"Oh my! Princess, Princess Ayanda"
My throat and mouth feel dry, my body feels heavy, and my head feels like children just ran through it. Did I have another blackout?
Where am I? I don't remember much from last night; did I even make it home?
Judging by the overwhelming smell of lavender, I´m on my bed in castle black.
I knew I shouldn't have drunk all that wine with my grandfather. I'm starting to think these blackouts are his fault because every single time I'm with him, I always blackout. Maybe I'm overthinking it; he technically raised me, he'd never hurt me like that .
My ears are filled with the sound of heavy breathing and shoes scuffing on the floor; everything sounds like it is headed in my direction. The only words I could make out clearly were blood and princesa; otherwise, it sounded like someone was rambling incoherently.
"Please help her,
" Her voice sounds familiar; I think it's one of the maids speaking; she sounds distressed; I can literally smell her fear; it's overwhelming.
Wait!
Did she say Symvoulos? As in ALLISON?
I cover my face with a pillow and groan. I hope she´s not coming to me, or else there's no resting today.
The maid's silent sobs fill the room, along with her saying, "Oh, help her, please!"
Pathetic. How is she a member of my kingdom with her idiotic behavior? Knowing these castle maids, they probably just saw a spider and don't know how to deal with it.
"Yani?"
My body immediately tenses up just from the sound of her voice, Allison. "Yes? I respond, sounding more annoyed than I intended. Silence fills the room as Allison scans the room with her eyes.
I wonder what she's looking for—probably her own life, but definitely not in my room. This sparks my interest. I remove the pillow from my face, and I'm immediately hit by Allison's glare.
"What in the hell happened here?" Allison says, glaring at me, and I roll my eyes at her and sit up on my bed. No morning, no blessing, no wise quote—just her hatred for me. She has no respect for me. I should just hang her, banish her, or let her join her lover on Devil's Island. Maybe she´ll get off my back. She's just as annoying as the faint smell of blood in this room.
Blood?
I look around the room, and there's blood on the cream walls; not even the vines that grow on the castle walls were spared.
What the hell?
My heart immediately drops at the sight of the red stains on the wall. What did I do?
Is it my own blood? I look down at my body; my nightdress is covered in dried-up blood, as are my hands. I look at Allison; she looks worried now. I'm terrified too, but instead I smirk at her. I don't want her to think I'm afraid of myself.
I lick the dry blood on my palm, and the maid gasps loudly, and she begins to say the word "demon" repeatedly.
"Leave!" shouts Allison, and the maid rushes out of the room.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" shouts Allison.
I wish I knew, but it was the only way to ensure that I didn't kill a human or panther.
"Relax; it's only deer blood," I respond, licking the rest of the blood off my hand.
It could have been human blood or pan-human blood; it's not a big deal; she fusses about everything just like her father. Her tense body relaxes slightly.
"Now the maid is going to tell everyone that the queen is a freak that can't control herself." She whines .
I roll my eyes at her and cover myself in my pink blanket.
I should really tell the maids that I'm an adult now. This pink theme going on in my room needs to be revamped.
"When you're done nagging me, close the door when you leave."
These royal advisors are all just the same; they should have just died instead of my parents, which could have saved me the headache and trauma.
Allison pulls the blanket off. "Even your bed sheets are covered in blood, Ayanda Black. What the fuck is wrong with you?"
Within seconds, I was standing in front of her. I growled lowly at her, and she mirrored my action.
"You need to watch yourself. we are not equals; don't let your title get the best of you," I say, moving closer to her.
"I could say the same thing to you," she says, growling lowly.
Allison and I have a bittersweet relationship, and right now we are having one of our bitter moments. I show her my canines; I´m not going to back down.
Allison sighs and steps away from me. "Clean yourself up; your father is expecting you to come over for brunch." With those last words, she leaves my room.
She leaves and slams the door shut. I'm all alone in my room. I prefer being alone, but unfortunately, I don't have that luxury. I have to carry a whole kingdom on my back with men, my fellow royals attempting to destroy me just because I have breasts, but Ill show them, Ill show them all that I can't lead this kingdom and make my ancestors proud of me. I'll rule all four kingdoms if I have to ensure my safety and other people's safety, and I'll make all my enemies submit to me.
