CHAPTER 39: QUEEN VERSUS LUNA

CHAPTER 39: QUEEN VERSUS LUNA
Maya’s POV

I crossed one leg over the other, my red pencil heels effortlessly hanging off my foot while my elbow lay comfortably on the arm of the gigantic, carved velvet chair.

I was playing with the ginormous ruby ring gifted by my dear mate one second and flinging my dagger across the conference room the next.

Quinn’s personal maid went crashing down, the blade stuck deep in her heart. This was revenge served cold. I blew over my long nde-coloured nails after wiping the blood off them with Zane’s handkerchief.

“Beth!” Quinn screamed in horror and rushed to the evil woman’s side. Hannah’s poisoning incident and Sebastian’s words were still fresh in my mind. I was not going to repeat my mistakes. “How dare you murder a pack member, Maya!” Quinn screamed.

Oh, now I was regarded as a pack member?

“You will be next, Luna Quinn, if I find out that my tea was poisoned on your instructions. Beta Zane, gather the evidence and zip it along with Beth’s middle finger. You will find the poison in the tea and her blue-pigmented finger to contain the same contents,” I calmly commanded.

Beth was my personal maid planted by Quinn just before Leo rejected me. She had falsely incriminated me on multiple occasions in front of Leo and this was not going to be another one in the long list.

“Maya! You can’t act without the authorities investigating the evidence and passing judgement!” Leo hollered, bringing his fists crashing down against the huge mahogany table. “This is injustice!”

This dramatic couple spared no opportunity to play victims in front of the public, council and elders.

I chuckled. Leo looked at me in shock. I slowly got up and took the deadly, innocent-looking tea cup in my hand.

“What are you up to, Maya?” Leo asked through the mindlink.

In response, I went to the seated man by my side. I suddenly grabbed Maddox’s jaw and forced the drink down his throat. The beta gurgled and gagged before sputtering and coughing furiously, trying to force out the drink from his throat. “Wh- What di- did you do?! H-how dare yo- you fe-feed the poisoned tea to m-me?” He lashed out.

“How do you know it is poisoned?” I asked, looking at him through my blinking eyelashes. “Maybe it is not. Maybe I was mistaken. I happen to be have the anti-dote here but maybe you don’t need it,” I said and kept the anti-dote on the other end of the table, near Zane while Maddox stretched out his hand desperately.

“It was poisoned! Please give me the anti-dote,” Maddox pled, holding his neck.

“I don’t think so. Taking the anti-dote without getting poisoned could kill you,” I debated with the dying man.

“The tea is poisoned. I know. Please,” Maddox begged, his face turning blue.

“But there is no evidence. We should wait for the investigators,” I replied. “Without confirmation, I can not act, Beta Maddox. I hope you understand and won’t blame me. Your Alpha won’t allow it.”

“I-I kn- know! I gave it to B-Beth,” Maddox confessed and the elders gasped in shock.

Quinn paled. Leo’s jaw hung open.

Zane gave the one-handed Beta the anti-dote while the Council’s law enforcers cuffed the evil man.

“There you go, Alpha Leo. There is your evidence. Case closed,” I asserted and sat back at the head of the table, my hair flipping with authority.

Quinn’s face burned with anger. She had lost her most loyal piece in this game of chess and she was on the verge of losing her brother and his beta privileges as well.

“I-I – I am so sorry, Maya,” Leo started to profusely apologize but I raised my hand and he stopped instantly. Even he seemed to be surprised by his response. The man who didn’t give me the time of the day, was obeying me like a trained dog.

“It is Queen Maya or Your Highness or Supreme Council, Alpha Leo. Please be careful with Her Majesty’s title. Your utter disrespect to her has not gone unnoticed ever since she arrived in the pack land,” Elder Thomas growled.

Leo knelt before me instantly.

“I am so sorry. We assure you that this is the last misgiving, Your Royal Highness. To put your mind to ease, I am willing to reject the Luna and expel her family from the pack,” he said, trying to pin the blame of rejection on me.

This man was a monster. He could sacrifice anyone to save his skin.

“No, Leo!” Quinn screamed in horror. “This has nothing to do me. It was all Maddox’s doing!”

‘This couple has no shame. I have never seen anyone more selfish than them,’ Zane mindlinked. ‘They are truly made for each other,’ he shook his head quietly.

‘Let them duke this out amongst themselves. It has been a long journey for you as well, Zane. Let’s rest tonight. Tomorrow is going to be a long day,’ I replied through our mindlink.

Zane nodded at me from his corner and loudly announced, “The Queen and the entourage have had a long day. We trust the Alpha to justly look into this matter. We will retire to our chambers for the night.”

“I will personally escort you,” Leo offered and the huge man led us towards top-most opulent floor, only reserved for foreign dignitaries, after the elders gave him the go-ahead.

