Chapter 0002

-Two Months Earlier-

"Bring in the accused," Visenya ordered, her voice commanding and filled with regality, as she sat upon her throne with poise.

Two guards carried in a sickly-looking vampire, too weak to even stand on his own. The vampire raised his eyes at Visenya but kept his head bowed, hissing at her in loathing.

"My Queen," Caspian announced, "this creature was caught draining the blood of a twelve-year-old girl."

Visenya's eyes burned with rage as she looked upon the bloodsucker. If she were truly honest with herself, she would admit that she harbored a deep hatred for vampires. To her, vampirism was a wicked virus that she wished she could eradicate altogether.

"The girl... did she survive?" She inquired, her gaze still fixed on the criminal before her.

"No, she did not, My Queen," Caspian replied, his voice filled with solemnity.

Visenya closed her eyes, a surge of anger coursing through her veins. The assault on adults by vampires was already heart-wrenching, but the merciless slaying of an innocent child struck her at her core.

She opened her eyes and locked her gaze with the vile creature once more. "I hereby sentence you to death by sunlight, three sunrises from today," she ruled, rising from her throne.

The vampire erupted into a fit of maniacal laughter, causing Visenya to halt in her stride. Her eyes scrutinized the wretched being, who appeared to have descended into madness.

"What is so amusing?" She glowered, her voice a mix of anger and curiosity.

The vampire sneered, baring his fangs. "You condemn me to death for a single murder when you yourself have committed countless."

"I have murdered no one," Visenya retorted firmly.

"Lies!" the bloodsucker bellowed, his words igniting a stir among those present in the court. "Every day, my kind perishes from starvation under your reign! For years we've suffered at your hands while your kind eats, drinks, and fucks, living your merry little lives!"

Visenya's gaze hardened, her resolve unyielding. "I have provided resources for all of you. If you are too proud to accept them, then that is not my problem," she declared, her voice exuding calm authority.

"Resources?!" The vampire scoffed. "You expect us to consume the blood of slaughtered cattle? It is like asking you to feast on rat meat and find satisfaction!"

"If Lycans and humans were starving, we would gladly consume rat meat without complaint," Visenya countered. "Furthermore, even if we were famished, we would never prey upon young, innocent girls."

"I would not have killed her if I had not been malnourished to begin with!" The vampire argued.

"Is that so?" Visenya walked closer to the parasite, not once breaking eye contact. "I remember what it was like when Dragons ruled the world. Humans were equivalent to the dirt at their feet, and your kind's very own King endorsed their enslavement and barbaric treatment. They were seen as nothing more than a piece of property, used to live out all your perverse desires. None of you ever cared if one died, or two, or three, or a hundred... but that reign of horror is over now. As long as I am Queen, humans will be treated like everyone else, and if anyone breaks the laws that I have put in motion to protect them, then they will be dealt with accordingly."

"That's why your kind slaughtered all the dragons?" He snarked.

Visenya clenched her teeth, her voice tight with anger as she retorted, "Nobody alive today had anything to do with that."

"Your kind slaughtered the dragons, and now you want to kill off the vampires!" He accused.

Visenya stood tall, her voice firm. "Your accusations hold no weight, and I am not the one on trial here! Guards... take him away!"

"We will rise again, and it will be you who grovels at our feet!" He exclaimed. "We'll use you until you are nothing but a worn-out whore! You'll see! You'll be begging for mercy! A mercy that will never come!"

He screamed his nonsensical words as he was dragged out of the courtroom by Visenya's guards. His screams and crazed laughter echoed all the way down to the dungeon, lingering in the air. Visenya walked out of the courtroom, her fingers pressed against her temples, gently massaging away the headache that was forming.

"Don't let that leech get to you," Caspian consoled as he hurried after her.

"You know how much it bothers me when we're blamed for what my father and his infantry did," she said, her voice tinged with frustration. "It's like I'm forced to bear his crimes for the rest of my life."

"I think your father did us a favor," Caspian said, trying to offer a different perspective. "The world is a lot better without those fire-breathing lizards."

"My father committed genocide, Cas," Visenya replied firmly. "I do not condone that. Thousands of people died that day, dragons and humans combined. What he did was wrong and deeply unsettling."

"Let it go, Vee. It's been ten years, you can't keep letting it eat away at you," Caspian urged, his voice filled with concern. "Your emotions have always governed your better judgment, but you have to learn how to set them aside and see the bigger picture. Your father's actions resulted in world peace, something this world has never known."

"Sooner or later, everything comes with a price, Cas... everything," she said, her tone heavy with burden.

Despite Visenya's Alpha lineage and rough exterior, her heart remained her compass. It was a quality that both drove Caspian crazy and endeared him to her. They had known each other since infancy and had been best friends since before they could remember.

Caspian was of strong Beta blood and, therefore, had always been destined to be her second-in-command. When he met his wolf, he instantly knew that his mate was dead. There was no link, no connection. The only solace he found was in the fact that he had never known her. He would never know how she died, but he gathered that it must have been when she was very young.

When Visenya first shifted into her wolf, she knew deep down that her mate was out there somewhere... she could sense him. Despite hosting numerous banquets and parties, inviting lycans and humans from all corners of the kingdom, she had never once crossed paths with her destined mate. Ten long years she had waited for him faithfully, only to be met with disappointment and an agonizing sense of longing.

Her mother had been pleading with her for several years now to give up on her search and marry Caspian instead. But Visenya had stubbornly refused, time and time again, until even Caspian himself asked her to reconsider.

Visenya did love Caspian and couldn't fathom a life without him. She also couldn't deny his undeniable attractiveness - the tall, muscular frame, the wavy, dirty blonde hair that framed his face perfectly, and those piercing blue eyes that had the power to make any woman weak in the knees and dream about being his love interest.