I remove my nightgown and step into the shower. After that, I brush my teeth and get dressed.
I'm standing in front of the mirror now, and I can't help but touch my bushy hair and my cat-like ears that stand on the sides of my head between my curls. I can't help but stare at my cinnamon skin and my dull green eyes; they always look lifeless; there's no spark to them. I look nothing like my
parents, I look more like Grandma Kourt.
After getting dressed, I was out of the castle and on my way to Jacob's estate, home of the advisors, the precious symvoulos. The Jacobs are the most noble and influential family to ever come into existence. Their bloodline runs through all four kingdoms as secondary leaders.
Their origin story is one many people don't talk about because it makes the rulers of Lynx look awful and heartless, and such things tend to make people scared and react without thinking. According to history, God sent one of the wisest angels here on earth to speak to the four rulers of Lynx Island and to save them from their sinful ways. The four rulers of Lynx welcomed their old friend and showed him the wonders they'd created on their island. The angel only looked baffled and disappointed by what the four rulers showed him. He bargained and begged the four rulers to return to heaven with him, hoping that the Lord would overlook their betrayal, but they refused and held him hostage instead. They took his seeds and grew their own line of wisdom and knowledge angels, who are now called the Jacobs, the Symvoulos blood line.
"Welcome, Princess," says Adrian, offering me his hand with a big goofy smile on his face. I smack his hand away and put him in a chokehold. He starts giggling while trying to find a way out, but I don't let him. "Who are you calling princess, princess!?" I shout, squeezing him tighter, and he holds my arm to stop it from pressing his throat. He playfully bites my arm, and I couldn't help but laugh.
"If you aren't careful, she might give you rabies," says Allison, opening the door wider and leaning against the door frame. She's dressed in a green summer dress that looks good, complements her honey skin, and she looks more comfortable in it than the gown she had on earlier.
I let go of Adrian and pushed him away from me. I understand it's her fifteen-year-old brother, but she needs to know that I'm not capable of hurting him; I'm not even capable of hurting her like that.
Allison's curly, wavy hair lays peacefully on her back, and her hazel eyes look hostile as usual.
Adrian walks off into the house with Allison right behind him.
The Jacobs home is mainly made of natural materials, such as wood. Crystals, lights, stones, soil—just like everything else in Panthera—the vines grow into the walls on the floor, flowers bloom in bathrooms, and almost everywhere, my kingdom co-exists with nature.
Some people call it Eve's garden, saying that the angels built it to look like Eden's garden and named it Eve to taunt God and remind him of man's greatest sin.
I walk into the dining room, and I'm instantly hit with the smell of bacon and cinnamon buns. Aunt May is singing, and as I make my way to the table, I lock eyes with Uncle Sandre. Uncle Sandre's warm smile welcomes me, and I can't help but feel a sense of belonging in this vibrant and enchanting place. The dining room is adorned with colorful tapestries and delicate chandeliers, adding to the magical atmosphere that permeates Panthera. He looks disappointed, as always. I'm pretty sure I'm well dressed in a white summer dress, and I'm pretty sure I look angelic. So what has him so upset? But then again, he always looks at me like this; it's ridiculous. I'm not his enemy, but unfortunately, I am his problem.
I look around the table and I notice that Allison is sitting on his left side, Amber and Adrian are sitting next to her, and on Uncle Sandre's right are two many empty seats. I'm guessing one seat is for Aunt May. I grab one of the empty seats and drag it to the other end of the table.
This way, Uncle Sandre and I can have a proper starring competition.
The room falls silent as Aunt May takes a seat. She looks at me and smiles the same way my mother would in awkward situations. I give her a short smile and look anywhere but at her.
"Aunt May, have you cooked all this?" I ask, pointing at the food on the table. Aunt May has always been sweet to me; she used to check up on me when my parents passed away.
"Yes, I did, with no help from anyone in this house," she says, looking at her husband, Uncle Sandre.
