Rejecting His Queen [Amazon Edition]

Chapter 2

A hand shaking my shoulder pulls my focus from the history book in my lap and I turn to face my mother who gives me a helpless look and shakes her head with a small sigh.
"We've landed Isabella. The crew is unloading our luggage and we will be un-boarding soon." Mother informs me. Sure enough, a few maids scurry along the private jet as they help clean the tables where scraps of food on plates lay untouched from our meal. What was considered a 4 hour flight from Ottawa where the Royal Pack is located - the palace being built on Mount Pakenham - to Muskoka – part of the territory where Frost Moon is located - flew by quickly with my nose buried in the large hard cover book. As I move to stand, I feel the effect of sitting in the same position for too long. My body aches as I stretch, the unmistakeable sound of my body cracking while my left foot tingles from falling asleep. Taking the time for my body to regain its usual motion to look out the window at the crystal clear Lake just outside of the airstrip. Muskoka was considered a beautiful tourist area at one point before the other races came out of hiding. Now its where the warriors pack lives deep within the woods.
"Princess, do you need help carrying your bag?" A maid asks, bringing my attention to the petite brunet patiently waiting a few feet away from me. It seems that I am the only one left in the cabin of the jet.
"No thank you. Lets hurry since everyone else is waiting for us." I answer, picking up my purse and putting the history book away inside. The maid bows, letting me take the lead as I exit the private jet and descend the staircase, my eyes scanning the forest and the air strip where a small building - most likely the control center - sits just to the left of the crystal clear water of the lake. The air is fresh and a slight breeze blows through the leaves, leaving me feeling refreshed by the scent of pine, maple and earth after sitting in a stuffy plane cabin for four hours.
Soldiers wait for us, their sunglasses covered eyes most likely scanning the woods for a threat hidden within the shadows while everyone files into their respective vehicles sent by Frost Moon. Once settled and luggage stored in car trunk, the vehicles and put into drive and the land scape begins to pass us by as we drive away from the air strip and towards the main pack settlement. Another hour of driving on the highway with many breath taking scenes of lakes and forest untouched and growing once again, we arrive at Barrie Ontario where the warriors pack sits.
The closer we drew to the pack, the more unsettled I felt for some odd reason, like my heart and soul knew something I did not that set me on edge.
"You okay dear?" my mother asks and I nod, taking a deep breath to try and calm my unsettled body. Some intuition told me that this trip to Frost Moon would be one I would not forget.
The car ride is filled with my parents talking about the Pack we would be visiting, the Alpha - Alpha Damon Frost – has been in power for the last twenty years and has decided to give up his search for his mate in order to rule his pack properly. I felt bad for the wolf as a mate is supposed to be a wonderful thing. But the one thing I did not agree on with Frost Pack is this one rule, that only wolves who are Warriors are allowed to be mated into the pack. This rule was established forty years ago when the previous Alpha - Jack Frost – lost his mate. No one knows what happened but all we know that if a member of Frost Pack found their mate and that mate turned out no to be a warrior, the Frost Pack member has two options. Option One, you leave your pack and family and join your mate's pack. Option two, you reject your poor mate and take a chosen mate that is a warrior. Unfortunately most Frost Pack wolves choose the latter option, breaking the hearts of their mates who are not warriors. The number of complaints sent to Nightlock about the Frost Pack rule has caused my father many headaches.
But dwelling on this information does not help me with the unease I feel.
With a sigh I turn my attention the binder that holds our agenda on this trip and what to expect from each pack to keep my mind off of the nerves that threaten to send me jumping. What interests me is the pack hunt that my Uncle plans for us and a grin spreads across my face. Of course he would plan this knowing how much I loved a good hunt.
"I see you have read the event your Uncle plans." My father chuckles out and I nod.
"Of course, ever since the redistribution of territories many endangered animals have slowly risen in numbers. Heck, the animals whose numbers were normal like deer and moose have even risen and hunting has become a popular way for packs to replenish their food storages especially up north in the Northern Territories, Yukon and Nunavut." I reply with a grin, my hands itching to turn into claws for the good hunt. I catch my mother roll her eyes at me and sigh inwardly. The image of a Queen is one I have never portrayed and her annoyance towards me is clear as day when it comes to this topic. My father chuckles as the drive slowly comes to an end and the pack house comes into view, a large mansion that houses the Alpha, some Omegas meant to work on the upkeep of the packhouse and a place for visiting packs. Outside, a small entourage waits for us as the driver to or vehicle quickly exits to come around and open the door for us.
"King Jonathan, Queen Lisandra, I am Beta Malcom." A large male steps forward as maids quickly get to work unpacking the luggage and taking them inside. I stand to the side, quietly watching things unfold as the unease inside me grows. Something would happen but I have no idea when.
"Beta Malcom, I was under the impression that Alpha Damon would greet us." My father states, shaking the man's hand albeit a little displeased by the situation before us.
"He was, but a group of rogues crossed the borders and stole a she-wolf who has yet to shift." Beta Malcom states. My father nods in understanding, knowing that if the female is not rescued right away she would be groomed to be bred or sold as a prostitute in no mans land once known as Newfoundland. Her safety for the pack is just as important as or arrival.
With the greeting now done, Malcom orders the maids to take everyone to their room, his eyes lingering on me with a questioning gaze, but I ignore him, preferring to stay at the back of the Royal Entourage and take in the beauty of the building before me. The outside is an early Victorian mansion, the large bay windows I can see over looking the front of the house seeming like a perfect place to curl up with a book to read or document while working. Of course I maintain my curiosity to just looking at what I pass by, instantly surprised that the old building on the outside holds a modern interior the moment I step through the doors.
"Miss, please follow me to your room." A maid diverts my attention from scanning the large entrance with a spiraling staircase and pristine marble floors to her, a nervous look on her face.
"Lead the way please." I reply, seeing her release a quiet sigh of relief before taking the lead up the stairs as I realize I had fallen behind and my pack members have already climbed the stairs before me.