All Chapters of The Alpha King's Captive: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

GWEN___I smile. Again. It's all I've been doing since arriving the castle. It's just so...surreal.To go from scraping by as a single mom to getting my neck bitten by a monster to... becoming queen. It's almost impossible. The stuff of daydreams. The kind that's almost too good to be true.My walk through the royal gardens come to an end and I turn to the housekeeper, Brienne. "Do you have any idea where the king is?" I ask."His office, Luna." She offers to come with me but I decline, knowing she must have a lot of things doing in this insanely large castle. She gives me the directions and after a quick thanks, I'm going up the marble front steps. As soon as I step in, I feel it. Multitudes of eyes. A few werewolves engage me in conversation and many smile as I walk past. And their joy is so infectious I cannot help returning their good humor."I thought this day would never come."I turn, meeting an old pair of eyes. "Hello," I say, offering a smile. "Gwen." I outstretch an arm.

GWEN___For the umpteenth time, I let out a frustrated breath. Night has fallen over the building and despite my stomach nipping at me, I fight to direct fire through the tight ropes around my arms. All that comes out is a tendril if smoke. And with my arms bound, I have no hope of being able to control water.Herra Eunice's voice chooses at that moment to float into my mind. To weild fire, you have to become one yourself...Think, Astrid, what is the most furious you've been...Anxiety grips me. In Mount Ilya, Malcolm had been my sole reason for anger. Now that I've found I had no reason to hate him, I don't feel that dark thrill anymore, the one capable of summoning wings of fire, or even a paltry fireball.The doors open and in the moonlight, I make out long, white hair. I tense.Elenora's steps draw closer. When she stands before me, I have only a moment to take in the fresh leather of her boot before it comes flying into my face

Two weeks later.__"How is he?""He's recovering, Luna," the healer says."How long until he's fully recovered?""We cannot know for sure, Luna. He might... He might not--""I want to see him.""Luna, I don't think that's advisable. He isn't in the best condition.""Step out of the way," I say.The guards standing post to the healer's wing tense, torn between letting me through and sparing me form seeing whatever's beyond. They relax when they see Elias approaching. The Elder comes to stand beside me, immediately reading the situation. He turns to me. "Come, Luna. Take a walk with me. I have important news for you."I hesitate, wanting more than anything to see Malcolm. His life is hanging on by a thread. Literally. Elenora's blade missed a muscle. And now, the healers are making the best they can out of it. Misery clamps around my chest. I'm not even sure I'm ready to see him. To Elias, I nod. "Lead the way."

MALCOLM Over a month ago.___My being narrows down to the cool press of metal against my throat. "A life for a life!" Elenora screams, har claws holding me in place. My consciousness trickles away like the blood dribbling out of the open cut. I fight to stay lucid, my eyes on Gwen's white face on the stairs.Fury grips me, at Elenora. At myself. Once again, I am helpless to save the woman I love. With that realization, I feel pain fork across my neck. My world slows.When I start to gurgle on my blood, Elenora lets go, leaving me to land limply on the floor, rapidly losing sensation allover my body. I am...dying. When darkness begins to creep around the edges of my vision, I hear an unholy scream. Gwen, I think dimly before I am sucked under.Hours, days, (weeks?), pass by before I float into consciousness. I am in a white room. I look up at the high ceilings, disoriented. Images unblur into focus and through the layer of antiseptic, a

Epilogue GWENTen years later___"Tamara!" I snap, then gentle my voice. "Tammy, you cannot put your brother in the water."The little girl with the largest grey eyes looks up at me. "But he's new. And looks like an egg."I breathe in for patience. "An egg?"She nods. "Yeah. When you buy eggs, you put them in the water to see if they float. I'm doing the same to Zizi. If he sinks, then he's a bad egg and should be thrown away."Zion gurgles in the corner, deliriously happy and unaware of his impending doom. The door opens and I breathe out a sigh of relieve, handing the other twin to Umber. "Oh, my God, I'm so glad you're here.""Hannah!" Tammy screeches, running toward her.I call after her, "It's aunty Hannah! Aunty. Hannah."The little devil ignores me, wrapping her little arms around her favorite--and only--aunty--unless you want to add Rylan's wild flings. Umber draws level wi