Zion

“Then why is Alpha Nixon here?” I ask, cocking my head to the side as the Alpha vanishes.

My blood beings to heat as I find myself following the path the Alpha just took. “He’s going for Zion,” I whisper, grabbing Elijah’s hand as I take him with me. “He’s going to get Zion. The treaty is not a legit deal,” I inform. “It was a distraction.”

Elijah runs with me, taking as many turns as possible to the room we left Zion in. This cannot be happening.

I cannot let anything happen to Zion.

“Gather guards, Nixon has to of brought more men. He has to know-

“I’m on it,” Elijah interrupts, looking to guards as he motions them to follow. I run as fast as I can in heels, my heart racing faster than ever as all I can think of is my husband. He’s to be a father.

Just as we enter the hallway where Zion is held, three vampires stand before us, guarding the door where I can hear voices arguing.

My palms become sweaty, stopping in my tracks as the guards rush past me, ready for a fight. Elijah grabs my arm, hoisting me forward and towards the door.

Memories flash through my mind. Memories of how we first met, how I was chasing after the man that snatched my purse, Zion the stranger that got it back for me. I remember how he practically forced me into his car, telling me to not address him by a formal title, but by his name. I can recall the first time he kissed me, how I was lost in anger and confusion I just let it happen. We had chemistry even back when he hardly opened up to me and I wanted to be let free.

I remember the first time I saw Zion smile, how it made my heart swell and make me fall in love with the sight.

But I can also remember the yells. The fights. The blood of Sebastian was hell broke loose. Those nights I decided to flee Zion, how I left the ring upon my pillow, how I took shelter and cost Ginger her life.

When he got down onto one knee, how I pretty much zoned out of his whole speech due to pure and utter shock. He proposed another two times, every single time I told him yes.

But most of all, the look in his eyes when I informed him of our future with a family. I remember the pure joy within his eyes as he held onto me and never wanted to let go.

Elijah kicks open the conference room door, pulling me out of my thoughts as the smell of blood is potent and my eyes widen at the sight before me.

Zion stands in the center of the room, hands covered in blood, anger in his eyes, the room destroyed. It looks like a battle just took place, the body of the vampire upon the floor, his head on one side opposite of his limp body. He looks just like how I imagined a ruthless King to appear: the blood of his enemy upon his hands as he is unfazed.

“Nixon is here,” I blurt out, running over to Zion as I search his body for any signs of damage. “Did the man hurt you?”

“I’m good. Nixon hasn’t showed up,” Zion replies, brushing his bloody hands across his suit as he kisses me softly. Zion looks into my eyes, pure love flooding his orbs as I offer him a weak smile. “We need to get you to safety.”

“It’s you Nixon’s after,” I refute. “It’s you he wants dead.” Truth. What I speak is truth. Nixon would much rather shoot Zion than I. Why make Zion suffer, Zion could kill him any moment. Kill Zion and have a chance of getting out of the mess alive.

“Let’s just go before your lovey-dovey habits spiral out of control,” Elijah interrupts, separating the two of us as he pulls on Zion’s sleeve. “Let’s go.”

We’re led out of the room, the guards once fighting the vampires now standing before us, bloodied and exhausted as I expected them to be. From what I hear, these vampires are not your ordinary ones to kill, and thankfully the King always has the best guards possible to protect him. Lillian was one of those guards, protecting his King at all costs as she was to be the true Wolf Queen. Yet fate had something else in mind. Fate was cruel and had its fun as it kicked back and watched from a realm outside of our own. Then, when it had its full of watching Zion suffer, I was introduced to a world of royalty where I fell head over heels for Zion.

“Where could he of gone?” Zion asks, taking my hand as we walk quickly together, guards surrounding us as Elijah starts to call the King’s Guard to look for the Alpha “I swear, if it’s the last thing I do, Nixon’s body will be limp across the palace floor.”

If it’s the last thing he’s does? He cannot possibly think Nixon will beat him to a pulp or end him. He has to be using it as a figure of speech like most do.

