The next day, Joseph Montgomery stormed into the royal pack’s estate to confront Valeria Carter.
As the son of a prominent Alpha, Joseph had connections that allowed him to bypass the usual protocols. His mother, Monica Montgomery, had come to visit the Lycan Queen under the guise of a formal meeting, and Joseph had sneaked in, disguised as one of the pack’s guards.
He barged into my quarters without warning, his voice booming. “Avery Lane! Get out here, Avery Lane!”
I was in the middle of tending to my garden, planting lavender under the cool morning sun. Wiping the sweat from my brow, I squinted at him, my tone sharp. “You blind or something?”
Joseph froze, clearly unprepared for my disheveled appearance and blunt demeanor. After a long pause, he finally spat out, “You think you’re fit to be mated into my family? You’re nothing but a rogue! How dare you humiliate Valeria? She’s kind and graceful, and you—you’re just a brute with no heart!”
I hadn’t humiliated Valeria, but I wasn’t about to waste my breath defending myself.
Joseph’s face was red with rage as he continued, “I’ll never accept someone like you as my mate! My future Luna will be Valeria, and no one else!”
Honestly, Joseph wasn’t unattractive. But the way he snarled at me, his face twisted in fury, made him look more like a rabid wolf than a high-ranking werewolf.
And this was the man who thought I wasn’t good enough for him? Back in the countryside, I could handle ten of his kind with one swipe of my claws.
When I didn’t respond, Joseph’s anger escalated. He stomped into my freshly tilled garden, crushing my lavender underfoot. Then, with a vicious kick, he sent Whiskers, my beloved pet wolf, flying.
Before I could react, Joseph was in my face, his hand swinging to deliver a brutal slap. The force of it left my cheek numb, blood trickling from the corner of my mouth.
But I didn’t have time to tend to my own injuries.
Whiskers—my constant companion, the one who curled up beside me every night—was lying motionless on the ground, foam bubbling from his mouth.
I rushed to him, cradling his small, white body in my arms. His soft fur, once warm and vibrant, was now lifeless. A final twitch, and then stillness.
My vision blurred with tears as I gently laid Whiskers down. Extending my claws, I slashed with all my strength, aiming for Joseph’s right leg.
The crack of bone echoed through the air, followed by Joseph’s strangled cry.
He collapsed, his face pale and contorted in pain, but I wasn’t done. Another slash, and his left leg gave way.
By the time he was on his knees, unable to scream, I finally let out a wail. “Guards! Where are the guards? Are you all blind? You’re useless, the lot of you!”
“Mother! This intruder killed Whiskers—the pet the Lycan King himself gifted me! What kind of pack lets someone murder a royal’s companion?”
Joseph was dragged to the Lycan Queen’s chambers by the time the guards arrived. His mother, Monica, was torn between her concern for her son and the undeniable fact that he’d broken into the royal quarters.
Her voice trembled as she finally spoke. “Regardless of what happened, Princess Avery, you didn’t have to be so harsh. My son was just curious about you. He wasn’t a real threat!”
I cradled Whiskers’ lifeless body, my sobs echoing through the halls. The lung capacity I’d developed from years of pack training ensured everyone within a mile could hear my grief.
“I didn’t know! I grew up in the countryside—how was I supposed to recognize your son? He barged into my quarters and killed the Lycan King’s gift to me! Of course I panicked!”
I emphasized the words “Lycan King’s gift,” and Monica’s face turned ashen.
Moments later, the Lycan King and Valeria arrived. My hair was a mess, my face streaked with tears, and my clothes stained with dirt and Whiskers’ vomit. In contrast, Valeria looked every bit the elegant Luna she aspired to be, her movements graceful and composed.
Joseph, dragging his broken legs, struggled to kneel before the Lycan King. “Your Majesty, there’s no bond between Princess Avery and me. I beg you to revoke the mating decree!”
