by Renee Carr
“I will remember him through you,” she said as she took his hand. Sarah pushed her hair back, steeling herself as they walked down the hallway to the medical bay. Her heart was pounding as they neared the room where the Alpha was being held.
She had seen him so many times in photos and videos, and she had that image in her head as she rounded the corner. But nothing prepared her for what she saw when she got there. Even the brief glimpse she had of the Alpha in the ballroom did not prepare her for the image in front of her. He was pale, and hooked up to countless machines, struggling for breath. His eyes looked cloudy when he did open them and his body was almost listless against the pillow.
“Father,” John said, when he could see that he at least had some of his father’s attention.
“My son,” Michael breathed. “Have you—Stanley, the—”
“I have spoken to Stanley,” John said, naming the current Alpha of the werewolves. “And he is denying any involvement in the attacks.”
“That bugger,” Michael swore, his eyes widening. The extra effort caused him to wheeze and a few alarms went off. John, practiced at this by now, reached to press some buttons and deliver a few more ounces of medication to his father’s struggling body.
“Father, I promise that I will get this under control,” he said. “Or rather, I promise we will get it under control.”
Michael’s eyes cast to Sarah. She curtseyed low to him and introduced herself before John got the chance to take over.
“My king,” she said. “My name is Lady Sarah Beckwith. Your son, John, has asked me to marry him, on the basis that I am his fated match.”
Michael froze for so long that John was afraid something had gone wrong. But instead of responding calmly, the Alpha then snapped at both of them.
“To hell you will,” his head swung towards John. “Son, this will be the ruin of all of us. How dare you—how dare you even think that...”
“I have no choice in this, Father,” John said. “And furthermore, I want to marry her. Together, we will quell this rebellion. Your kingdom is safe.”
“My royal blood will be diluted by the third daughter of a rebellious earl!” Michael exploded and then started coughing all over again. Several alarms went off and a team of doctors ran in. Sarah watched as the Alpha’s vitals started to crash. The doctors pulled them out of the room, and Sarah turned to John in a panic.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean...”
“It’s okay,” he assured her. “Either he accepts it or he doesn’t. This moment is up to him. We have already made our choice.”
“My lord.” It seemed that they could never have a conversation without being interrupted by someone or something urgent. In this case, it was a messenger, handing John a sealed message. Sarah recognized that it was sealed with the werewolf Alpha seal. John unrolled it and then raised his eyebrows.
“Speaking of Stanley,” he said, “he would like us to attend a meeting, immediately.”
“What right does he have to call us to a meeting?” Sarah asked. “Dragons rule over the werewolves.”
John raised an eyebrow at her.
“That kind of attitude, my lady, is an invitation to start a war.”
“If he wants to see you, then he can come here,” Sarah declared. “On our terms.”
He could have reacted badly, but instead he leaned over, kissing her cheek.
“Spoken like a true queen already,” he said and Sarah smiled.
“I take it that me leaving now is not the best option.”
“Not politically,” John said. “What can we do with your classes?”
“I can probably arrange to defer them if they are not available by distance education,” she said. “But they should be. This is the modern age, not the old ways where you have to actually attend class.”
“I need to talk to your father,” John said. “Michael will not keep this a secret. If he survives this moment.”
“He will,” Sarah put her hand on his shoulder. “Your father is strong. He will not go until he knows all is well.”
“Mmm,” John took a deep breath, and in a rare moment, Sarah saw emotion flood into his eyes. “I don’t know if I’m ready to do this.”
“No one feels ready,” she said. “But you take on the burden when it’s time, and you figure it out. We’ll figure it out. Together.”
John squeezed her hand and then took a deep breath and wiped his eyes.
“Alright,” he said. “First thing is we should call your father.”
“I have a feeling it’s not going to be as difficult as talking to yours,” Sarah said. “Do you want to do it in your room?”
“If we can get five minutes’ peace there,” he said, and then looked up at a waiting nurse. “Is he alright?”
“Yes, he’s settled down now,” the nurse said. “I don’t want to overstep my bounds, my lord... but he really needs rest these days.”
“I know,” John said. “Unfortunately, the kingdom spins on while he lies there. Please keep me or my brothers updated on his condition. And, of course, retrieve us if... anything changes.”
“Yes,” she said. “Of course, my lord.”
“Come on, Sarah,” John took her hand, and she felt a thrill go through her spine. He had never held her hand in such a public place before, and she felt strong and confident as they walked towards his massive bedchambers to make the call.
When they finally got her parents on the line, it wasn’t quite the same reaction as Michael gave. However, there was such a long period of silence that Sarah was worried that the camera had frozen.
“Mother?” she asked. “Father? Did you hear us?”
“We... heard you,” the earl said. “But I’m not sure we heard you correctly. Is this... the truth?”
“I know it seems like a quick turnaround,” Sarah said, talking quickly. “And I know it seems like I’m losing my mind. But I assure you, the prince and I...”
“I assure you, my lord and lady,” John said, his voice slow and even. Sarah called it his prince tone of voice, and he seemed to be able to calm all beings when he used it. “Your daughter will be well provided for and taken care of.”
