Broken Queen

1. The Last Rain

“She can't possibly be dead,” one of the two guards swallowed hard, intimated by the silent female kneeling on the muddy ground. Her wrists and neck had been bound with hefty silver dipped iron chains for three days. The constant rain and silver prevented her wounds from healing. The bleeding had not ceased, instead her wounds only worsened.

“She hasn’t moved in hours. I can’t hear her breathing either. Did she die?” Both of the guards exchanged baffled looks as the sound of the rushing river heightened their dread. The little that remained of her tattered clothing couldn't disguise the hideous wounds that littered her body, telling the tale of every torment she had endured. Her knees were fast approaching the point of being beyond repair, giving her the impression that she would never be able to walk again.

“I still can't believe she’s Luna Queen Regina,” the Tall Warrior murmured but there was a hint of fury and plenty of disrespect in his eyes.

Three days ago, a woman had broken the laws of the Dyson Kingdom by entering the territory without authorization. This bold move was unexpected from a rogue, yet this female had obviously demonstrated her authority when she crossed the border. She had been bleeding, injured, and running for her life. According to royal law, an intruder was to be pierced with hundreds of arrows, then his lifeless body would be thrown in the forest for the animals to consume. However, the woman that had broken the law was none other than their previous Luna Queen.

The rumors of her betrayal of the Alpha King as she had eloped with a mysterious man had been the biggest news for months. She had been declared dead two months earlier. However, when a soldier that worked in the castle addressed the invading woman as Luna Queen Regina, everyone's minds had been blown. Low ranking wolves were not allowed to lift their heads when the Royal Family was present, so only a few soldiers had ever caught a glimpse of Regina. Due to this confusion, information about her was promptly transmitted to Royal Gamma Carl. Instead of verifying the woman's identity, a panicked Gamma Carl withdrew without saying a word then reappeared with furious Alpha King Grant Dyson.

No one had any idea exactly what happened after that. Later, the two guards had received orders to chain Regina to the spot that she was currently being held captive. She was not to be fed or given water nor was she allowed to commit suicide during this time, the two warriors were to keep a close eye on her. The two guards preferred having their heads attached to their bodies so they made sure that she had not consumed even a drop of rain water. Every time she moved the chains around her neck and wrists would grow tighter and tighter until she would eventually suffocate herself.

“I’m sure today will be the day that guarding this adulterous woman in this blasted deserted forest will end with her death,” the guard spit out bitterly.

As usual, their taunts fell on Regina’s deaf ears. More warm blood trickled out of Regina’s wounded knees rolling straight to the ground, like a sacrifice to the old gods. Her eyes followed its progress until a pair of shoes appeared before her. She knew who it was. He came.

“Alpha King,” the warriors lowered their heads in submission. Alpha King Grant Dyson’s sudden appearance after three days was unexpected. One of the warriors barely lifted his gaze so that he could observe Regina whose eyes fixated on her blood mixing into the mud. She didn't bow or even spare a glance at the man in front of her.

"Unlock the chains," Grant ordered. The heavy weight that had burdened Regina's neck and wrists was gone but she remained in the same position until she heard a familiar voice.

"Grant, why did you unchain her? I’m scared," said a gentle voice that could lure even the vilest of men, as she appeared beside Grant. That was when Regina moved for the first time in hours, just lifting her head to look at the beautiful figure of the female that she had not seen in two months. She wore an exquisite royal crimson gown that no longer belonged to Regina. It informed her that Luna Queen Regina's existence had been erased. It had been stolen and given to her cousin.

Regina's dark eyes were tinged with crimson, irritated at their intimacy. Grant’s mate bond with Regina was still intact, so even after his betrayal, he could use their bond to hunt her down. Her aura was strong, even though she was frail, it radiated her genuine feelings and wrath.

"My King, I’m scared of her," Laila trembled like a leaf, drawing Grant's concerned blue eyes. Laila flushed as he extended his hand to place it over hers, that she had wrapped around his muscular arm. Regina could not keep the grimace from her face as she watched her cousin's pitiful acting.

"Scared?" Regina managed a stifled chuckle. It was as if a barrier had formed in her throat, robbing her of the capacity to speak for three days. Her throat and tongue were so dry from thirst. "You still like to eat my leftovers, Laila,"

“You,” Laila pointed a finger at Regina while gritting her teeth. “Grant, she’s…” she turned to complain to Grant.

“Hold your tongue,” Grant growled.

“Why? Am I wrong?” Regina sneered. “While I devoted myself to the Kingdom, my people, and you, I had no idea that you would bring a mistress into my home that you claimed as a second soul mate,” Regina laughed bitterly, absolutely broken as she remembered that day.

