I'm coming for you
Epilogue

Aleida’s POV

How can the pain of losing my best friend be worse than losing four parents? I don’t get it, and I’m falling apart! Kian and Miliano do their best to try and help me get out of it without succeeding. Today I’ve been locked in my room for five days without going out, except when I’m with my puppies. Elias and Alexander are starting to talk more now; it’s still impossible to understand what they say, but it’s excellent regardless. The girls grow every day, and the thought that I had to leave my puppies behind me often creates a shame in my body. It was necessary to ensure their safety; I’m aware of that. However, the fact that I neglected my five children doesn’t change; that I was a danger to them doesn’t change that. That’s also why I hang out as much as I can with them. I haven’t said a sound since the funeral to anyone; I try to talk, but it’s like the words get stuck in my throat every time I try. Holly and Jason are mated now; it went incredibly fast if we compare it with my situation. But on the other hand, my mates and I are a particular case. Sometime soon, we’ll have a luna ceremony again because I had to renounce my right to it to protect my pack. But that day isn’t today, at least I hope not. Killian comes into the room with a searching gaze, and when his eyes land on me curled up in the window, he smiles sadly. Slowly he walks towards me and finally sits down next to me. He takes my hand in his, and I look questioningly at him.

“Hey, sunshine,” he says softly. “I understand it’s hard for you to talk to your mates and everyone else who worries about you, but why don’t you at least talk to me? We’re concerned and want to help you. I’m your protector, after all.”

That’s right; I forgot to tell you. According to Killian, the moon goddess came to him in a dream just at the very beginning, when Miliano found me. She gave him a mission to protect me no matter what, and when Miliano did the same, it was fate. He has tried to keep the darkness away from me, and with the help of the goddess, has managed to suck much of that darkness resulting in helping me continue forward. The goddess told him that if he hadn’t done what he had done, I would’ve killed myself; that darkness is too big and bulky for one person to bear. I try to answer him, and he looks hopefully at me. But when I fail, my gaze falls on my hands, and Killian sighs. He caresses my cheek softly as support. I look questioningly at him when he takes an envelope out of his pocket and gives it to me.

“Michael gave me this a few days before you disappeared from the territory the first time and said that if something happened to him, I should give it to you,” he says, and my chest hurts.

“My lovely Aleida... I’m sorry. You’re angry and sad because you had to kill me. Don’t be. Everything belonged to the plan of the moon goddess, and I already knew that I would die. It was with pride that I entered the endless sleep because I knew you had made the right choice. You got an option to save your best friend who was under the influence of dark forces or your people; you made the correct decision. I couldn’t have wished for a better friend than you, and I’m grateful for the life you gave me after our first meeting.

You are and remain the best thing that has happened to me. Please don’t neglect your family or your people in your grief over me. Someday I’ll see you again, and I’ll be waiting for you at the gates of the moon goddess’ paradise. But now... Lift your ass and go out there with your back straight like the queen you are!

I love you, now and forever,

Michael.”

The tears flow, and I close my eyelids tightly. Killian doesn’t touch me or say anything while I process the last letter ever written by my best friend. When I open my eyes again, I realize that I can’t sit here and feel sorry for myself anymore.

“Notify Luis,” I say and go to the bathroom to prepare.

“Yes, your majesty,” Killian responds with a big smile and bows; he knows exactly what I’m ordering.

Killian grins at me because together, we’ll now make the most dramatic turn in werewolf history. Henry and Luis are standing next to me, giggling like two little girls. I improve my long dark red dress before looking down at my two smiling boys, Elias and Alexander.

“Are you ready, my queen?” Luis asks, and I nod firmly.

The others enter the great hall before me in the order of Henry, Luis, and Killian. Killian looks questioningly at me, and I nod again with a smile. Luis and Henry are preparing at the far end of the hall while the others present are confused.

“Welcome everyone, it’s with great pleasure that I can announce that all anxiety can now end,” Killian says and smiles big.

“What’s going on?” alpha Paul asks, and Killian winks at me.

“Let me welcome you all to the coronation of our queen,” Killian says, and I enter the hall with Holly next to me, who comes running at the last second.

Elias stumbles in with my scepter in his hand, and Alexander walks in behind him with a golden cup in his little hands. Holly smiles big at me before walking into the room with my queen crown on the pillow, and lastly, I walk in proudly with my head high. My train flies over the floor like a butterfly, and I choose to look straight ahead; otherwise, I can guarantee that I’ll fall; that would be embarrassing! I finally reach Luis and the others standing next to the prepared and famous throne. An older man that Killian knows takes out a golden knife, and I lift my right hand to take the oath, aware of the camera that follows me all the time. We decided that all the high-ranking werewolves and vampires in the world would participate; the rest will have to settle for watching me on tv. There’s no possibility that we can fit all of them; hence we chose the most “important,” which nevertheless ended up with a few hundred people.