As we enter the throne room, the first thing to catch my eyes is not the massive number of King’s Guard men armored and ready for a fight, but how they are suited up in armor. It should not be that intense to just find an Alpha who has turned against his King. It should not mean these men should suit up in their heaviest armor. Yet we have no idea how many more vampires have been allowed into the palace.

“How did these bastards even get in?” Elijah ponders, heading right for the Alpha of the King’s Guard, demanding an explanation.

Zion stands beside me, arm over my shoulder, holding me tight as I am worried not just for Zion, but for our future. If he dies I will be left alone with a Kingdom to rule and a son to raise all on my own. The media will lurk around every corner, the endless scandals. How Zion has survived this long here still surprised me. Hell, Elijah invites the trouble in most of the time, doing crazy stunts as the public loves it.

“We need to get you out of here,” Zion explains for the tenth time since I found him. He leans down, his lips to my ear as the guards are busy getting orders. “I cannot afford to lose you.”

“Nor I,” I respond, my voice barely a whisper as it cracks and Zion only holds me closer.

“I swear I will protect you at every cost. My duty as husband is to protect you, to keep you safe, and I will not fail,” he states, grabbing my hand as a group of guards circle around us, ushering us through halls as Zion keeps a close eye.

“Do you know where Nixon could be lurking? Any place significant enough?”

“Do you think I will go after him?” Zion asks.

That’s what kills me the most to think of.

Zion wants to kill Nixon. He wants to be the one to end the life of a man he detests. He wants Nixon’s blood spilled by his own hands rather than a guard’s.

And I know Zion will search for him.

“I know you want to find him, Zion. You want to finish your vengeance.”

What I say kills me to say. He is willing to put his life in danger to end all possibilities of further deaths.

“I want to see you to safety.”

“Do you know where to find him?” I ask, not caring any more. “Where do you think he could be?”

His face pales and for one of the few times, I see fear settle into the eyes of the Alpha King, a man people like to believe could never fear anything. That’s what people want to believe, to think, who they put their trust in: they want to believe in a leader who could not even fear death itself.

“Lillian was once fought over. Nixon and I fought hand to hand, blood, bruises, and like wild animals over her once.”

“Where?” I ask, feeling Zion tense up.

“The Senate Chamber.”

“Go.”

“No,” he responds.

“You want it finished. These men will escort me to safety. Elijah can get me where you want me to be.”

Elijah still leads us down a hallway, getting closer to where I know a secret passage is located.

“I’m not going to-

“Zion.”

“I want to see you to safety.”

“Listen. I don’t want you to go. I want to be selfish and keep you by my side the whole time, but you are a King. You are a warrior. You are the man that hunted down his father’s murderers on his own. You are a man who has looked death straight in the face and smirked. I know you Zion!” I snap. “You love your Kingdom, your home, haven, your life. I cannot keep you all to myself. You say Nixon only wants you, I will be safe then.”

He stops, the guards pausing with us as Zion cups my face, pressing his forehead against my own.

“I will protect my wife and child.”

My heart swells.

“Elijah!” Elijah looks over, ready to aid his best friend, not just his King. “Take Sybil to safety.”

He kisses my forehead, whispering the three words I will never get tired of hearing for hundreds upon thousands of years.

Zion is gone, passes beyond my view as I know what he is doing is what he wants to do.

But have I sent my husband, father of our unborn child, and lover to his grave?

Nixon is dangerous.

But I know they both want to end their feud in only way: hand to hand. Just as they for Lillian years ago. They are to fight, to end Lillian’s vengeance. Neither man could have her, yet she had them. Neither could claim her, yet she claimed them. But Nixon stayed in the past, still wanting to end Zion as Zion moved on and found me.

As Elijah tells me we have to continue, I think of Nixon.

I’ve only had few encounters with him. I remember him aiding me, giving me words of wisdom. I remember him being a male I thought was a true Alpha.

