Chapter 3 – Not a Pack

TAWNY

I know I heard him right. My brain just wasn’t processing his words. I scoff, quite loudly.

“Come, sit with me, Tawny. Humor an old man,” King Armand gestures to a bench facing one of the small bridges over a larger pond. He takes a seat sliding over for me to sit next to him. I oblige, leaving a little distance between the two of us, and lock eyes on the bridge. I don’t know where else to look and I’m keeping my mouth shut right now. Doing the whole think before you speak thing.

We sit in silence for a few moments. And I wonder if he is waiting for me to speak, or if he is gauging my reaction. Before I can think of what to say his gravelly voice fills the silence.

“Our laws here, in the Cambiador Kingdom, are different to wolf and bear kingdoms. In many ways. They are outdated and older than me.” He chuckles, “I sent Kolby to MacTire to establish an alliance with Alpha Lamia because I think we could learn a lot from her. Plus, our kingdom has no other alliances.”

“Why Lamia? Why not the wolf kingdom?”

“What your friend has done, building a multi-shifter race kingdom is, what I believe the beginning of a new era for all races.” Armand’s fingers twiddle with the fabric on his slacks as stares out into the garden for a few moments, his yellow eyes glint and the hint of a small smile plays on his lips. “Did you know big cat shifters are seen as the weakest race of were-folk?”

“Did you know when you abandoned your daughter, my mother, she was murdered by werewolves?” The sarcastic words slip out before I can stop them. “Don’t talk to me about being hated because of my race. I was a were-cat in a wolf’s world. I grew up without a mother because you refused to acknowledge her. Refused to accept my father as her true mate.”

“It wasn’t like that.” He sighs.

I raise an eyebrow “Then what was it like? Tell me, grandfather, why did you cast my mother out, strip her of her title? Abandon her, her mate, and me? Why I am here now and why would you ever think I would want to be Queen of a Kingdom that I see as responsible for my mother’s death?” I take a breath, but I’m not done yet. “Do you have any idea what it was like for me growing up in a pack that predominately hated werecats? How my father did everything he could to provide for us and keep us safe. Yet it wasn’t enough. My mother was strung up, stabbed with silver, and left to bleed out in the middle of the street. The death threats my father, and she received on a daily basis. How many packs we lived in just so we didn’t have to live as rogues - before finally… Finally, being accepted into the Moon Kingdom where I was thankfully accepted by the king and Queen. Until then, my father worried about me every day. Until then I was the subject of cruel bullying because of my race. So, you tell me what it was like?”

“I had no choice but to strip your mother of her title and cast her and her mate out of the kingdom. The people of Cambiador would have never excepted him as a King. He’s a wolf for goddess’s sake.” He swipes a hand down his dark and wrinkled skin and draws in a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

“Tawny,” he looks at me, holding my gaze “A queen cannot rule without a king and your mother was mated to a rankles wolf. Even in this day and age, it would be scandalous. The elders and the people would not accept it. I regret commanding her to leave every day of my life.”

“Then why did you?” I ask. This time with a softer voice, wanting to understand because I could see the regret written all over his face. His eyes are glassy in thought, full of remorse.

“A royal Lyoki, can not marry a commoner. It is a must that they marry within rank. So, when your mother met your father, the elders had a fit. Personally, I didn’t like that she was mated to a werewolf either, but she was my little girl. We argued one night. I told her she had to marry the man that was picked out for her, and she needed to reject James, your father. They had already known each other for a few months. She refused, of course, she told me I could stick the crown up my royal ass.” He gives a halfhearted laugh at the memory. “You remind me so much of her.” He smiles.

“It was that night I told her she needed to pick her family and the kingdom or her mate. Well, she picked her mate. That same night I stripped her of her title and cast her out of the kingdom in anger. A decision I have regretted ever since. It wasn’t until she had left that I found out she was pregnant. Years passed, but it was easier to let her go than try to make amends. I was too prideful, and she was too stubborn. I truly am sorry you had to go through everything you did. And I am truly sorry for what your father went through.”

