A Queen Among Snakes

Chapter Two: Mei POV

The Alpha runs at me when suddenly a breeze brushes past me and I catch something sparkling, carrying with it a sweet, yet floral scent. It’s so unique I can’t compare it to anything.

I look up and to my shock, there is a very slender woman – only a little taller than me – who has the Alpha by the throat. Her hair is just passed her shoulders, cascading in warm chestnut waves, her skin is the colour of chai latte but glittering and twinkling gold in the light. She looks so calm while she’s holding the Alpha like he weighs nothing even though he’s five times her size, maybe more.

That’s when the Luna decides to make an appearance. I don’t know where she came from or where she has been all this time, but she runs in screaming; her murderous eyes glaring at the sparkly woman.

“Luna Enriqueta, I do not advise you to take another step, I can snap his neck faster than you can get to him,” says the woman.

But… that’s the same voice from the phone call. How did she get here so fast?

The woman turns to look at the Luna who has now dropped to her knees, her face contorted in fear. What is happening right now? This is all too much. I just want to disappear. I want this to all go away.

“Alpha Ivan, I gave clear warning to you not to harm these people and yet I arrive just in time to see you about to attack a defenceless and badly beaten young woman. Either you’re an i***t or you thought my words were said in jest. I assure you they were not.”

Not once has she loosened her grip or looked away from the Alpha. His face is turning red as he struggles against her hold. How can someone so tiny be so powerful? More shocking is I’m not scared of her. Her presence feels calming, like a sedative – or what I imagine a sedative to feel like.

“Chris Melgren, please shift back. I think it best you dress and get your animai out of here, I will not be needing her statement, I have all I need right here. Delta Xander, you may stay a little longer, I have a couple of questions for you,” she instructs.

“Of course,” he nods respectfully to the woman. He shares a nod with his son’s wolf who quickly sprints away, and I feel an ache of sadness in my heart watching him run away.

To my joy, he returns just as quickly, this time he’s shifted back to his human form and is wearing basketball shorts. His hair is hanging loosely around his face and there are blood stains and cuts marring his beautiful olive skin. I feel they are my fault.

Carefully he walks over to me and squats down, a pained expression on his face that I can’t understand. Is it from the wounds?

“I don’t want to scare or hurt you. I’m sorry you saw me like that. I promise Axel and I will be on our best behaviour,” he says taking a nervous breath. I blink through tired eyes, all the morning’s events and emotions catching up to me. “May I carry you and take you to my pack so a doctor can tend to you?” He carefully asks.

Part of me wants to crawl away and hide, but… something is telling me to trust him, that I’ll be safe with him, and to be honest, nothing is worse than what I’ve been through already, so I give him a gentle nod.

He gives me the brightest smile I have ever seen; brighter than the moon itself on a moonlit night. He carefully moves closer and picks me up in his arms and begins carrying me. I gasp as I feel strong zappy tingles spread throughout my body when he touches me. They calm me and soothe the aching all over my body. For a moment I fight away the fear and give in to the calmness as I find myself curling into the handsome man.

He holds me close to his chest, his warmth all around me and moving into my bones pushing away the cold that has been trapped there for years. His hold on me is soft and delicate – it makes me feel cared for. I feel him lean in and take a deep breath through his nose and he too seems to relax.

I realise in that moment I haven’t said a single word to him this entire time. I don’t know what to say. I’ve spent so long not being allowed to speak most of the time that just having the option is scary, but he’s saving me. Freeing me from these monsters; my prayers finally answered.

I finally find the strength to speak, but my voice comes out quiet. “Mei,” I whisper.

His head whips to mine with a shocked look on his face, it’s almost funny. “What did you say?” He asks softly.

“My name is Mei,” I breathe as tiredness begins to take over.

“Mei…” he says my name as if he heard it from the Gods themselves, then gives me his beautiful smile again. “That is the most beautiful name I’ve ever heard. My name is Chris, and I promise you’re safe now. I won’t let anyone ever hurt you again,” he vows, and I believe him. I believe this stranger. I feel safe with him, I feel like I have found my home.

Instead of being pulled into darkness from the tiredness, I feel myself being pulled in another direction. I hear someone calling my name in a gentle whisper. I feel pulled towards it, and I follow the pull happily.

Slowly the surroundings of the Albus Mons Pack fade away as my eyes flutter open. All the pain, the panic, the fear, they all start to leave my body as my eyes fully open and look into the concerned hazel-green eyes of my animai. My Chris.

I reach up to touch his face, tracing his features with my fingertips to ensure he’s real. I do this when I wake up from bad dreams. It helps me remember where I am and that the dreams aren’t real – at least not anymore.

“How bad was this one?” He gently asks me as he lets me continue to outline his face with my fingers.

“It wasn’t too bad. It was on the bearable side.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asks.

I can feel his worry through our bond, but I also feel his love for me. Everything he says and does is filled with love. How did I ever get this lucky?

I turn on my side and snuggle into him breathing in his candy scent as he wraps his arms securely around me tucking me under his chin.

“They’re always so vivid. It feels like I’m reliving those moments instead of dreaming about them,” I sigh. “But I dreamt of the day you saved me,” I tell him and hear his intake of breath.

“The best and worst day of my life,” he says, and I feel and hear his sadness.

“How can it be both?” I ask curiously.

“It was the best because it was the day I found you, of course,” he says as he places a soft kiss atop my head that makes my cheeks heat up. “And it was the worst because I learned all the pain and suffering you have had to go through. I know there’s nothing I could have done, but it doesn’t mean I don’t wish there was. I would give anything to be able to go back in time and spare you all that hurt,” he says in a solemn voice as he tightens his hold.

“I hated every day I was there, but I can’t bring myself to be angry or resentful. If I was, it means I’m angry with the events that brought me to you, and I can never be angry at anything that brought us together. My life is better because of you,” I say as I pull back to look up at him. “I love you, Chris. You were the bright moon that shone in my darkness and guided me home.”

The smile on my face is effortless. There was a time in my life I was sure I’d never smile again, but finding my soulmate changed everything. Now every day I find a reason to smile.

Chris beams at me, his teeth shining bright in the darkness of our bedroom, though we both can see perfectly fine. His beautiful eyes are glassy, and his emotions crash over me, and I welcome each and every one.

“I love you more than forever, xingan baobei. No matter what, I will always protect you and if you ever get lost, I promise I will always find you. We will always find each other,” he vows as he holds his large warm hand against my cool cheek.

He leans in and places his soft lips on mine, and I surrender to the caresses of his lips that send tingles through me and make my head feel light. His kisses are warm and gentle and make me feel treasured by this man. This man who is mine: mind, body, and soul. He is the other half of me, a half I could never be without. All my nightmares are forgotten as he once again mends the broken pieces of me with his kisses and for the trillionth time, I silently thank the Gods for answering my prayers.