L Y C A N

10.

"Your Majesty" 

Alexandra stopped abruptly and turned to a man jogging towards her, his muscles flexed underneath the black V-neck he wore, his sharp blue eyes trained on her until he halted a military edge to his stance.

"I am your personal guard Nixon, your majesty" Alexandra frowned at him feeling uncomfortable as he stood as still as a statue staring at her, she tried not to play with her fingers in her nervousness.

He seemed to be waiting on her to tell him something and her frown deepened "nice to meet you Nixon" she acknowledged him and when the silence stretched between them for too long, Alexandra turned and walked away, hearing the weight of his boots against the stone floors. 

"Your Majesty" it was on the tip of her tongue to tell them it wasn't her title as yet, she seemed to be easily irritated after her confrontation with Dimitri . . he was so infuriatingly perfect and thoughtful, she groaned to herself, if only he understood how much it meant to her to find out where she came from. She turned to find an elderly thin man with white hair walking towards her.

"I am your instructor your Majesty, Elton Drunder" he announced and Alexandra nodded following him as he led her through the hall, there feet echoing through the seemingly empty castle, it was so peaceful and quiet, Alexandra had a hard time believing that someone like the Queen who was adamant on wrecking havoc on Alex's life lived beneath its roof. 

The very first lesson, to her surprise was the Royal dance, which she would have to do at her lunae accipere, where, just like the King she would be presented before the Moon Goddess and be accepted or denied. 

The Moon Goddess accepting the King was the first in written history, the Kings before him rose to power because of the law of the crown being passed from Father to Son, Alexandra had no idea about the ceremony and she felt out of her league as Elton recalled the steps.

"You will enter, before your subjects and walk towards the Elder, you will kneel before him and he shall bless you then place his hand on your head. He will then contact the Moon Goddess and if you're lucky, as usual she will not answer" he muttered the last part, a frown marring his forehead. Alexandra had no doubt he was thinking of the king and the Moon Goddesses acceptance of him. 

"Did you believe she actually existed before she answered" Alexandra asked after a moment and Elton shrugged "I thought she was a myth, everyone has an idea of how we came to be, but I guess the speculating will come to an end now"

Alexandra nodded and Elton straightened and cleared his throat "now for the dance you will have with the King" he muttered, nodding for her to curtsy.

 Despite the disapproving glares Elton threw her way every time she did it Alexandra couldn't help but laugh at some of the mistakes she made, it was a queer little dance that no doubt should be intimate but with short, frail and old Elton it was an awkward disaster. 

Elton huffed "I wish you would take this seriously your majesty" he chided her "Many influential people will be at this wedding. It is a time when the royal family shows their strength through marriage"

"that doesn't exactly sound like something meant to welcome a new monarch" Alexandra whispered to herself "It isn't" Elton told her seriously "it's usually the time for the crown to show its strength through a new and powerful alliance with an Alpha's child" Alexandra felt a sinking feeling in her stomach but she schooled her features, giving Elton an icy smile "of course it is"

They continued to dance, this time the awkwardness was palpable and Alexandra was just about dying to be out of his presence so she could get some fresh air. 

Without much thought she miss stepped and slammed her heel into Eltons toe, he released her immediately as he cursed to himself.

She heard a chuckle from the door way and turned to see her cousin, Alec, his lean body propped against the frame, she'd never felt such relief as she ran towards him and he caught her with ease, he was one of the tallest boys she knew, even taller than Dimitri, who stood at an impressive  6'4.

"Alec you moron" her voice was muffled by how tightly she was pressed against his chest "have you guys moved in already?" Alec nodded, "Dad wasn't too happy that you took his eldest son from him though" he taunted as Alexandra rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure that when he heard you'd be training to be apart of the Royal guards he was elated"

Alec shrugged, a smirk making it's way to his bow shaped lips "something like that" 

Nixon stood just behind Alec, an almost calculating look in his eye as he sized him up, Alexandra held on tighter to her cousin despite knowing Nixon was there to protect her.

"Please take me away" she whispered when she heard Elton's impatient voice 

"Your majesty, we still haven't finished with getting you through the formal parts of the evening"

Her cousin grinned at her before turning to Elton, taking on a very business like and formal persona.
"I'm afraid your majesty has other matters to attend to"  then he threw her over his shoulder and Alexandra's cheeks reddened from the mortified expression on poor Eltons face.

Nixon seemed to be ready to intervene but a silent glare from Alexandra made him pause and with a glare at the back of Alec's head he headed in the opposite direction.

Alexandra took a breath of fresh air when Alec finally put her on her feet in the palace gardens, "God it felt strange calling you, your majesty" he muttered and Alexandra nodded in agreement

"Thanks Alec, maybe next time usher me outside like a normal person"

Alec snorted as he walked alongside her "I had to do it one last time, doubt i'll get to do it again once you're Queen" 

"If I become Queen" she muttered and Alec rose a fair eyebrow at her, she waved it off in irritation "you've missed alot Alec" she whispered, tilting her head to look up at him, he had an understanding smile on his face then his eyes refocused and his eyebrows drew together.

"Alex, What's that?" Alec questioned, his callous fingers running against the slight raise on her flesh, Alexandra covered it self consciously as she turned from her cousin. 

"He bit me"

"Gee, Alex and it hasn't healed?"

"You know I heal much slower" she whispered to herself more than her cousin, she had to ask herself again if she was completely out of her league and too crazy to be continuing with this.

"ye but it should be healed by now, it's been a week" he reasoned 

Alexandra paused, it felt like a life time to her and she hugged her cousin forcefully

 "I missed you"

Alec chuckled, taking a step back to balance himself, his chuckles stopped abruptly as he look behind him and almost in an effort to get Alex to comply he said calmly.

"Alex, get inside" 

She frowned looking past her cousin to see a ghastly white delicate hand lying limp on the cobble stone garden, tendrils of red liquid a stark contrast to the pale flesh.

Alexandra's heart raced as out of nowhere Nixon appeared, peeping behind the bush and Alex stood frozen "Is she . ." she couldn't finish the question as Nixon's head snapped to hers.

"Get her out of here" he commanded Alec and before she knew, Alec had her over his shoulder but not before she saw, letters written in red, just past the girls hand and the color drained from her face.

Rex Fur

King Thief