Grant had lied when he claimed to have been blessed with two soul mates, thus Regina couldn't demand their separation even though she was Luna Queen. Having a legal bride who was not your mate was a felony, but having a second soul mate was a different story.

“I…I’m Grant’s mate,” Laila stammered but was cut off by Regina’s low laugh.

“Whenever you f****d my mate, I felt excruciating pain Laila,” Regina glared at her. “Am I right, Grant?” Why would she experience pain if they were truly mates, as he claimed?

Grant’s expression had grown ugly. He had consoled her by telling her that when he had s*x with Regina, Laila suffered the pain as well. He argued that the Kingdom would fall apart if he rejected her against his will. Regina knew deep down it was a lie, but she opted to live with the fact that Grant had two mates. He continued to give her the false impression that he cared more about her than his mistress. Then one day she no longer experienced the pain. That was the day that his betrayal ruined their relationship. He had told the Kingdom that Laila was his mate.

“It’s because Grant loves me not you,” Laila stated proudly finally admitting that she was not Grant’s mate. “He needed a soulmate by his side to take the throne. You were just the stairs he needed to get there.”

“Finally admitting that you’re my mate’s w***e?” Regina chuckled. “A w***e who appeared to ruin my relationship only after he was able to achieve his ambitions.”

“What the…” Laila’s blood boiled.

“A w***e who had a relationship with a married man and a soon to be father!” Regina growled. Grant had never returned to her chamber, preferring to remain in Laila's room. He didn't even appear on the day she had given birth. She had been alone and exploited.

“Even though she knows that she’s about to die, her tongue is as sharp as ever,” Violet, her other cousin who had been working as a team with Laila, appeared holding an umbrella. She was dressed in a light pink gown, which signified her status as the Third Prince's lawful wife. “Still alive? I wish the miscarriage drug that I put in your food everyday would have finished you off,” Violet exchanged smiles with Laila.

Laila's importance would evaporate if Regina gave Grant a son before Laila’s arrival in the palace so Violet continued to slip her the drug for years. Regina miscarried three times before she realized Violet's game. She removed Violet from her inner circle and later became pregnant with her son, Vayu.

“Little Regina is back?” Third Prince Farrell walked out of the forest. Regina's ears perked up when she heard her son's cry for the first time in two months.

“Vayu, “ Regina saw the Third Prince handing Vayu over to Violet. “My son…don't cry,” she crawled on her broken knees, trying to get closer to him but her legs were useless. She cried out in agony as she drew closer to her son, but the strong warriors ruthlessly yanked her back . She was hauled up off of the ground, causing her extreme anguish as a scream was ripped from her throat.

“Regina, Vayu is my son now. You don't have to be concerned about him. As you can see, I'm taking good care of him. So you can die comfortably,” Violet grinned wickedly, as Regina turned to face her whimpering son. Vayu appeared ill, feeble, and on the verge of death. His cries sounded like he was fighting to draw his last breath, just like his hapless Mother.

“Once again you’re distracted by your son, Regina. That ill little thing was always a distraction from your Luna Queen duties. That’s the reason he was snatched away from you and you could never see him,” Laila smirked.

“True, as you can see I’ve taken care of him,” Violet joined Laila. Regina looked at her son who became weaker and weaker as soon as he went into Violet’s care. Violet already had a son with the Third Prince. When she was forced to take care of Regina’s son, she was displeased. She expressed her anger by slowly mixing poison into the innocent baby’s formula.

“Grant, can't you see they’re killing our son!” Regina screamed. Grant was not naive enough to not understand Laila's strategy in sending Vayu away, but he had blindly handed Vayu over to Violet. Regina hadn’t even been allowed to breastfeed her pup for two months. Grant knew his son was moving closer to death with every second but he turned a blind eye to it.

“My son is perfectly fine,” he remarked. Regina stood there stunned before her fist trembled in fury.

“Little Regina still looks beautiful when she's angry,” Farrell lifted Regina’s chin as he licked his lips in lust. “Releasing our claim on the throne in exchange for you was not a bad deal,” he grinned.

Grant had to compete with his two brothers for the throne. In order to win he had agreed to share Regina with them. Regina had flatly denied his repulsive offer the moment she learned of it. When the Third Prince had tried to force himself on her, she’d stabbed herself with a dagger. That was a clear warning to Grant that she would not submit. So to counter it Grant had put her family's life in the balance.

Her Grandfather, brothers, and friends were always on the verge of being murdered. To safeguard her family, she had no choice but to go through with her mate's heinous plot and warm the other two Princes’ beds. Even when she was pregnant with Vayu, they hadn't stopped. Regina had bore their touch on her skin since Grant had agreed to let her give birth to Vayu under the condition that she continued to pleasure his brothers after delivery.

“Don't touch me,” Regina warned, pulling her face away.

