Russia’s New Warrior Queen( The Moroz Brothers- VLADIMIR) Book 1

VLAD 5

I pulled Patty along with me as we went through the back way. I could still faintly smell her like she had come through here just a couple hours ago, and maybe she did before the party. She stayed beside me, rather than trailing behind me, pushing her way through her own bushes like I was doing and when we got to the cottage, I had to admit. I loved it.

Maybe as a mating present I will have one made out near the palace in Russia. So, she can have a little place like home in the big unknown of my country.

It would make her love me... right? She started to pull me along as we got closer, she moved a rock and I frowned at the technology. She placed her thumb on the small pad and I heard the locks undo right away. She smiled up at me, almost like she was shy before pushing the door open.

"So only you and Princess Ariel can come in."

"And her parents." She added with a nod. She walked in first and I just behind her. I was hit with her scent and Ariel's but hers made me feel right at home. I relaxed when the door closed automatically behind me and locked again. It was a safe little cottage.

"I did not think that it would look like this in here." I looked around, the hard wood floors, the white lace trim on one door with other pictures lining the walls and a long table with some house plants as well.

"What did you think it would look like?" She asked me and moved to take care of her hair. I saw two or three things fall to the floor after she shook her hair. "You can put your things in here." She moved to the door without the white lace, pushing it open I saw a full-sized bed pushed against het back wall, facing the door and away from the one window. The red and grey comforter looked soft and her four pillows were all plush and like mine were back home. "I am going to get out of this dress." She told me as she walked in, going for her dresser that was simple cedar wood.

I saw shorts and a tank top go into her hand as she then sent me a smile as she went into the small bathroom. I took off my shoes and set them by my bag as I went to sit on the bed. I stood back up as I waited and took off my jacket and took off my cufflinks before going towards her dresser before setting them down.

I felt the box in my pants. Taking it out I flipped it in my hands before going back to sit down. I heard the lock unclick and I turned to watch her stroll out. Her little shorts had my mouth going dry. I saw a jagged scar on her calf and I frowned.

"What happened there?" I asked, and she looked down at it before to me and I saw her take a breath.

"My fourth mission as a captain. One of my guys... he was in a bind. I am a great shot with a gun... but my gun was out of ammo, I had tactical gear all over, so I couldn't just shift, I ran to help him. He was going to die. He almost did die. I kicked a wolf in the face, his teeth scraped me, and he had some kind of silver in his mouth, like a tooth or something. Stung more than anything. Had a hell of a time healing." I watched her skip over some other parts of the story, but I watched as she shrugged off the pain. "What about you? Any scars?"

"A couple minor ones." I watched her come closer and she sat with me on the bed, pushing at her hair a bit and I just turned to her. "This... is for you." I held out the ring box and she looked at the black velvet before meeting my eyes. "I brought this with me because I had a feeling I would need it for the mate I would meet."

"I don't need a ring Vlad." She took it anyway. "I don't like flashy diamonds." She looked at the box, twirling it around her hands before she opened it. "This is actually perfect." She laughed lightly, and I saw her eyes light up just a bit as she took out the plain band. "Your mothers?" She asked me, and I nodded.

"When her and my father first got together, he didn't have much money. He could only afford something simple." I told her, and she just smiled.

"Simple to someone is enough for another." She told me, and I watched as she took it out of the small pocket and twirled it around her hand. I grabbed her left hand, the ring and slowly slid the ring where it was supposed to be.

"It's not the only ring my mother had, so if you and I ever want to get married..." I trailed off, looking over her face as she seemed to think about something. "I mean the queen brought it up earlier, we don't have to right away if you want to wait until we know each other better." I waved off her worry and she just smiled and looked at her hand before looking up to me.

"I don't, I never, uhm, I never really wanted to get married. My parents weren't married. My brother isn't married. I never really had a dream about being in some big white dress. I didn't think I would ever have a ring on my finger... I mean I guess other people will now know that I am mated. I don't usually show off my neck, so the mark might not always be visible." I knew she was rambling. I didn't know how to stop her, so I just grabbed her hand and interlocked our fingers.

"I don't wish to have a wedding either. It is not the way Russians do things. I mean there are some who do marry, but my family have never really embraced the human way. There are some things that we do, some human things sure but not all." I told her, and she gave me a small smile.

"Tell me about your rules in Russia." She requested, and I watched her move to the pillow and scrunch it up and watch me. I laid on my back as she put a hand under her head and looked over me.

"Well first, the king and queen go through a coronation. Usually it comes with the previous king and queen's blessings. Since they have both passed, there is no need for the entire ceremony. Just a ball. To show who you are, to show that you are accepted by their king." I told her and watched her face kind of repel the idea of a ball. "I could tell earlier that you didn't like the aspect of the dresses and dancing... but it is kind of a way to show that you are Queen Luna. Can be a short one."

"I like the idea of that one." She told me and started to play with her fingers.

"Another thing, we have a standing issue with the Ukrainian pack. We have not attacked since my father was alive and pushing back on them taking land. They have not made any moves since then either. But their queen, she is just like her father. Our palaces are close in proximity to each other." I felt her pause, her entire being turned ridged and I waited for her question.

