Page 52 of Of Wolves and Wives

The prince gestures for Rykker to go on. “So?”

“The girl has violet eyes. The very mark of the Wolf King’s lineage.”

The crowd gasps at this. For a moment, the prince’s expression slips. Then he signals to one of the guards to approach me. Heath gently sets me on my feet, not leaving my side as the guard warily approaches. I’m hesitant to let him approach, but I shift so he can see Asha and her eyes. His face pales as he stares at her. Then, he turns to face the prince.

“It is true,” the man says. “She has the eyes marking her as hailing from the Wolf King.”

To my surprise, the guard turns back to me. He bows his head to me, muttering several apologies as he backs away. I frown as I watch his hasty retreat, not fully understanding.

“Impossible,” Helena says. She takes a step closer to the edge of the balcony, her gaze on me. “It can’t be. No, it can’t. I would’ve known. Though, the girl does look vaguely similar to the king’s human child bearer. But the woman was murdered years ago.”

The Grey Prince lets out a growl as he turns to her, snatching my son from her arms.

“Kill them,” he orders. “Start with her, then the child. It means nothing. The silver-haired baby is enough to prove my right to rule.”

His words are meant with silence. Not a single guard moves. Then a murmur moves through the crowd. That is all it takes for the people to turn against the Grey Prince. I hear several people state that nothing and no one, not even the prince, is above the Wolf King. Ordering the death of his heir, is the ultimate treason.

The Grey Prince’s face turns ashen as he stares out at his people. Turning, he moves to leave. But Helena stands in his way, blocking his retreat. She hisses something at him as she tears the baby from his grip. He moves toward her, but she reacts faster, kicking at him. Her foot connects with his chest, sending him toppling backward over the edge of the balcony.

Rykker immediately shifts, racing toward the castle as Heath shoves me toward Peirce. I hear him shout at him to protect me as the courtyard dissolves into chaos around us. Clutching Asha to me, I stumble to Pierce’s side, thankful for his arm around my shoulders. Despite my hatred for the prince, I can’t watch what I know is to come. I turn into Peirce, doing my best to block out the cries as the people descend upon the prince.

Quiet falls as I realize the crowd is waiting. For what, I’m not sure. Then Rykker appears at the door with Helena at his side, dragged along. I sigh in relief when I spot my son in his arms. Safe. He prods her toward me until she trips and lands on her knees before me.

“Spare me,” she whispers. “Please.”

I frown before asking, “What power do I have to decide that?”

“Rose,” Heath says, placing a hand on my shoulder. “You are the heir to the Wolf King’s throne. You have all the power.”

“I don’t have violet eyes.”

Rykker smiles sadly at me before explaining, “That’s because you are a human halfling.”

“Can I really be a wolf queen then?”

“Yes, but see for yourself,” Peirce replies, stepping away from me.

My eyes take in the crowd around us. All of them are on their knees before me, their heads bowed in respect. Their eyes watch me as they wait for my words, for my own actions and judgments. I’m stunned as I take it in, tears springing to my eyes. It seems like too much hope. Perhaps I died in childbirth. But Asha lets out a small cry, reminding me of her presence and assuring me that I’m alive.

“Take her to the dungeons then,” I say, hoping my voice comes out confident. “She’ll await a trial.”

Three guards step forward, quick to do my bidding. I watch as she’s dragged away from the courtyard. Snorting to myself, I press a kiss to Asha’s head. Wait until Ms. Thompson finds out that I’m a halfling as well.

“I’m a queen,” I whisper in awe.

Peirce grins as he replies, “Not just any queen either.”

“A wolf queen,” Rykker says.

“Our queen,” Heath adds.

My eyes move over each of their faces before landing on my two children. More than a kingdom, I’ve found my family.

Epilogue – Rose

Lyra coos over Lux, running her hand through his silver hair. He stares up at her, his wails momentarily silenced. Across the room, Ms. Thompson cradles Asha as she orders Lyra about. I watch from the doorway, taking in the scene with a smile on my face.

It hadn’t been easy for Lyra to recover. Even now, she walks with a limp and shies away from most of the wolves in the castle. While she still struggles to heal, I’ve found it easy to forgive her. Seeing her love for my children was all it took. Watching her cradle them, I can’t even begin to imagine how I would have felt had I endured the same thing she did.

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