“Those are the wrong words to use standing on our Dyson’s land,” Farrell chuckled.

“Your land?” Regina sneered. “Your disgusting Grandfather betrayed and killed my Great-grandfather so that he could steal our Kingdom from us,”

Regina’s grandfather Jermaine had refused to fight back at that time, believing the rumor that it had been a fair fight. He quietly left the palace as he’d lost his right to become Alpha King. He cut all ties to the palace, separated his pack from the Royal Pack, and continued leading the Dumas Moon Pack as the Alpha. However, it never lessened the insecurity festering in Grant’s Grandfather’s heart. So instead of killing the Dumas’ he appointed Jermaine to the position of Royal Beta. When Regina was born, even though she had Alpha blood she was called Beta Princess Regina. The Royal Family believed that they should keep their enemy close. Jermaine was the Alpha of his own pack and a Roya Beta, he handled both positions with ease.

“Shut your mouth,” Grant stepped forward and clutched Regina’s jaw.

“Why? Does the truth hurt? Your lineage is full of cowards who were so scared of my Grandfather and brothers that you trapped them in the Maze Forest!”

“You f*****g…” Grant raised his hand to slap Regina across the face bringing a smile to Laila’s lips.

“You sound afraid, Regina. So you’re babbling whatever you imagine,” she pulled Grant back to her side. "What's the point of returning after running away with another man? I'm afraid there isn't even a plot of land for you to be buried in," Laila scoffed, hiding behind Grant as she discreetly smirked at Regina’s furious expression at her vindictiveness.

Laila accused her of treachery but at that moment Regina could care less about her. All Regina wanted was to hug her son and tell him that she was here. When she saw him moving a little she felt pain in her heart.

“Vayu. I’m here,” she smiled at her son with tears in her eyes as she looked at Grant. “Please Grant…Give me… give me my son… he’ll die,” Regina cried, begging Grant. Grant had been waiting for this moment. He smiled softly because it was so fulfilling. Finally, she showed him her frailty by submitting for her child.

“You don't deserve to even touch Vayu, Regina. You ran away with an unknown male and now you have returned carrying his child in your womb?”

“It’s our child, Grant! You’re the father,” she exclaimed.

“Yes, but who will believe you?” He grinned. Regina's eyes widened when she realized the truth behind her suffering over the past two months. When the notorious Alpha Adonis had attacked the Dyson Kingdom, Grant had made several rash decisions that resulted in the Kingdom falling into the hands of Adonis. Regina had been gathering her belongings because the Dyson Kingdom was no longer theirs. Until Grant announced the successful conclusion of his negotiations with Alpha Adonis. “You sold me to Alpha Adonis? I wasn’t kidnapped,” she finally realized.

Regina had questioned Grant about his negotiating strategy because Grant had nothing to give him in exchange. He had shared nothing with her as he ate a meal and made love to her one final time. She had been fooled once more by his affection. It was that night she was abducted from her room. Grant had sold her in return for his Kingdom, despite the fact that the Doctor had announced that she was pregnant with his child two days earlier.

“It was your duty to perform as the Luna Queen to save the Kingdom. Don't call it a kidnapping or say that you were sold,” Grant said tiredly. “You should’ve never returned.”

“What?” Regina’s month gaped in shock. After being abused for two months and escaping from the hell that Alpha Adonis created, she found out she had lost her family, friends, and child but this revelation crushed everything that was left inside her. Grant had devised an entire scheme. He had no desire for her to return.

“Grant,” she murmured without an expression. “You used me to gain the throne and shared me with your brothers. You even sold me under the gauze of a kidnapping in order to save your Kingdom. Is there anything else that you plan to take from me?”

“You have nothing else to give me, Regina.” When the warriors noticed Grant approaching Regina, they let go of her arms, expecting her to fall to her knees. Regina refused to kneel to him as she stood on her nearly shattered legs, which caused Laila to scowl. Even after Grant said all those things, Regina refused to tear her gaze away from him. “Still, I want a rejection and your life,” he continued on emotionlessly. He rejected her in the blink of an eye. Regina cried as she stared at her dying son. She felt the bond with her son breaking. He died. Vayu died in Violet's arms.

Regina shed her final tears as she glared at her cruel mate and all the others that had committed crimes against her one last time before Grant’s hand reached to shovered her into the river with a huge boulder bound to her legs. Her belly hit a sharp rock under the water, in a second the clear water of the river turned red with her blood. She did not struggle for her life, she just looked up as the last rainfall she would ever see. She closed her eyes, placing her hand on her womb as if to protect her two-month-old pup there.

This was a terrible world. It had stolen everything from her, but if she were given another chance, they would learn that nothing was more vindictive than a woman seeking vengeance. They would learn that nobody could escape her wrath.