The Alpha Triplets And The Rogue
Chapter 245

Raven’s POV

My heart is pounding in my chest as I take a step onto the aisle that will lead me to the coronation stage. Alpha Blaire offered the Crystal Lake’s amphitheater to hold my coronation, and it is just like I envisioned in my dreams. Beautiful golden flowers line the aisle. My fingers itch to reach out and touch them. I need to make sure I am not stuck in one of my dreams. But with my Dad on one side and my Papa on the other, I cannot touch the flowers.

Instead, I dig my fingernails into the palms of my hands. I focus on the pain that it causes, and I know that I am not dreaming.

Keeping my eyes straight ahead, I don’t look at the crowd of people who are smiling at me or scowling at me. I know half the people here probably want to see me dead; at least in my dream, that was the case.

My father is waiting for me at the end of the aisle to finish taking me up to the stage, and Elder Garrett is waiting for me. He will be the one to crown me as Queen once and for all.

Dad and Papa hand me off to Father, but they don’t leave me. Falling just a few steps behind me, they follow me onto the stage. Suddenly, I am no longer worried about the dagger that will plunge into my heart but about the speech I am expected to give.

I wasn’t going to bother writing a speech for today because I know it will end in ruin, but my father insisted I write one anyway. Just in case the recusants don’t attack today.

My father leads me onto the stage, and I curtsy deeply to the crowd. There is a roar of noise from the people in attendance. I cannot tell if the noise is cheers or boos, or a combination of both. As I look out over the crowd, I try not to focus on the faces gazing back in my direction. So many of them look unhappy.

Elder Garrett steps to the microphone and begins to give a long-winded speech. He speaks about the importance of all the packs standing together as a single unit against the recusants threatening our new way of life. He talks about how I plan to keep the Elder Council intact as a court of sorts to help me lead. With each new speaking point, a murmur of approval washes over the crowd.

“Luna Queen,” he finally says as he turns to me. “If you will kneel.”

I kneel before Elder Garrett, and he places the ornate crown on my head. He offers me his hand and helps me to my feet. I turn and face the crowd with a fake smile plastered across my face. At any moment, she will come for me. She will come for my throne.

“Long live the Queen. Long live Queen Raven!” The crowd shouts from below me.

As I stand before the hundreds of people who showed up for my coronation, nerves flutter through my stomach. In my dream, the nerves were fear of being the first werewolf Queen. But today, the nerves are from the fear of dying.

My hands are sweaty, and I feel like I am going to vomit. Nervously, I wipe my hands on my red dress as I step to the podium.

‘Keep calm,’ Rose speaks gently in my mind. ‘This time is different. We are prepared.’

I know she is right, but it doesn’t make this any easier. Knowing what is about to happen next. As soon as I start my speech, all hell is going to break loose. I look down at the crowd, and they are all waiting for me to start. Swallowing my fear, I step to the podium and clear my throat.

“I am honored to be standing before you as your new Queen,” I begin my speech, but before I can continue, a loud shout comes from the back of the crowd. Gunshots ring out as I watch the amphitheater erupt into chaos.

Just like in my dream, everyone is running for the exit. Screams echo through the amphitheater. My eyes search through the crowd, looking for the old woman covered in scars. That is when I see a hooded figure moving through the mayhem. She keeps her eyes on the ground and the hood covering her face.

She stops in front of the stage and lowers her hood. She is even more haggard in person than I saw in my dreams. The burn scars on her face make her look even more evil as a grin spreads across her face. Just like in my dream, she snaps her fingers, and a hoard of warriors step out of the crowds and stand behind the old woman.

Half of them have begun to shift into their wolf form, and the other half are advancing with weapons drawn. The closer the woman gets to me, the brighter the smile on her face becomes.

My warriors and warriors from the Crystal Lake Pack begin to shift all around the amphitheater. The hoard is no match for the warriors, and they slowly start to realize it. I watch from the stage as the warriors, my mates, and my family shift into their wolves. They are taking out rogue recusants left and right.

‘We need to join the fight,’ I tell Rose.

‘That is not part of the plan,’ Rose tries to be the voice of reason, but I can feel her need to shift and protect our family and mates.

I back away from the podium with my speech clutched to my chest. Suddenly, the woman is standing before me with a silver knife drawn.

“Long live the Queen,” she says with an evil smile just before she raises her hand to plunge the knife into my chest.

But before the knife can pierce my skin, Kieran is at my side. He grabs the woman by the wrist, and I hear her bones crushing.

“Step away from my sister,” Kieran growls at the old woman.

She looks at him with a shocked expression. “Kieran,” she says in a pleading voice. “She is sitting on your throne.”

“It was never my throne to begin with,” Kieran retorts with a snarl.

“You are making a mistake,” the old woman says. “We will kill you for this.”

“Not if I kill you first,” Kieran growls.

I step back, teetering on the edge of the stage, and watch as Kieran’s claws extend from his fingertips. He may not be able to shift entirely, but he can partially. His claws dig into the wrist of the old woman, and she falls to her knees in pain. With his other hand, he plunges his hand into her chest and rips out her heart.

He drops her lifeless body to the ground and steps to the microphone. There are only a few recusants left fighting. It appears that many of them fled at the sight of the warriors. “Your false Queen is dead,” Kieran yells over the crowd as he holds his hand up to show the still beating heart.

The rest of the recusants drop to their knees and raise their hands in surrender. Kieran drops the heart to the ground, and I quickly rush to his side. I wrap my arms around his neck and bury my head into his chest. “I love you,” I cry.

Kieran wraps his arms around me and holds me tightly, like he used to when we were young. “I love you too, Little Bird,” he says. “I love you too.”