The Lotus Trials

Chapter XXIV

Gemma's POV:
The pack house was the focus. Lotus' heart stood tall, as perfectly polished as ever, yet there was something off. It was so quiet. Much too quiet for this sort of community, especially as the sun was shining so bright, high up in the beautiful summer afternoon sky. Why did I stand alone? As if I was looking through a camera or watching a TV my vision suddenly widened, showing instead that little sliver of happiness standing within a wasteland.

The vibrant green grass was now black. The great pecan trees surrounding me were now bare, their nuts rotting on the weeding beneath them. The summer blossoms were still beautiful in a terrifying way, their bright seasonal shades now replaced with petals of black and silver. Mirroring the pack house was not the training rings and stunning forest beyond, but instead grave after grave of pure white stone to mock the destruction around me. I looked down the line, dread filling me.

Front and center, side by side, I saw them.

Selene Winters

Harper Winters

Thomas Winters

Darien Winters

And to break all packs' traditions of an alpha and luna's unity through life and death, the final gravestones rested to Selene's left and Darien's right. Was I a spirit, then, falling to my knee's beside my mate's headstone, cursing the distance between us in our final resting place? Was I a spirit, cursing my maiden name written on my stone down by my brother-in-law's? Had Zeke and I ever been married? Was I so awful a queen I couldn't share his name?

"Oh, Gemma." I looked up, seeing a veiled woman standing over me, a pale hand stroking the top of Zeke's tombstone. "He had his queen. The people loved her. But look at the pair of you. Tricking yourself into this bond won't earn the people's favor. Second-chance mates? Don't be a fool. Abandon him and save yourself before you find yourself here. You caused this plague, Gemma Hart. No true queen wants to harm her people, does she?"

She waved behind her and I sobbed as I took in one stone after the next. I saw hundreds. Perhaps crossing the thousand mark. It could have been the pack's entirety. This was a genocide. "Look at what you've done. Men, women, and children—infants even—taken by this plague. Walk away, Gemma. It's your hands that will be clean or stained red."
~~~~~
I woke up shaking like a leaf. "Gemma?" Thin arms came around me and I looked down to find Selene tucked in beside me. "Your colors are bad. Why are you scared?"

She didn't wait for an answer, thank goodness, scrambling to the door and calling for Zeke. I hadn't noticed him and my brother outside the cracked door. I felt a bit awkward, seeing the latter there. He had no hesitations though, shoving through the doorway first and hugging me gently. I gave him an awkward attempt at a hug and he pulled away, finally understanding where we stood.

"I really am sorry, Gem."

"I know."

"I understand why you don't want to come home now. Congratulations. It sounds like you'll be happy here."

"I will." I wouldn't let him see past the shield. There's only one person who needs to hear a thing about that dream. He nodded, wordlessly heading for the door. Zeke waved Selene out after him. "Don't look so amused. Despite my disagreements with your brother as an alpha, he isn't terrible babysitting material. Besides, Selene loves Sienna and she's just around the corner, so..." He sat on the edge of the bed, stroking my cheek. "Gem, I can tell when something's wrong with you. You were terrified when you woke up. What happened?"

"I didn't want anyone else here when I told you. It was a nightmare, but different somehow. I think it's about the riddle. The pack was wiped out. Everyone and everything was dead. A thousand graves. There was this woman who said we were making a mistake. After my coronation this will be a chain reaction. She said..."

"Gemma?"

"She said to abandon you or bring this plague. If I marry you I'll have blood on my hands."

"And you think this woman is just going to stand down if you go back to Eclipse?" I shook my head. "Do you want to be my mate?"

"Of course I do."

"Then no nightmare, no matter how true is going to stop our wedding, is it?"

The second he took my hand he gasped, releasing me as he staggered from the bedside chair. "Zeke? What just happened?"

"I saw it. I saw your nightmare. The graves, the forest... You, my parents, my brother. Oh, my sweet Selene."

"How did you see it? Not even mates share dreams."

He shook his head, beginning to pace. "That's a mystery for later. Entry to Lotus following the trials ball will be selective. The wedding and coronation, family and formal members only." Ever the perfect king, planning for the worst. I didn't want to talk about this anymore. I eased up to a sitting position, my head thumping against the headboard. He came back to sit on the bed, stroking my hair. "First we need to worry about you getting back into shape. You think you'll be ready for the announcements tomorrow?"

"Probably. I feel better than I thought I would."

"Good. I'm amazed by you, Gemma."

"Why?"

"Well, there were a few rules broken at your trial."

"I did? But I was careful to—" He chuckled. "I don't need a free pass, Zeke."

"Sweetheart, I meant that you were fighting a dozen wolves instead of one. And they were invisible. Even if you had killed one or two, no one would call it favoritism or a free pass for me to name you a victor."

"I would."

"You're too hard on yourself. No one needs you to prove anything, Gemma. Not me, not your brother. You've done enough to honor your parents and more."

"Have I? I feel like there's more."

"Gemma, I know you'd give and give until you have nothing and I have to worry how far that means you'll go."

"I didn't exactly want to die in that fight."

"Would you have let yourself die before killing one of them, Gemma?"

I stayed silent. Could I, when I'd vowed never take a life? I'd told my wolf not to kill and given her control. "That was my wolf fighting them. Raya could sense them. I told her not to kill, but she would have, if it came down to it. There was no giving in." He relaxed slightly and I suddenly remembered that if I died too he would just be repeating the last three years of his life. "This wasn't my fault, but I promise to not be too reckless."

"I know it wasn't. And thank you." I scooted over, pulling him into the bed with me. "I love you, Gemma. Watching you down there...I was terrified through every second of it." He ran a hand over the bandaging on my right arm. "Some of these will scar."

"I'm not too vane. They'll make for cool small talk later on." He snorted. "What?"

"Cool small talk?"

"Judging me, Your Majesty?"

"Never."

"Let me guess, then. I amuse you?"

"Indeed you do, my lovely mate. Indeed you do."