"So, what happens with them? I know they weren't invited since the queen is a bit hostile... but does their pack ever try and attack?"

"Some wolves do that yeah. We push them back. Haven't actually killed anyone who just crosses the invisible line. Just capture, question, and release." I told her, and she seemed to think.

"Why not keep? Isn't it illegal to just hop back and forth between boarders?" She asked me, and I just thought about it.

"Not all the people in that pack want to stay in that pack. Sometimes we get mothers and their kids coming from that side. We help them move out of the area. Relocate them." I told her, and she put her hand down, grazing mine, and I grabbed it for the next part. "The queen, she makes men fight each other, to keep the best of the best in her arsenal. Then she makes sure that the females don't kill themselves to join their mates. Some women have sworn that she is trying to impregnate some women who have already lost their mates with the best fighters. Make sure that she has ageless warriors."

"And no one can overrule her?" She asked me, and I just clenched my jaw.

"No. She is the second daughter. The first renounced her title, took off. She didn't have a care in the world about her people." I told her with a sigh and she hummed a slight agreement before she looked into my eyes.

"What would happen if you and your brothers were to take over that pack?" She asked, and I just gave a soft laugh.

"Their rules are similar to ours. It's the first born or the one who kills them. So, if the queen is taken out, she has to heirs, the crown goes back to the first sister. We have no clue where she is. She vanished. But her coming back would just induce the war between our packs all over again. Taking out one queen just to have the people revert to the older twin that didn't care is like shooting one head only for it to grow back." I tried to explain it easy, and I was sure she got it since she nodded, and I watched her face go over a couple of scenarios and I waited.

"What if the other sister never came back? Who would be able to take over?"

"Ivan is next in line. But I am sure that who ever kills the queen will take over. Ivan and Dimitri are both excellent fighters, not sure they have ever killed anyone before. And our baby brother, Luka, he has been trained well, but has never won against us."

"He doesn't know how to fight?"

"Oh, he does. He can hold his own against any wolf... but against us, he seems too careful. Never wanting to actually give it his all like he is worried he will hurt us." I waved off her worries and worked my jaw. "He keeps to himself now that we are all older. I have men who protect him just in case it's not an even fight, Ivan and Dimitri are always together, so I do not worry so much about them and me... I have been training my entire life for an unfair fight."

"Sounds like my brother." She gave me a small smile. "I fight dirty... I will throw dirt and use anything I have, but my brother likes to just use his strength and count on his luck." I watched as a memory flashed though her eyes and she gave a small laugh. "When I joined the enforcers, one of the first people I had to fight to prove myself was him."

"Did you win?" I asked her quickly when she stopped talking.

"We had three tries. The first one he won. I was testing him, seeing how far he would take it with me so I could give it right back. The next round I went all for it. I stayed in my human form. I took out his legs, I went for his face. Punched his heart. I won the second easy." I smiled wide. I loved that she was tough. She wouldn't be some woman hiding behind men.

"And the third?" I asked when she sat up. She was getting excited about telling her story and I had to admit, her little smile at the memory of fighting was intoxicating to look at.

"He was hurt and bruised. The man in charge told us to go and he shifted. He knew he would heal faster in that form. Not to mention that he didn't think I would win again."

"You didn't shift, did you?" I asked, and she smiled down at me and shook her head.

"I pushed off someone in the crowd. Sent myself up into the air, landed on his back. I grabbed his ears, pulled his head back, and I eventually got my hands into his mouth to pull his jaws apart. I won." I tried to imagine her going against her brother, but all I could see was her smile. She was proud of herself, and I loved that.

"I can't wait to see you fight. Spar." I guessed the term and she nodded. "Maybe another round with your brother for some visual needs." That had her laughing and throwing her head back.

"He doesn't fight me. Refuses to." She told me, and I smiled. "He says that family shouldn't fight." She shook her head and moved her legs around before she frowned.

"Would your brother want to move to Russia with you?" I asked her, and she looked up with tears in her eyes for just a moment before she shook her head.

"No. He has his mate here. She has a huge family. He belongs here. Besides, what kind of fun can I have in my new home if he is over my shoulder every day?"

Home. She called it her new home. Something inside of my chest warmed and I saw her lay back down. "So...what will my duties be as a queen?" She asked me after a long moment and I looked over her face.

"What ever you want to do. I do the diplomatic stuff already. You are a captain Patty. If you want, you can rule the warriors." I didn't want to use the real word since it was in Russian and I knew she didn't know any words yet.

"Do you think they would listen to me?" She asked me, and I saw her doubt and I grabbed her hand.

"If they don't you can kick their asses like you did your brother. You are their queen. They will listen to you and if they don't, do as you wish." I told her, and she looked down at me, smiling just slightly and I moved my arm up, pushing some of her hair out of her face since it was down.

"What did you expect me to do before you met me?"

"I don't understand." I looked at her and moved to my side, so we now faced each other.

"What did you want your mate to do. In the queen role." I looked over her face, wishing I knew what to say.

