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

Six: Two Souls One Body

"I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME EVERYTHING I EVER WANTED. A LOVE THAT CONSUMED ME, ADVENTURE, PASSION, THERE'S MORE THAT I COULD HAVE ASKED FOR EXCEPT FOR IT TO LAST FOREVER."

-ELENA GILBERT

"Lovely"

By: Billie Eilish (ft. Khalid)

A Z A L E A

I watched from the barren trees, dry and cracked they moaned as hot wind tore through their branches, twigs littering my fur. My nose lifted, working to catch the fleeting trail of scents, my hackles raising as a pungent odor filled my nostrils. A snarl curled my lip, my wolf's eyes sharp and cunning, tracking that scent with brutal accuracy. Behind me, the alpha male didn't make a sound, his paws as light as a feather despite the searing pain of hot ground. I panted, trotting along, enjoying the breeze through my fur.

It wasn't long before more wolves joined me. The alpha female bumped my side in greeting, her butt low to the ground and her ears flat as a wrinkled wolf smile peered from her face. I barked and bumped her shoulder with my paw, tapping lightly. Tail wagging, I barked again as she leaped away from me only to bound back, her butt in the air and paws flat on the ground. A symphony of images flooded my mind, her and I bounding through a creek, rolling in the water. And then she sent me an image of a cave, hidden behind a large waterfall. I cocked my head, whining. She loved back and licked my chin.

"Come with me." Her wolf pawed me back.

My tail lifted as the alpha joined us, his eyes distant. He flicked an ear back in agitation, a low rumbly growl building in his chest. "The den is not far. We go."

Wrinkling my lip, I bumped him with my flank, feeling boisterous and wanting to play. He snarled and snapped at me, and I snapped back, my joyful exterior fading into a challenge, a warning rumble building in my chest. My fur raised in warning, but it was short-lived as rolled onto his belly in apology.

I sniffed and trotted on, my nose held high, feeling pleased when his mate trotted along side me. Our keen eyes scanned the horizon as we headed towards the den, and I stopped as movement caught my eye. My fur prickled, my muscles tightened, and my growl shook the ground. My nose told me they were humans, but bad. They smelled of death, of malice and greed. My stomach rumbled, my wolf licking her lips. I admit I agreed with her plan once the vehicle they traveled in came into view.

An armored truck, filled to the brim with females of all ages.

I looked at the alpha male, my teeth showing. At his answering snap of jaws, I took off, dust filling the air. Breathing heavy, I slowed to a stop in the middle of the road, and their tires stilled. I just stared, my mind split between wolf and woman, but no less angry.

"Look at that fucking thing!" A man whistled, slamming the truck door as the driver cautiously closed his. My ears pricked forward, following their every movement with acute precision.

"Goddamn that's the biggest fucking wolf I've ever seen."

"I wonder what it's doing in the desert. Hey boy, you hungry? It looks thin."