Forbidden Queen
Chapter Forty-Six Time to Return Home

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I have loved my time in the Northern Territory, Alex and I have been kept busy every day, meeting the inhabitants, and travelling to the borders to meet the alphas who are allied to the Royal pack. People have been pleased that I have ventured this far north to visit them.

I wonder why my ancestors didn’t spend time here. Why they didn’t try to strengthen the bonds within the pack and with their allies. I don’t want to make the same mistake.

“What are you thinking? Alex asks me.

“How great this trip has been, and how I need to make similar visits to the three remaining territories.”

“Good plan but the first thing we need to do when we get back is finish finalising the plans for your coronation, it is only a few weeks away now, and it will give you the opportunity to meet all the high-ranking wolves in the kingdom as well as all the Alphas from the allied packs.”

“I suppose so, I just hate the formality of it, the dull ceremonies and conventions.”

“It is important though for your subjects and your allies to see you surrounded by all the trappings of the monarchy. It increases their respect for you as queen and strengthens your power.”

“I get it. I do take my responsibilities as queen seriously.”

“I know you do.

We need to say goodbye to Philip and thank him for his hospitality.”

We walk down the stairs of the pack house and find Philip waiting for us in the hallway.

“Thank you, Philip, for a truly enjoyable visit. I have loved meeting your wolves, and hope that I can return soon.”

“We have enjoyed having you your majesty. It has been a privilege to show you the northern territory. We hope to see you again.”

“You will, but next time will be in more formal circumstances at my coronation.”

“Has my brother been secured within the prison van?” Alex asks.

“Yes, and I have sent my two strongest warriors to help you escort him back to the palace.”

“Thank you for capturing him and keeping him guarded. My pack will be keen to ensure that justice is done as soon as possible.”

Philip looks at Alex with sympathy. “As alpha you sometimes must make difficult decisions. All wolves should be treated equally and fairly under pack law but that is not always an easy task. I hope you find a way to reconcile your feelings as a brother with your duty to rule as an Alpha.”

“Thank you. I know my duty, justice will always be done, even if the criminal is my brother.”

With that we say our final farewells and climb into our car for the return journey to the palace.

…………

Our return journey is uneventful, and in three days we are back at the palace.

The first thing I do is find Emma. I spend an hour with her catching up, but I know I can’t spare any more time with her. I am tired after our journey, but I need to see Joseph, so that he can provide me with an update on his interrogation of Karen.

We find him waiting in my office.

“How was your visit to the Northern territory?”

“Really productive, we managed to form new alliances with the North Fang, Grey Claw and Yellow Moon packs” I tell him.

“Ruth will be pleased; she has been trying to form an alliance with the Grey Claw pack for years.”

“We also managed to meet all the ranking wolves and the local Alphas we are allied with. It was enjoyable to spend time in such a beautiful place.”

“I think Katy visiting the territory did a lot strengthen our existing alliances, and to help improve the loyalty of the wolves in the territory” Alex tells him.

“I would like to arrange visits to the other territories. I will ask Ruth to organise them for after the coronation.

Now though let us discuss what you have found out from interrogating Karen.”

“She has admitted that she has spent the last twenty years spying for Lucius. She didn’t have much choice after I provided her with all the evidence that we have gathered, but she has refused to tell me anything else. I have subjected her to aggressive questioning, but she has not given me the name of her accomplices or told me how she was able to pass information to and receive orders from Lucius.

I have tried all the interrogation techniques I have at my disposal, but I haven’t been able to break her. I don’t think I will be able to get more from her now but at least we have stopped her.”

“I would like to see her. Tomorrow when I have recovered from the journey, I want to speak to her.”

“Of course, if you wish your highness.”

“I have brought my brother back with us. The guards are taking him to a cell in the royal dungeon. He will be here until I can arrange for him to be transported back to my pack for trial.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem. I can arrange suitable guards to transport him to the Lunar Eclipse pack when you have made the necessary arrangements with your beta Euan.”

…………………

The next day I wake early and prepare for my meeting with Karen. I want to look her in the eye and make her tell me why she did it. Why she was prepared to betray me and the rest of the royal pack to Lucius.

I walk to the entrance of the dungeon where I meet Joseph.

