Chapter Fifty-Two

Celina

The sound of my heels echo down the hall while I race down the hall. I’m free from my hellish meeting and I’m desperate to get back to Chris. When I pass someone, they immediately stop what they’re doing and bare their neck; even though I’m not paying them any mind. They could flip me off for all I care. I just want to get back to my mate.

When I get close to his room I skid to a stop; my heart already skipping a beat while Mara pants happily.

“I told you,” Ruben groans, “Celina hasn’t left this palace since your care was transferred here. There hasn’t been a moment where she’s been alone. There is no way that Damian could attempt to get near her. Besides, no one knows where the little fuck bucket is. Believe me, Celina and Leroy have poured over every option possible. Celina even has her father’s soldiers monitoring every lycan and wolf pack. They’re all pack-linked to her father, so there is no way they can be blood-bonded to Damian, so it’s a good plan so far. Celina’s father has also been in every interview and every meeting that deals with the previous council member. She’s been doing great. She doesn’t need as much protection as you think she does. Believe me, you’re worse off than she is.”

“So Damian hasn’t made a single attempt to contact her, or has shown any sign he’s still alive?”

“Not unless you count people randomly dropping dead after he cuts their lifelines.”

“Randaul?”

“No. It’s been quiet Chris…other than people ending up dead.”

I giggle while I enter the room. “You worry too much,” I tell Chris and put my hands behind my back and cock my head. “Shouldn’t I be the one worrying about you?” Chris doesn’t respond. He’s staring at me with his mouth slightly ajar. “What?” I ask, looking down to see if I accidentally spilled some breakfast on my dress.

The pale silver blue dress has remained clear. The dress has a lace corset bodice that flows out delicately to a stop at my mid-thigh. I inspect the silver wedges I have on and find nothing caught on them. My hair is down so I check to see if I can find anything wrong with it. Nothing.

Chris clears his throat. “I-uh-I…”

Ruben chuckles. “What my brother is so eloquently trying to say, is that you look beautiful.”

I blush and turn my attention to Ruben. “What did the doctor say?”

He grins while Chris continues to stare at me. “His lungs have healed completely. He’ll need to do some physical therapy to repair some of his damaged muscles. It’ll take about forty-five days for the toxins to fully leave his system, so he won’t be able to fully shift until it’s gone. He’s to use a cane until his thighs have been completely rehabilitated.”

Ruben then gives me a devilish smirk. “Also, no strenuous activity until he’s been given the all-clear.”

I roll my eyes. “You’re such a kid. Anything else?”

“Yes. Dr. Porter has asked me, more like begged me, to ask you to sleep in your own bed. Now that Chris is awake, he doesn’t think he’ll get any rest with you here. Considering my brother still hasn’t figured out how to close his mouth yet, and you’re still in heat, I’m inclined to believe him.”

I fold my arms. “Still not happening.”

Ruben holds up his hand. “He figured you’d say that. He said if you did, then he’d personally sedate you and remove you from the room himself.”

I laugh while Chris looks confused. “That didn’t work the last time he tried.”

“I think he’s serious this time,” Ruben says before motioning to the bay window I usually sleep at. It’s covered in silver spikes. “He even put wolfsbane on the tips.”

I roll my eyes. “Looks like I’m sleeping on the floor.”

My phone ringing cuts off his response. Giving off an exaggerated loud sigh, I pull it out of my pocket. “Yes?” I ask, giving Ruben a pointed look.

“Queen Celina, the press is here,” Edgar says on the other end of the line; sounding a bit like a deflated balloon. “They are demanding to speak with you.”

“Why?” I ask him and then shoot a glance at Chris. Are they aware he’s awoken?

“Apparently another pack was slaughtered. One body was propped up and posed to be standing in the middle of the road with your name carved into their torso.”

“What was that?” I ask while I hear Ruben growl and Chris get to his feet. My entire body has gone numb and it feels almost as hollow as my stomach.

“It gets worse.”

“How?” I demand.

“The body is one of your father’s soldiers.”

“What?” I screech.

“It gets worse.”

“How,” I demand from him; giving Chris an apologetic look before leaving. “Where was the attack?”

“The pack is one of the packs near your father’s home grounds. A note was pinned to his chest when he was found.”

“A note?”

My phone beeps while Edgar says; “I sent you a scanned PDF copy of it. You might want to read it before you come out here.”

“How did they get all of this?” I demand, quickening my pace.

“Because he also posted a video on the palace website.”

My body is beginning to grow cold at this point but red-hot anger is rising in my chest. “Video?” Again my phone beeps. “What did he do?”

