She is just full of surprises, and very calm about it too..... Thank you for reading please let me know what you think of the story so far with comments and drop me a gem if you like the cahpter.
KELLEN I was a little worried for a moment. Ah, who am I kidding? I seriously thought Lamia was going to lose her shit there. She can let a lot brush off her shoulders, and keep her emotions in check for the most part. Hunji had done a lot of training with her, not just physical and sparing, but also meditating. Helping her to connect with her wolf on a stronger emotional side, reining in that temper she has been known to have. Every now and then it slips, my thoughts bringing up the memory Tawny had explained to us about Lamia stepping in when that slut of an Alphas daughter, Ella from the neighboring pack, Blue moon, had laid into her a little while back. Tawny had said she scared the shit out of her and her two sidekicks, Maryanne and Bethany. I don’t doubt it. I remember a year after we had first shifted, we must have just turned 16 or just shy of it. Either way, it was super hot, so it was summer. FLASHBACK 3 YEARS AGO We were having a royal party in celebration of the New m
LAMIA It was 11.51 pm when I plopped down on the bench facing the fountain, one of many in the royal gardens. This one happened to be a carved stone piece, depicting the Moon Goddess. The artist had captured her image impressively. A silhouette of a woman with long flowing hair down her back, one hand rose towards the moon, holding a sword trimmed with gold, the only splash of color. The other hand was resting on the nape of a large wolf. Tying the essence and beauty of the goddess, with the spirit and power of the wolf. I smelt him before I heard him and heard him before I saw him. Taking a seat on the bench next to me, the cupcakes in between us, Kellen silently slid next to me. Folding his hand in his lap, he slumped down. “Nervous?” I asked. “Yeah.” Was his short reply. “Kellen…” I started, my fingers fiddling together. “Lamia..,” He turned his head to look at me. Worry was clear in his eyes, along with apprehension and slight fear he was trying to mask. I laughed nervously
MIKE I didn’t intend to eavesdrop, but when I went out to find my two best friends, knowing they would be there, like every year. I halted my steps when I heard Kellen’s words saying he didn’t understand, then… the words he spoke next angered me to no extent. It took every ounce of willpower to not wolf out and attack my Alpha and best friend, as I heard him reject Lamia. A pure blind rage surged through me, tensing every nerve in my being. I closed my eyes tightly, reigning in Duke as I listened to her accept his rejection. What the fuck was wrong with him? They had been fucking before we left the academy, delving into a relationship for the past few months, and now, when they find out they are mates, he rejects her!!! Anyone would be lucky enough to have her. Hell, I was in love with her. My blood continued to boil as I watched him walk off and then heard the sound of her sobs. It was gut-wrenching. Even though I wasn’t happy that he had rejected her, a part of me reveled in th
LAMIA Mom, Aunt Olivia, and Queen Sarah had booked us all in for a day spa at mid-morning, so we were fresh for the party. Having stylists and make-up artists pamper and prepare us for the ceremony this evening. It was Queen Sarah’s treat. Kira and Tawny; accompanying us, of course. A girl’s day out. I think I was the only one that wasn’t that excited about it. My life was too unpredictable at the moment and the knot in my stomach wasn’t helping. My brain was mulling through all the possible scenarios for this evening. Would I find a mate? Do I even have another mate? Would Kellen find a mate tonight? I wasn’t sure if I could handle him finding his mate this soon. Would either of us get second chance mates, but were we even considered ‘ex-mates’? It was all just too confusing. By the time we had made it to the spa, my parents and aunts knew Kellen and I were not destined. I wonder if that was why my dad had a smug look on his face this morning at breakfast. Of course, Kira was the
LAMIA As much as he was arrogant and annoying, Zane Noir had turned into a God-like creature. The goddess had been kind when handing out looks and anatomy to this man. A shame she couldn’t have given him a better personality. With that, I took a step back and plastered a shit-eating grin on my face, and turned to acknowledge his family before moving on to the other guests. Not without hearing him coldly mutter “Bitch” as I walked away. Oh, yeah, Zane Noir and I would certainly be meeting again before the night was out, that I was sure of. I had ruffled him. And I like it. As the evening went on, we made our way around the room greeting various pack members as well as other guests and Alphas from neighboring packs. A lot of the time, these events are attended by other high-ranking, un-mated members from outside packs and used as a gathering to hopefully find their mates. I eventually made it over to the bar, ordering myself a rum. I sipped the dark liquor, letting the sweet, rich m
LAMIA Zane picked his head up from the pillow and looked down at me; I met his hardened eyes with a scowl on his face, with a hint of hurt. No, I must be mistaken. His dark hair was still plastered to his forehead. “That wasn’t just sex, Lamia, that was the best fuck I have ever had in my life.” He said as a matter of fact. Again, not admitting to him that, yeah, it was out of this world. His fingers were tracing small circles on my back. I was still sprawled across his chest. “So you want to tell me why the little princess didn’t want to run with her pack tonight, on her birthday?” “No.” I didn’t owe him any explanations. He grunted at my short reply. We lay there in comfortable silence, not moving, enjoying the feeling and closeness of each other. All of a sudden, I felt a wave of dizziness hit me, and the urge to throw up. Untangling myself from Zane’s arms, I made to stand up when a sharp pain blasted through my head. “Agghhh!” I cried out in agony as my body started sweati
