he promised.

“Looks like I came back to you instead,” I murmur to myself, pushing open the door to the car.

A number of Alphas wait for me at the entrance of the Hacienda, all of them bowing their heads respectfully at me. Mateo’s aunt, Celeste and his father’s sisters Melissa and Monserrat are present, all three embracing me in a hug.

“Ay, Sofia,” Alpha Celeste (Mateo’s Aunt) sighs heavily, tears in her eyes as she gives me a good squeeze. “And the pups?” she asks, stepping back to look at my now flat belly.

“Safe,” I reply, my wolf anxious to begin the Moon Ceremony. “Is Mateo…”

“Oh yes, everything’s already been taken care of,” she replies, wiping at her eyes. “He’s been prepared and is waiting at the pyre for you.”

Solana begins to wail but I ignore her cries and nod firmly.

“As you instructed, only the Alpha’s and the fallen King’s family are present. The remainder of Sol de Oro remains in hiding,” Alpha Hector of the Luna de Jade pack says.

“Good,” I say quietly, pulling out a document out of my bag and handing it to Celeste. “This is my will. Protect it with your life. When the pyre is lit, I want you all to leave immediately. After today, Sol de Oro will cease to exist.”

A silence falls over the room as I make this announcement, Alpha Hector’s mouthing hanging open in shock.

“The witches will only destroy what’s left of us,” I explain. “The remaining packs do not deserve a prolonged war. You should all go while you still can and let me handle the witches.”

“But we pledged allegiance to you!” Alpha Enrique interjects. “We can’t just abandon you!”

“You are not abandoning me,” I sigh. “I’m just trying to uphold my end of the bargain to you by protecting you from any further pain and suffering. This war will end tonight and you will all finally get the peace you so much deserve.”

“What do you plan on doing?” Celeste asks as I start climbing up the steps.

“I’ll be down in 15 minutes,” I sigh, refusing to answer any more questions.

Upstairs, I take a good long look at the photos hanging on the wall, admiring Mateo’s perfect smile captured forever in a frame.

“You made me so happy,” I whisper, taking a photo down and holding it to my chest. “I was happiest in your arms,” I chuckle. “Did I make you happy too?”

I close my eyes, waiting for a response but the room only fills with the sound of my still beating heart. Not wanting to delay the ceremony any further, I change into a white linen gown and simple sandals, brushing my hair out and letting it flow down my chest like a pair of silk curtains. As a final touch, I tie a bronze dagger to my waist.

The Alphas all hold candles by the time I arrive and Mateo’s aunts walk by my side as we make our way to El Nacimiento where Mateo waits for us.

I hold back tears as his body comes into view amongst the trees, a white linen cloth draped over his body. Night phlox flowers decorate his pyre, their sweet aroma filling the forest air.

One by one, Mateo’s aunts step up to his pyre, cradling his linen covered head as they whisper secrets in his ear. My legs feel like they are made of jelly as they struggle to hold my weight while I wait for my turn. Sensing that I could collapse at any moment, Alpha Hector takes me by the arm and remains by my side.

“Stand tall, your majesty,” he says as Celeste gives her final goodbyes. “He would want you to stand tall.”

I nod quietly and when it comes time to see him, I take slow and timid steps up to his pyre. My hands shake a little as I touch the linen, straightening out the wrinkles on the fabric to make him perfect for his arrival to the Moon’s kingdom.

“Hello, my love,” I say quietly as I work, forcing back my tears so I can speak clearly to him. My fingers linger on the hem of the fabric near his head, itching to see his face one last time. A cool breeze washes over me, Mateo’s presence dancing on my skin and I let go of the fabric. “You don’t want me to see you? Did you forget to comb your hair?” I chuckle softly, the wind blowing just a little harder, like a laugh. “Okay, I won’t look,” I say, closing my eyes and imagining his perfect smile from the photo in my room, the cool breeze enveloping me as I remember my love.

“I miss you,” I whisper to the wind, hoping my words reach him in the stars. I press my forehead against his as I stroke the back of his head. “The girls are safe because of you… so you just rest now, okay? You can go. They’ll be okay.” My voice trembles as peck his lips through the linen, my arms wrapping around his neck. “You can go home, now… Y-you can rest… y-you can go…”

My voice betrays me, a sob rolling down my throat as I hold my mate for the last time.