It’s silent before he speaks. “It’s been taken down, but just watch the video before coming outside. You don’t want to be blindsided.”

Edgar hangs up and I stop in my tracks and pull up the video Edgar had sent me. Damian pops up on the screen. He’s stepping over bodies in what appears to be the packhouse. His eyes are a bit shallower and his face has lost a little of his malicious edge. Other than that, there isn’t a hair out of place.

Damian smirks while looking into the camera. “Good morning, my dear Celina. It’s your true mate here. I’m reaching out to you from Redpaw Pack…well what’s left of it. I wanted to show you, and anyone else who happens to see this, what you’ve reduced me to. I have to post a whole video on a fan board just to get your attention. Since that is the case, I did want it to be eye-grabbing and be a special gift for you.”

Damian pans the camera around the packhouse; hovering for a second over the alpha before returning the frame to him. “You see, after your little press conference, it sort of painted me in a bit of a bad light. I can’t seem to get any packs to agree to stand with me anymore. Not even the rogues.

“Well, I guess it’s unfair to put the blame solely on you. Did you know that my uncle, you know him as Randaul, has been gathering quite a little army himself? Granted they’re all washed-up rogues, but he’s doing pretty well for himself. Can you believe he stole my entire idea; and is going to challenge you for the throne? It’ll be interesting when he has enough beasts gathered to challenge you. I wonder how that will play out.

“Anyway, back to the point of this video. Since you’ve forced me to do such drastic actions just to get your attention, here is my gift to you. Well, it’s more of a gift for both of us. To repay my uncle for tipping you off to my whereabouts, I did this. This is where he’s been hiding out. They weren’t harboring him or anything like that. He was actually living in the tunnels that run to your place. You know, the ones that were built in case the pack was ever attacked so they could escape and go get help. I had my men collapse those by the way. It didn’t seem to work anyway.

“Now, my dear, I hear your little temporary mate has awoken from that nasty little coma. I hope you enjoy it while you can, because he’ll be leaving you soon. I’d say that right around the end of three weeks you can expect it. Now don’t worry about trying to survive his death, since I’ll be there to claim you soon.”

Damian winks at the camera, “See you in three weeks, my dear Celina.”

Shuddering, I swipe to the note next: “My sweet Celina, I hope you enjoyed my gift to you. I wish I could have seen your face when you received word of it, but you’ve made it a tad difficult to be near you right now. The only time I get to see you these days is through the windows. Even so, I wish you’d stop sleeping in that little corner by the window. You look so uncomfortable there, and it makes me worry.

“Now, my dearest, please don’t worry about me. I’m going to be taking a little break for a while, so I can get ready for the big day. Now there is no need to fear if you don’t hear from me by then, since you’ll know where I am. It’s hard to believe that our coronation day is coming up so fast. I just know you’ll look amazing for our big day, and will see to it that every detail is perfect. Counting the days, yours for eternity-Damian.”

My hands are shaking as I read the letter again. He’s been watching me sleep? He did this for me? I’m taking a little break? Are you fucking kidding me? How did he know that Chris is awake?

Groaning, I rub my face and head out to meet the press. Just as I expected, it was a complete nightmare. The moment I passed the threshold, and stood next to Edgar, I was pelted with questions regarding the attack, how Chris is doing, and how I planned to handle the immediate threat he made on the soon-to-be King of the Beasts. I side-stepped and half-answered my way for over fifteen minutes; trying my best to avoid anything that can steer attention to Damian. If he’s craving attention, I’m not going to give it to him. It’ll show it works, and he’ll be more than eager to repeat his actions to get his way. I really don’t want a body with my name carved into it to become his calling card.

Eventually, when I’ve had enough. I hold up my hand to silence them; keeping it that way until they all fall silent. “I will not answer any questions in regards to the active pursuit or investigation of Damian Heathe Jackson. I wish to assure all that proper measures are being taken. I would like to reiterate that Damian Heathe Jackson is dangerous and not to be approached. If sighted, please notify the Alpha King’s guard in your pack immediately. They will know what to do. I sincerely regret what happened to Redpaw Pack, and I will do everything in my power to keep it from being repeated.”

“What about ex-councilmen Randaul?” Someone calls out, making me internally growl. So close.

I keep my face composed, “Measures are being taken to track down his whereabouts to bring justice against him. He is to be executed for his crimes against the beast kingdom. Now, if you please excuse me, I have urgent matters I must attend to.”

Before they can respond, I turn on my heel to open and close the door, before bolting to my room. I need space to breathe and process what has happened. Chris will keep for five more minutes. My sanity won’t.