“Do your parents agree?” Earl Henry asked.
“They...” John said. “It is a difficult time for my parents, as I am sure you have heard. However, they will indeed agree to the match when things are a little more settled.”
Sarah raised her eyebrow at John but didn’t say anything. If he wanted to feel that confident, she wasn’t going to argue with him.
“I see,” Earl Henry answered, glancing to the countess. “Well... of course, we agree to the match. Congratulations.”
Sarah’s face broke out in a smile.
“Thank you!” she cried. “Thank you, Mother! Thank you, Father!”
“Of course,” her mother smiled. “Just tell us when you are planning the ceremony. Do you think it will be quickly?”
“Possibly,” Sarah glanced at John. “We haven’t... planned beyond that. We just thought that you’d want to know first. And, of course, John would never have proceeded without permission.”
“Of course,” the earl dipped his head. “I am grateful for the request.”
A knock came at the door, and John sighed.
“Sorry,” he said and handed Sarah the tablet.
“Go,” she told him as he went outside the door.
“Sarah,” her mother said, as soon as they were alone in the room. “This is very sudden. Just a couple of weeks ago you were... not of this mindset. Especially towards the royal prince.”
“I know,” Sarah said. “I know. But things change. He’s my fated mate. I have to be with him, Mother.”
“You don’t have to be with him if you disapprove of everything he stands for,” her mother replied and her father shot her a dirty look.
“We are giving permission for our daughter to be the next queen of the kingdom,” he said. “I don’t think we should be...”
“D
oes her happiness not matter?” her mother questioned him.
“I am happy!” Sarah protested. “I love him. He’s my match.”
“But will you be able to get along with him for the rest of your life?” she asked and Sarah smiled.
“I didn’t know that was a prerequisite,” she said. “But I will love him. And I will be a good queen.”
“That you will, my dear,” her mother said with a smile. “That you will.”
The call ended and Sarah flopped down on John’s bed, waiting for him to come back.
It was settled, then. The only question was when they would find time to be married, in this chaos. First, she thought, they needed to deal with the werewolves. Once they settled that, she could see herself peacefully walking down the aisle.
Chapter 12
“Hello,” Nathan said to John as he handed him the final report before Stanley, the Alpha, arrived. “Everyone is yelling.”
“I’ve noticed,” John said with a wry smile as he took the final report. “Do you think that you could do anything about that? It’s nearly impossible to have a meeting when everyone is yelling about a million different things.”
“I would have thought you could do something about it,” Nathan said. “Seeing as you were the one that caused it by announcing your intent to marry Lady Sarah.
“I don’t think I caused all the yelling,” John said. “Sarah caused half of it.”
“Stanley is here,” Joshua entered the room then. “His ship has just arrived. The report I’ve received from his boarding list says that his son, Devon, is also on board.”
“Devon was just here,” John said. “When we met for the heirs’ meeting. Why does he find the need to come back?”
“I don’t mind Devon,” Nathan said with a shrug. “He seems reasonable. A hundred times more reasonable than his father.”
“We’ll see about that,” John muttered as he glanced over the report. “Joshua, have him meet me in the throne room. Lady Sarah is waiting there.”
“Oh, is she queen already?” Joshua asked and John glared at him.
“She will be,” he said and headed into the throne room. He was annoyed that it seemed everywhere he turned, someone had a critique of what he wanted to do. His gaze softened when Sarah met his eyes. She was sitting on the steps to the throne, working on a tablet. Whether she was doing schoolwork or reading the documents he had received earlier remained a mystery, as she put it down when she saw him.
“Is he here?” she asked and John nodded.
“Yes. And Devon is with him. I’m going to sit on Father’s throne. I think you should..”
“No,” she said. “Not yet. When we are married and I am coronated, I will do so. However, we have already ruffled enough feathers these days. We don’t want to ruffle any more.”
“I think that is going to be our specialty,” he responded as the doors opened. Sarah quickly stood up, standing beside his throne, as Lord Stanley entered with Prince Devon at his side.
Because the dragons ruled over the werewolves, Stanley and Devon should bow to John. However, they did not, which made John cock an eyebrow.
“Lord Stanley,” he said. “It’s always a pleasure to see you.”
“I made out my last will and testament before I came,” Stanley answered. “Just in case you decided to kill us too.”
“What?”
“Isn’t that the policy?” Stanley asked. “Hostile werewolves on your land mean that you kill them rather than show the other shifters an ounce of respect?”
“An ounce of respect would be not having your rebels attack my guests,” John said with a growl. “This is Lady Sarah Beckwith, and had she not been alert when those rebels attacked, she would be on a funeral pyre right now.”
Stanley barely glanced to Lady Sarah.
“That may very well be, but...”
“You did not know your rebels were heading in my direction?” Sarah asked him, unafraid to speak up. Stanley looked positively insulted to be addressed by her, and he growled.