"Mom, you could have asked me; I'm really good at putting oil in frying pans," says Amber, earning a smile from her mother, and I couldn't help but feel jealous.
The table bursts to life with Adrian and Amber's conversation about school and house chores and Aunt May's laughter. Allison, Sandre, and I remained silent. I'm guessing we all have the same thing on our minds.
Coronation day
Tomorrow I'm officially going to be crowned Queen, meaning the higher council can get off their high horses and let me do my duty of protecting and ruling my Panthera. Since my parents passed on the high council led by Allison's father, which has restricted me and my grandfather from obtaining certain information, we've been banned from attending vital meetings concerning the state of Panthera. Their behavior is enough to have them killed, but it's too early to act; they have the people's favor.
"So, Yani, I heard you and my big sister are officially getting your titles tomorrow? Amber says, looking between Allison and me.
She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively, which earns her a glare from her mother.
"Yes, we will, and a lot will change too," I respond, looking at Uncle Sandre with a smile on my face.
He clears his throat, and this grabs Allison's attention; she looks more irritated than usual.
"Dad, if you have something to say, just say it," says Allison', glaring at her father.
Did I miss something? Do my eyes deceive me? Are the Jacobs having visible issues? Goodness, I should record this!
"Okay, lets get going, kids?" Aunt May stands up, and Amber and Adrian follow right after her.
Leaving me with Allison and Sandre.
The air feels thicker now; if I didn't know any better, I would have thought we were about to go into war. "I'm very much aware that you girls are receiving your titles tomorrow, and I'm very proud of both of you," he says, looking between the two of us.
I don't know why he's making this speech right now; he should get to the point. I'm starting to feel irritated.
"But the council and I have decided to let you have your titles, but we will handle everything that has to do with Panthera," he says.
Did I hear him properly, or am I delusional now?
I sigh and press my fingers to my forehead. "Am I a joke to you,Jacob?" I ask, letting my anger get the best of me. "This is complete bullshit!" I shout, throwing my orange juice at his face.
"See! This is why you can't be Queen; do think when you sit down with the kings of Lynx, they will accept such mediocre and childish behavior; you're a danger to yourself and Panthera!"
I stare at him in disbelief. I can't believe he had the audacity to say that to me, these kings he speaks so highly of have committed genocide, murder, and war against their people, and I'm the problematic one. Does he honestly think that the kings of Lynx would accept secondary citizens, such as the high council?
HES JOKING.
He's not making sense! Is it because I'm a woman and they see me as unfit to rule? Is it because they fear I might seduce one of the kings and bear hybrid children?
I slowly walk over to him and extend my claws. Sandre chuckles and looks over at Allison; she looks away, very aware of my intentions.
By the time he turned back to look at me, his neck was already in my hand. He tried to pull my fingers from his neck, but it was pointless; my claws were already in his skin.
"Do you feel that, Sandre? Can you feel that power?"
He gasps for air and tries to stand up, but I immediately sit his ass back down.
"Now imagine if I got really mad at you and the council members." I say, digging my fingers deeper into his skin.
"I don't like the idea of forcefully having to take what's rightfully mine, Sandre. I hate the idea of having to kill my own people, but that doesn't mean I won't do it."
I squeeze his neck even tighter, and I can feel his heartbeat slowing down. His eyes look drowsy.
"Ayanda!" She shouts Allison, and I let him go.
He starts coughing hysterically, and I roll my eyes at him. He's so dramatic, I wipe my blood-stained finger tips on his shoulder with disgust plastered on my face.
"Fix this mess or else," I whisper in my anger loud enough for both of them to hear me. I want what's mine, and no one is taking it from me.
I leave the house without saying goodbye to the Jacobs. I think leaving a scar on their father's neck is the perfect goodbye or threat and a great way to establish respect between the Jacobs and me.
I'm not a little girl anymore; I'm nineteen years old. I'm a woman now, not just any woman.
I try to shake the feeling of guilt, but it lingers. I ask the driver to take me to the east side of Castle Black, to my grandfather's estate; maybe I´ll feel more at ease and relaxed with him.
