The Best Luna

Mystery Queen

"You will not jeopardize this." father warned. He was a giant of a man known for his temper. It was that very temper that attracted my mother. Xander walked around inhaling deeply. He was trying to keep his wolf down, from shifting.

Xander’s ivory coat swung roughly around him, his chest heaving harshly as he tried to come to terms with the fact that his bachelor lifestyle would be instantly ruined for a bride he didn’t want or choose. I’d seen him with enough young, naive and barely legal she wolves to know his taste. He didn’t exactly go for she wolves whose brains had fully developed and knew their worth. He used his position as prince terribly with women.

I didn’t see the point of me being here for this as with being present for a lot of things. It was too early in the morning for all of this. But what was actually very interesting was that it was now that the Gilded Gates had finally sent their response, before the sun had risen... days later.

They had drawn out their time to respond, letting us wait on them and now waking us up to the wonderful news before the sun had even fully risen. They had practically dragged us out of our beds into the morning cold. The annoying bastards that they were. The message they were trying to bring across was that they might be human, but they were our equals in this deal, and they weren’t as weak as we had envisioned them. The Queen certainly knew how to play her cards.

After days of constant negotiations and back and forth, everything was ultimately finalized. The human bastards had sent their demands for the agreement so that both territories could thrive happily, one that rarely ever happened between any royalty of our kind and theirs. Marriage. Unity. Peace.

Xander was to marry the very adamant and strong willed forty-year-old virgin queen across the dark waters. Humans and wolves were finally going to come together as one. But everything about Queen Saphira was questionable and I didn’t believe in underestimating anyone. She was practically a mystery. All the scouts and spies came back with nothing.

Absolutely f*****g nothing about her, which was troubling. It is practically impossible to have nothing out there about you as a Queen. Who was she truly? Why make such a deal?

All we knew was that she ruled with an iron hand but she was impenetrable when it came to finding any information on her, a blank board. There was no information about even the simplest of things like what was her favorite food, what did she do for fun in her spare time or even what was her favorite color? That made me uneasy, especially when we weren’t just letting her in to our territory, but she was to get married and stay here as Queen Luna.

She was also either made out of steel or very stupid. She wasn’t bringing anyone with her. She will be the only human let in here for decades across our border. No guards, friend or help was coming with her. It was unbelievable and very impressive. She was coming alone to a strange place, a Queen at that, to be surrounded by wolves with so much at stake.

“Can she even have children?” Xander erupts, breaking me from my thoughts. “There’s probably cobweb and dust up there.” he sneered, his handsome features contorting as he braced himself against the window.

“They say she is perfectly fine and with time the proof will obviously be here when she gives you an heir.” father assured him and there was a small silence before he started again.

“I can’t be seen with her as Prince of Moonstone City.” he responds darkly. “We have more than enough eligible and very young females here that I can wed. She’s not even worth one of ours here.” he pointed out.

“No, she isn’t.” King Orion agreed wholeheartedly, flexing his callused fingers and gold rings. “But her kingdom f*****g is. The Gilded Gates is worth more than any other place next to ours. Marry and f**k her for duties sake. Loosen her up and show her what she’s been missing. Maybe she’s heard enough stories about us and wants a good time.” he instructed smartly. “With your c**k in her she won’t even care what we are doing with her lands. Then do what you want with her after. It doesn’t matter. Just play nice until we get what we need.” he advised coldly.

“If I marry her, she will know all about us. Do we want them so deep in our affairs?” he asks as he looks out at the landscape, nostrils flaring.

“It doesn’t matter, once you are both mated, she’ll turn into one of us anyway. There are no secrets to keep then.” father’s voice rumbled. “All the silver in the world couldn’t stop us from wreaking havoc on them and tearing them limb to limb if we ever decide to. We are wolves after all. We kindly invite her in and take what we want.” he added coldly.

The light reflected off of King Orion’s shiny dark brown hair that was slicked back in its usual ponytail as he shifted in his large chair. He wore the familiar royal cloak similar to his son’s in black for lounging. That’s all he wore, black.