He tried to brush our hands but Zane cleared his throat, making him storm ahead if us.

“Where is my room?” I asked after Leo’s bodyguards and warriors ushered my men in their respective rooms and I was the only one left standing in the long, winded corridor with my ex-mate.

“Your special and personal chambers, of course,” Leo said and led me towards the Alpha wing.

I stopped and when Leo did not sense me behind him, he turned and walked slowly towards me, bridging the gap between us in three long strides.

“Your Highness?” He asked, confused.

“Those are your private quarters,” I deadpanned.

“Your place in the pack and room will always remain the same…dear,” Leo softly said, getting even closer to me. His arm found its way around my waist. “You deserve nothing but the best. My personal chambers are for you to use,” he raised his other hand, trying to cup my face. I backed away and his hand and face fell.

“With or without you in it?” Zane deadpanned, leaning against a wall, arms crossed.

Leo chuckled.

“It depends if the Queen wants her man to serve her tonight,” he huskily said, his soft gaze not leaving mine.

I was saved from assaulting the man and risking getting impeached as Supreme Council by an unexpected saviour.

“Your man?!” Quinn shrieked, pushing me out of the way and desperately trying to cling to Leo. “What are you saying?” She demanded.

When Leo saw the Elders gathering in the corridor, he quickly tucked Quinn close to him and place a soft kiss on her temple.

“No, my love. You are mistaken. I meant if the Queen wants her humble subject to personally serve her as her servant after today’s horrible incidents, then I am willing to sacrifice my dignity for the well-being of the pack,” Leo smoothly saved his skin and reputation as a doting, loving and just Alpha while sending my reputation to the guillotine.

Quinn nodded and hugged him.

“Do we really need to give up our personal chambers to the Queen, Leo? Surely, she wouldn’t mind a smaller and simpler room. As an official of high authority and idol for the kingdom’s subjects, surely she needs to lead by example and not indulge in worldly pleasures,” Quinn jibed.

“By that logic, the Luna should reside in border barracks. She should lead with example and kindness,” I smiled while Quinn’s victorious smile fell, her words becoming my weapon. “I am sure everyone will praise the pack and its leaders. Luna Quinn is surely the most benevolent soul here. She can help the warriors at the borders at any time. Alpha Leo’s reputation will soar everywhere.”

Leo saw his chance.

“Your Highness is right. My virtuous and kind Luna, Lady Quinn, should reside in the border barracks till the council conference ends in our pack and make up to the Queen by letting her use the Luna’s private quarters,” Leo announced.

“The Alpha and Luna are so gracious!” Zane politely said. “Our Queen will accept your request. The Luna will have to be troubled though.”

“She should be troubled. She attempted to disrespect the Queen and kill her,” the Council’s elders whispered.

“Shush, we don’t have the evidence. Don’t say that yet. Maybe Beta Maddox was working as a lone wolf and went rogue.”

“Maybe, but at least Luna Quinn should pave the way for our righteous Queen. Surely, Lady Quinn will not go back on her word.”

“Yes, the Luna is the face of the pack if the Alpha is the force behind it. Luna Quinn should be more careful with her words and expectations from others, especially the royals. Queen Maya is already doing so much as the Queen and imperial doctor for the public.”

“I had heard Lady Quinn’s praises for her beauty and virtue. She clearly lacks the former and she is not scoring well in the latter as well. She is not even acknowledging her Alpha’s order.”

Quinn quickly cleared her throat.

“Thank you for the suggestion, Ma- … I mean, Queen Maya,” she spoke my title through clenched teeth. “I will surely appease you by giving up my chambers and living with the fierce warriors and simple members of our pack,” she bowed. “I would be happy to help my pack and the Council in any way I can,” she begrudgingly added, her fake benevolent mask almost slipping away.

I nodded. Words were not needed any more. I had spoken enough to bring down the haughty lady of the Quinn family on day one and we were just getting started.

“I will miss you, honey,” Quinn softly hugged the Alpha while his heated gaze did not budge from me over her shoulder. He looked away only when Quinn broke away from the hug. “Alpha, please help me pack and shift to the barracks. I am not well. I feel very weak after the Queen drained my blood to get my powers and beauty,” she slyly pled her mate, her voice turning softer with every word. She touched her bandaged neck and tears collected at the brim of her doe-like eyes.

‘Ugh, this shameless woman,’ Zane cursed through the mindlink and I burst out laughing.

Leo, Quinn and the others looked at me in shock while Zane grinned. The lycans seemed to have some weird sense of satisfaction to watch me laugh.

“Quinn, I just took back the powers you ‘borrowed’ from me in school, then at my coming of age ceremony, followed by just after your arrival in the pack while I was Leo’s mate, and finally those powers which I gave you to save face when you were punished in the Lycan Palace by the crystal ball of judgement. Surely you won’t blame me for taking back what was mine,” I softly said, my eyes starting to glisten with unshed tears.

