Alpha Queen: First of Her Name

Chapter Eleven

I blink up in shock at the Alpha female. Does she not know who I am? "Pardon me, but who do you think you're speaking to like that?" The older woman frowns down at me, her arms loosening minutely. "Because I know it's not me."

Queen Mac growls lowly, "Ome-"

I cut her off by elbowing her stomach as I roll off her lap. Now on my feet, I flip my hair over my shoulder with a smug grin. "Queen Mac, as the Royal Princess of Summerland, I ask that you rethink your next choice of words very carefully." Calmly, I make my way down from the dais. "I am someone who does not take lightly to threats of any sort." Our eyes meet, my deep brown ones shining with determined confidence and no small amount of irritation.

"Princess Hope, you are my Omega." Queen Mac stands from her throne, "As your Alpha, you must do what I command."

I lift a brow, "You think I'll bend to your will?" My finger twirls a strand of hair slowly as I watch the Alpha with keen eyes. "You haven't claimed me yet."

"That's not what I meant." She pauses, "But yes, I want us to mate and I wish for you to allow me to give you my mating bite." She takes a step closer and I match her by taking one step back.

"Pray tell, what did you mean?" Innocently, I begin walking backward, "If not for your crass Alpha bluntness that I should obey your every word?"

The Alpha glowers at me with a snarl. "Hope, I would never force you to do anything you don't want to do." She breathes deeply, clearly struggling to contain her rising anger at my defiance. "As your Alpha, I must protect you, care for your every need, and keep you happy."

I scoff, "And last night? When I said no and you persisted." I stop myself at the last second from outright screaming. Being around Mac gets my blood pumping and not in a good way.

"Why are we arguing about this?" Queen Mac crosses her arms over her chest with an irritated huff. "You were fine last night."

"No, I wasn't! Do you realize that this is all new territory for me? Literally and figuratively?" I spread my arms wide. "Queen Mac, you have to understand that I was raised in the South. I will not change overnight." The Alpha flounders for a proper response but I continue to plow over her. I gesture in her direction. "You are jealous of my Omega best friend whom I have known since I was two. Everest is not someone to be jealous of, she is like a sister to me." I wipe a hand down my face, "I don't know what all this is." Again I gesture between us.

"I didn't..." Queen Mac falters once I finish with my rant. "I forgot."

Confusion swims in my scent. "Forgot what?"

"You're human so you wouldn't know werewolf customs." At my lifted brow she hurriedly continues, "The Northern mating customs of wolves that is."

"Are you changing the subject?" I gape at the older woman but shrug my shoulders to answer her anyway, "You meet and then go into heat. What's the big deal?"

"Wolves go through that, yes." Queen Mac stares at me like I'm a puzzle that she wants to figure out. "Humans, on the other hand, I don't know." he glances toward the windows to our right. "We haven't had a human mate with a wolf in the North for over a century."

"I'm not following." Even though I'm still confused and angry, I would like to understand where Queen Mac is coming from.

Queen Mac folds her cloak around herself, hiding her hands from view as she stands a few feet away. "Alphas are territorial of their mates, especially when unmated. When we met at the Fortress of Pride, I knew right then who you were for me." She bows her head. "It is custom here in the North that once meeting your mate you immediately assert dominance, but not in front of others. We would go to your nest, where the Omega gives up complete control to the Alpha and allows them to mark them in whatever way they please."

"Last night, that's what you were doing?" My chest tightens as the memories rush back into focus in my mind.

She hums, head still bowed. "I had forgotten that you didn't know our courtship customs nor our mating rituals here. So last night must have been rather confusing for you, Princess." Queen Mac finally looks up with a sorrowful expression. "For the first time, you're feeling what any other werewolf Omega feels around their mate." She steps closer but when I take another back. "I want to try something out." She spreads her hands out in a non-threatening manner. "I'm not going to touch you inappropriately."

My glare hardens at the last bit. "You better not."

She smirks deviously, "My pretty Omega." Once in front of me, Queen Mac circles her hand around my wrist.

Immediately my body hums at the contact. My emotions begin to settle, and I find my shoulders slowly relaxing. Just as quickly as it started, it ends. I give a pained whine from the loss of peace.

"I see." Queen Mac nodes and grabs my wrist again. The same peaceful tranquil envelops me again. "What do you feel when I touch you?"

Blushing, I shrug halfheartedly. "Fine." At the harsh look I receive I sigh, "Happy...at peace."

"Let's try something else." Queen Mac lets go of my wrist and then tugs me into her chest. Her arms wrap around me in a hug. "What do you feel now."

"Contempt." I try to wriggle out from her embrace with no such luck.

"Try again." She tightens her grip around me, nuzzling my hair.

With an annoyed exhale, I try to relax. It takes a minute but then I feel it. It's not like when it was skin-to-skin contact but the small hum is there. "Content, I guess."

"Not as strong as when I touched you like this?" Her hand grips the back of my neck and the effect is instantaneous.

A low purr emits from my throat and I lean forward to nuzzle at the black cloak that smells exactly like my Alpha. "It's perfect." My bones turn to jelly when Queen Mac lightly scratches the nape of my neck. Purring, I wrap my arms around Queen Mac and burrow further into her chest.

"Alright." Her hand disappears and I lean my body forward to chase the warmth. "Hope, you're feeling what an Omega would be feeling if they recently met their mate."

"This is normal?" I can't find it in myself to let go of the female Alpha.

Queen Mac chuckles and presses a kiss on my head. "Of course, we just needed to better communicate with each other." She suddenly stiffens and then takes several steps back. "I apologize for my inappropriate behavior last night. I should have listened to you when you told me to stop."

A genuine smile lights my face. "Thank you." I shuffle my feet, "I apologize for causing a scene with Daniel earlier. That was childish of us to behave that way." I want to be done with this embarrassing conversation. I cross my arms over my chest to try and close myself off from the haze of emotions steadily rising again after being held by the Alpha. "Am I still in trouble?"

"No, I shouldn't have gotten angry." Queen Mac stares down at her boots. "Involving your age was out of line as well. You are an envoy for Summerland first and I need to respect you like I would any other visiting diplomat."

Fidgeting with my fingers, I roll my eyes. "I guess we both have some flaws."

The Alpha smiles down at me. "Indeed."