Rejecting His Queen [Amazon Edition]

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"You need to close your eyes and calm your mind Isabella." Moira instructs calmly, her voice soothing as I do as told. I close my eyes, feeling the soft breeze that wraps around me and caresses my skin. The weather today is warm, the need for my cloak now gone as the days become warmer.

"Now, I need you to think about a dark cloud full of rain, just one cloud forming between your hands." The witch continues, her body close to mine as her hands position mine shoulder width apart. I can feel the energy using my powers bring coursing through my blood. Feel my heart pulsating in time with the energy inside me as I wiggle my fingers.

I think about a full fluffy cloud, one that slowly grows darker and darker as rain fills it up and just before the down pour comes, I stop as the sensation of something brushing against my finger tips signals me to be still. A gasp of surprise forces me to open my eyes and soon I see what has Moira shocked.

Between my hands is a single dark cloud, lightning rolling inside the fluffy dark grey mass as the feeling of it being heavy with rain surprised me. I have always seen these type of clouds in the sky, always threatening to spill with my emotions in turmoil. But the day remains clear and the only speck of a disaster to come is between my finger tips. I wonder what I can do with this cloud and think about lightning hitting the ground underneath it, squealing with surprise when a flash lands between my feet and look to Moira with fear.

"You thought about lightning, didn't you?" She asks through uncontrolled laughter as my fearful look turns into an unamused eye roll that I send her way.

"Yes, and I did not think it would actually work!" I defend myself, focusing back on the storm cloud. I wonder what else I can do before a thought comes to mind. With a smirk, I throw the cloud towards Moira and watch in amazement as a torrent of rain falls onto the witch before the cloud disappears. Both of us look at each other in surprise before I kneel over clutching my stomach, laughing so hard that I find myself leaning against the tower Moira resides in. The look of shock and anger on her face confirms that I have just taken another step in controlling my powers, one I feel will come in handy soon.

"Okay, I think that's enough training for you." Moira grumbles out, waving her hand and instantly drying herself. I heartily agree, feeling myself slightly drained from the act of conjuring a storm cloud. Following Moira into her tower, I make my way to her small kitchen were a fresh batch of cinnamon rolls wait, serving up a plate for the two of us as she rummages through the books on her shelf.

"Did you finish the book I gave you on our first meeting?" She asks as I set our plates on the table, a smile on her face as she pulls out another leather bound book from the shelves.

"I did. Liam and I read through it when neither of us were busy with our duties. He is excited to mate with me." I answer, catching a smirk on the witch's face.

"Liam will make a great King one day. You chose a good one Isabella." She praises, handing me the leather book as she walks past me to grab the two glasses of milk I had poured to go with our snack.

"What is this book about?" I ask, lowering myself into my favourite arm chair with the book placed on the coffee table and the cinnamon roll in my hands.

"A book about the weather and how it forms." Moira answers, piquing my curiosity.

"I want you to read it chapter by chapter and practice creating each weather effect. You no longer fear your powers like you did two weeks ago, but you also lack a sense of how to form and control many things like a tornado or just a bolt of lightning." Moira explains, handing me a glass of milk before taking her spot on her sofa and digging into the cinnamon roll she made. I think about her words and realize she is right; I need to learn how to create different weather patterns and control them for battle. I sigh, thinking about the problem of the Shadows and wonder if my powers will help eradicate any threat to my Kingdom.

"You need a run." Moira calls out after a long comfortable silence surrounds us.

"I have no time for a run." I answer quietly, putting my empty plate and cup on the table and turning to look at the roaring fire in the fireplace.

"But you need one. You are a wolf and being trapped inside all day is not good for you."

"It's hard finding the time between the Shadow problem, meetings with my retainers and training for a potential war." I groan out, running fingers through my hair as I think about the last time I ran in wolf form. It must have been two months ago, the upcoming coronation becoming too much to handle for a moment with my mother bringing in each and every minute detail of the day to me for approval. I remember feeling so overwhelmed and just sneaking out one night to run free in the snow, letting the cold surround me as I run into the forest. As usual Liam found me the next day resting in a cave where I stretched out by a fire I made. We stayed there, hunting in fur form for a few days before I was calm enough to return home where mother and I had a talk and she gave me some space.

"Talk to Liam and have a day off with him. Run around is wolf form like a bunch of pups and you'll find your stress melt away." Moira takes my hand in hers, giving me a gentle smile. I am glad I came to her for advice two weeks ago, so glad I grew to love this woman like an aunt. Her advice and care for me is one I have only gotten from close friends and family. With her help, the pack has slowly warmed up to me. No longer fearing me and keeping me at arms length.

"I'll talk to him tonight and ask about taking two days away for the both of us. That's all I can take because in three days all the Alphas come back for a meeting." I agree, watching the woman before me nod with her smile brightening.

"Good, you need a break every so often Isabella." She is right. After promising to talk with Liam, Moira and I bid farewell for now and with a new book in hand, I exit her tower and make my way back towards the palace. The sun is shining as I take the long way back, deciding to stop by the garden and see how much life has come back to it. I can see the large piles of snow now nearly gone since yesterday, the stone benches I used to lay across when hiding from my mother now no longer buried. The pond where water lilies and lotuses would float on is thawed out, the water crystal clear and rippling from the small breeze.

"How was training with Moira." Liam calls out from my left, his footsteps approaching me.

"It was good. I soaked her with a storm cloud." I admit with a smirk, the sight of her shocked face still fresh in my mind. He chuckles, his left hand reaching to twirl a strand of my raven hair between his fingers.

"It sounds like you took a new step in controlling the weather." He muses, my smirk becoming a grin.

"I no longer fear myself. Its thanks to you, Moira, Kelly and Mira for accepting me for who I am." I state, turning to look at Liam only to find his blue eyes already trained on me. My breath catches in my throat as I see the love and adoration in his eyes, the devotion that he had only for me making me feel like the only girl in the world.

"Would..." I begin, blushing as I look away for a moment.

"Would you like to get away for a few days and just run wild in wolf form?" I ask, feeling a soft yet calloused touch under my chin as Liam gently forces me to look at him.

"I'd love to. When do we leave?" His voice is deep and husky, the tension between us growing. I swallow, unable to find my words as I inch myself closer to his body.

"Tomorrow morning sound good?" My words are a whisper as we lean closer to one another, his lips just hovering above mine.

"Sounds perfect." Before I know it, his lips have captured mine in a heated kiss, one that makes my mind go numb and knees weak. I have never been kissed like this before, feeling the emotions of someone I am hopelessly in love with and returning the same emotions to them. One hand wraps around my waist, pulling me flush against Liam's body while the other finds its way into my hair, tangling itself in my locks and keeping me from pulling away, not that I would anyways. Sadly, the kiss comes to an end and I am left breathless as Liam sends a breath taken smirk my way.

"I think I am going to go for a cold shower before I mark you when you aren't ready." He chuckles out, placing a kiss on my forehead.

"I will come get you from your room at dawn tomorrow so we can avoid everyone and I have a place in mind where we can hide away." He continues, wrapping me in a hug before leaving me where I stand. I can feel my heart beating, feel my mind still wrapping around the kiss from earlier and I know that soon I will be mated to a man I love.