Various long scars were etched across his skin, showing he had lived. They were similar to the many scars I bore as well. The tired worn grey shirt and sun beaten brown pants I wore stood out terribly in the room, like a sore thumb. They had invited a peasant in. But I didn't care. At least they were comfortable.

The ground suddenly shook under our feet as if there was an earthquake from the sound of thousands of wolves growling through their rigorous early morning training.

Xander runs a frustrated hand through his hair again, his gold cufflinks glittering under the exquisite chandelier before he walks over to place his hands quietly on either side of our father’s arm rest to look at him at eye level. He was behaving erratic and why wouldn’t he. Having a human partner and mate was going to be degrading for him, Queen or no Queen. All the other enemy groups such as vampires were going to think less of him as Prince. He was desperate.

“Tell them the deal is off.” he instructed. “I don’t want a hard old crone sitting on my throne next to me and in my bed at nights. This isn’t worth my while and I will be the one suffering.”

I reclined further into my seat with a sigh, knowing this will take a while. The sharp old blade in my hand moves back and forth as I continued cleaning my nails with the worn rusty knife I had won in a fist fight when I was six. Cleaning my nails was clearly the most entertaining thing in the room to do despite my brother’s current tantrum. In my opinion, you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.

“It is just a minor age gap." King Orion shrugs. "All that matters is that you are a man and she’s a woman. She just hasn’t found anyone worthy until now.” he reassures my brother despite the very obvious red flags.

I bite back a scoff and grunt at the idea of Xander being the worthy winner and as if he knows my father’s dark eyes slide coldly to me in silent warning.

"Know your place."

“It's all fun and games because I'm the one that has to do this. This is an insult to us and a grave one. I am too young for her!” he replies and points in the direction of the city, thousands of miles away across waters so deep even midnight can’t compare to its darkness.

He was a child.

A vain child.

Here was a merger of a lifetime, to help everyone and all he could think about was himself. Never a thought of if she was a decent person and what attributes she would be passing to their children if they had any. No thought that this would greatly help his people and rule. The selfish b***h has never given anything for anyone in his entire life and he couldn’t understand to now. Annoyance creeps in my veins along with tiredness from his never-ending incessant tirade.

“She’s forty years old.” I state nonchalantly and he whirls around in rage, eyes red with fury that I had spoken. The room goes quiet as they both look at me, maybe taken aback that I had shown any interest at all. Xander’s dark hair had shifted out of its perfectly sleek position as he craned his neck my way. You would think he has never seen a woman over twenty-five years old in his entire life.

“She’s forty years old, not a hundred.” I reiterate gravely and his face sets into a sneer as he paces towards me.

“She might as well be a hundred! She’s a wasted woman. She is of no use to anyone anymore besides being Queen and they know it. Her body and youth are gone. It is over but they need an heir so they’re grasping at straws. Nobody wants a forty-year-old virgin but I get stuck with the wrinkled bitch.” he complained bitterly. “Everybody knows women past thirty have no value but to keep a home. It is over to be searching for love or marriage anymore and furthermore they aren’t attractive. Her children should have been grown by now and now I have to push my c**k into that every night for an heir. I like what I like and I like my women with their breasts perky and their skin smooth and wrinkle free. I want my wife to excite me not disgust me.” he demands, and I do not feel the need to give him any life lessons that he was wrong about many things.

Many things.

It was too beautiful a morning to attempt any form of education with him. Our father, King Orion, by the looks of it wasn’t in the mood either. For a grown man, Xander was very limited, and he was also very judgmental which didn’t help his arranged marriage. In my opinion, he wasn’t exactly bachelor of the year for the marriage market either despite his thinking. He was a prick.

“She’s a woman in her prime, not an old woman.” I suggest sternly, sheathing back my knife and leaning forward to let them know I was ready to go and over with this argument. I was being held in here against my will listening to our ungrateful prince. This was nothing for him, life could be worse, much worse than a bride you didn't want. I’ve experienced it and the room was starting to feel like a cage as I flexed my shoulders.