“Thank you” I whisper. His apology was heartfelt, and it meant a lot to me to hear him say it. “I’ve waited twenty years to hear you apologize,” I tell him honestly.

“I know it’s not enough to undo all the harm I caused you and your family, but I hope in time you will realize I am not the monster, I’m sure your mother and father cursed about.”

“Actually, my father has never spoken a bad word about you. He doesn’t like you, but I didn’t grow up in a home that festered hate. I don’t hate you. I don’t know you.”

“I hope to change that. I also hope you will give me the time to change your mind about becoming the queen of Cambiador. You are my only living relative. It is your birthright.”

“I haven’t met my mate… yet. So, until then maybe we not talk about me becoming Queen? It’s not something I ever envisioned for myself. I am a fighter, a female warrior.”

“Well…” He turns his body, so he is facing me. A complex of emotions mars his face. “If I do not have an heir, I fear the kingdom will fall into disarray. Nobles and Clowders will fight for the right to the crown, turning the Kingdom into a battleground of civil war. A female heir must marry within her status to gain the crown. Hence arranged marriages if there is no mate or the mate is not of ranked or noble blood.”

“That’s a little biased, not to mention a slap in the face to the mates the goddess paired us with,” I state, not liking the way their laws dictate whom you should and shouldn’t marry. “It’s darn right chauvinistic the way women are looked down on in this kingdom, and I have only been here for two days.”

“You are not wrong, granddaughter, not wrong at all. Which is why, Cambiador needs someone like you and Kolby – Youngblood to bring us into the future, to make our kingdom strong again. I am an old man and I have ruled for ninety years. Far too long for a king to sit on the throne.”

He laughs at himself, and I can only focus on the fact that he has been in rule for ninety years. “How old are you?”

“I am one hundred and twenty-three years old.” He announces proudly.

My mouth hangs open at his disclosure, I wouldn’t have guessed him to be older than his late seventies. He still moved like a Lyoki in his mid-fifties. “Wow,” was all I could manage.

“Were-cats live long lives, even longer than some werebears. You don’t know much about werecats?” He frowns with his question, and I shake my head.

“I do but only what I was taught in school. Schools that were in packs… so the curriculum wasn’t really tailored to my kind.” I tell him with a note of sadness in my voice.

“You have much to learn, granddaughter.” He nods as if deciding on something. “So, this Mason is not your mate?”

“No,” I laugh. “Why would it be a problem if he was?”

King Armand scratches his head, tussling his long white hair that is neatly braided down his back, scrunching up his eyes, and wrinkling his nose. The wrinkles on his face deepened. “Probably. Not a problem I would have, but others might.”

“As far as I know, Mason was born to rogue werecats. He’s a good person and one of the top-ranking warriors of Alpha Lamia. He is part of her Elite warriors and a hell of a tracker.” I tell him proudly and defend my new friend at the same time.

“No decision needs to be made today, but I hope you will spend time in the kingdom and get to know your people. I would like you to also, learn from Gillian. She is shy, but she is very knowledgeable about our ways and laws. You could learn much from her. Her family has a very noble standing in the kingdom which is why I chose her to marry Kolby.”

I still had yet to meet Kolby Crimson, my grandfather’s second-in-command. I have heard his name mentioned quite a bit. From what I can gather so far, he is respected and a paramount figure for the kingdom. Currently, he is still in MacTire, negotiating trade deals and alliances with Lamia. I make a mental note, to remind myself to call her ad et some information on the Beta before I meet him.

“What if I hadn’t responded to your letter and didn’t come here?” I ask my grandfather, curious as to what his plans would have been, had I not entertained his request. “What would happen to the kingdom if I denounce my claim?”

“Hmm” He ponders for a moment in thought. “As I said, the kingdom would probably fall into civil war. At first, I had thought about making Kolby, my official heir. I found Kolby when he was a small boy. Lost in the jungle, feral as a wild.” My eyes glance over at the old man, a wistful look in his eyes and a hint of a smile that curves his lips as he recalls the past. “However, Kolby is not one of us.”