ZANE First, how the hell did they get past the border patrol, and now they were being attacked by were-bears! “Kellen, Mike, you follow Delta Marcus to secure the Southside, Beta Michael and I will assist the east border.” He paused looking me up and down. “Zane, you stay with Lamia. Keep her safe. Do not by any means let her leave your room until you hear from one of us. Got it?” The command was clear, “Yes sir” I bowed. I would tear any fucker if they thought they could get through me to her. I would protect her with my life. “Mike, send Hunji to guard outside Zane’s room, let’s move out.” He paused “Everyone, be safe.” Who the fuck was this Hunji? And why did he need to be placed as a guard? As we all dispersed from the office, Mike and Kellen made it a point to bump my shoulder, a sly and intentional action to say ‘we're not done yet.' Fucking little pricks. I made it back to my room, seeing a well-built Middle Eastern Asiarian man standing by the door, two swords strapped
KELLEN It was now 4 am in the morning and the effects of the attack and fight had weighed on everyone. We lost a total of 44 pack members. Most of those were warriors and a few omegas. The majority were lost at the eastern border where the bears and rogues attacked, coupled with the were-cats that slunk from the trees like ninjas. Mike, my father, and I were currently sitting in his office waiting for Zane to turn up. I didn’t think it was a good idea for me to be in the same room as him. I breathed in and clenched my fists a few times before I managed to calm myself down. I felt guilty as shit when we all went off for the pack run and left Lamia behind. When we were getting to the end of the run and heading back to the palace, I felt a wave of dizziness, almost rendering me useless as I stumbled. I was about to reach out to Mike when a searing hot pain shot through me and we heard her screams and howls of torment. My mind had raced knowing it was Lamia. Conri, my wolf, cast a glan
***Out now and completed: Book 2 - Rise of a Queen*** Please remember to leave me a review, I hope you enjoyed this book. For updates and chapter teasers, check my i*st*gr*m >>> authorjwgstout Or my F_B group for readers >>> Author Jwgstout Lamia's story continues in the second book, 2 years later. Carry on the adventure and see if Lamia finds her happily ever after. Thank you so much for reading my first ever book, I leave you with the first chapter from Rise of a Queen - book 2 for your enjoyment. RISE OF A QUEEN - BOOK 2 Chapter 1 – A New Kingdom. LAMIA I looked out the window on the top floor of my castle, yes, my castle, taking slow sips from the crystal glass that held the dark thick rum, my drink of choice tonight, as I pondered over the past two years and how far we had come. Two years ago, Travis and I left the Golden Circle pack in the dead of night to come back to MacTire (which literally meant wolf in ancient Gaelic). With the help of Alpha Greg from the Cres
LAMIA 6 WEEKS LATER *Meet me in the Alpha office and bring Travis with you* I sent a collective mind link to Brett, Cyrus, Halley, and Chris. They all acknowledged my request and cut the link. I left my room and wandered down the hallway making my way to the office. For the past few weeks, I had been going over pack finances, borders, treaties, and training. Not just for the Golden Circle, but also for the Pacific pack and MacTire. MacTire was a little harder as it was a new territory and had nothing, no business, no funds, no hierarchy, rank, or solid training. Hunji had been doing his best to establish rules and warriors with the shifters that were left and wanted to stay. Even some rogues who had feared Silas and had been against his way of ruling were eager to join a pack again. Some had never been part of a pack, born a rogue. There was a mixture of people left at MacTire; wolves, feline, and bear shifters as well as humans. I was needed there and could not put off going back
LAMIA We pulled into the pack lands of Golden Circle well after dark. As we crossed the border, an invigorating and charging energy raced through me and a pack link formed. I was now connected to all of the pack. A difference from before as I had not had my Luna ceremony and been initiated into the pack. Now, I was the rightful Alpha and the link snapped into place. The car stopped in front of the large packhouse. Outside stood Brett, Cyrus, and Halley. Kellen and Mike exited the car with Mike opening the back door and helping out. I pulled at my rumpled clothes and looked up at the large structure. I was home, but it didn’t feel like home. Zane was not there. Kellen and Mike exchanged pleasantries, whereas I remained silent. I looked at Halley who had tears in her eyes. I cautiously walked towards her first, not knowing how I would be received by her. After all, her Mother and Brother were dead because of me. There’s that guilt again. Survivor’s guilt is what Kellen called it. I o