“Aleida Mendez, do you hereby promise to protect your people from evil, to always rule with kindness and respect towards your subjects?” he asks.

“I promise to do so,” I answer in a proud tone.

“Will you stand with your warriors and help your people evolve worldwide without subjecting them to excessive violence?” the elder continues.

“I promise to do so,” I reply again, and he cuts my hand.

I assure you, the curtains flutter from the invisible blast that comes when I make my promises. The elder smiles at me before putting the crown on my head and helps me position myself on the throne. My sons come up and give me their objects, then Killian turns toward the crowd.

“For the first time ever, officially, let me introduce you to Queen Aleida Mendez!” Killian exclaims.

At first, it’s quiet in the hall until they realize what’s happening before their eyes, and everyone rejoices soundly, some whistles or howls too. They all fall on their knees in front of me on the floor, even my mates and brothers. The elder knows what else I have planned; hence he helps me get up again. I indicate that my people can stand up again, they do so, and then I turn to my sons. They gargle and giggle at the attention; I can do no more than smile at them. When I look at them, they stand straight in the back, and I’m once again amazed at how well-developed my boys are.

“I at this moment knight you, Elias, and Alexander Vidovic-Mendez as heirs to the throne,” I say, smiling, putting two small crowns on their heads.

The celebration returns, and I raise my hand to indicate that I’m yet to finish. I have big plans that I intend to pursue today; therefore, I point out my mates, brothers, and all the alphas in the area to step forward. They look confusedly at each other before they walk up to me, standing next to each other in a line.

“I with this grant you the right to be part of the hybrid Queen’s personal council,” I say, and the others look confusedly at each other.

“We accept, Queen Aleida,” they respond in unison.

Smiling, I finally turn to Holly and Luis. They’re my closest, and even though I wish I could knight my mates to Kings, I don’t have that right. I can give them the title but not the power because they aren’t born with royal blood.

“Holly Port, please step forward,” I say; she does as I ask her and even kneels. “I at this moment knight you to the Queen’s beta.”

She gasps and looks uncertainly at Luis, who’s slowly shaking his head. I’ve talked to Luis, and he feels his time is past when it comes to big decisions, especially now that I’m officially royal. Holly sobs and looks at me like I’m kidding before she answers.

“I accept, my queen,” she replies, and I cut her palm before bringing it together with mine.

“Blake Yukon, can you please step forward?” I ask, and he looks confusedly at me before doing as I ask him. “I, as a result of this, dub you to the Queen’s personal gamma.”

Blake looks questioningly at me, but when I smile, he does it back. All these changes may seem stressful and mean that I demand answers on the spot, but this is how it goes in our world; accept it. He nods slowly.

“I accept, my queen,” he replies, and I repeat the procedure I did with Holly.

The jubilation starts again, and I sit on the throne. The music begins, and those present can move as they want. It doesn’t take long for my mates and brothers to stand in front of me with their eyes wide open. Nathan is the first to talk.

“You’re a bitch, Aleida,” he says low. “You could at least prepare us to get such a question straight in the face!”

“Are you sure that’s how you want to appeal to your queen?” I ask, challenging, with a smile on my face that makes him laugh. “Besides, if I had, maybe you would’ve said no, and I need you by my side.”

“We wouldn’t say no, Aleida,” Jason replies with a smile of his own. “You never say no to a royalty.”

“Fight song” by Rachel Platten plays, and I laugh at Killian, who stands grinning besides the DJ. My brothers pick up my sons and leave me with my mates. Kian and Miliano stretch out their hands to me as I take.

“We thought you were gone,” Miliano whispers as they group hug me.

“I will always replace my way back to you,” I whisper back and kiss his cheek.

I dance with my mates for a while and have fun. After some time, I get tired and sit down on my throne again. The moonlight outside captures my interest; I look out the window and replace myself seeing the stars flashing stronger than usual. The evening is perfect, the only thing I miss is my beloved best friend. But when my gaze again moves to my family and my people laughing together, I realize that it was a low price to pay for their happiness and freedom. With one last look at the moonlight, I focus on my son, who seems to want to dance with me, wiping away a lonely tear from my cheek. My name is Aleida Mendez, and I killed my best friend to protect my family. I want to cry, but I can’t; because my daddy taught me, that big girls don’t cry.