Spurned Queen

Chapter 40: Imogen's Warning

Lexi

Cindy and I had a good cry before she felt ready to break our embrace. I made her promise she would spill to Tyler, and she said she would think about it. We had sat there for hours, chatting about random things. Then Jayden, the Beta, came looking for her since she had something to attend to at the pack.

I remained in the woods, too lazy to run back to the base (a group of warehouses we had usurped control of). I watched a line of ants march up and down the tree trunk, occasionally swiping at the mosquitoes that hummed around my head. My mind was extremely blank, and the silence of the forest wasn't trying to change that.

Suddenly, there was the flutter of a bird's wings as it descended into the clearing. My numb mind had no capacity of surprise when the bird turned out to be a bat and the bat turned out to be a vampire. An attractive, stately vampire. A female vampire.

Imogen.

"What do you want?" I droned in monotone.

She only regarded me with disdain and something that almost looked like interest. A strange combination that awakened me fully. Though she stood straight and tall before me, I noted how none of her weakest points were really open to attack. Her thin, empty hands looked delicate but I had seen her swing her mace. Her eyes were not wide enough to betray what she was thinking but not thin enough that she would miss anything. I caught those same hazel eyes skimming my figure, studying me the same way I had studied her — a sure mark of an alert individual.

A warrior in the truest sense. I didn't particularly like her, but even I could say that this lady being Aevran's lieutenant was an impeccable choice.

"Alexandra Payton," she began calmly and composedly.

I didn't move a muscle. I was sprawled on the tree limb, perfectly balanced and comfortable but very prone to attack. Nevertheless, I simply watched her placidly.

After all, she couldn't kill me if she tried.

"I've been watching you. An excellent fighter; a trainer in the camp. You seem to enjoy fighting in wolf form."

I tilted my head for her to continue. She searched me for any change in expression but I granted her nothing.

"Which is all very well," she added. Her foot shifted slightly; something was bothering her. "However, I couldn't help but notice a small... problem."

I raised my eyebrow. "Interesting," I said.

"A problem that includes the Vampire King, Aevran Ice."

I raised my other eyebrow. "Very interesting," I said. Had Aevran told her? I wasn't expecting him to.

"I've noticed that you both have... something going on. A little romance between the two of you. I am shocked to admit how far I think you have gone."

Lattis sat up with rapt attention. "And?"

"Well Miss Payton, there are several problems with that, the most important of which is that the king is already engaged. To me."

Oh no.

"He asked you to marry him?'' I gasped, disbelieving.

She smiled. "Not precisely, but yes, he did choose me to be his consort. In fact, we have been betrothed for over fifteen years."

"Fifteen—!?!" Wow. "What about his mate?" I asked.

"The king's mate has always been a special matter to him. He believes she would be the perfect queen; I do too. But she hasn't shown up, and unless she does before this war is over, as surely as little rabbits come from bigger rabbits, Aevran is mine." Imogen growled out the last word, her eyes hardening to a threatening glare. They relaxed almost immediately as she continued, "but surely you did not expect your little— liaison— to last?"

I laughed bitterly. "Oh? Why not?"

She gave me another searching glance. "No offense to your Kind, Miss Payton, but the Vampire King would never be serious about a werewolf."

I winced. She saw it. Valiantly attempting to soften her voice, she added, "I'm sorry if you expected much. But you really should forget about him. You're a strong Wolf; you shouldn't settle for being a side chic."

My wolf snarled and gained control. "Well, Imogen? What of yourself? How do you compare to Aevran's mate?" she snapped.

"I won't hold a candle to her," Imogen answered coolly; "at any rate, not in his eyes. I claim Aevran as my own now, in her absence. If he finds her, I will step back and congratulate them sincerely; but if he doesn't, he will marry me as soon as this war comes to a close. And we all know that once one is wedded, his chance is sealed."

"So you're betting on him failing to find her."

"No; I would love it if he found her in time. But what does this have to do with you? Absolutely nothing. You should not be worried about Aevran's kingdom or his future. In fact, the only reason I am here is to make it clear to you: the man you have been philandering with is not and cannot be yours. He is either his mate's or mine. He would never take things anywhere with you. Understand and remember."

"I understand, and certainly I will remember," sneered Lattis.

"Make sure of it. Now that you know he has a fiance, chasing him would make you nothing but a shameless little golddigger."

My body shook with growls as I slid down to my feet. "Care to repeat that?" I snarled. I took a step towards her and she fell into a more obvious stance. My wolf on the prowl, however, was not to be deterred. I took another step forward and she took two backward. "Do you care to repeat that?" I barked again. We locked eyes. She broke eye contact after a few seconds with a scowl.

"What will you do anyway?" she asked scornfully. "Are you going to attack me? Do you really think you can handle me in a fight?"

I laughed and growled at the same time. "Oh, you have no idea." Lattis' grin and timbre dropped. "You are ignorant of what you speak; arrogant in a matter in which you have no rights, and very, very unlucky to have messed with the wrong Wolf. But your stars have smiled on you; Aevran values you as a commander and as a genuine friend, so I will not have to decorate this clearing with the fastest drying red paint I know. Fortunately for you, I will not be stretching thin strips of your hide over your ribcage and plucking them to make music."

Imogen all but shrank before me as I spoke. Impressively, she was not cowering yet, and her emotions were still not being projected into the air. But her heart beat fast and hard, her eyes tracking my movements with calculation.

So I did something she didn't expect.

Suddenly, I dropped my shoulders and offensive prowl, standing straight and smiling brightly. "Good talk," I said, turned, and slipped away into the woods.

Imogen

Power. She was raw power, rolled into a ball and then shaped into a humanoid form. Yes she was merely a werewolf; but something about her was so overwhelmingly big I couldn't put my finger on it. Her eyes, tinged yellowish green with the influence of her wolf, seemed to surround and swallow me whole when I looked into them. Her aura was suffocating like a blanket when she unleashed it. It was worse than anything Aevran has ever used on me. And her words and heated glare made it very clear to me that she had spared me. Judging by the abrupt, carefree manner by which she skipped away from me, I didn't doubt that she could have murdered me if she had chosen to.

Was this why Aevran couldn't seem to resist her? Did the power call out to him? Because she was a walking, talking example of regal might.

But how could that be? She was just an Alpha Princess.

Alexandra Melody Payton was an enigma, one I intended to figure out. I would keep an eye on her from now on.