"I don't know. I never really gave it much thought. I didn't plan on going to this thing. My uncle made all four of us come. I didn't think that my mate was out there. At least, I didn't think my future mate would want to leave their home for my very isolated kingdom." I told her and saw her eyes dart away before she seemed deep in thought.

"I never gave much thought to my future mate either. I mean I always hoped that he would be okay with what I did for a living. He would never want to change me or what I do. I wouldn't want to stop doing what I love for a man." She still wasn't focused on me, more so on something deep in her mind.

"Are you happy that you get to do what you still want to do?" I asked snapping her out of it and I watched her think about something else before looking back to me and nodding, a smile gracing her lips.

"I am happy. Never thought I would have a higher-ranking title than Captain though."

"Now you're a queen."

"Not yet, gotta take the vows and get the markings." She spouted off and her eyes went wide. "I don't mean to push you... I swear." She held out her hands and I grabbed one and brought it to my lips.

"I will not push you into mating. If anything, I would rather wait and get to know you. Get you comfortable in Russia before even thinking about it." I told her, and she calmed down just a bit. "We can take things slow, get to know each other... as long as my brothers don't scare you off."

"I am sure that your brothers can not scare me off. Annoy me maybe, make me want to hit them, Ivan already has." I smiled at the thought of her fighting and beating Ivan to a pulp and I pulled the hand I was still holding up to my lips and kissed her biggest knuckle.

"He has always been like that. At least, since he got his wolf. He and Dimitri were always the girls crush. They went to a public school even though I was privately tutored. They had flings and girlfriends left and right. Our aunt hated it. She put her foot down when they tried to have an orgy at 20. Told them that while she was their guardian, basically until I found my queen, they could not have another female in the castle."

"What did they do?" She asked me, and I laughed.

"They did as she said. I think you will like my aunt. She is tough. Never takes no for an answer. She doesn't fight though. Great at knife throwing." I added, and she smiled wide and I felt her fingers land on my chest.

"And your uncle? You said he made you four come here. Is he nice or demanding?" I smiled wide at the question.

"Uncle Dragomir... he is demanding when he needs to be. Obviously, he was right in sending us here. Other times he is generous. He has given us a bunch of time. He is good to the people. He has ruled as a confidant since I hadn't met you yet." I told her, and her fingers were drawing slow circles on my chest.

"Does he like it?" She asked, and I watched her face as I shrugged.

"He really wanted kids, I know that. Because I became alpha at such a young age, he never got his chance. Though, I must say, he did a great job with Luka." I told her with a small smile.

"How was Luka raised? Tutors? School?"

"Bit of both. He was still really young when our parents died. He doesn't really remember them at all. He did get really close to a human woman."

"He fell in love with a human?"

"No... no, he saw her as more of a mother figure. She died of some kind of human disease." I felt bad for not knowing, but I didn't know the woman. I didn't like how she made my baby brother feel about her. I knew it wasn't her fault, but still... she wasn't his mother and he looked at her as if she was one.

"I kind of got close to a person when I was in training. After my father passed, but he was like an understanding father rather than a lover." I growled at the term she used.

"Lover?" I looked over at her as she raised her chin and rested it on my chest.

"I've never had one. But I wanted you to know that. The man, he was way older than me. My fathers oldest friend. He took me under his wing. He taught me all I know before I joined the ranks. I rose quickly because of his help." She told me, and I wrapped my arm around her waist and made small up and down motions.

"What are you best at? Besides hand to hand. I know one of the princes is best with knives. I am great at those too." I told her, and she smiled before she giggled lightly.

"Fighting." She told me, and I saw a small spark in her eyes as she smiled wider. "I can take anyone down on the mats. I am small but quick. I've also taken down someone three times my size. I am strong, my wolf is strong. She lends me her strength a lot when I fight. It's like she knows I need to win and strive." She told me, and I watched her think about something before she laid back on my chest.

"I sure the man three times your size did not hurt you too bad." I told her, and she smiled.

"If a man hurts me I hurt him back worse." It sounded like she was warning me. But I didn't need it. I would never hurt her. I would do my best to make sure no man ever hurt her again.

"If a man ever touches you in a threatening way again... he will die by my hand."

"Or mine." I heard her whisper before I felt her breathing even out. I stayed awake as she slept on me. Something shifted inside as she curled more around me. I felt her legs move around one of mine, her arm around my chest. I held her to me. Felt the heat from her body warm the depths of my heart. I started to imagine what our future held.

I wanted her to have my pups. One or two. One of each. Her brown hair, or my almost black hair, green or blue eyes. Chubby cheeks that my family seemed to possess when we were all young. I ran my hand up and down her back again, kept going until I fell asleep in the early hours.

I woke up when she moved away from me. I felt her lips on mine when my eyes tried to focus in the dark.

"I have patrol. Be back in a couple hours. Sleep." She kissed me once more before crawling over me to get up.

I watched her get some things out of the drawers and she opened the door just a bit before going towards the bathroom. I heard and smelled coffee not too soon after and I turned my head before inhaling her scent. She was everywhere in her bed and I fell back to sleep content.

I woke up hearing an alarm and I was out of bed, out the door and into the back woods and shifting in minutes. I took a large inhale and started to track my mate down. I had to see her before I found out what was going on.

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