Forbidden Queen
Chapter Forty-Nine - Welcoming old Friends

Katy

It is the day before my coronation, and I am becoming more and more nervous. I am beginning to realise just how big an event this going to be. All the ranking wolves from across the kingdom will be attending, plus the alphas and their betas from the packs we have alliances with.

Ruth has been approached by a couple of the alphas who have remained neutral up until now, requesting an invitation to attend. Joseph and Alex weren’t keen, but Ruth thought that it would be our best chance of forming new alliances with these packs.

I agreed with Ruth, we can’t live in fear of Lucius. Besides the event will be heavily guarded by the Royal Pack and Lunar Eclipse warriors. If Lucius chooses to attack, we will be ready for him.

The first of the guests have started arriving today, with the rest due tomorrow morning. I am looking forward to catching up with Philip and the wolves he is bringing from the northern territory. I will also have the opportunity to get to know the other Royal Betas, better. I am going to discuss with them my plan to visit their territories once the coronation is over.

The first to arrive is Philip with the ranking wolves from the northern territory. He has also brought Anna’s uncle, which I know she will be really pleased about. He is the one family member from the Black Moon Pack she feels she can be proud of.

“Welcome, Philip” I say giving him a big smile and shaking his hand. I am so pleased to see you again. Did you have a good journey?”

“Thank you, your majesty it passed uneventfully.”

“Good. Aaron will show you to your room so that you can rest, and we will be able to talk later at dinner when the other guests arrive.”

“Come this way” Aaron says leading the wolves from the northern territory to the guest rooms that have been assigned to them.”

Not long afterwards the other royal betas arrive. I greet Marcus, Hannah and Lauren warmly and Aaron shows them to their rooms.

I am just about to go upstairs and get changed when I hear a familiar voice squeal my name. I turn round to see Lily running towards me. Her mate Euan following more slowly behind.

“Lily” I shout back. “I didn’t realise you were coming!”

I turn to Alex looking for an explanation.

“I thought it would be a nice surprise. Lucius is unlikely to attack the Lunar Eclipse pack, during the coronation so it only seemed fair to allow Lily and Euan to attend your big day. I knew you would want them to be there.”

“Besides, Jane with the help of Alex’s grandfather and aunt, is more than capable of running the pack in my absence” Euan says.

“Well, I am glad you are both here, it is the best gift I could receive. I will feel less nervous with my best friend here helping me get ready for my coronation. Emma will be so excited to see you both.”

“I wouldn’t have missed this for the world. I can’t wait to watch you being crowned queen it will be brilliant. You have to show me what you are going to wear.”

“Don’t worry about us. I need to catch up with Euan about pack business” Alex tells me.

“OK then follow me, I have so much to show you.” I lead Lily up to my rooms. Royal duties can wait for a bit, for the next couple of hours I am going to have fun with my best friend.

Daniel

Alex has let me know that Euan and Lily have arrived, and we have arranged to meet him at the warrior training centre. I am looking forward to seeing my brother again and introducing him to Anna.

She is incredibly nervous. I have tried to reassure her that Euan won’t judge her because she is Lucius’ daughter, that his own mate’s father was a spy working for her father, but she is still worried. I am hoping that when she finally meets Euan and Lily that they will put her at her ease.

When we walk into the centre, Alex and Euan are already there. Euan strides towards me and pulls me into a hug.

“It is so good to see you again little brother. I hear that you have been very busy while you have been away from the pack. Introduce me to your mate.”

I turn to Anna and pull her towards us. She smiles shyly up at Euan.

“Hello” she manages to say.

Euan gives her his most welcoming smile. “I have been looking forward to finally meeting you. Welcome to the family. It is great that Daniel has found his mate. I have been hearing good things about you, not just from Daniel who is obviously biased but from Alex and Katy too.

I watch as Anna blushes and her smile widens. “Thank you, I am pleased to meet you, Daniel has told me so much about you.”

“When we get back to the palace I will introduce you to my mate Lily, as you probably already know she is one of Daniel’s closest friends and she has been dying to meet you. At the moment, she is with Katy discussing dresses. I have managed to escape with Alex.”

Anna laughs. I can see that she is beginning to relax, all the tension from earlier has disappeared while she has been speaking to Euan. I knew that she would like him. He has a real gift for putting people at their ease.

“I understand that you are a healer at the hospital here I would be interested in replaceing out about your work. There are no natural healers at the Lunar Eclipse Pack, it is a skill we sorely miss.”

And with that Euan takes Anna by the hand and starts to ask her questions about healing. If there was any subject that was likely to win her over then it was this one.

Katy

I had had a fantastic afternoon catching up with Lily. We soon fitted back into our old comfortable routine like we hadn’t spent months apart. She brought me up to speed with all the gossip in the Lunar Eclipse Pack.

Sarah had found her true mate, who turned out to be one of the omegas who works in the packhouse garden. That had been a big shock for her. Everyone had expected her to reject him, but miraculously she hadn’t, and they were now happily mated. She had however drawn the line at moving to the packs’ omega housing. Instead, her mate had moved in with her in her father’s house.

I showed Lily the dresses and formal robes that I would be wearing during the coronation ceremony. She loved them and told me how jealous she was of me. I talked her through all the arrangements that had been made for the coronation. She seemed to understand them much better than I did. Unlike me she wasn’t put off by the idea of all the grandeur, and formality of the occasion.

Not for the first time I thought about how she would make a much better queen than I would. She is used to wearing opulent gowns and attending fancy dinners and balls. She understands court etiquette in a way that I don’t think I ever will.

When Emma finished school, she joined us. She was so excited to see Lily again. Almost as excited as I was. Lily has always been so good with her. I knew that after I left the Lunar Eclipse pack she had spent as much time as Mrs Wilson had looking after her. I couldn’t have a better friend than Lily.

I completely lose track of time, until I saw Alex standing in the doorway with Euan, they are both smiling at us.

“Some things never change, do they?”

“No, they don’t, not when you are best friends.” Lily replied.

“Time to leave” Euan tells Lily. We need to get ready for the meal tonight, and before that I need to introduce you to Daniel’s mate.”

“How exciting I can’t wait. That is all three of us now marked and mated. You need to tell me what she is like” Lily says as she rushes out the door.

When we are alone, Alex asks “did you have fun catching up with Lily?”

“Yes, it was great to see her again I have missed her. She is one of the very few people that I can relax and be myself with, I don’t have to play the queen with Lily.

Now though we should get ready, we only have an hour before we need to go downstairs and greet my guests for dinner.”