My coronation is tomorrow, and the three kings will be making their appearance, henceforth, have to prepare their quarters as well, but I think grandpa has already set their quarters at bubble-top mountain. I've only met all three of them when I was sixteen years old. When they found out that I was a girl, they demanded to meet me. They were in disbelief because they were informed I was a boy.
It was a short meeting; I only remember them glaring at me and asking me about my sexual orientation. They knew nothing about me, but I knew everything about them.
There's King Leonard Lion, king of Lyon, the Lion Shifters. He became king at seventeen years old and killed his father for murdering his older sister and for mistreating his six mothers. He doesn't talk much, but that doesn't mean he's not a talker. He considers himself righteous and believes in following the rules and destroying his enemies. Currently, I'm his enemy; why? well
Because I'm a woman, and he believes I might bring a hybrid into this world again. There's not much that's known about him; his life is more private compared to the other kings; he has no lovers; he spends most of his time with his mothers.
Void Cunningham, King of the Leopards, and King of the Leopard Shifters He is very sadistic, flirtatious, strong, and smart. He´s twenty-five years old, and he was crowned king when he was twenty years old. He hates humans because his mother was continuously and slowly poisoned by her human servant for years. By the time they realized what was killing the queen, it was too late. She was already in the afterlife, and soon the humans in Leperd joined her in the afterlife.
Ranveer Maculosus-est, king of Jubatus; king of the cheetah shifters; he's soft-spoken; he´s seventeen; he's a child of incest and not the original king. His older brother was the one I met when I was sixteen; I think his name was Ajay. The Maculosus-est bloodline believed that marrying within the family was the only way to keep their bloodline pure and strong, but it all ended with Ranveer's father, who didn't want his daughter to suffer the same fate as his sister or wife did. When Ajay found out he would not be marrying his infant sister, he killed his parents and fled the kingdom, leaving Ranveer to protect his sister and rule the kingdom. Currently, his kingdom is going through a civil war over the royal bloodline.
Than there's little old me, Ayanda Black, queen of Panthera, the first royal woman allowed to rule a king in over eight hundred years, hot-headed and self-centered, as Allison would say. I witnessed a poacher from the outside world kill my parents and peel off their coats. I could barely do anything; I couldn't even shift. I'll never forget those monsters, faces, and scents. From his black boots to his green jumpsuit, dark blue eyes, and balding head, that's all I ever think about sometimes, and how I'm going to devour his heart and wear his skin as a jacket.
I want revenge.
"We are here, Princess Ayanda," says the driver.
I take a look outside, and there's my grandfather in the front garden, cutting weeds with a frown plastered on his face. I wonder what's bothering him now. I thank the driver before I leave the car. I walk past the daisies and go to Grandpa.
"You're quite the busy honey bee, papa?"
He chuckles and glances up at me. I sit on the ground with him; there are barely any weeds here. I wonder what he´s so occupied with, and I hope he´s not cutting Granny's flowers again.
"You know, most kids your age wouldn't come back to their grandparents place after moving into their own castle." He says this, glancing in my direction.
I sigh and sit down on the ground. "Can you tell the people that too, because they don't seem to understand I'm the queen?"
I've been living at Castle Black for the last eight months, and it feels like no one respects me. It feels like I have to fight everyone just to get respect and be acknowledged.
"Have you tried killing their loved ones? That's always an interesting way to get people to respect you or threaten their lives," says Grandpa. I chuckle. It's funny because I can actually do that, but that should be the last option.
Grandpa gets up, and I follow him into the house. Grandpa´s house is the only house in the kingdom that's built with bricks, concrete, and steel. It's his way of trying to be modern; it doesn't have the beautiful vines of Panthera; it's different, but I prefer the castle more.
"Have you been having blackouts again? he asks, turning back to look at me.
"Yes, I had one last night, after I left," I respond.
Last night, I was drinking wine with my grandpa, and all I remember is leaving grandpa's house and waking up to the maids screaming. I don't remember hunting a deer or even entering my room.
