Third in Line
1401 Words
Corrin’s POV
We have much more to discuss; that much, even I know. We take them home to Meridian isn’t a plan; it’s a nice thought, and little more. But many of us have wounds that need serious tending to, and Red’s anxious to get back to her people.
Her people…
I can’t believe she’s queen now. How many times did I listen to her speak or watch her fight and think, This is the wolf who is meant to lead us? How many times did I look up at the skies and ask the celestial gods why, just because she’s a woman, she shouldn’t be allowed to lead?
You have no idea what a mistake it is, holding her back, I thought as I stared up at them. She would lead us farther than any man ever could.
I guess they listened.
We agree to meet up again first thing in the morning, and, following about an hour in their medical wing being treated by their doctors, Queen Leighton summons several Omegas to guide us to our tents in the Lavender Fields.
I feel Westley’s eyes on me the whole walk, but I don’t say anything to him. To be honest, I haven’t said much of anything to him since I met him. He scares the hell out of me. The way he grabbed and kissed me the day we rescued him from his cell… I’ve never experienced anything like it. Sure, it was easily the most phenomenal experience of my life, but… I’m a soldier. I’m the Queen’s soldier now, for crying out loud. I don’t have time to mess around with a stray Rogue who happens to be an excellent kisser.
When we reach the Fields, I feel my jaw drop.
There’s nothing like seeing your entire kingdom’s worth of wolves—okay, minus the populations of Gibbous Valley and the Umbra Badlands—reduced to tents in a field. It’s sort of amazing, yet utterly heartbreaking.
I really want to kill Sawyer Lancaster.
Red's (and Rowan’s, whether people know it or not) tent is in the center of the field, and, of course, is the largest and most ornate. My mother claimed the one nearest theirs for herself and my father—standard practice, I know, for the Beta to be closest to the Alpha. None of the other tents have been assigned, but it looks like our wolves had the good sense to leave a half-dozen unoccupied nearest the royal tent. Eli and Aurora claim one; Edward claims one, then goes off in search of his son, Emmett; and Macie and Brody each claim one.
Westley turns toward me with a sly, little grin on his face.
God, his grin is sexy. Is he ever going to stop seeming so sexy to me? It would really help.
“What?” I hear myself snap rudely. “There’s two left. Take your pick.”
“Okay. I pick the one you pick.”
I roll my eyes, ducking into the closer tent and pointedly zipping the zipper up before he can follow me. I know I shouldn’t be quite so harsh, but I don’t know what else to do. He already knows my wolf howls for him; I never told him, but that kiss gave me away. I can’t give him any more ammunition that we can or should be together.
When the knock sounds at my tent about thirty minutes later, I half expect it to be him, trying again. But when I unzip it slightly and peer out, I see that it’s my mother.
I unzip it eagerly, backing up to let her in. My eyes brighten when I notice that she’s brought me food. I accept it and dig in hungrily.
“It’s some sort of fish,” she says, frowning, as she digs into her own. “They say it’s a delicacy around here, though I’m not entirely convinced.”
I laugh. It tastes fine to me, though I’m not exactly known to be picky. “I’m glad you’re okay,” I tell her. “Both of you.”
“And I’m glad you are, my sweet.” She reaches out to touch my face. “I was so afraid when they sent you to Castle Gibbous, but then, when I heard you’d marched into Archon…” She shudders. “Your father and I could hardly believe it. We were proud beyond words, of course—you showed so much strength, and so much bravery, the both of you. But you have no idea how terrified I was, Cor.”
A pang of guilt overtakes me at that. I never stopped to consider what my parents would think if they heard about my little journey north. I only had one thing on the brain, and it was helping Red. Same as it ever was.
“I’m sorry I scared you,” I tell her. “I just had to do it.”
“I know that. Like I said, I was proud. But there are some things we need to talk about, Cor. Some things that have changed.”
I wonder what she means by that. Sure, the world is changing, but I get the feeling she’s referring to something a bit more specific to our family.
“I saw the mark on Red's—on Her Majesty’s neck. I know it was Rowan. I know they’ve mated.”
She doesn’t sound angry, exactly. But she doesn’t sound thrilled, either. “Yeah. It’s great, isn’t it?”
She frowns. “For our family, certainly. For her and Rowan, yes, of course. I know how much they love each other. As for what it means for the kingdom… Well, I hope he’s enough for them. I hope they will accept him as their prince consort.”
“Prince consort?” I repeat. “What the Sun’s Hell does that mean?”
She laughs gently. “It means he’s not the ruling monarch. Her mother, technically, was the queen consort, rather than the queen. The ruling monarch gets the true title.”
I roll my eyes. I guess I understand the reasoning, but it’s not like Red and Rowan would have ever had any question as to who was in charge. He’s been her faithful servant since the beginning. “You think the people won’t accept Rowan? Why?”
“We have the blood of Betas, Corrin—as far back as the Crescent Moon Pack originated. It’s strong, good blood. But it’s not the blood of Alphas. There are those who believe their sovereigns should all have the blood of Alphas.”
I groan. “What do they want from her? She already had two failed weddings—failed being a generous term. She’s tried to do what’s right for the kingdom. She died for them, and she was r***d for them.”
My eyes widen when I realize what I’ve just said out loud. My poor mother looks like she might cry; clearly this is news to her.
“I’m sorry.” I sink my fingers into my hair. “I shouldn’t have said that. Look, Mother, after everything they’ve been through, Red and Rowan deserve happiness. The people are just going to have to get over it.”
She nods. “I know, and I agree. That just leaves us with one thing… you.”
My cheeks instantly start to burn. She can’t know. There’s no way.
Right?
“Wh… what do you mean?” I stutter.
“Well, you’re eighteen now, and as such, one of these days, your inner wolf is going to fixate upon another. Now, your father and I have no intentions of forbidding or forcing a mate upon you, but we do need you to keep in mind certain… things.”
“Things,” I repeat. “Like?”
“Well, like who you choose as your mate. There’s a certain caliber of individual people will expect you to be with. An Alpha, or at the very least a Beta. Preferably from a reputable pack. Someone like… Emmett Eclipse, for example.”
I might throw up. “I don’t understand. You’ve never mentioned anything like this to me before. Why do you suddenly—”
“Things have changed.” She’s gentle, but firm. “With Rowan as the soon-to-be prince consort, he is no longer next in line to be Beta of the Crescent Moon Pack. So, if something were to happen to your father, you would be Beta. Likewise, if something were to happen to Red…”
My eyes bulge. This is all news to me. Is she saying what I think she’s saying?
“You’re second in line to be Beta, Cor,” she tells me. “And, until Red has children of her own, you’re third in line to be queen.”
- Writer