“If anything, maybe she’ll help you to grow.” I advise irritatedly and shut the f**k up.

Mature.

That was the word. She would help him mature or rather grow up which I doubted. I knew it was what father hoped. Any growth would be greatly appreciated. Xander could be plain evil. He was a terrible concoction of knowing your worth from earlier on and what you could do with it. Xander had always known he would be king and its privileges.

“West is right. It would help you grow.” father agrees and Xander laughs mockingly, his anger now turned on me that I had further cemented that he was to be married to Queen Saphira.

“You know you never seem to know your place, mongrel.” he directed at me. “What do you know about women of her or any caliber?!" he asked and I could see his claws pushing past the skin of his fingertips.

"I doubt any woman would ever give you the time of day and I don’t remember asking your opinion yet here you are voicing your opinion among wolves greater than yourself. For once be f*****g quiet bastard.” he warned, all the hatred pooling out of him and dripping on his words.

“I invited your brother here.” father cuts in bitingly.

Here we go.

“Half-brother! You are forgetting half, and I’d erase it if I could!” he shouts for the whole world to hear and points at me. “He shouldn’t be in here! Bastards should stay outside like the f*****g mongrels and dirt that they are!”

“Well, it’s a good thing you don’t make the rules around here yet, boy! Marriage will do you good.” King Orion's voice thundered and Xander scoffs.

“You will entertain her and make her feel welcome to be here in Moonstone city.” father’s voice rumbles beside me. “Show her how wonderful it is to be your wife! She is a Queen after all. Don’t embarrass us but remember they are cunning. Don’t give her too much until you are mated. The Gilded city has wealth and lands. We are growing but we need space to run and…they need our protection. There’s never been a more perfect merger. Do you know how powerful we will be?” King Orion reiterated; stone faced as he instructed Xander. “Besides, it’s time you did something around here. It’s time you acted accordingly.”

“She doesn’t fit the description of my wife and more importantly my mate. A wife is one thing. A mate is another.” he says sullenly.

“You could always pray on your knees to the Moon Goddess about it.” father suggested. "Should we get pen and paper so you can draw her?" he chastises.

“Fine" Xander nods his head. "But what will we talk about when we are married? Hmm? Did either of you think of that? We have absolutely nothing in common.”

“Maybe it's a good thing you have nothing in common.” I murmur and Xander growls in warning. I do not look at him as it doesn’t phase me. The little s**t I’d learned a long time ago was more bark than bite. I was already over it and ready to leave.

“Or we could just take their lands. Forget the treaty and the borders placed.” Xander pushes. “We are more than capable.”

“It is an unnecessary war and less effort this way.” says father. “Instead of making enemies, make allies. We keep everyone alive and get what we want. Less is more. That is what we call smart thinking boy. Use your brain.”

There's a pause as Xander's dark eyes focus on me.

“Why can’t he do it?” he says with all the derision in the world, canines flashing. “A union is a union.”

“He’s bastard born. He doesn’t count and he isn't fit for a queen. You know that. He isn’t worth anything, not even a lick of salt. You would have us be a laughingstock.” he admonishes his youngest.

I flinch at his words internally. I mastered that at twelve. Never let them see you flinch.

“You will marry her and fulfil your duties as future king. Duty comes before all else. That’s the end of this discussion.” King Orion says chillingly, his dark eyes flashing, a warning of an approaching storm.

“Fine.” Xander huffs as if it was a choice. “I’ll marry her, but I’ll have my women on the side and maybe I’ll have a few worthless bastards along the way like you did.” he sneers my way, and I steel myself at the rage in me, gripping the handle tightly.

The door slams as he exits, and I take it as my cue to leave. I smoothly stand and head for the door.

“West” father calls after me as I steel myself to absolute nonchalance.

“I’m fine.” I tell him as I exit the room, and truly I was because for the first time in my life I didn’t get the bad end of the card. For the first time in my life being a bastard worked in my favor. I didn’t have to marry anyone, worst of all, the conniving human queen arriving in a few days.