Queen's Awakening

Queen

Nicole's POV

I lay cuddled with Nikki and my co-mates. Courtney's mind is finally calm. The full change into a wolf and our mate bond is easing her jealousy. There will always be some jealous moments of course, but she is excepting our unorthodox entanglement. I find her hand and squeeze it gently. Closing my eyes I try to rest it doesn't last. The door opens startling me awake.

"Wake up the hunters want to hold a meeting." Tom says in an apologetic voice. I groan I'm not sure I can walk yet. Tom places clothes on the bed. He wears the clothing of a Queen's General. It's changed over the years. This version is blue jeans, military boots, and a leather duster. Of course no shirt it's traditional for them to show off their bare chest. If I wasn't so weak I'd laugh. Yep got to show off the muscles. Tom does look really fine in it. Nikki will too.

Tom is quick to see my problem and gently helps me dress. Where did they ever find a duster to fit my height? I muse. My co-mates get the joy of matching me except our shirts are different colors. Mine is royal purple. They wear blue.

We are about to leave the room. I stop.

"I need a moment to speak to Courtney. Please give us a few minutes." I whisper to the men. Tom and Nikki look a little concerned, but they leave us alone. I turn to her and take her hand.
"Court you will always be the Alpha female in our family. I will always be your beta. But when I have to be Luna I need you to except me as such. I need you. You keep the home fires burning. You take care of our men and children when I can't. I have to be mother to the packs right now. Can you play your role and be my beta when I am Luna?"

"Yes Nicole, I can." She answers with a little sass. I smirk. I love my sister and sometimes rival.

"Courtney I have a request." I say softly.

"What is it?" She asks.

"If something happens to me. Please take Jason publicly as your husband among the packs?" I ask.

"Don't talk like that nothing is going to happen to you." She blurts out.

"It could, being what I am makes me a target for people who fear us. Just promise me you won't leave Jason alone." I plead.

"I won't, I promise." She pauses then speaks again. "Nicole don't you think we should just make it official anyway. Lance says it's not uncommon for a Luna to have multiple mates and co-mates to aide her. He said it would make the packs feel more secure if our arrangement was an actual marriage. I'm willing now. We already act it. Why not take the vows."

"I love you, you're my sister. I didn't want to pressure you." I sigh. "Yes it's what I want. I love him."

"I know you do, you risked your life for him last night without any thought of yourself." She answers quietly. I pull her into a brief hug.

"We have a meeting to attend. We better go." I state quickly. The thought of loosing any of my family is painful. Now I feel the need to touch them and reassure myself that everyone is ok. Last night had been horrid as Luna I had felt every death that happened around me even the hybrid hunters.

Nikki's POV

We wait patiently for the women. They finally come out of the house peacefully. I'm relieved. Courtney leads Nicole to me and places her hand in mine. I'm surprised, but I don't have time to think on it right now. We have a meeting to attend. I take her hand with pride she may be tiny but the vibe she is giving off is larger than life. The others take their place as their status dictates and we escort our Luna and our mate to a large tent that had been set up for this unscheduled meeting. The wolves refused to enter the Hunter's gathering hall. I don't blame them trust isn't something that suddenly happens overnight between long time enemies.

We enter the temporary shelter. We are last to show, but damn she did it with style. Every male turned to stare, even the hunters. She made her entrance like the queen she is every move like she has practiced for years. I smirk as I pull out her chair for her. As she takes her seat only her closest family know how really tired she is from the night before. She has shown no weakness to her adversaries. I turn to Courtney and pull out a chair next to Nicole for her. Then a chair for Yennefer. We men may be her generals, but her sisters are her betas. I take my seat on the other side of Nicole. Jason and Tom sit near me. Four Elder council members sit on either side of us. We are the ones who are going to speak for the wolves. The council of Seven along with men representing the Chasen clan sit across from us. I hadn't expected Shamus and his brothers.

"Greetings Queen Risen." Adams says with a pleasant smile.

"Let's drop the pageantry and get to the point." Nicole sweetly answers.

"Yes of course as you wish. We need to figure out how to get this vampire hive out of my backyard and discuss what we will do if others of these hives exist elsewhere." Adams begins the discussion.

"I have an idea." Shamus speaks up. We all look in his direction.

"Well what is it nephew?" Adams asks. Shamus smirks.

"I've noticed over the years that vampires don't seem to like my blood much. I'm sure you shifters know they don't care much for yours either. Last night yes they were fighting everyone, but their preference is human blood. I believe l and a chosen wolf could walk right into their hive without disturbing them. We plant some explosion and walk out. Boom we blow them to pieces."

"Are you crazy?" one of the council members laughs.

"Maybe a little Cooke, but I think it would work." Shamus answers grinning.

"I don't like the idea of you or anyone going in. He's right though. They are asleep the only thing that would wake them is the smell of human blood. A shifter would have to cut themselves pretty bad to be much of an enticement. It would work in theory." Celine agrees with her son.

"Thanks Mom," he grins. Some stare at Celine I worry for a moment there will be some nastiness. I hear a few comments from our audience. Shamus turns and glares. They go silent.

"Things could go horribly wrong for you and the person going with you." Nicole says calmly.

"Yes that's why I plan to be the first to enter. I wouldn't ask someone else to do this. I just need a volunteer to go with me." He says looking around at us wolves.

"I'll go." Tom sighs. "He's right it has to be one of us." He volunteered before I or Jason could. Tom smirks at me.
"Sixx there is no way I'd let you. Besides If you disappeared people would definitely notice. Jason I've been dead legally for years now. It might as well be me to risk it." He turns to Shamus. "What's your plan?" They wonder off to make their plans leaving us to hash out the rest.

"I need to have a promise of peace if we are going to work together." Nicole says eyeing the men across the table.

"You have our word as The Seven. We are all in agreement. Thanks to you Luna." He answers with a enigmatic smile. Nicole turns to the Chasen clan patriarch Billy

"I owe You a debt for saving my clansmen, when you could have had some revenge and let them die. You have my word no one in my clan will hunt a shifter again unless it is a combined effort with your council to bring in a dangerous rouge." He answers. Nicole reaches across the table and shakes his hand.

"Heads of the Wolf Council do you agree with this, you've all been oddly quiet through this." She asks.

"Yes we agree." Lances answers for the council. "You were just handling everything so well." He complements silently.

"Now that this is settled I'll send out word for wolves to keep a look out for hives. This can't be the only one awakening." Nicole sighs heavily.

She is tired and her breasts are painfully full. We need to get her home and in her own bed with her cubs.

"Yes we do." Jason agrees mentally.