The Queen's Gambit

POV: Lucien

The Queen Mother had just asked me and Garrett if Alexandra would take on the Queen of Vellum’s role for the Gathering. Her words hung in the air, the weight of her request sinking in. My mind raced with the implications and the responsibilities that would come with such a role for Alexandra. I glanced at Garrett, who seemed equally taken aback. Garrett's usual confident demeanor faltered, replaced by a rare glimpse of vulnerability.

I sighed, the weight of the Queen Mother's request pressing heavily on my shoulders. “Do you not realize that Alexandra is likely going to be busy with her end of things?”

The Queen Mother smiled, a knowing gleam in her eyes. “I realize, dear, but I believe it will be good training for her as Queen to deal with something like this.”

I saw Garrett’s eyes narrow, picking up on the implication as I had. She had a way of embedding hidden messages in her words, a secret code for her family. Her true meaning was clear: she was still preparing Alexandra for her role as my wife, as my queen. I would need to discuss this with her later, but for now, I had to convince her that this was a terrible idea. The last thing we needed was an inter-realm war with the Lycans.

I shook my head, my resolve hardening. “Request denied, mother. That role has nothing to do with Alexandra. She can assist if Garrett deems it appropriate, but you will have to take it on yourself since Rayla is otherwise engaged.”

The Queen Mother's expression shifted, a flicker of disappointment crossing her features. She opened her mouth to protest, but I held up a hand, silencing her.

"Mother, this decision is final. Alexandra's duties are demanding enough without adding this to her plate. We need to focus on maintaining peace, not stretching our resources thin."

Her lips pressed into a thin line, but she nodded, acknowledging my decision. The tension in the room was palpable, the sunlight casting long shadows across the cream colored walls.

As the silence stretched on, I felt a pang of unease. I hadn’t really thought about it in days, but that woman was going to be my wife. Rayla had been willing to work with me at first, her support unwavering. We were trying to get out of our engagement to find our way back to the ones we loved. Her with Garrett and me with Alexandra but now Garrett and Alexandra were married. That really was the plan until recently, Rayla had started to act more and more like Melody, her demeanor changing in ways I couldn't ignore.

I glanced at the clock, the ornate hands marking the passage of time with an urgency that made my heart race. I needed to meet with the Elders soon, but I wanted some time to talk with my mother before then. I turned back to Garrett, forcing a calm expression. “I’m sure you probably have things you need to attend to now that you are preparing for a coronation.”

He nodded, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Yeah, King lessons with Jack Kellen. A stimulating afternoon. My wife will be shopping for a wedding dress, so I have to occupy my time in the meantime.”

Garrett referring to Alexandra as his wife and mentioning the wedding dress was like a dagger to my heart. The words pierced through me, leaving a hollow ache. He wasn’t intending to hurt me, though. I knew that. He was trying to stake his claim to her as his wife and Queen in front of my mother, making it clear that she had nothing to do with the affairs of the Royal family of Vellum.

I plastered on a fake smile, the effort making my cheeks ache. “I don’t want to take up any more of your time, and I have business to take care of before I leave myself. Would you be able to see yourself out, please?”

Garrett’s eyes flickered with a hint of understanding and perhaps a touch of regret. He rose from his seat with a fluid grace, bowing to me with a formality that felt like an unspoken apology. “Of course,” he said softly, before turning and walking out of the room.

The door closed behind him with a soft click, the sound echoing in the stillness. I exhaled, the tension in my shoulders easing slightly. The room felt emptier without Garrett, his presence a reminder of the complicated tangle of relationships and responsibilities that lay ahead.

I turned to my mother, her eyes reflecting a mix of concern and strength. “Mother, we need to talk,” I said, my voice carrying the weight of unspoken worries.

She smiled, a glint of mischief in her eyes. “What about, my son?”

I sighed, feeling the weight of the confrontation. “What you just pulled with Garrett. Don’t think I didn’t catch your meaning, and I think he did too.”

She shrugged nonchalantly, her gaze unwavering. “I can’t help but think that she was supposed to be your wife. You two are in love with each other, and she’d make a fine Queen.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, frustration bubbling up inside me. “She will. For the Lycans, mother. Not for us.”

She shook her head, a determined look in her eyes. “I refuse to believe that, dear. I know for a fact that she will be the Queen of this realm one day.”

I sighed deeply, the inevitability of the conversation draining my energy. “That’s rather unlikely. It just wasn’t in the stars for us.”

She shook her head more vigorously this time, her conviction unwavering. “No, son. I know. Prophecy wills it.”

I furrowed my brows at her, skepticism coloring my thoughts. “What nonsense is that? I know for a fact that there is no such prophecy. As King, I know all of the prophecies since that is official record.”

She smiled, a secretive glint in her eyes, and laughed softly. “You don’t know everything. Come with me, I will show you.”