I am about to ask him to elaborate when we are interrupted by a warrior. “Your Highness, your attention is needed at the barracks. I’m sorry to disturb you but this can not wait.” I turn to look at the tall werecat standing behind us. His eyes are down but his posture is straight and stiff as he addresses King Armand.

“Very well. No rest for the old.” My grandfather chuckles and stands, “Would you like to accompany me, Tawny?” He asks holding out a hand.

“Your highness, the situation is… not for a lady.”

“You will address my granddaughter as Princess, and you will do well to remember she will be in charge one day.”

I take his outstretched hand and pull myself up, turning to the warrior who still has his eyes cast down to his feet. “What is your name?” I ask him,

“Wyvern, Princess.” He replies,

I smile and step closer to him, letting my hand fall from my grandfather’s. “Wyvern, look at me please,” the warrior lifts his head, his eyes meeting mine. “I may be small and female, but I assure you there is nothing you can show me that I haven’t already seen. I have seen war and I have fought in a battle; I have been trained by the best. The future Queen Lamia and her Beta Hunji, have personally trained me.” I smirk when his eyes go wide, and he struggles to hold my gaze.

“Now, lead the way Wyvern. I have much more to show my granddaughter.”

When we reach the training fields by the barracks, I can see a large crowd of warriors gathered around in a circle. Shouting, hissing, and growling erupts from the crowd. I see Mason standing off to the side with our warriors, each one wearing a scowl. Mason has a beet-red face looking pissed off like he is one step away from murdering someone.

I really wish I could mind-link him to find out what’s going on.

I didn’t have to wait long. As we close in upon the ruckus, the Cambiador warriors’ part. I gasp in shock as I see a child, a woman, and a man strung up. A rope around their necks, hands tied behind their backs - each of them wears bruises and cuts over their bodies.

“They were caught stealing your highness!” One man speaks up from the crowd “They will be punished accordingly and sentenced to death.”

“The death penalty, for stealing?” I ask dumbfounded. I turn to my King Armand, “Who gave them this sentence? And a child? They would sentence a child to death?” I was disgusted and understood why Mason’s face looked the way it did.

“It is against the law to steal in our kingdom and the penalty for theft is death.” My eyes fly wide outlined by my furrowed brows as I look at my grandfather with disbelief.

“This is insane!” I exclaim and take a step closer to the strung-up trio. My gaze lingered on the small malnourished-looking boy.

“They were caught stealing from the dumpster.” Another warrior states as if it still makes this whole scene ok. I look around, finally focusing my attention on my grandfather, waiting for his reply and decision.

By the looks of the two adults and the child, I would hazard a guess that they were hungry and were dumpster diving for their next meal. Maybe to feed the small boy, who couldn’t be any older than six.

King Armand scratches his head, taking in the scene. The lines on his face deepen. I can see he doesn’t agree with this, but I wonder if he will just let them carry on or stop this madness. This is where I find out what type of King he truly is. And I hope to the goddess he doesn’t conform just because of a law.

“You say they were dumpster diving?” He asks, stroking his chin, regarding the accused.

“Yes, your highness.”

“Did you ask them why?” He turns his attention to the warrior who seems to be doing most of the talking. At this point I notice Mason has stepped up beside me, taking on a defensive stance. “Or did you condemn them without knowing the facts first?”

I bite the inside of my lip, containing the smile I want to beam in respect for my grandfather. Satisfied with the way he is handling things so far. It was clear to me that this family was hungry - so hungry they had to resort to picking through the barracks dumpster to find food.

“Well, they were stealing your highness. Caught in the act…”

“Stealing food that had been thrown away!” My grandfather growls at the warriors. staring them down with eyes a dark yellow that holds a promising threat. “Stealing is a punishable crime, yet instead of taking care of your Clowder – you conduct a miscarriage of injustice! Now take these goddess-forsaken ropes off these people!” He shouts, his face burning a bright red in anger.

King Armand goes to turn away, but stops, changing his mind, and faces the group of warriors again, “For your insubordination and lack of judgment, all your pays will be docked for three months. You –“ He points to whom I assume is the head warrior, “Are herby demoted in rank. Damn disgusting that you would treat a member of this kingdom in the manner before me!” Now he turns away and stomps off.