I've been having blackouts since I was nine years old; most of my childhood is a blur. I only have a few memories of my childhood. They stopped when I was sixteen years old, but something triggered them again.
Grandpa takes out his diary from the drawers and puts his glasses on. I laugh, and Grandpa raises an eyebrow at me. His eyes look as big as saucers in them, and this buzz cut he´s attempting to rock ain't helping either.
"We haven't done grandpa therapy sessions since I was thirteen," I say, getting comfortable on the couch.
He indicates that I lay down on the couch while he sits on the table. "This is why this one is very crucial, so how did you feel when you first woke up?" He asks.
"I felt exhausted; my body hurt almost everywhere, especially my back, and I had the usual headache."
If I had to be more precise, it felt like my skin was torn to accommodate something too heavy for my bones. Grandpa writes in his diary, and he freezes for a moment and looks at me.
"The back pain? That's new; can you explain the pain more for me?"
"Well, it felt like someone tore into my back or scratched my skin off," I respond.
The pain my body felt mainly came from shifting forms, but it felt deeper than that, like I carried something too heavy for my body.
"קדימה מלאך אליאנה"
What's Grandpa saying?
I feel my body drift off in the same way sleep comes. This sensation is very familiar; it feels like I´m about to have another blackout. I try to fight it, but my body and mind completely fail me.
30minutes later….
"Ayanda, sweetie, wake up," says grandpa, gently shaking my body.
My head feels heavier now, as does my body. It's like my entire existence was just trampled on by a herd of elephants; it almost feels like I'm out of my body and I'm trying to adjust to it.
I groan and try my best to get up. "What happened?" I asked, sitting up and holding my head.
"Yeah, we were just talking, and you just fell asleep?" says grandpa, passing me a glass of water.
That's a bit odd; I don't fall asleep in the middle of a conversation. I think I had another blackout. I look around the room, and everything seems in order—no blood, no broken windows, no dead animals. Maybe I just fell asleep, but I don't usually feel like this after napping.
Maybe I didn't eat enough food since I only had breakfast this morning. Just thinking about it gives me a headache. I have goosebumps all over my body warning me about a danger near me, but there's literally no danger that I see. I sigh and rub my forehead. My life wouldn't be like this if my father were still around.
Grandpa sits next to me, and he sighs and gently rubs my back.
"I feel like there's something that you're hiding from me, and when I find out what it is, I want you to know that whatever the outcome, you're my grandfather, and I won't hesitate to do what needs to be done," I say, pulling him into a hug.
I know he's lying to me; he's been lying to me my whole life, and there's one thing he taught me: no one is your friend when you're sitting on the throne; even your own blood is your enemy.
He´s protecting someone, but this person is bad news. I can feel it. I have to investigate this when I have time.
I don't know what his intentions are, but knowing him, it's purely selfish, or he's protecting something or someone from the truth, and at this very moment, I think it's me.
He kisses my forehead and hugs me tighter. He's the only family I have at the moment; he raised and protected me and made me who I am today, and I´ll always be grateful.
He pulls away from me and gives me a short smile before he rushes off upstairs, and, in 30 seconds, he´s back with an envelope in his hand.
"Guest what my love sent me! A love letter!" He says this, smiling like a madman. He opens the envelope with a grin plastered on his face. I can't help but chuckle. His eyes are shining now, thanks to the glasses he has on and his excitement.
When he opens the envelope, the first thing we see is a picture of Grandma. She's wearing shades too big for her face; her black curly hair seems to be battling the wind; her smile is almost as bright as the sun in the picture; and her skin is glistening just like honey.
She looks happier in the human world.
"I miss her," says Grandpa, tracing over her face.
I don't know why he just didn't tag along, but Grandma made it sound like something she wanted to do on her own. "She´´ll be back next year, grandpa; don't worry about her; seeing her smile like that should make you three times happier than her," I say, rubbing his back to cheer him up.
He smiles and kisses my cheek. "Your right, angel."
He stands up and walks over to the table full of photo frames.
It's filled with pictures of my grandfather's most treasured beings.
