The Gold Queen (Prequel)
The Gold Queen – Chapter 20

***Sofia***

“I’m going to kill that bastard!” Julian coughs as he stumbles to his feet.

“No!” I cry out, pulling him back by the elbow. “Please just stay with me,” I beg, doing the best I could to keep from bursting into tears.

The look of pain and betrayal in Mateo’s eyes before he stormed away shattered my being. I felt empty without his presence.

“What the f**k was that?” he snarls, his anger turning on me. “Why the f**k was that mutt even touching you and who the f**k does he think he is to say you’re not mine?”

It’s as if my voice dries up, my mouth hanging open but the words refusing to come out. The vein in his forehead looks like it’s about to burst the longer I stay silent.

“Who the f**k is he to you?” He asks, closing the space between us, and grabbing my elbow in a vice grip. “Who the f**k is he?”

“H-he… He-“

I was not about to tell this Alpha Prince that Mateo was my mate so I rack my brain for possible answers but no excuse seems suitable to explain our relationship.

Julian’s hand crushes my elbow as I stammer and I yelp in pain.

“Y-you’re hurting me, a*****e!” I snap, trying to break free from his grip.

“He’s your mate isn’t he? ISN’T HE?”

End this now or I will, Solana snarls.

“He is my friend, but it doesn’t matter who he is or what he said. Come December 3rd, I marry you,” I pant, tucking away Solana and whatever feelings I had for Mateo.

This was my reality. Mateo would have to understand.

Julian glares daggers at me as he pulls me into him so that his breath brushes up against my cheeks. “Listen to me very carefully. If he touches you again, I will kill him. I don’t play games, Sofia and its best you remember what’s at stake here. Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal. Now get your hands off me,” I snarl, shoving him away with my free arm.

He smirks. “Glad we understand each other, babe,” he chuckles as he turns to leave. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. I’m late for a meeting with your daddy.”

I stare at the door and wait a few moments after Julian leaves, my fingers caressing my lips as I remember Mateo’s k**s, reminiscing his sweet taste. He had set my body on fire with love and desire and I wished with every fiber in my body to be in his arms again, to have his lips touch mine once more.

How could I ever k**s someone else that wasn’t him now?

With my heart shattering into a thousand pieces, I give into my pain and collapse on my knees, screaming into the cushion of a nearby love seat until my throat burned with all the anger I felt in my chest.

It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair at all.

Emotionally drained and completely unprepared to face Mateo again, I decide to skip breakfast and instead focus back on the documents I was looking over before he came in.

Sprawled across the desk were the marriage applications, our falsified b***d test results, and several last minute wedding details my mother wanted me to sort out.

A couple of hours drag on as I read over the documents and strategize when I suddenly feel a burning sensation on my side. But just as quickly as I felt it, it fades away. I decide it’s nothing to worry about when yet again, I feel another pain in my temple, followed by pain in my jaw and stomach. I hunch over in pain, feeling as though the wind was being knocked out of me and I panic.

Solana what’s going on? I whimper as pain begins to radiate in different parts of my body.

It’s Mateo, she whines, her voice laced with worry. He’s hurt.

I cry out as another surge of pain pulsates on my chest. I wanted to help but I couldn’t even think straight anymore.

How do I make it stop? I whimper.

Put up your walls and close the connection, Solana replies.

How !?

Just focus on your breathing and imagine a wall between you and Mateo.

That shouldn’t be too hard considering I just put a permanent wall in our relationship.

I take several deep breathes, the pain slowly subsiding as I envision this thick brick wall between us. I sit quietly for a moment, as if expecting more pain but it never comes. It was gone.

But the pain was replaced with something else. Fear.

Something wasn’t right.

I get to my feet, the worry forcing my legs to move down to the training grounds. Solana whimpers and my heart reaches a crescendo as I arrive to grounds to replace several wolves gathered around to watch an ongoing match, including my father and Mateo’s parents. I push through the crowd and the b***d drains from my face when I realize the fighters were none other than my mate and my fiancé.

Both men were covered in b***d and bruises but it was Mateo I was worried about. Julian was one of the best soldiers of Estrella del Monte, having trained since he was in diapers. His strength and skill made him a fighting machine and while Mateo was an excellent warrior, he paled in comparison to his opponent.

Looking across the circle, my heart sinks as I realize both Valentina and Emiliano were present, watching their brother fight in horror.