Men’s hearts moved faster than swaying tears.

Leo instantly distanced himself from Quinn, removing himself from her wrapped arms.

I continued while dabbing my eyes with my handkerchief, “I am sorry you had to give them up, Luna Quinn, the moment I arrived in the pack but the powers return to the owner eventually. Otherwise, won’t have I received a backlash from unjustly taking your powers, Lady Quinn like your wolf did and was unable to shift for a week? Lady Quinn’s words seem like I wronged her, Alpha Leo but I had to take back my powers before they destroyed your Luna,” I spilled Quinn’s secrets openly. “Who would look after your children otherwise? I did it out of compassion,” I dabbed my eyes again.

“What?!” Leo turned towards Quinn. “Is this true, Quinn?”

“No! It is isn’t true!” Quinn immediately answered. She turned towards me, wailing, “Your Majesty, please stop using your position to falsely accuse me. You were the one who stole MY powers. Even Leo knows that you took my powers out of jealousy,” Quinn turned towards the Elder Council. “I WOULD NEVER DO SUCH A THING!”

This was the opportunity that I was waiting for and the foolish woman had presented it to me herself on a platter.

“Alpha Leo,” I softly called out my ex and he turned towards me, almost towering me with his huge chest.

“My Queen?” He rasped. Quinn almost lost her cool and saw red but reigned in her temper to keep up her innocent and betrayed act.

“Alpha Leo, can you please tell me what happens to someone who sucks someone else’s power by force over a long time?” I asked, my voice turning sweeter and meeker by the second.

“The blood turns dark red, bordering black and it stinks if added in honey,” Leo pat replied.

“Beta Zane,” I commanded and the next moment, Quinn was hysterically crying and shrieking on looking at her bleeding wrist.

I took out my dagger and cut my palm before adding a few drops in a different bowl of honey.

Quinn’s bowl turned into a scandalous black, making everyone wrinkle their noses while the honey in my bowl retained its scent and colour with soft red blood spread over the top like a thin layer of strawberry syrup.

The elders gasped.

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” Leo asked, genuinely aghast.

I had learnt a lot in life but Quinn had taught me the hardest lessons of life and today I was going to wield every tool – good or bad – against her.

“Alpha Leo, you might not know this but before you rejected me, I was forced to stay silent or else Lady Quinn threatened to stop funding your warriors,” I confessed, a tear breaking free across my cheek. “I did not wanted you to suffer because of me so I didn’t tell,” I said and hung my head, tears falling freely near Leo’s expensive shoes.

“Oh, Maya,” Leo brokenly whispered, catching himself at the last moment from cupping my face.

“No! That is a lie,” Quinn shouted, genuinely furious at my ‘confession’.

She might have been a strategy queen but I was the grandmaster of the game.

‘Is it true?’ Zane mindlinked.

‘Nope,’ I answered back.

‘What a move,’ Zane laughed and mentally applauded my lie.

“Quinn,” Leo growled and grabbed his childhood sweetheart’s neck. “How dare you blackmail MY mate and hurt her? You lied that she hurt you because she was jealous of your beauty, wealth and power,” Leo thundered, his fists clenching tighter with every word spoken out loud.

“L-Leo, she i-s ly-ing,” Quinn gasped.

‘Set the trap, Zane,’ I mindlinked the loyal Guardian.

“It seems that the Callahan family’s wealth and influence can determine who sits at the helm. No wonder the pack’s accounts are financially weak even after so many years of Alpha Leo administering the pack and winning new lands,” Zane remarked. “Is it because the Luna and the Callahan family manages the pack’s accounts?” He wondered out loud.

The casual remark hit a bull’s eye. Leo flew into a violent rage.

The man was easy to manipulate if his wealth, power or life were threatened.

Leo snatched Quinn’s hair from behind. Before he could snap her neck, to my relief, Alder Charles spoke out loud.

I needed the woman alive and breathing to go through the same hell I went through when she arrived to the pack as Leo’s prized mate. Death was too easy a punishment for her evil doings.

“Enough! Let the Luna go,” Elder Charles commanded and Leo dropped his coughing mate. “We should not speculate without concrete evidence. Today has been a fateful day. Too many mishaps have happened. We should all cool down and rest.”

“True. You can retire to your room, Zane. I request the elders to rest as well. We have a long day tomorrow as other foreign dignitaries will arrive in the pack. Thank you, Alpha Leo for your arrangements. The council will handle from here,” I declared and turned away, leaving behind a deeply suspicious Alpha behind.

Quinn’s bond with him was not going to be same any more. This was the turning point in her perfect life.

I quietly looked behind one last time at the crying and broken woman on the floor, hugging my ex-mate’s feet. I promise, every person who hurt me or my kids was going to suffer a hundred times.