The Hybrid Queen Unedited
6

Amilia

Faye was acting odd. I would have through leaving her alone with my brother would have been a good idea. Had he been mean to her? I sighed as I led Faye down the hall. She was clearly upset about something and she did not want to talk about it at all. I didn’t want to press her for answers because she seemed so inside herself.

I sighed. I could only hope that my mother would be able to loosen her up a bit and make her relax. And that comment that she had made about Summer troubled me. What had she meant by that? I looked at my phone. It was almost 10:30. The day was not going by fast enough.I did have a text from Elijah. I sighed and opened it. It was short and simple. An order.

Keep Faye safe.

I shake my head. I wondered for a moment. He did not just leave did he?

Did you tell Faye you were leaving today?

A few moments went by before I got a reply. He would be meeting with the elders any moment now. He would turn his phone off and commune with the Elders about the sudden vampire problem.This is how it had started a year ago, before the attack on the Tamit tribe. my phone buzzed in my head.

No, I did not. Why?

I sighed and tapped away on my phone. I loved my brother but he could be so stupid and shallow sometimes. He had a lot of learning to do as a new King and now as a mate.

You should have said something because I am pretty sure she is freaking out. What happened with you two last night? You should have told her you were leaving, Elijah!

I sigh and close out my messages. I glance back at Faye. Her head is down and she looks depressed. I had to fix this quickly. There was no way I was going to feel the wrath of my brother when he returned. I clear my throat as we enter the gardens. I reach and take her hand. “These gardens are mother’s pride and joy!” I tell her. Faye just smiles at me. “Now, Amilia, don’t be absurd! My children are my pride and joy!” my mother scolded me. Sophia Yansa. As elegant as always, my mother stood from her seat under the patio and smiled at us as we walked closer. She was dressed in a simple green spring dress, her hair was up in curls today. She smiled at Faye and hugged her gently. “Please! Please, both of you have a seat! I was just about to have the food brought in!” she insisted. I was about to take my seat when a maid scurried over to me with a tray in her hand. She bowed her head to me and presented it to me. There was an envelope on the tray. It had Elijah’s seal on it.

“I am sure, whatever it is, Amilia, it can wait” my mother said. I hold up the envelope and show her Elijah’s seal. My mother sighed and nodded for me to carry on. I knew she had wanted me here to keep Faye company but she was in good hands. Opening the letter I read quickly and then folded it back into my pocket. “I am sorry, mother, Faye,” I nod to both of them. “I have been summoned by the Kings Beta. I will be back as soon as I can,” I said and bowed to them both. I saw Faye give me a look and I did my best to dodge her eyes. I had really hoped that this would not happen while I was with her. She has been through enough and deserved a little happiness. I turned away from them and walked away. The letter was simply written. The Court’s doctor had found the cause of death of the dead wolf we had found the night before. He had not added what the cause was. Only that he wished to speak with me. Collin had sent for me as soon as he found out and that he would be waiting to be in the morgue.Once I arrived there, Collin was outside the office, his phone at his ear, speaking in a low voice. I stopped before Collin who looked at me. “Is that my brother?” I demanded. Collin nodded and I snatched the phone from him. “Elijah Yansa! How dare you leave without telling Faye! I am pretty sure she is going to bolt!” I snap at him. I heard my brother sign on the other end of the line. “Amilia, give the phone back to Collin!” he said. I heard some rustling of papers near the phone. “Where are you?” I demanded. Elijah growled at me. “I am about to get on a flight back home! Now will you please put Collin back on?” he demanded. I looked at Collin who was now holding his hand out to me. I slap it away. “You better message her! If she leaves it will be your fault!” I reminded him.