“Y-you can all go now,” I call out to the Alphas who stand behind me in silence. “Please… just go.”

Reluctantly, they all begin to leave, the sounds of their footsteps growing smaller and smaller as I cling onto my mate. I don’t know how much time passes before I finally find the courage to let him go.

“I love you, Mateo,” Solana whispers as I step back from his body. “I love you, Luis.”

My palms light up in flames and with shaking hands, I start the fire, the pyre quickly going ablaze.

My legs finally give in and I collapse onto my knees as I watch the fire burn. The burning night phlox gives the smoke a sweet scent and the fire glows a little pink from the petals.

Time crawls by as I watch the fire burn when suddenly, I hear the sound of leaves crunching under some footsteps. My lips curl up to smile as I realize the time has finally come.

“Hello, Sofia,” a deep sultry voice calls out from behind me.

“I won’t fight you,” I reply, blocking Solana’s growls. “You can take me but my people walk out of this unharmed.”

“Oh Sofia, you have nothing to fear. Our grudge was never with your people,” the voice calls out. “Our fight is with you and your pups.”

“Well then I’m all that’s standing in your way now,” I chuckle, taking a stray flower and twirling it between my fingers. “My daughters… they’re long gone,” I murmur, lifting my head to look up at her.

The warmth of the pyre k****s my back, and for a second, I imagine Mateo’s warm lips on my skin. Something flickers in her red eyes as she spots the dagger on my waist and she slowly approaches me, the glint of a black sword catching my eyes as she drags it across the dirt.

“Why do you hate wolves?” I wonder out loud, tilting my head to the side. It has been a question on my mind for the past week. “Is it because we are stronger?”

The smirk that had been plastered on her face falters, anger quickly overtaking her features.

“Stronger?” She scoffs. “Your mate lies behind you in a pile of ashes! “ She laughs, pointing to the burning pyre behind me. “You’re not strong!” She shouts, her anger evident in her clenched teeth. “You are wretched creatures who take and destroy everything in your path! You think I’m evil for spilling your b***d in this war? You think I’m cruel for wanting the b***d of your pups?” She sneers, raising the blade and pointing it at me. “Then imagine watching innocent b***d stain the earth, making it rot so much from death that nothing ever grows in that place again! Imagine watching a wolf burn my entire coven to the ground because it was jealous of our power! Imagine watching young girls be picked from their homes and tied to a pyre, screaming for help at a crowd of onlookers while they burn alive! For centuries, we witches have been hunted and slaughtered, meanwhile the wolves who bear the same gifts live peacefully in the forest. But guess what?” She bursts into crazed laughter as she lifts the sword above her head. “No more! I will find your little pups and make them scream for every second they spent alive plaguing this earth with their existence!”

I burst into laughter at her threat. “You think I’m weak?” I scoff. “You and your pathetic sister are just envious snakes who can’t overcome the fact that there are creatures far more powerful than you. You are nothing compared to my pups and you will die as worthless witches along with the rest of your species!”

Ira’s nostrils flare as she pants with rage, her teeth clenched tightly as the blade trembles in her hands.

This is it, I think to myself, looking up to the dark heavens sparkling with stars. I’m coming home, Teo.

And with one swift swoop, I fall into the darkness.

—

The scent of fresh pine and raspberries fills my nostrils, my eyes fluttering open at the gentle scent kissing my nose. A bright light almost blinds me but after a few quick blinks, a beautiful world with fields of flowers and babbling brooks develops in front of me.

“Welcome home, my love,” a sweet voice whispers, my head turning to the source.

A pair of strong arms hold me by the waist and I finally realize I’m in Mateo’s arms.

“Teo…” I murmur, my voice above a whisper. I reach to touch his face and as my hand meets his cheek, a warm spark tingles down my arm. “Teo!” I cry out, wrapping my arms around his neck and burying my face in his shoulder.

He strokes my hair and holds me to his chest. “I told you, Sofia, I will always be with you.”