“Ready?” he asks

“Yes, I want answers.”

“Then let’s go” he leads me into the dungeon.

It is much bigger than the building in the northern territory and from the front looks more inviting. It is a two-story structure made of pale grey stone and has large windows which must make it light and airy. When I get inside however, I realise that the rooms above ground are offices and staff quarters. The prison is located deep underground only accessible by a set of narrow steep stairs.

As we walk down the stairs the air gets heavier and more oppressive, the stairway is lit by bright artificial lights. When we reach the bottom, I find that we are standing in a corridor, with a row of closed doors. At the end is another staircase leading down.

“The rooms along this corridor are used for interrogations, and to house those wolves who have committed more minor crimes. The dangerous criminals like Karen and Alex’s brother Jordan are housed in the lower-level cells which are more secure, and less comfortable. I have arranged for Karen to be brought up to one of the interrogation rooms” Joseph says opening the door nearest to me on the left and showing me inside.

The room is sparsely populated with only a metal table and three chairs. Karen is there already sitting in a chair her hands chained to the table. Joseph and I take the seats facing her. I notice that she has a black eye, and her face and neck are covered in bruises. Her hair is untidy, and her clothes are dirty and torn. She looks very different from the immaculate dressed advisor that I had spoken to only a few weeks ago.

When she looks at me, I can see hate clearly shining in her eyes. She might have been beaten and tortured but none of the treatment she has received, seems to have broken her.

“Well, if it isn’t our royal highness the ‘Omega Queen’. I did wonder if you would have the guts to come down here and face me or if you would leave it up to that mutt to do your dirty work” she says nodding at Joseph.

“I have no issue with seeing you Karen, you are hardly a frightening prospect. What I want to know is why you were prepared to betray me and all your pack mates, for an evil wolf like Lucius? A man who killed your own parents. Is there no one you were not prepared to betray?”

“I haven’t betrayed my pack. None of you mean anything to me” she says viciously. “My pack is the Black Moon Pack, and always has been. You were all too stupid to realise the truth. I have been Lucius loyal spy in this pack for twenty years. I gave him the information that helped him to kill your parents. I am the one that kept him one step ahead of the royal pack every time.

We fooled you, with that sob story that Lucius killed my parents. He was too clever for you. He killed those merchant wolves merely to provide me with a good back story, one that you weak wolves with your stupid compassion would fall for.

Lucius knew that you would accept me into the royal pack no questions asked. In fact, it worked even better than he had planned, because you were so trusting that you gave me a place at the centre of the royal court.”

“And now you are just a pathetic prisoner, caught by the people you hate. What will Lucius do now? What is your loyal service worth? Do you think that he will try to rescue you, that he will lift one finger to help you now that you have been caught?” I ask her.

I see doubt in her eyes, she knows the truth that Lucius will see her as expendable. A tool that has lost its usefulness. He won’t be coming to save her.

“No, you are worthless to him now. You will pay for what you did to my family and to all the other wolves that you have used and betrayed. What is the point of protecting your master, when you know that he won’t lift a finger to try and save you?

Tell us who your accomplices are, and we will give you a swift death. Refuse and Joseph will keep torturing you until you have no option but to answer.”

“I will not betray my pack” I can see that her resolve wavering. She knows that I speak the truth, but she is still not prepared to betray Lucius.

“Are they your pack? Would any of them even recognise you? You have spent twenty years of your life with the Royal pack.”

She doesn’t answer me. She just stares blankly into space.

“I have had enough Joseph, time for me to leave. I don’t want to waste any more time on this worthless traitor. Take her back to her cell to rot” I say standing up and striding out the room.

Joseph follows me back to the palace. I feel sorry for him. I am angry at her betrayal, but I have only known her for a few weeks, Joseph has worked closely with her, trusted her for twenty years. How many of his friends and colleagues’ deaths has she been responsible for? He deserves vengeance.

Once we are alone in my office, I turn to him and say, “I don’t think you will get a confession out of her, but continue your interrogations for another week, to make sure. She deserves to suffer. After that I want her to be executed for her crimes. I leave the details of how it should be done up to you.”

“Thank you, your majesty. I will make sure that she suffers” he says determinedly.

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