But he is the true savage people fear. The media portrays us rogues as the savages of the world, yet have they not seen their own figureheads? These men kill for victory, to climb the ladder of success. These people are known as ruthless yet role models unlike rogues, many of whom expelled from their packs because they did what the rest found to be against orders. These rogues stood up for themselves.

Sure, not every rogue has the same story, as Ginger for one killed her Alpha, but how are these Alphas any different. We are all hypocrites in our own regards.

“Sybil?”

Looking to Elijah, I shake my head, pushing past the guards as Elijah yells after me.

He runs after me, grabbing my arm as my eyes harden.

“As Queen, I order you release me,” I snap, my wolf coming through as I only worry for Zion.

Savages kill like cowards.

Nixon is a savage.

It’s a simple and easy philosophy concept.

Nixon is thus a coward.

I run. My legs burn. My lungs burn.

I’m scared. I’m worried. I cannot let this happen. I cannot send my husband into his grave as the marble stone of his tomb is finished. He’s too young to die, he hasn’t achieved all he ever could.

Life is not a fairytale.

Keva said this would all end in white, that it would be the end of suffering. White is seen as purity, renewal, peace.

White does not mean death. White means rebirth.

White means I get my happily ever after.

White means Zion and I live to see our children run through the halls as laughs fill the air.

The Senate Chamber doors lay before me, sealed shut as guards follow behind me, guns raised as I know that if something goes wrong, they will be here to end Nixon fast.

I can hear words. I can hear growls.

The doors open as I enter, a pair of navy eyes meeting my own as I see him before the King’s throne.

“Dearest Queen Sybil, how nice of you to join us,” he states, making me sick to my stomach as Zion stands before him, both standing stall. No fight has started yet.

“Come and tell us how much you love your husband.”

“Let this go, Nixon,” I snap, entering the room as the guards do not follow me right away, but rather go out of sight. They will go unnoticed on the second floor, careful to not upset Nixon as he wants what I assume is a chat.

“Sybil, I want you to go.”

Zion looks angered that I m here, worried for me with every bit of his heart as I can sense it. I know Zion. I know he cannot go this way.

“Sybil, let’s talk about Lillian, about the woman you never will be.”

“Lillian is not who I strive to be,” I express, walking forward and onto the marble floor.

“Right. Because you two are so different. You both banged the same man.”

He makes my blood boil.

“You both loved this man who stands before me,” Nixon growls. “She died just as she should of. Now, Zion shall soon join her in misery. In hell.”

That’s when I see it. When my heart stops and drops to the floor.

A gun.

Nixon points a gun right at Zion, with no doubt a silver bullet safely within.

“Nixon, is this how you want to be remembered?” I ask. “As a coward? Cowards use silver bullets because they are too afraid to face their opponent. Because their opponent could easily win.”

“Sybil, leave now,” Zion growls, pleading with his eyes as the stress takes me.

“Nixon, what justice will you have? The second you kill Zion you will be shot. The Kingdom’s biggest enemy will be you. What do you gain from that? Victory? Pride? A plaque with your name?”

Zion looks to me once more.

“Run.”

“He’s right, Sybil, I would run if I were you,” Nixon comments. “The longer you argue the closer I am to ending his life.”

“What would Lillian say?!”

“Lillian is gone,” Nixon snaps, meeting my eyes as fear kicks in and I want to run and hide. But would Zion run and hide if I was in this situation? No. Zion would stand by me.

“Dead,” he adds, cocks his head to the side as I think of the first time our eyes met. Of how I looked at Zion and was lost in what I thought was only a dream.

A dream.

I achieved what many would see as impossible.

Zion is my dream, my husband, my lover. I will stand by him even as the sky catches on fire and the world crumbles around us.

“Sybil, run.”

A tear falls down his cheek, the Alpha King crying as we both know this will not all end in glory. But the only person who will die in here is Nixon. All I have to do is nod my head and the guards will shoot Nixon.

Just as I think of the first time Zion confessed his love for me, it happens.

I do it. It happens too quick for my mind to even render.

White is all that can be seen now.

Pure and spotless white.

It all ends as Keva said it would:

White.