POV: Garrett

I left the castle, the weight of the recent conversation still heavy on my shoulders. The tension in the room had been suffocating, and I needed a retreat to clear my mind. Lucien’s mother was adamant that Alexandra should be his wife, her determination as fierce as a storm. She was still willing to fight for her to be by his side, despite the complexities of their intertwined fates.

The cool fall air hit my face as I stepped outside, a welcome relief from the heated debate. I knew that Lucien wanted to avoid any conflict between our two nations, and I was in agreement. But the thought of the royal family of Vellum trying to take the Queen of Lycans from us was a chilling one. If it came to that, there would be nothing I could do to stop a war. The Alpha Council would insist because they liked the idea of having a powerful Queen like Alexandra.

Alexandra had once confided in me that she felt like Helen of Troy when she was in Vellum. She recounted the story of how two nations went to war over Helen because she was married to one man but in love with another. She ran off to be with the one she loved, and her husband invaded Troy, where her lover was the prince. At that time, she was likely thinking of her impending marriage to Cal while being in love with Lucien. Now, I found myself in a similar situation, as Cal, wondering if Alexandra would run off to be with Lucien if given the chance.

The thought gnawed at me, a persistent worry that I couldn't shake. With Rayla, I knew without a doubt that she would choose me over Lucien. Our bond was strong, unwavering. But with Alexandra, there was always that lingering uncertainty.

A thought crossed my mind that I would need to ask Alexandra about that type of scenario later on. It was a hurt I wasn’t willing to face before, but I felt a shift in how she saw me with that kiss she gave me in the bathroom. The memory of her lips lingering on mine gave me a glimmer of hope, a possibility that perhaps her feelings had changed.

I strode into my carriage, the wheels clattering against the cobblestone as we made our way to Jack’s house for my King training. The journey was brief, and soon I was stepping out into Jack’s courtyard, the scent of dead leaves filling the air.

I entered the house, the familiar creak of the wooden floorboards under my boots a comforting sound. As I made my way down the hallway, the walls adorned with tapestries and portraits of past kings, I felt a sense of purpose settle over me. This was where I would learn to lead, to make the difficult decisions that lay ahead.

I pushed open the door to Jack’s study and found him reading at his desk. His black hair was loose, cascading over his shoulders as he leaned over a thick tome. The room smelled of parchment and ink, a testament to the countless hours he spent poring over ancient texts.

He looked up at me and smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Ah, Your Majesty, it is good to see you here.” His voice was warm, welcoming.

Jack glanced at the wolf clock on the wall, its hands shaped like delicate paws. He smiled again and continued, “And early too.”

I smiled and nodded, “I was just with Lucien, but I wrapped that up with him early. It just made sense to come here since it was closer to the castle than my annex was. I did want to discuss something with you before we get started if that’s okay.”

Jack rose from his seat and waved at the fireplace where he had been sitting with Alexandra before. The flames cast a warm, flickering glow across the room, their light dancing on the walls. I walked over and sat down in the seat that Alexandra had occupied before, feeling a strange sense of connection to her lingering presence.

Jack joined me in the other chair, his demeanor relaxed, a smile playing on his lips as if he didn’t have a care in the world. He asked, “What is it you wish to discuss?”

I nodded, gathering my thoughts. “It’s just that I was speaking to Lucien not long ago. He had asked if we wanted to reclaim the ancient Lycan lands.” I leaned in, anticipation building, hoping for some wisdom about the ancient lands that would guide our decision. He knew everything it was to be a Lycan, everything about our history, and things that dealt with our politics.

Jack surprised me by shrugging, his casual attitude contrasting with the gravity of the topic. “I don’t think there’s a text in my library that says our ancient lands hold any significance. We will have to bring it up with the council tonight.”

I furrowed my brows, confusion setting in. “There’s a meeting tonight? Why wasn’t I informed?”

Jack's smile broadened, almost cat-like in its mischievousness. “You just were.”

I sighed, a mix of exasperation and amusement. “Clever. What is this one about?”

He kept the smile on his face, his eyes twinkling with a secret knowledge. “Oh, it is about Alexandra’s coronation. We’re going to coronate her separately from you.”

I furrowed my brow, wondering why they would only discuss a coronation for Alexandra this early. “Is it normal to have the coronation of a royal Lycan couple separately?”

He chuckled, a rich, warm sound that filled the room. “Heavens realm, no. That would be unprecedented and rarely done.”

Curiosity gnawed at me, and I probed further. “How many times and what are the exceptions?”

Jack replied matter-of-factly, “Twice before. Once was when the King-to-be was ill when the old King died. The other was when the King was not married when he took the throne.”

I sighed, trying to piece together the significance of this decision. “So what is the exception now that you would talk about coronating her separately?”

He leaned in, his expression growing serious. “She’s going to be Regent. You aren’t ready, but there are some that think she is.”