*Poppy*
I was fidgeting in the backseat, clutching my documents. Outside the window, the trees merged into a beautiful landscape of colors, from dark greens to browns, oranges, and reds. Autumn has come. I loved this time of year the most.
Not only did nature spoil us with colors, but the air smelled different. Evening walks seemed more romantic. Morning runs gave me energy, and pumpkin dishes were one of my favorites. Not to mention autumn evenings with wine and reading by the warm fireplace.
I sighed as I considered my romance novel collection, which decorated the living room bookcase. I also remembered the smell of a caramel candy apple latte on the table and the tender stroking of my partner sitting with me on the couch.
"We are approaching the gate. Prepare for inspection."My driver said over his shoulder as he turned onto a wide gravel road in the middle of a multicolored forest.
My heart leaped into my throat, and my grip on the documents tightened. There was no turning back. I abandoned romantic thoughts about evenings by the fireplace, books, and coffee in favor of pragmatic thoughts about the future holding in my hands.
"Thank you, Arthur, for coming with me. I am extremely grateful for your help." I thanked him, noticing a massive white gate with brick posts in the distance.
"You have a lot of courage. You are doing it for a good cause." Arthur smiled in the rearview mirror, and I smiled at him.
I was grateful for his help getting to the palace. The King's schedule is tight, and his visits are booked at least a year in advance, but only thanks to Arthur was I able to secure a meeting with him within a month. I will thank him for that regardless of the King's decision in my case.
"I hope he has a similar opinion," I commented when we stopped before a closed gate where two guards dressed in red and black uniforms were already waiting for us.
Arthur lowered the window and handed over his ID, "My friend, Mrs. Hopkins, has an appointment with the King at 2 p.m. We're listed in the diary." He informed them, and I held my breath, staring at these large men who could serve as battering rams.
"You know the procedure, Arthur. Mrs. Hopkins needs to identify herself and put on an armband." One of the guards reminded Arthur, and he looked at me apologetically in the mirror.
I put the documents aside, and, trying to control my shaking from stress, I exited the car to undergo the procedure. Arthur explained it to me very thoroughly, at least three times.
"My name is Poppy Hopkins. I'm Luna from the Larch Grove Pack." I introduced myself confidently, even though I was shaking inside.
"I need to discuss important matters with His Majesty regarding my pack and its welfare," I explained, holding out my left wrist with the mark of my pack.
The guards exchanged strange glances but did not comment on my words. If they had access to any reports from the packs, they would know that my data is accurate, or at least half of it.
"Please do not remove this bracelet during your entire stay. Tampering with, damaging, or destroying this bracelet will result in a heavy penalty." The guard explained as he placed a silver bracelet around my wrist, weakening my bond with my wolf.
"Please go to the car, Mrs. Hopkins. Mr. Bernard is waiting for you at the entrance, and he will take you to His Highness." The second guard nodded at Arthur and walked around the car before heading to his booth.
I quickly returned to the car and sighed deeply, placing the documents on my lap. The gate opened, and Arthur slowly entered the manor grounds, making my heart beat faster.
"There's no turning back now," I muttered, but Arthur heard anyway.
"I believe that the King will agree with you. King Alexander may be harsh and brutal, but he is fair. Tell the facts, even the most painful or embarrassing ones. He does not like sweet stories. If there is injustice somewhere, it must be brought to his attention. He will decide whether the case requires his participation or not." Arthur stopped the car for a moment and turned towards me.
"For everything that happened to you, I would tear his head off, but it won't change anything," Arthur growled, furious. "But only you can punish him and all of them. You don't do it for yourself. You do it for the people, for Justice. You are stronger than you think." He encouraged me and gave me a kind smile.
"For Justice." I nodded.
Arthur moved on, passing the last trees of the adjoining forest and onto the road leading to a large palace surrounded by beautiful gardens. I couldn't take my eyes off the layers of colors of flowers intertwining with rock gardens and labyrinths of bushes.
I stuck my nose to the window, admiring this incredible landscape. I've never been in the King's territory. I only saw photos, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I could come here one day.
"Please wait here, Luna Hopkins; His Majesty will receive you shortly." Mr. Bernad, who turned out to be one of the King's assistants, pointed to an antique-looking sofa in the waiting room.
"Thank you." I sat up quickly, straightening in my seat.
Mr. Bernard opened the huge double wooden doors and walked inside, leaving me alone, surrounded by antique furniture, expensive flower arrangements, and royal family portraits. Arthur had to stay downstairs because, despite his membership in the royal palace, he could not accompany me to the audience with the King.
My legs started to jump nervously and to calm down, I got up, left a set of documents on the uncomfortable sofa, and walked for a while. I first approached the arrangement of long white roses on the central table, but my nerves were still bothering me, so I approached the red carnations under the portraits of the royal family and touched them.