LAMIA I awoke with a start to find everyone standing over me, talking in hushed whispers. And when I say everyone, I mean everyone; my mother, father, the King, and Queen, the royal Beta, Aunt Olivia, Mike, and Kellen. The immediate feeling of loss filled my heart and I clutched my chest at the tight pull as all my emotions hit me at once, the vision, dream, or whatever you call it, far from my mind as I take in the crowd. I look at each of them and only then realize I am in my old room back at the palace. “Dear Goddess Lamia! You gave us quite the scare!” My mother’s comforting voice floats through the sea of faces. My gaze lands on her beautiful blue orbs full of concern and worry. I hold my arms out toward her and her tiny frame flies into my embrace. “It hurts so bad momma” I hiccup through the whimpers I can’t control. “It… it hur…hurts so b…bad”. I let everything out as I soaked her shoulder with my weeping and blubbering. I know baby, I know. I’m here for you. You just let
KELLEN When Lamia fell to the ground, holding Zane in her arms, her heart-wrenching sobs met my ears, I felt her bond to Zane snap. I gasped at the dreaded reality of what had just happened. “No, no, no, no. Zane! Zane baby, hang in there, you are OK, Zane baby, stay awake”, she cried out. I wanted to go to her, to hold her, to take her pain away. But I couldn’t. I was fighting bear shifters and couldn’t turn my back on them. I could hear her sobs and turned in shock when I heard her cry her confession. “Baby please don’t leave me, not like this, we were going to have a pup, please don’t let them take you from me too!” She sobbed, pounding on her dead mate’s chest. Her body was strewn across his as she desperately tried to wake him. But it was no use. I could no longer hear his heartbeat. No longer hear his lungs expand. He was gone. Pup? She was pregnant! Was? Or, is she still now? With more determination, I cut down my enemies so I could go to her when, suddenly, a howl so impo
LAMIA As I held the blades, one in each hand, the blood from my palms coated the handles, as a rejuvenating and authoritative energy claimed my body. I felt my wounds begin to heal and close at a ridiculous rate. The vibrating zing of power coursing through my veins. My eyes are sharp and my breathing is steady. My anger - unhinged. I stood up from the ground, not lifting my head fully, but rather peering through my lashes and disheveled hair. I felt the fire burning in my eyes and wondered if they mirrored the heat I felt from them. There he stood, across the grounds, hiding behind his fighters and a line of bears. I saw the King in the forefront of the fight taking out as many as he could in a bid to get to Silas, his brother. Not today, my King, I thought. Today he is mine and he will suffer. The swords in my hands glinted from the morning sun, and the inscriptions on the blades were glowing a cosmic hue of green and orange as if they had come alive. My fangs protruded, pierci
LAMIA The relief I felt when it dawned on me that Mike was really there was indescribable. “…get these the fuck off me!” I said. My body ached, my limbs lax, and my face was swollen from the beating they had come to give me that night. Kira had stood there and watched, laughing as they brutalized me within an inch of my life, leaving me there for dead thinking I could not heal and the silver poisoning of my body coupled with the wolfsbane and some other burning substance they injected me with would finish me off. When the kicks and punches finally stopped after goddess knows how long, I stilled my breathing and slowed my heart rate down. Even though I could not hear my wolf, her presence was still there, weak but there. My lips were chapped from lack of fluids and my throat was dry. My skin itched from the filth and my scalp felt as though it was on fire when they had pulled and yanked it out. I took a deep breath when the cuffs were snapped from my ankles and wrists, the feeling o
MIKE “I’m going after her…” I heard Tawny as she slid under and between the advancing attackers. I was more focused on how the fuck I was going to take on a were-bear and wolf at the same time. Fuck it, I thought as I shifted again, snarling at the shifters in front of me and leaping toward them. I attacked the wolf first. A big mistake. My jaws latched onto his shoulder ready to tear when I felt claws sink deep into my back, making me let out a painful howl, and feeling my skin tear. I let go of the wolf and rolled to the side, removing the bear's claws from my back. I backed up assessing my situation and how I was going to take these two fuckers down. Duke was reeling and ready to take over, but I held him back, convincing him we would work better together. The fuckers darted towards me and I jumped back, looking for the right moment and angle to attack. Right now, I have to use defensive tactics if I am to survive this. Just as I was ready to go all in, I watched as the bear fel
MIKE Tilting my head back, filling my lungs with the crisp warm air of the ending summer, I glanced up into the now fading moonlight, the stars becoming dim and the horizon deep shades of purple and orange as dawn began to break. An astute feeling of Nostalgia, swept through me carried by the soft breeze that managed to find its way through the trees and up the mountainside we were patiently waiting on. Summer would soon be ending and Kellen would be inducted as the new Alpha of the Moon pack, the Royal pack. How things had changed from the beginning of summer, and how I wished for that more peaceful time. Where the three of us were together, not a care in the world, no impending rogue attacks, no mate drama, just us three, running through the forest, jumping in the lake, or lying out in our favorite field star gazing. I think back to when we were much younger, how Kellen and I would chase Lamia through the palace or play hide and seek in the gardens, both of us wanting Lamia’s atte