Queen Alpha (NYC Mecca #2)(2)
No more.
I stepped forward, my dominants remaining a respectful distance behind me as protocol dictated. “One of our own has been taken,” I said, my voice strong as it echoed across the gardens. “Brutally murdered by the same foe who killed our queen and many of our people on the night of the Summit. This was not the bears’ doing. If it hadn’t been for the bears, we would have lost many more that night. King Kade aided us. He forged a friendship between our people that I want to see grow and develop. For without it, we will have no chance against those who think they can threaten our people.”
From the corner of my eye I could see that the council looked concerned. They probably thought I was going to drop the fae bomb on everyone right now. I knew better than that though. This was not going to be an easy sell. That information needed to start with a small group of alphas and then, very slowly, we would filter the news to the packs.
“Who attacked us, then?” someone shouted from the crowd.
Turning in that direction, I let some of my inner wolf rise up, the mecca shimmering across my skin in a purple glow of energy. I knew the mecca crown on my head would also be glowing, the stones infused with energy. I remained silent for a moment, letting them stare upon me. It never hurts to remind them that you are queen, that you are powerful.
Finally I said, “We have suspicions about who is behind the new threat. All I will say for now is that they are not enemies who will be easily countered, and until such a time I have more evidence this is all you need to know.”
No one else opened their mouths, which probably had a lot to do with the purple lightshow my body was doing. Stepping across the platform, I neared my fallen friend. His body was tightly bound in a stitched cloth that displayed his yellow lineage symbol. He was handsome still, even in death, with his multicolored hair styled back neatly. But all of his vibrancy was gone; it was impossibly painful to see Derek like this, to know he was gone and that we were about to send his shell off in a warrior fire. Sucking in a few short breaths, trying to get my emotions under control, I lifted my head to the sky and shouted: “Derek, you are honored. A warrior going home to your people. Fly free, my friend. Until we meet again.”
Violet, my best friend and pack magic born, stepped up beside me, and together we lifted our hands and a burst of purple flames shot up all around the pyre. I needed her help; I was a newbie when it came to mecca control. The flames smashed against us, we were so close. The heat was scorching, tightening my skin to the point it felt like it would crack, drying the tears tracing slowly down my cheeks. But I couldn’t move. I couldn’t leave him until he was dust and ashes. That was the way of our people.
My dominants joined me, all of us burning with our friend. Then, as one, the seven of us, Violet included, lifted our heads and let loose a long, mournful howl. My people joined in. Our cries rang out across the royal house, across the world. I let my sorrow filter out into my bonds with all shifters. Calista had sent out a press release stating the time of the funeral and asked shifters around the world to pray for Derek and to pay their respects. I felt them now, scattered about within the energy that made up my body.
For a moment the shifter packs all stood together in grief, and I knew this was the only way for us to beat the fae, as one people. But we would also need the bear shifters.
I needed Kade. It was a truth that could get me dethroned or killed, an alliance I needed to be careful with but my heart and gut told me it was the only way. Kade was going to teach me how to control and channel mecca, and then we were going to neutralize the threat against our people.
One way or another.
Chapter Two
One beary brutal beating.
I lay on my back panting, sweat beading my brow. The force of the mecca had just thrown me across the room and Kade was not happy.
“You need to focus!” he said, his voice firm as he reached down to pull me up. I reluctantly took his hand and stood, meeting his molten gaze.
“I am focusing! The mecca is out of control. No one can handle this kind of power.” It had been three weeks since the fae had attacked us all at the king’s mansion. Three weeks and over a half dozen mecca training sessions with Kade.
We were struggling to fit them all in with my new queen duties. Kade was more established within his boroughs and didn’t have as much to do, so he was working around my timetable.
Kade pushed back at me again, one of the few shifters in the world who could without repercussions. “You’re wrong. I can see the mecca, and although I agree it’s stronger than ever, you can control it. I’ve never seen someone’s body so responsive to the energy. Almost as if you were made to harness it.”
My cheeks reddened at his reference to my body. Not only was the energy within us constantly pushing us together, the close proximity of our training was upping the sexual tension to a tangible level that was making him extra hard to resist.
Calista, my royal advisor, had been harping on about me taking a mate – at least for the short term, to kill off the rumors of my supposed affair with the king. The council was spinning it to say we were in peace talks, trying to form an alliance to figure out who had killed the former Red Queen, but rumors still abounded. My eulogy at Derek’s sendoff had helped a little – I heard less talk of killing bears anyway. But one speech was never going to undo hundreds of years of animosity. Slow and steady.