I loved the color red, so I liked these flowers the most despite the not-very-attractive scent of carnations. I smiled when I saw their intense red and looked at the composition of my chosen outfit. The red dress, a black jacket, and high heels matched the flowers perfectly. I chose this set, especially for today's visit. After all, these are the colors of the Lycan royal crest.
I glanced up to admire the portraits and swallowed when I saw calm gray eyes peering at me from beneath a mop of light brown hair. I left the flowers for a moment and looked at the portrait of King Alexander, whose piercing eyes could make me shiver even from a painting.
I must admit that he was remarkably handsome for a man of seventy, although his face in the picture suggested more that of a man barely above the threshold of adulthood. But that's the way it is with us shapeshifters.
We age much slower than people, have more incredible energy and strength, and can live up to several hundred years. But that's only among werewolves. Lykans have their own rules. They have been considered a superior species for centuries. Their longevity can reach thousands of years, and the strength of one is equal to that of four giant werewolves. King Alexander's family is the most famous of them all.
For over two thousand years, his family has passed the throne on our continent to the oldest of its children. King Alexander is the third king, after his father and grandfather, who constantly rules us firmly and does not hesitate to punish those who do not follow their guidelines. Today, I hope to get the same help in my case.
"Ah, I wish they could have painted my beard. It makes me look sexier."
My body froze, and a cold chill suddenly washed over me. My legs trembled as I felt breathing on the top of my head. Although weakened by the bracelet, my wolf bowed in the King's presence. I stood frozen, unable to turn around or respond to the comment.
"Please don't stress, Luna Poppy. I don't bite. At least not today." The King joked, but I couldn't laugh.
"Honey, please stop scaring that poor girl. I asked you to keep your jokes to yourself." A woman's equally authoritative voice spoke from the distance.
I heard footsteps, and out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a beautiful woman with reddish hair walking towards me in a pastel yellow dress. Her smile was wide and kind, although her pitch-black eyes reminded me of death.
"Hello, Luna Hopkins. Welcome to the office. May I offer you some tea?" Queen Anastasia appeared before me and pointed at the study's door.
"I. I." I deeply breathed, "Your Majesty, thank you for having me." I bowed, my heart pounding against my ribs with a pain far more extraordinary than fear.
"When will this end? Lex, please do something about it because if this continues, most of our guests will have a heart attack before they can formally say our name." The Queen scolded the King, and I stared at the situation as if transfixed.
"What's wrong with that, Sweetness? That's all we have for fun in all this stiff and boring diplomacy." King Alexander got angry like a little child. "A curtsy here, a growl there, and only distance and a cold approach. No one has ever died from a joke. And they would talk better about us if they knew they could smile in our presence. God damn it." I widened my eyes at his words and turned around, not believing the argument I had just witnessed.
"We'll talk about it later. Now, please calm down; we have a guest." The Queen reminded him and looked my way, giving me an apologetic yet charming smile.
"All right." He hummed and walked into the office, as scared as a five-year-old child.
Not knowing what to do, I glanced at the Queen, who rolled her eyes and pointed to the open door.
"Come inside. I have to agree with my husband on one thing. We don't bite." She smiled, grabbed my arm, and led me into the office.
"My documents," I remembered, broke free from the Queen's arm and quickly moved towards the couch. I grabbed the pile of documents, took a deep breath, and headed inside again, ready to face the royals.
*Poppy*The office was huge and elegantly decorated, but it was also intimidating. I nervously walked to one of the petitioners' chairs and waited for permission to sit down.The Queen gestured to a chair, and I quickly sat, watching as King Alexander walked over to his large oak desk and sat down in his giant leather chair, staring at me with a slightly offended expression. Queen Anastasia stood at his side and put her hand on his shoulder, pressuring him to behave."'How may I help you, Luna Hopkins?" the King asked, clasping his hands before him."Or should I say, Mrs. Hopkins? Because Luna isn't your title anymore." He added, slightly lowering his voice to a cold one.I gulped, glanced at the documents in my hands, and cleared my throat. I looked bravely into his eyes, placed the documents on his desk, and straightened up in my chair."I would like to request the opportunity to exercise Luna's Law." I sang loudly, almost shouting. I quickly corrected my tone and repeated it, quiet
*Poppy*I stood at the sink, washing the dishes after breakfast, looking out the window for my swift, agile little girl. She moved incredibly fast for a girl of almost five, rivaling an eight-year-old's strength.My pride and joy just flashed past my window like lightning bolts, and all I noticed was her blonde hair floating in the wind."Gem, please don't run so fast. And don't get too far away," I lectured my naughty daughter, laughing as I heard her groan in exasperation."But I'm training to outdo Trevor in the upcoming races." Gemma climbed onto the bench by the kitchen window and stuck out her sweet, chubby, wind-red face, piercing me with her big, intense blue eyes."Honey, Trevor is ten years old and Alpha's son." I reminded her, leaning down to look at her through the glass. "Besides, no one will allow you to compete in senior events. Your age group is not yet allowed to compete in official ranking events, and from what Ms. Coltrane told me, you have been suspended from the e