From his parents to his older sister, who was killed when she was only five months old due to the rules that were set against female royals, Tangeni Jacob, his advisor who died saving great-grandpa, has a picture of my dad when he was fifteen with a tiger shark in his arms; near Another picture is of my dad's older brother Kain; he looked sixteen at the time. He died during the transitional ritual of becoming king, and there's one picture that always makes me laugh: a picture of grandma with Uncle Kain and my dad in her arms. She looks completely disoriented, and Grandpa looks like he just won the lottery.
There's also a picture of me when I was 8; my fangs just came at the time, but my baby teeth didn't fall out yet, but it still didn't stop me from smiling; I looked like a scary, adorable little kid.
These memories feel bittersweet right now. I can't imagine how it feels for Grandpa to lose all his children and to not have his bride with him right now. I wonder why he chooses to drown himself in work. I´d do the same thing too, but for me, it's different. I want revenge. I can't let my parents deaths be a symbol of humiliation or weakness.
"Wanna go hunt dinner with me, grandpa? I can ask the gatekeepers to release an onyx tonight, since it's your favorite," I ask. I want to keep him company before I leave; I don't want to leave him lonely.
He takes his glasses off and jumps up.
"Race you there!" In a flash, he shifted into his panther form, and he was out of the door. I chuckled and removed my shoes, then shifted and pursued him. he´s panther is three times bigger than a normal panther; he's a fully developed male; mine can't even reach his size, but after the ritual, I´ll be as strong as Grandpa.
Before I knew it, it was almost close to midnight. The hunt took longer than I thought, and those oynx were smarter than we expected; they actually gave me good exercise.
I've already said my goodbyes to Grandpa, and now I´m on the Siku River. It is a river that most people don't ever go near because there's a lot of originals there; the originals are the true black panthers; they aren't shifters like us; we are merely failed copies, if you ask me. Being around the originals is extremely risky because, for starters, they clearly don't like shifters, and attacks are a rare occurrence, but harming them can lead to insanity, even suicide.
This is a curse that God allegedly bestowed upon us as a reminder that he is far greater than us.
Talk about a humbling experience.
I can feel the originals eyes on me; they are curious as usual, and they are waiting for me to summon them, but I cannot speak in this form. But for now, they can keep following me. I don't feel like scouting my environment; I want to relax in the water without looking around or sniffing the air for potential enemies.
I finally arrive at the river. It shimmers under the moonlight; only the sound of water pouring from the high green mountains can be heard; the scent of lacy flowers fills the air; it almost looks like the water is filled with little pearls. I shift back into my human form and step into the water.
The cold water feels so relaxing on my naked skin. I can't help but release a sigh of contentment. I dive into the water and come back up for air. I wipe the water off my face, and I notice the forest is too quiet; the birds aren't singing their songs, and only the water can be heard. I look around; there's no one in sight. I´m being paranoid now; the originals would never allow anyone to harm me.
I relax my tense muscles and continue floating in the water. My body can't seem to relax; there´s something out there bigger than me, more dangerous than me.
Before,I had the chance to run , my body was being engulfed by the water, and strong hands held onto my shoulders pulling me down. I struggle to break free, but the grip only tightens. Panic sets in as , I am not alone in the water. The thought of the originals' protection fades away as I desperately fight against my captor. There's someone here.
I made an effort to fend them off, but I was sucked further into the waters. I scream, but I only manage to gulp the water. I can feel my consciousness fading; I find it hard to accept that this is how I die, just as I was on the edge of reality. My lips are being pressed against soft tissue; do they feel like lips? On a stranger's lips, I can feel the air being blasted into my mouth. I gladly inhaled the air.
Dark, ferocious eyes greet me as soon as I open my eyes.
Before I could even react, I swam up to the surface and took a deep breath of fresh air. The originals surround the water; they looked eager to get me out of the water, and some looked confused, waiting for my order, but I'm too busy coughing out the water that entered my lungs.
"I thought you trained them to protect you? says a deep, warm, familiar voice.