The men circle each, both with their fists in front of their faces as they size each other up. Mateo swings, just barely missing his target as Julian dodges and responds with his own counter attack to his abdomen.

Mateo doubles over and I whimper, the sound drawing his attention. He looks up, searching for me and when our eyes meet, I feel my heart constrict. He was in so much pain.

Julian takes advantage, delivering a perfect uppercut to Mateo and sending him crashing to the ground.

I feel the air leave my lungs as I watch him hit the ground and a scream pierces the silence that had befallen the grounds

“MATEO!” Valentina screams, attempting to rush towards him only to be stopped by Emiliano as he wraps his arms around her. “Mateo get up!

I too try to run in the circle, but feel two arms wrap around my waist.

“Sofia, stop. This is match,” my father whispers in my ear. “You would dishonor Mateo by stepping in.”

But I don’t care. My mate was on the ground and he needed me. I fight against my father’s grip but I was no match for the King. My heart begins to beat faster as Julian turns around and smirks at me. He pants furiously, raising his arms in victory as the crowd stares in bewilderment. Walking over to Mateo who lays on the ground, disoriented, Julian speaks to crowd.

“So this is a mighty Altamirano wolf?” he sneers, spitting on Mateo. “Looks more like a lost pup to me.”

He gets down on his knees and whispers something in Mateo’s ear, smirking triumphantly before getting back up and exiting the circle. As he passes by me, he leans down to my ear.

“Let’s go babe. Your mother is waiting for us for lunch,” he murmurs, taking my hand in his and interlocking out fingers.

I fight the urge to pull my hand away as he looks up at my father.

“Suegro {Father in law}, will you be joining us?” he asks politely, flashing my dad a charming smile.

My father says nothing, grunting his response and turning on his heel to leave.

Julian raises my hand to his lips. “After you, mi reina {my queen},” he says, gesturing towards the house.

I turn back to see Emiliano hard at work to heal his brother while his sister cries at his side and his father scowls in disapproval, before allowing myself to be whisked away by Julian.

***Mateo***

“Remember this moment, Mutt,” Julian whispers through gritted teeth. “Because it’ll serve as a reminder that you are nothing more than a f*****g mutt to her and I’m her Prince,” he smirks before leaving the circle and taking Sofia with him.

I have no strength left to fight and lay still on the floor while Emiliano makes quick work to heal me. The wolves that had gathered to watch quickly disperse, going back to their routines. From the corner of my eye, I could see my soldiers waiting nervously for me and I wave them off. They could leave for all I cared. I can sense my parents standing by, clearly unamused by the match and my loss.

“Kids, why don’t you take your mother on a walk around the hacienda,” my father suggests, his glare zeroing on me. “I need to speak to your brother in private.”

His anger and distaste resonate in his tone, and the twins do not question him as they take our mother by the hand and lead her back to main grounds of the hacienda.

“Let’s go,” my father snaps, turning on his heel and walking into the jungle. “NOW.”

I follow his command, quickly getting up to dust myself off and following him into the thicket of trees, away from the whispering wolves and the side glances. I was in no mood for a lecture or a fight, so I resign myself to silence, eager to get this over with and forget Sofia ever existed with a nice bottle of tequila from the kitchen. Secluded in the trees, my father comes to a halt, his fists clenched at his sides and his back still to me.

“Care to explain what the f**k that fight was about?” he snarls, his voice sending shivers down my spine.

When I remain silent, my father rushes at me, grabbing me by the collar of my shirt. My father was a storm of a man and it was times like these that I was reminded how truly powerful he was.

“Contestame, hijo de tu pinche madre! {Answer me, you so of a b***h!}” he growls, the clouds in the sky darkening with his fury. “What the hell were you thinking? Huh? What the hell were you thinking fighting the Prince?”

“H-he said he wanted to spar with someone,” I mutter, my eyes locked on the ground. “Just a friendly match.”

“Y tu de pendejo te ofreciste como voluntario? {And like an i***t, you volunteered?}” he laughs coldly. “Real nice, Mateo. Real f*****g nice. You humiliated yourself and your pack in front of the entire Royal Army-“

“Is that really all you care about?” I ask, my voice just above a whimper. “I get my a*s handed to me and that is all you care about? Your f*****g reputation?”