*Logan*I glanced at the road before me with an absentminded face. I looked at the navigation panel and sighed at the sight of another two hours of driving before I reached my destination. I've never wanted to tear Lex apart as much as I do now. Not only did he turn me into an errand boy, but he only gave me two days to do so."Who does he think he is? Almighty?" I drawled as I stepped on the gas.'He's a king, so technically he's almighty. He can even give orders to a pompous asshole like you.' Gunnar, my lycan, mocked.'Thanks for your support, pal. We'll see who's an asshole when you have to sleep with that red-headed witch.' I told him off.Gunnar was furious when we mentioned the pompous, cynical woman who gave us a headache. His distaste for Princess Margo mirrors my own for her human form, Matilde. Just the thought of this woman makes me want to vomit. Not that she's ugly or gross, but every meeting ends with arguments and destruction for some reason. We seem not to get along a
*Logan*I sat in the farthest corner of the tent with a baseball hat on my head, trying to hide from the prying eyes. This task bordered on a miracle because my aura, not only as a royal but as a Lycan, was more intense and noticeable. From the moment I parked the car, I attracted curious eyes. I only hoped they would mistake me for Mr. Bernard in disguise, not someone of royal blood.Albert explained everything to me, or at least what he knew, suggesting that much more was hidden beneath the top that needed to be revealed. I already know that the woman I am picking up is Poppy Hopkins, a former Luna or current one. She was a member of the Larch Grove Pack, who was allowed to use Luna's Law to bring justice and punish Alpha and his Luna for their wrongs against the pack members and his rightful Luna and heir.I must admit that I greatly admire a woman who decided to challenge the stronger one and intends to fight him for the sake of her daughter. Gunnar shuddered to hear that any Alph
*Logan*Albert promised to take me to Mrs. Hopkins right after his son's race, his first entry into the tournament for aspiring warriors this year. This custom originated many years ago and is celebrated in every pack. I remember taking part in them when I was ten years old.Each young member, regardless of gender or species, participated in a tournament in which their predispositions to later ranks were tested. From an early age, people checked whether they were fit to be warriors, trainers, trackers, scouts, or even the highest ranks, such as beta or alpha. Thanks to this annual competition, leaders can even be selected.I moved over three hundred yards away from the tent, perfectly hidden in the tree line with still perfect visibility of the event. Trevor lined up at the starting line with six other kids in his age group, ready to run. Trevor is a complete dad, not only in appearance but also in character. The boy loved jokes and pranks but stopped at nothing to defend those humili
*Poppy*I stared at the beautiful Audi's taillights, gripping the steering wheel. My heart was beating to the rhythm of the song coming from the radio, perfectly matching my situation to its lyrics. I just trusted a handsome stranger to help me win my battle."Mommy, will I be a princess if we live in a palace?" Gemma asked from the backseat, bored with repeatedly looking through her favorite book.I glanced in the rearview mirror at her smiling, hopeful face, "You'll always be a princess to me, honey, but you'd have to be a king's daughter or marry a prince to become one truly. And we won't live in the palace, honey. Mommy will be there training, so we will probably stay in a guest house." I explained to my dreamy daughter, who was already making a thoughtful face."And if you marry Logan, will I become a princess?" She asked, shocking me so much that I lost control of the steering wheel and veered slightly to the side of the road."Shit." I cursed and quickly returned to the road. "
*Poppy*Gemma excitedly started singing along, imitating Britney singing about being stronger than yesterday. I focused my eyes on the prince, who was staring at me as if he wanted to come over and kick my ass for considering the guard's words or spank me for inappropriate behavior."Can we go? I have to be home before dinner." I called out in hope.The prince took a deep breath, tilted his head to the sky, and seconds later, he was back in the car and driving off with a screech of tires, leaving clouds of smoke behind him.I closed the window and put the car in gear, slowly driving away, wondering what had made him react this way. I didn't notice anyone waiting for our arrival until we parked in the same place where Arthur had previously parked. Neither the prince nor Mr. Bernard was ready to lead us further into the unknown.I let Gemma out of the car seat and quickly grabbed her hand, ensuring that my little, quick, and curious girl didn't escape me and cause problems with her curi
*Poppy*I screamed as I immersed myself in a bathtub filled with ice. I was shaking and cursing while slowly adjusting to the cold. This should have been easy after repeating it for a long time; somehow, I cannot get used to it. Iris was sobbing from exhaustion but clenched her teeth and suffered the consequences with me.'I didn't think pain could be so painful and enjoyable at the same time.' I admitted, shaking under the pressure of ice filling my vast bathtub.'Think how sweet it will taste when you stare at the defeated asshole in a few weeks.' Iris reminded me, and suddenly, instead of satisfaction, I felt fear.'We can do it, Poppy. You heard what Logan said; we're as strong as Alpha; we'll kick his ass.' She motivated me by repeating words that were important to me.I rested my head on