All The Queen's Monsters (The Queen's Slave, Book 3)

One: At World's End

YEAR ONE

"I Still Love You"

By: Josh Jenkins

"LIFE IS NOT MEASURED BY THE AMOUNT OF BREATHS YOU TAKE BUT BY THE MOMENTS THAT TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY."

-MAYA ANGELOU

A Z A L E A

I remembered the harsh winter wind, pulling at my fur as I stood at the edge of the lake, my yellow eyes pinned on the lethally gorgeous Hades in his full glory, all the rough angles and smooth complexities of a greek god. He towered above Kore but at least a head or two, and the sky darkened as massive black wings rose behind him. But then he caught sight of me, his gaze though sharp clear, but filled with madness, a roiling darkness that spoke of his talent for death.

The curse that fled his lips ripped everything away from me in the span of a second. Mere hours after birth, I stood ready to die to protect my kingdom, my wolves, and my family.

And then it was all gone.

🍃

"Hurtless"

By: Dean Lewis

I woke to Elizabeth's voice in both my ears and mind, the urgency in her tone hitting me like a freezing bucket of water. I shot up, wincing at the pain in my belly. I was still very sore, and the swelling in my stomach from carrying triplets still showed. But none of that mattered, because now I had company. I snapped awake at the panic on Elizabeth and Camille's face as they raced from my bedside to conceal and protect our children, strapping them into the safe carriers on their chests that we'd had made in case of this very situation. The earth shook beneath my feet, a sound so loud it was deafening and I snarled at the hailing fire raining from the sky, rushing to put on my clothes, unable to think past my urge to get our babies to safety.

Deep rooted fear stretched through my chest as the tent opening flared outward in front of me, and I didn't think, I just screamed her name as she fell from the sky as Hades watched. He was inexplicably younger than I had ever imagined him, yet no less terrifying as great black wings flapped on either side of him, larger than even Kore's, their shadow blotting out the sun. The sound I made in those moments as she fell was near inhuman, her golden hair streaming as she flipped and tumbled through the sky, the wind tearing into her clothes. I knew one wing was at least broken, judging by the way it lay crumpled into her side.

"It will take a lot more than cold water and a broken wing to kill a goddess, my dear child."

An sensual voice entered my mind, unwanted, the chill of his touch slithered down my spine. My lips peeled back into a low snarl and with a defiant snap, my wolf shoved him out and locked the door behind his creepy ass. I lifted my muzzle to the sky, finding him easily, catching the gleam as his eyes flashed at me under his dark curly hair. His wings made an ominous thwap thwap, vibrating the air and raising the fur on my back and haunches.