Zion

“Let me just remind you that war is going on right now and I have a pack to take care of,” Alpha Penelope greets as she walks up the marble steps to the doors of the palace. Her burgundy red hair blows in the wind, her sharp green eyes laid upon my own as she approaches me.

“But you could not resist a small vacation that you were invited to from the Queen,” I comment, watching as she agrees with me, pushing past and into the palace. “Welcome back to the palace.”

Penelope nods, handing a random guard her black fur coat, and already ordering a guard to carefully take her luggage to her room.

One week. That’s howling she will be here and there will be another female to freely talk with. Two weeks ago I sent out an invitation for Penelope to come here, and she took it, pouncing right away as a royal messenger had delivered it to her personally.

By supper we are seated at the Royal table, the long and rectangular table, the wood taken right out an elvish forest with the white bark causing an illusion to appear like marble.

As Penelope finishes off her white wine, she turns to me, leaning back as the second course is brought on. “Would you like to know my biggest regret in life?” She asks, watching as I raise an eyebrow. Penelope takes another sip of the alcohol, looking around the palace. “Ever since I was seven my parents told me I was to achieve greatness, to become a great female Alpha. Hell, they said I could do better than most the ass-hat Alphas from my pack.”

I nod, wondering where this is going.

“By the time I was right it was locked in my mind that children were a curse. A curse in a sense that so many would try and harm my kin, and a curse that they would be raised by a mother who would be busy with pack life. My parents told me female Alphas do not reproduce unless they let their mate become the Alpha.”

She has no children. She is still the female Alpha of her pack, a pack with a massive impact upon the werewolf empire due to their strength and dignity.

“My fucking mate is a human. I have no children. I love my mate but want children that I only see will be cursed by this world. That’s my one regret in life, Sybil: I have no children.”

“Why are you speaking of this?“I ask, my tone gentle as I try and not offend the woman before me who has killed so many.

“Because the palace feels like my home.”

I raise an eyebrow, taking a bite of my meal.

“Because the palace feels empty just like my house. I imagine every night that little footsteps echo the massive halls just like I do to this palace. I believe children will fill the hollow aspect of my life, yet I do not have them. Hell, my eggs are probably shit by now.”

“What does your mate think?”

“Levi? He is understanding. He respects me. We want children yet know what is best for the pack. Alphas make more sacrifices than just their blood or time, but their dreams of a family dream.”

I understand her. I understand what she means.

It makes me think if I will ever have a child or even children with Zion, if we will produce and have a crib in one of the Royal bedrooms. I’ve always wanted to be a mother, but never at this age.

“Skipping to much happier topics, how about...” Penelope trails off. “War is just a damn horrible time to be optimistic.” Nodding, I slide down in my chair, thinking of Zion. I wonder if he will come home by the end of the week. By Friday Penelope is scheduled to leave by noon, and Zion promised to be back within the grand walls of the palace after five in the afternoon.

My fingers run across the metal chain of the necklace Zion gifted me with one of the times he was here. I wear it everyday just like my ring. Sadly I also wear the crown upon my head as it makes me feel older.

“Any plans for tomorrow? I could call up a scheduler and see if she could fin-

“Goddess you sound so much like a prissy woman,” Penelope giggles, shaking her head. “Use that brain of yours. I know it works because I’ve seen the help you have done for the kingdom.”

A small smile spreads across my face as she compliments on my running the Kingdom. “Let’s just have some fun, let loose, maybe trash one of the Royal stairways as we slide down on mattresses and spray paint the pictures of past Kings and Queens.”

Her suggestion almost has me agreeing until I hear the last section.

“Or activities that do not cause damage to the palace.”

“I see why Zion fell for you...” Penelope jokes sarcastically.

Within another hour we finished our supper after the long discussion, deciding to end the night with a movie in the movie room.

By the credits I’ve found it hard to keep my eyes open, Penelope following as the music fades out to silence.

That’s when the door opens, causing me to give out a long sigh.

“Queen Sybil, there is a man by the name of Arthur to speak with you. We have placed him in your office.”

What?

Arthur?

The man who practically allowed to women to molest me as he watched?

He’s in my territory now. He’s come onto my turf. He’s under my mercy.