“I did not,” he said. “But I have come here to inform you that we have had enough of dragon brutality. You do not show the other shifters an ounce of respect, and we hereby declare—”
“Wait,” Sarah cut him off before he could say the word war. “The policy of the old ways is to kill the rebels who attack. That is not a policy that John and I agree with.”
Stanley stopped talking, looking between the two of them.
“What?”
“It’s true,” John said, vocalizing his agreement with his future wife. “The wolves were killed on the spot. We would be happy to return the bodies to you. However, we both agree that they should not have been killed. In the future, should such an attack occur, we will not be so... quick to do so.”
Stanley glanced to Devon, who shrugged.
“How would you like it?” Stanley asked. “If we had dragons on our land that we slaughtered?”
“Do you?” John asked, his eyes narrowing.
“He doesn’t,” Sarah said. “I assure you of that. He simply wants equal treatment.”
“Lady Sarah,” Alpha Stanley looked her up and down. “What exactly qualifies you to...”
Sarah began to list her degrees until John cut her off.
“Lady Sarah and I are a match because of our difference in upbringing,” John said. “And moving forward with this difficult situation... we’d like to work more closely alongside you.”
“If you do not, we will declare...”
“You will not come into my palace and threaten me,” John looked right down his nose at the werewolf Alpha.
“I think what my father means,” Devon cut in, “is that we’ve enjoyed peace for so long. We are working hard to quash these rebellions and we would not want them to destroy the peace of our kingdoms.”
“What are you doing?” Sarah asked, looking between them.
“What?” Devon asked, confused.
“What are you doing to quash the rebellion?” she asked. “What actions are you taking?”
“We are listening to our intelligence reports,” he said. “And taking out the leaders, one by one. You know how rebellions are, my lady. Once the leaders are gone, the rest is nothing.”
“We would like those reports,” she said, turning to John. “Wouldn’t we?”
“Yes,” John agreed. “I think we would. You will share them with our intelligence department?”
“Yes,” Stanley promised, and bowed again, seeing that the conversation was over.
“Well,” John said, standing up. “Then it seems we have resolved our issues, for now.”
“Yes,” Stanley said, although his answer sounded strange. “It seems like we have for now.”
“We all want the same thing,” John said, looking the Alpha in the eyes. “We want peace and an end to this terrible time.”
“We do,” Stanley concurred and then paused. “How is your father?”
“He is as well as can be expected,” John answered, his jaw set. Stanley and Devon bowed again and then walked out of the room. As soon as the doors were closed, John turned to Sarah.
“How dare he say such things? How dare he...”
“John, calm down,” Sarah implored, recognizing the look in his eyes.
“I will not,” John said. “When my father dies, I will not have anyone question my place on the throne. I can’t, Sarah. I can’t... for they will know that I question it myself.”
“My love,” she put her hand gently on his arm. “You have no reason to question yourself.”
“I do,” he said, and his wild eyes met hers. “You don’t wear a crown yet, you don’t understand. One wrong move, one slip-up and thousands of bodies are on your hands. One moment, one blink, and your family could be...”
“Those are not realities, John,” she said firmly. “They are only fears.”
He searched her eyes for a moment and then took a deep breath. He seemed to calm down and his mood shifted.
“How do you think that went?” he asked finally.
“I think it went... I don’t know,” she said. “I think he’s lying. However, it’s a good start.”
“You think he’s lying?” John asked. “About what?”
“I don’t think that we will ever see intelligence reports,” Sarah predicted, “because I don’t think they have them. Frankly, I think that the rebels are operating decriminalized.”
“Stanley is ordering it?” John asked. “Impossible. If we found that out, we would end his rule.”
“Stanley is not ordering it,” she said. “But he’s not prosecuting them. And did you see how his prince was of such a different mindset? Either Devon doesn’t know or he’s opposed to it. I don’t think that your enemy is with him. When Stanley dies, if this is not squashed, it will be at his last breath.”
“It’s an interesting perspective,” John said. “But I’m not sure it’s a perspective we will be able to convince anyone else of.”
“Well, we should at least try,” Sarah said. “Your father will be waiting for a report.”
“Yes,” John said, looking around as if he expected someone else to burst in and delay him. When no one did, he offered Sarah his hand to help her down. She got down three steps all right, but then stopped, putting a hand on her side.
“Ow!” she exclaimed, half in surprise.
“What’s the matter?” he asked. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she said, dismissing it. “Just moved the wrong way for a moment.”
“Are you sure?” he asked. “Because if you’re unwell...”
“It just happens once in a while,” she said.
“What happens once in a while?”
“I just... I don’t know. Don’t you randomly get aches and pains you can’t explain?” she asked. He raised an eyebrow.
“No,” he said flatly. She smiled.
“It’s fine, I’m just getting old. You will too, one day,” she said. “Now, shall we go see your father?”
“I think you should tell him how the meeting went,” John said.
“Really?” she asked. “It’s not like talking to him went so well last time.”
“He’s going to have to get used to it,” John maintained as they walked. Sarah held her head high, ready to approach the Alpha with confidence. Despite the fact that she was confident in herself, it was still nerve-wracking when the Alpha was being disagreeable.