Elijah growled at me. “Well you best make sure she stays in the Manor then!” he said. I sighed. I knew I could do that. I just had to keep her busy. “You should have told her. She has lost too much,” I reminded him. Elijah was quiet for a moment. “I know this,” he said. “I am trying not to push her. She needs time. That is why I am giving it to her. I thought it would be best if I wasn’t around. So I would not confuse her anymore then she already is,” he admitted. I rolled my eyes. “That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard! She is your Queen, Elijah-”He cut me off. “Not yet, she is not! She may be my mate and she may someday be my queen but that will only come to pass if she wishes it!” he said. And with that he hung up. I look at the phone in shock. Was he worried she was going to be the one to reject him? What were the odds? My big, bad ass brother was worried? Afraid even? I knew what Faye had meant when she said that guards would come and see her at night. I wondered how far they had gone. Normally when a she wolf ends up in a pound, they do not last long. They are there for about a year and then they are either sold as slaves for making pups or they are killed, depending on age. I shuddered at the thought of anything hurting her. “OK,” I said, nodding to the door. “Let’s see what Dr. Larson has to say.”Collin nodded and opened the door for me. Dr Larson was an odd man. Human but was well versed in the ways of the wolves. He had grown up around wolves and Vamps all his life. He was standing with his hands folded neatly on the slab before him, where the body of the girl we had found lie. His red hair was hidden by the surgical cap around his head and his light blue scrubs were splattered with bits of blood. His face on the other hand is not what you would have thought when you hear the name Dr. Larson.

He had big, sunken eyes, a wide mouth and a smile that had always creeped me out. He smiled when he saw me and I shivered. He was just freaky. “Your Majesty,” he greeted me. I nod my greeting. “Dr. Larson. What do we have?”Dr. Larson reached forward and pulled the sheet back off of the girl’s face. She was back in her fully given human form now. That was a relief. I was not sure if I could handle another sight of her all mangled and broke like that. Her brown hair was now dull looking and pale blue eyes were as empty as the bottom of a clear bottle. “She was poisoned. A deadly mix of Cyanide and Sarin. She had no chance whatsoever of survival. Furthermore there are bite marks on her thighs and upper torso,” he said as he pulled the sheet up to show me the bite marks. I frowned. “They’re human?” I asked him. Larson nodded. “I know you were hoping for the Vamps to be the ones who were behind this but I am sure these were caused by humans. A very young one at that,” he assured me. I look up at him from the bite marks. “How young, would you suppose?” I ask him. Larson shrugged and looked back down at the bite marks again. “No more than fourteen. Just barely out of his child years,” he told me. I lean away from the body and glance over at Collin who was listening hard. “So, you mean to tell me that a mortal did this to her?” I demanded. Larson shook his head. “I am telling you what I see. There are some other things though,” he admitted and revealed her left arm to me. There was a giant hand mark on her upper left arm. “How did you get her to phase back?” I asked. “She was stiff with rigor mortis when she was brought to me last night. I just finished the screening before summoning you. She became-... soft, again about an hour ago. As for her phasing back to her human form, she did this herself. I have never seen anything like it. Yet I have also never had the chance to see a wolf mid shift before,” he admitted. “So she died mid shift. She had to be looking for help. She had run a long way to get away from hunters and snatchers if she came from Faye’s house,” I thought. “Did she run all the way from the border?” Collin asked. Larson nodded. “Before she shifted back, I was able to get pictured of her paw. Her claws were missing and she seemed to have broken her back left and front right ankles more than once,” he said as he slid a picture over the table. I picked it up and looked at her poor mangled paw, its claws missing and bloody. “She must have been in so much pain,” I said as I looked back to her. I am not sure what made me do it. I reached out and touched her long brown hair. I was not sure what happened after that. I felt a stiff shock go up my arm and I gasped. There were flashing lights and I heard a scream. I was not sure who it was. Then I saw a Vamp. She was tall, blond and beautiful. She looked familiar. As if I had seen her before. She was holding a dagger in her hand. Then I could see Faye. She was backing away from something. And then I was on the ground, gasping for air, Collin beside me. “Amilia?”Larson was beside me as well, helping me to my feet. “I think I know where we can get answers from,” I said as I brushed myself off. Collin pulled out his phone and I nodded. “The Vamp that was here last night? Where is she?” I demanded. Collin looked up from his phone. “She is set to die at noon! It is five till! Why?” he demanded. I shake my head. “Because, I think she was not the only one! I want all the pack members in the throne room now! Summon every single staff member of this house to the throne room as well! I will get to Faye and my mother!”