“You seem upset,” Penelope comments as the guard leaves.

“I want that man dead.”

“You can’t offer him dead on the spot,” Penelope adds, getting to her feet as she helps me up as well. “Either have a guard do the dirty work or do it yourself.”

Rolling my eyes, I grab my black silk robe, leaving quickly as Penelope is on my tail. Arthur has been gone for a while, and he has good reason to be hiding.

“Queen Sybil,” the guard before my office solutes, bowing his head as I nod to him.

“Should I stay?”

“You can come,” I reply, allowing the female Alpha into my office as the man who caused two glittery girls to haunt my nightmares.

He looks different, blond hair, brown eyes, dressed in a dark gray suit, sitting in a chair before my desk.

“Why, your majesty, what a sight to see. Where is that crown of your’s? I hear Zion and you are going through a rough patch.”

Tabloids. Werewolf tabloids explain the last comment.

Taking my seat, Penelope sits next to Arthur, giving him a nasty stare as he crosses his legs. “What can I do for you?”

“I need help.”

“Why should I give you any?” I snap.

“Because I have you so-

“You could have given me some weird disease that could originate from glitter. I owe you no favors.”

Arthur’s small grin turns into a tight frown. He was expecting me to just shut my mouth and listen to him.

“I could spread rumors.”

“I know you run a brothel and also allow people running from the authorities to hide in your shadow. Don’t forget I’m now Queen and Zion wouldn’t hesitate to put your severed head on a platter and gift wrap it to your mother.”

Arthur’s eyes widen as Penelope clears his throat.

“He is how it will go, asshole, you should tell the Queen what you want and she will decide from their.”

I thank Penelope with a nod, looking back to the man as he sits in his chair, defeated.

“Shelter.”

“From who?” I ask, my voice cold.

“Authorities. The human ones. The men in blue with the tommy guns.”

I roll my eyes. “What illegal activity of yours did thy uncover now?” I question, rolling my eyes as I lean back in my chair.

“Heroine.”

Makes sense. He would do that as well.

“No.”

“What?” He asks, stuttering almost. “I have you answe-

“If you leave now I’ll make sure my guards will not throw you down the steps of the palace themselves. One more argument and I’ll kick you out personally. A threat and I’ll hand you in to the human police with records of your other activity.”

He scowls, knowing he has been defeated as I grin widely internally. If only he knew how much I have spent looking him up in my free time as I dream of getting him back. While uncovering information upon Nixon, I also found his ties to Arthur. Nixon imported guns from Arthur as well as wolfsbane and other items.

Arthur gets to his feet, appealing like a child throwing a fit as he leaves the office, slamming the door behind him as Penelope laughs.

“Goddess he looks so pathetic.”

My stomach begins to ache.

“Well, that will be the last of him,” I express, finding myself going through a head flash.

Getting to my feet, I stumble a bit, Penelope rushing to aid me as bike rises in my throat. “Are you okay?”

“I feel like vomiting,” I mumble, hunching over as I try and keep the bile down.

“Here,” Penelope states, handing me a trash can as I can’t keep it in anymore.

I’ve just thrown up in the office, no control as the bile stings my throat as my mouth is left with a nasty taste.

Penelope feels my forehead, shaking her head as she finds no fever.

“Probably just seeing him again made this happen,” I explain, setting the trash can down as I ring for a maid to come and clean the room. “I’m just going to head to bed. I feel exhausted.”

Penelope nods, watching as I leave the room, a bit wobbly as I enter the hall.

Making my way up the marble steps, I find it hard to concentrate as my brain becomes fuzzy. Whatever it wrong with me, it better be done by the time Zion is back here.

As I reach the Royal chambers, I hurry over to the bathroom, stripping fast as I take a shower quickly. By the time I’m done I have my hair dry as I slide into bed.

Grabbing the familiar pillow, I hold it close, breathing in Zion’s scent as I use the captivating smell to send me to sleep.

As I drift off into slumber, no nightmares occurs tonight as I dream of Zion, of him returning back home and into my arms. But this time it’s different. This time he lifts a small child off the floor and twirls the child around before planting a kiss upon my cheeks.

This dream is different.

In this dream we have a son...and he is a gift.