“No me vengas con tus pendejadas, Mateo-” {Don’t come at me with your stupidity-}

“No, I’m so sick and tired of this, Dad,” I say, shaking my head and trembling with emotion. “Everything I do disappoints you-“

“Don’t be so dramatic-“

“No, I’m not being dramatic. I’m being honest,” I snap. “Everything that I have ever done in my last 18 years of life is never good enough for you. Ever. You wonder why I gave up trying to please you…” I scoff. “I can never live up to your expectations! I’m not good enough for you or my mate!”

I stiffen as I realize what I said.

“Your mate?” my father asks curiously. “Who is your mate?”

Oops…

“It’s doesn’t matter,” I mutter, staring down at me hands anxiously.

“It matters to me. Who is your mate?” my father commands, using his Alpha voice.

I try to fight the command, but he was still my Alpha and my wolf had to obey. “S-Sofia,” I whisper.

The b***d visibly drains from his face. “You’re joking..”

I shake my head, wishing with all my might I was. A long silence settles between us as he lets this information absorb.

“I’m sorry son,” he says, his hard features softening as he looks at me. “I’m truly sorry.”

“Whatever,” I say, attempting to look indifferent but my father sees right through my façade. Tears threaten to spill onto my cheeks and I shut my them tightly to keep them inside. “I just wish it were different…” I whimper. “My mate…was supposed to love me back.”

“It’s okay,” he sighs after another pause. “I am sorry son, but it is best you move on. Her highness has a responsibility to her kingdom and she can not throw it all away for you-“

“There you go again with responsibility. Well that’s easy for you to say, isn’t?” I snap, slowly backing away. “You got to marry your mate and live your life the way you wanted.”

He takes a step forward, outstretching his arm to me. “Son-“

“No, I get,” I say, dodging his touch. “I’m not good enough for her, right?”

“That is not what I said,” he replies.

“I think I need a minute,” I say preparing myself to run. “I-I need to think…”

“Mateo,” my father warns as I turn around and sprint out of his range. “Mateo we’re not finished!”

I pick up the pace and disappear into the jungle, all the while hearing him call out my name.

I decide to shift to put some distance between us and somehow end up at the stupid cave where this mess started. I stand on the cliffs, Luis whining and whimpering at the thought of our mate marrying someone else.

She doesn’t love him, Luis snarls. You know she doesn’t.

Well love him or not, she chose him. We mean nothing to her!

That’s not true, Luis protests. We need to fight for her.

I’m tired of fighting, I sigh, settling down under a tree. I just want to leave…

I lay there for a few hours, shutting off my mind links so I could rest in the silence under the coolness of the jungle. When the suns settles for the night and the moon takes over, I finally feel my emotions get the best of me. Staring up at the moon, I let out a silent howl, not a sound escaping my snout, but all the pain pouring out.

Why have you punished me, Moon Goddess? I whine. Why can’t I be with her?

After exhausting myself with my silent song, I drag myself back to the hacienda and shift back to my human form. I can still smell my parent’s scent, meaning they were staying for the night and I quickly bolt for the back entrance to the kitchen to hide out in the liquor pantries.

Every bottle mocks my pain, tempting me with the promise of a numbness I craved. I grab the nearest tequila bottle and pour it down my throat, eager to forget this retched day. When I replace myself staring at the bottom of the bottle, I grab another until the ground begins to morph and shapeshift beneath my feet. Armed with a new bottle for the road, I venture out of the pantry and in to the kitchen.

I giggle like a school girl as I watch the floor turn to pulsating waves and I try to navigate the sea of tiles towards one of the marble counters. The kitchen is completely dark and silent, the staff and the residents of the hacienda all tucked in bed, sleeping soundly. I rest for a moment on the counter, the alcohol lulling me to sleep.

After a few moments, I attempt to walk towards the hall but accidently knock over a jar of sugar.

“Shhh!” I hiccup at the stupid jar. “They’re s-sssleeping,” I slur, feeling weightless and losing my footing.

A few more jars are knocked over by my clumsiness and I stare the mess I’ve created in confusion.

“What the hell are you doing?” A sweet voice scolds me from behind.

I spin around on my heel a little too quickly, the world blurring for a second. As I refocus my eyes, I feel my heart flutter at the sight of the most beautiful girl staring back at me, a tiny night gown hanging off her shoulders.