The Demon Queen (Otherworld Series #5)

Chapter 27- You don't always win

The Sonim woods were filled with various otherworldly creatures Alexei would have recognized.

I spotted a raindeer-like animal that had grass growing from its body instead of fur and little white flowers growing from its brown antlers. A white rabbit hopped by, its eyes glowed fully blue, no pupils. A snake hung seated on a tree, it had wings.

Pisces squaked and spat on nearby trees, I sent him a disgusted look, he looked as if it was no fault of his. The constant spitting made me come to two conclusions:

A) Pisces was a disgusting pig or
B) As he was an aquatic demon, his body secreted icky sticky fluid to keep him hydrated and alive, when excess formed in his mouth, he spat it around.

I was pretty sure it was the latter, and the smell of the spit vaguely resembled a sweet smelling disinfectant. So maybe it was nutritious for the surroundings, key word being maybe.

If it wasn't, then we had to watch our backs for enraged tree nymphs.

We rode in silence, the terrain got rocky after a few paces, "Careful now." I told my horse when it stumbled a bit.

Maybe she was tired, we would soon be at the Whitefang pack. Then hopefully rest, Sea Gate Port wasn't far from here, two of the Kings guards would be waiting for us.

"Ewww." Pisces said, screeching to a halt. I turned to look at him.

"What's wrong?" Then a flash on white darted in the side of my vision. I quickly turned my mare around.

"Who's there?" I asked, aloud.

There! Another flash, this time on the other side. I drew my shortsword and got off my mare.

Then I shifted, turning myself into a hideous monster, seven feet tall.

I saw it then, a white wolf, the biggest I've ever seen. It stopped in its tracks when it saw my monstrous form.

I roared in its face and threw my sword at it. It dodged, but Pisces tackled it from the side.

I shifted back into my demon form, my muscks felt weak. Every time I shifted into something big, my magic reserves were depleted.

I rushed over to Pisces side, the white wolf was now standing over him, he showed his neck in submission, recognizing the Alpha even though he was a Demon.

"Hey." I shouted and went over. The wolf backed off, shit, even I had the urge to bend over and show my neck with the amount of dominant pheromones in the air.

The wolf ruffled it's feather and shifted, I turned my face away, crouching down to check Pisces. He got up when I held my hand out, he made some sounds, reassuring me that he was fine, when I looked towards the wolf, he was now a fully naked, grown, handsome hotshot.

His hair completely white, his eyes were dark blue, deep set, like they had seen too much. He looked to be in his early thirties, his body a mass of muscled. I was pretty sure he was the Alpha of the Whitefang pack.

I did not look down, instead envisioned Nikolai's face where the Alpha's male parts would be.

"I am Lunia Shizkov." I declared, raising my chin.

His eyes narrowed. "It is a dangerous time to be in my territory."

"I am here on official duty. Sent by the Demons and the Vampires."

I looked around. Darivarr was still not here, the bastard elf might've cheated me.

"I have no business with you. " The Alpha shrugged. "I don't care who sends you." He turned to go away, but stopped.

"Move and I shoot." I heard a familiar voice.

I smiled as I turned a bit at the side to see who it was.

Darivarr Hawkheart stood with a bow, it's arrow notched at the mysterious Alpha.

"You came."

"Of course, Elves always live up to their word." He smirked at me.

"Is this conversation done? I'm waiting to leave and I don't like to be threatened." The Alpha said.

I turned to face him, "You won't listen, so I'll have to make you listen." I shrugged.

He opened his mouth to speak but I spoke over him. "I have come to make a treaty between the Vampires, the Demons and your pack."

He gave me a lazy smile. "How do you know it's my pack?" He asked.

"I can smell the Alpha pheromones on you." I smiled. He scowled.

"I just want to talk, okay? Only yes or no answers."

"No, for all your question." He smartly replied. I narrowed my eyes. A goal was heard in the distance, the Alpha's head snapped towards the sound.

"I have to go." Darivarr nudged him with the arrow when he saw my expression.

"Your not leaving until I have a nice talk with you."

He growled. Pisces tittered, splattering spit around. He was extra skittish around the Alpha, shoes name was still a mystery.

"Look at me, female. Do I look like I'm up to make decision? I am the Alpha of my pack, I have to think about their welfare. And we are a small pack-"

"But a vicious one. I have met one of your former members, Milo."

His face softened at the name. "Young Milo, he couldn't best me and the elders kicked him out."

"You could have stopped them. Milo is strong now, he even has a kid."

"That is truly good to hear. Our pack is very harsh. Closed off. You do not want an alliance with us. We were kicked off the Council, our place given to the Fury pack. You don't want such a weak pack on your side." He shook his head, his face somber. He turned to leave, Darivarr let him go.

"Wait, please...."

He turned a bit. "Silas."

"S ilas, we need you. We don't care if you're weak or whatever. We need how many ever people we can get. The ghouls will kill us all if we lose this war."

He looked sad for a minute. "All my life I have lived without having a choice. This is my choice...Lunia Vel Miorisi. I'm sorry, you'll have to do without us."

He burst into a white wolf and disappeared into the thicket.

"Epic fail." Darivarr murmured.

Sadness filled me. This made this harder but I had braced myself.

I couldn't always win.

Everyone wasn't going to support me.

I turned back. Towards my steed. No rest for her either.