However, there was one undeniable problem—Caspian wasn't her mate. She couldn't envision loving him with the same intensity and connection she yearned to share with her soulmate. Deep down, she knew Caspian would treat her well, as he always had, and she acknowledged the depth of his feelings, which went beyond mere friendship.

Visenya's assessment of Caspian's affection towards her was accurate; he was undeniably head over heels in love with her. He found her unparalleled beauty captivating, with her big, golden brown eyes and cascading curls that gracefully fell to her waist. He often daydreamed about passionately kissing her pouty lips and tenderly caressing her soft, olive skin.

"Vee, have you come to a decision about my proposal?" Caspian's voice broke the silence.

Visenya winced, as if Caspian's question had inflicted physical pain upon her. She was just about to retreat into the privacy of her bedchamber, her hand already gripping the doorknob, when he asked the question she had hoped to postpone for just one more day. "Cas... I'm tired. Let's discuss it tomorrow."

"You always say that. Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow. Well, it's tomorrow now, Visenya, and I deserve an answer," he insisted.

"Cas... I..." She hesitated, her voice trailing off.

Before Visenya could utter another excuse, Caspian took her hand in his and dropped to one knee before her. He gazed into her large, brown eyes with an overwhelming love, and then did something she never expected him to do.

"Visenya, everything about you captivates me—not just your obvious beauty, but also your strong will and beautiful heart," he said softly. "You are not only my best friend, but the only woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. I have stood by your side through thick and thin, and I want to continue doing so as your husband and the father of your pups. I promise to treat you like the Queen that you are, every single day until my last breath. You and I are both mateless, and as odd as this may sound, I've come to believe that it can only mean that we were meant to be together. I love you, Visenya. Please say you'll be my wife."

With trembling hands, Caspian opened a small box and revealed a breathtaking blue sapphire diamond ring. It was the same ring her father had once given to her mother, a symbol of enduring love and commitment. Caspian's proposal was nothing short of beautiful; she couldn't deny the overwhelming emotions that surged within her. Yet, a lingering ache tugged at her heart, the knowledge that the one she truly longed for may never utter those same words.

Caspian was right; she was mateless. For ten long years, she had searched in vain for her destined mate. Truth be told, Visenya had lost hope long ago. At twenty-six years old, the weight of responsibility pressed upon her shoulders. The world needed a Lycan King, as well as heirs to carry on their legacy. As she gazed at the ring nestled in its delicate box, she knew there was only one answer she could give.

"Okay, Caspian. I will be your wife," she whispered, her voice filled with a mix of gratitude and resignation.

"What?! I mean... you will?!" Caspian's eyes lit up with joy, swiftly sliding the ring onto Visenya's finger.

"She said yes!" He exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement as he leaped to his feet.

Visenya's mother and little sister burst into view, their faces beaming with unrestrained joy. "Oh, so this was all a set-up?" Visenya couldn't help but grumble under her breath.

"Oh, stop your whining," Sarai teased, a mischievous glint in her eye. "I thought you would never say yes. I was certain that you would grow into an old cow and be alone forever."

Visenya sighed, her annoyance evident. "Wow, thanks, Mother," she replied sarcastically.

"Is Cas my brother now?!" Synora asked, her eyes wide with excitement.

Visenya knelt down to her young sister, gently poking her on the nose with her finger. "Well, I suppose when we're officially married, he will be," she explained with a smile.

"Yes! I've always wanted a brother!" Synora exclaimed, her face lighting up.

Caspian, unable to contain his joy, scooped little Synora up in his arms and spun her around. "I was pretty much your big bro anyway," he said with a chuckle.

With a mischievous grin, he flipped Synora upside down and tickled her belly, sending her into fits of laughter.

The sound of her laughter warmed Visenya's heart, bringing a smile to her face. Synora was only ten years old and had never seen a dragon in her young life. She was still baking in her mother's womb when all the dragons had been killed. To her, dragons were nothing but legends and folklore, existing only in the playground of her imagination.

"Alright, come along, Synora," Sarai called. "You need to help me get everything ready for tomorrow night."

"What's happening tomorrow night?" Synora questioned.

"We need to prepare everything for the wedding, of course," Sarai replied.

"The wedding?! Mother! I can't get married tomorrow! We just got engaged!" Visenya objected.

"Oh no, you don't," Sarai scolded. "You will not hold this off any longer. Tomorrow is the wedding, and that is final."

Sarai stormed off with Synora skipping beside her, leaving Visenya standing there with her mouth hanging open. She turned her attention towards Caspian, giving him an angry expression that clearly showcased her feelings of betrayal.

He slowly inched closer to her with his hands up in surrender. "I had no idea she was going to plan a wedding for tomorrow, I swear."

"But you didn't object either!" Visenya snapped.

"Vee, it's just a ceremony... we get married, I'm crowned Lycan King, but everything else will happen on your time. I promise I won't pressure you into anything that you're not ready for."

It seemed like a fair enough agreement to Visenya. She could go through with the ceremony and the crowning, but she may need a little time before she could bring herself to go to bed with Caspian.

"Alright, I guess that sounds reasonable," she finally conceded.

"This is all going to work out. I promise you won't regret your decision, and tomorrow will be a day you will never forget," he assured.

Caspian leaned in to kiss Visenya on the lips, but she turned her face to the side, causing him to do the same, until they both settled on an awkward cheek-to-cheek kiss. He gave her a reassuring smile as he bid her goodnight and walked off down the long corridor.

Visenya wondered if it would always feel uncomfortable to engage in such physical contact with Caspian, or if it would get easier with time. She told herself she was doing the right thing. If she had to marry anyone that wasn't her mate, surely it would be Caspian, wouldn't it?