I turn to my back, and I´m met with his dark, playful eyes again. His wet black hair is pushed back, and his milky skin is wet. Most people wouldn't be able to pull off this murderous look, but it works in his favor.
I know for a fact that his fangs are larger than mine. I give him a glare and snarl at him,a fair enough warning for him to back off. "You do know what you did just there could start a war, right?" I say, swimming over to him. I extend my claws and attempt to scratch his face, but he stops me in mid-air.
He´s looking down at me with a smile plastered on his face. Before I could spit on his pretty face, he grabbed a handful of my hair and pushed my head so our lips collided. I can't help but give in. I move my naked body closer to his and deepen our kiss. His hands slide down to my waist, and he squeezes my ass and pulls me even closer to him. This only deepened our kiss and ignited a flame. As the passion between us intensifies, I feel a surge of desire coursing through my veins. As our bodies become entwined, the heat between us becomes undeniable, fueling the fire within. With each touch and caress, we lose ourselves in a moment of pure lust.
As he moves from kissing my lips to kissing my neck, grazing my neck with his fangs, I can't help but feel aroused and pampered. I breathed heavily in delight and let out a small giggle.
"Shh, someone might hear us." He whispers. I slide my hands over his chest, but he pushes me away from him. "Ayanda y-" Ayanda, we need to be careful. We can't let our desires consume us and risk exposing our secrets.
"Yeah, I know, we can't take it far 'cause we don't want another hybrid freak running around," I say, abruptly interrupting his speech. I can't help but feel hurt and mad. I'm queen; it's a new life; we can't let history control us; I'm living proof.
We've been doing this for the last two years; it's getting ridiculous. There are so many precautions we can take.
He sighs and looks disinterested now, a little bit disappointed.
"I don't like the mother of children referring to my kids as freaks, and second of all, you haven't even drank the serum yet; you're too weak; you wouldn't even survive carrying one hybrid baby to full term," he states.
I suddenly smacked him across the face. I snarled lowly at him as the originals around us appeared eager to join. They began growling as well, waiting for my cue. As I come to terms with the fact that this man has the power to destroy both my life and the Black family line, panic overtakes me.
I lift my chest high and swallow my fear. "Don't ever call me that, or else you´ ll be my late-night snack," I said, swimming a little further away from him.
He chuckles and pulls me closer to him. "Now, this is a queen that I want; I want you to be stronger; I want you to make sure you can protect us, our young, and our kingdoms," he says, gently kissing my cheek.
"I can barely control myself; look! Being marked by me is not something people will cheer about on your coronation day," he asserts, to clarify his denial.
I roll my eyes at him and move a little further from him. It's not like I wanted to go all the way; I just have other things in mind. I've been getting stronger; I've learned how to use my pheromones to command the originals. There's only so much they can do underwater, and I was too scared to actually get them to help.
I think letting him mark me would be a great way of starting things, but why are our species not allowed to mate? We are technically the same breed; in fact, our child wouldn't be a hybrid. I'm starting to doubt the existence of this hybrid king they speak of; the bones they have displayed at the center are just some poor man's bones.
Eager to change the topic of discussion, I look over at him and smirk.
"Since coronation day came into discussion, what did Void Cunningham, the king of the jaguars, get for his beloved queen?" I am mimicking his accent and voice.
I'm not in the mood for his pheromone lessons today; they are extremely painful, but he´s the only person besides my family who knows about my special ability, and he´s the only one who can help me master it.
I chuckle and splash him with water. He growls at me, giving me a warning snarl, but I don't feel threatened. "Oo, I'm so scared," I say, dramatically clutching my chest. I swim closer to him and plant a kiss on his cheek.
He chuckles and raises an eyebrow at me.
"You know, most people are terrible with fear when they see me, and here you are, kissing me and giggling."He responds, smiling ever so brightly at me.
"Well, to me, you're nothing but a kitten who has had too much to chew on," he snarls, and I laugh. I think Void is the only thing in my life that makes sense—something I choose for myself, but I can't trust him. He´s a greedy man, a man hungry for power, and I feel like I can give him that, but what do I gain in the end?