***

By the time I reached the gardens, I had Collin, Emma, Lilly and Tay rushing in behind me. My heart sank. The table my mother and Fay had been sitting at had been tipped over and there was broken china all over the stone floors. My heart was pounding and I turned to my hunters. “Emma, Tay!” I snap at them. “Find my mother and Faye!” I order. They turned and were running down the hallway the way we had come. Next I looked at Collin who was waiting for orders. It was odd, because he was the one who was in charge when Elijah was not here. I was supposed to be taking orders from him. Not the other way around. “I need you to go and stop the execution of that Vamp! As fast as you can! I pleaded. Collin nodded and was gone. Before I could move there was a loud growl and then Faye was dropping from the second story staircase onto a slim figure that was creeping up behind me. I stepped away, Lilly right behind me. Faye was towering over a small Vamp, his eyes full of fear and loathing. He tried to move but Faye snapped at him, a deep growl ripping up her chest. “Faye, where is my mother?” I demanded. She looked up at me, her face still distorted with anger and rage. So fast that I almost missed it, Faye reached down grabbing a fist full of the Vamps hair, her eyes never leaving mine, she snapped the Vamps neck and then rushed at me, her eyes completely black, her canines sharp and snapping. I threw my arm up at her, my hand closing in around her neck. “Faye!” I yelled at her, trying to reason with her. She was in full rage mode. The wild look in her eyes was more than I had ever seen in anyone before. Other than a rogue of course. Yet that is what she looked like. A rouge. She looked like the wild animal the Hunters and Vamps made us out to be. Then it clicked. I watched Faye wrestled with my hold on her and I came out of my crouched, defensive position. Dr. Larson had said that the marks were human. That could only mean that Hunters were closing in on us. And they had picked a great time to do it. I rushed over to Faye and tried to ease her off of the Vamp. She turned and snapped at me. I push back at her just as Collin and Lilly return.

“Collin, Lilly, a little help mere?” I demanded.

They both stepped forward and pried Faye off of me. Collin walked over to the Vamp who was now getting back to her feet. Broken necks would not kill a Vamp. . “And make sure she lives! I want her questions and under strict surveillance!” I order. As soon as Lilly and Collin are out of sight I turn to look at Faye. She was looking at her feet, her hands picking at her dress. “The Queen Mother is safe,” Lilly said. I nod and look back to Faye. “Collin, take Faye to the throne room. I will check on our visitors and be there in a moment,” I say as I turn away from them. But I stop cold. I could feel the blood drain from my face. I knew he was fast but I had not expected him to be back so soon. I had hoped that I would be able to restore order to Court before he returned. Elijah did not even look at me. His eyes were fixed on Faye. They watched each other for a moment and then his eyes zeroed in on her arm, the blood dripping on the floor. “Amilia!” he snapped and I stood to attention. “Go to the throne room and have each and everyone one of our pack members escorted back to their chambers. Have the scouts and Hunters meet me back there as soon as they finish!” he said. I glanced at Faye who was now looking at her feet. She was a mess but I had to admit she had put up a damn good fight. I would have“What about Faye?” I ask him.

Elijah did not look at me. He was still fixed on her. Come on, Eli! Stay with her!

"Take her as well. Once you have finished, bring her back to the Throne Room, ” he said coldly as he turned away and walked toward the throne room. I sighed and guided Faye back to her room. I put two guards there before her door before I went to carry out my orders. I hated that my brother was being so cold to her. She was worried enough as it was. I sighed and wondered how I could help it along. There was not really much I could do anymore. I had done my part. I had brought Faye here. I had brought them together. They would have to make what they could of it. I had even asked myself if I could be wrong. The first night I had seen Faye in my dreams, my father had just left for a meeting with House Tamit. That had been the last time I had seen him. I tried to remember what it was that I had said to him before he left but I couldn’t. When we reached Faye’s bedroom, I called for three guards and had them check her room before she went inside and then I ordered them to stand guard here until I returned. It would be quick. “Faye, I will be back to get you here soon,” I told her. She just nodded at me. She looked defeated. “Why so glum?” I asked her. “Elijah is mad at me,” she said. I laugh a little and she just looks at me. “Trust me, he is not mad!” I assured her. “Now, go in and get a shower, Pick out something nice to wear and I will be back in about an hour! DO NOT LEAVE THIS ROOM!” I tell her. She nods her head and goes into the room. The three guards make a human wall before her door, guns at the ready. I sigh and then nod to myself. One hour or less. If she could keep herself safe till then I may just keep my head tonight.