An old friend….
As I hung up the phone, a plan began to form in my mind. I couldn’t fight this battle head-on, not yet. Daniel, Elder Baron, the entire council-they were too powerful. But there were others out there, those who had not yet chosen sides, those who still remembered my rule and believed in my vision for the kingdom.
I needed allies. I needed to remind them who I was, what I had built, and why I would not simply vanish.
The first name that came to mind was Fabian. Although he might have been a pain in the ass a while back, the little warning I gave him by getting Lucas and Simon to look into him should be enough to get him on my side this time. I had been loyal to him, and now it was time for him to return the favor. After all, we had mutual goals and aspirations.
I had heard whispers that he had gone into hiding after Lucas and Simon’s thorough investigation. And if I’m being completely honest, I can’t really judge him for doing that. It might seem like they’re approachable since we grew up together and knew each other our entire lives. However, I also couldn’t dismiss the fact that they were two of the most ruthless personalities in the underground world and beyond. Their vast connections made them even more dangerous. So, for Fabian to have managed to stay out of their reach all this time, I must say he is a very lucky man.
Now that I found myself in a desperate situation, I knew I’d have to seek help. And if anyone could understand my plight, it would be him.
Without wasting another second, I pulled on my cloak and headed out of the palace. I told the maids to inform anyone who asked after me that I had gone to visit my mother in a neighboring town. The halls were eerily quiet, the faint echoes of my footsteps the only sound as I made my way to the garage. My car greeted me with a loud rev when I started it, and I cringed at the noise. I whispered a few words of reassurance to myself, as if that would change anything, and prepared to leave.
“Okay, Veronica, just breathe,” I murmured. “You may be exhausted, but we have one last fight left.” I took a deep breath and drove out of the parking space.
As I drove along the quiet, lonely road, the tall trees lining both sides provided a serene atmosphere. I couldn’t help but imagine why my life couldn’t be simple and follow the plan I had laid out. I also couldn’t stop thinking about the kingdom I was leaving behind.
The grand palace, which used to hold so many of my memories growing up, felt like home to me, with everything I wanted, including Lucas and Simon. Now, it lacked the warmth and loving memories of my childhood. I could no longer call it home because I barely had anyone on my side there. In fact, it felt more like a battleground, where I had to fight for my place every single day with blood, sweat, and tears. It was draining, but I would never back down. I would lay low until I could regain control, and then things would finally be on my terms.
I was driving to one of Fabian’s most frequented hideouts, which I discovered after much research back when we were still working together. The road to this hideout was long and winding, passing through forests and mountains. The moon hung high in the sky, casting silver light over the landscape, as if watching over my journey. Hours passed, but I pushed on, my resolve hardening with every mile.
By the time I reached the entrance to the western packs’ territory, dawn was beginning to break. The air was thick with tension, the kind that came from years of unresolved conflict. I dismounted the car, which thankfully still had enough fuel for the return trip, pulled my hood lower over my face, and approached the guarded entrance.
The two sentries, rough-looking men with scars across their faces, crossed their spears as I approached.
“State your business,” one of them growled.
“I’m here to see Fabian,” I said, my voice steady, though my heart pounded in my chest.
The men exchanged glances, and then the other one snorted. “And who are you to demand an audience with him?”
I pulled back my hood, revealing my face, and locked eyes with the guard. “I am Queen Veronica. And I have come to reclaim what is mine.”
The guards froze, recognition dawning in their eyes. One of them swallowed hard before nodding. “Wait here,” he muttered before disappearing behind the gates.
I waited, my heart racing with anticipation. Moments later, the gate creaked open, and a figure stepped out into the early morning light.
Fabian.
He looked rugged, more hardened than I remembered, but his sharp eyes still gleamed with the soft glow I remembered from the past. He studied me for a moment, then gave a curt nod.
“Queen Veronica,” he said, his voice rough and mocking. “It’s been quite a while, if I must say.”
“Too long,” I replied, stepping forward. “But I didn’t come here for pleasantries. I need your help.”
Fabian crossed his arms, glancing carefully behind me as if scanning the environment.
“Don’t worry, I came alone. Trust me,” I said.
He scoffed, walking around me as he spoke. “Trust you? That would be a very dangerous thing for anyone to do. You betrayed me by telling your dangerous husbands about my intentions, and now you expect me to trust you?”
“I wouldn’t have had to do that if you hadn’t started threatening me. If anything, I should be angry at you.”
“So why are you here, then? How in the world did you find this place? Who told you I was here?”
“Oh please, nobody had to tell me, and that doesn’t even matter right now. Like I said before, I need your help.”
He stared at me deeply for a short while, his expression unreadable. “Help with what?”
“Taking back my kingdom,” I said, my voice unwavering. “The council thinks they’ve won. They think I’m finished. But I’m not. I need allies, and you were always one of my strongest. Can we go inside?”
He was silent for a moment, looking around the place again as if unconvinced by my earlier assurance.
“Oh my gosh, are you really this insecure? I told you nobody’s with me. Come on.”
He didn’t respond and didn’t look my way. After finishing his surveillance, he sighed and led me inside. I shook my head at his unnecessary caution.
Once inside, I couldn’t decide which was worse: the outside or the interior. The place reeked of sweat and other unidentifiable, pungent smells, with crumbs and dirt scattered across the floor and couches. He dusted off a seat before sitting down, but I couldn’t help feeling disgusted as I sat next to him. His constant staring made me feel even more uncomfortable.
“You know, it’s very uncomfortable having you stare at me like this. One might think you’re plotting to have me killed,” I said.
“Well, do you know how uncomfortable it is to have you here without me telling anyone my location? One might think you have some plan to get me caught by your ruthless husbands.”
“How many times do I have to tell you I came alone? Besides, you’re already doing a good job hiding from them. Stop worrying so much.”
“Oh, I wasn’t worrying-until you showed up. Now I’m more worried because if you found me, how long will it be before they do?”
“Stop worrying. They’re not going to find you.”
“Oh really? It seems you don’t know how dangerous Lucas and Simon are, despite living with them. Just get to the point.”
“Fine. The elders’ council just passed a verdict that’s very difficult for me.”
“What is it?”
“They stripped me of my title as Queen, all because of that wretched Ashley.”
“Who’s Ashley?”
“Have you forgotten? The slave that Simon and Lucas brought into the house back then.”
“Oh, the beautiful slave who threatened to take the kings away from you back then.”
I frowned at his statement, wondering if this was another attempt to mock me.
“Not funny, Fabian. It’s serious this time.”
“So what has she done now? I thought you got her out of the house years ago. How is she a problem again?”
“Exactly! I managed to get her out with some of the worst accusations, but Simon and Lucas brought her back. And as it turns out, she was already three months pregnant when she left.”
“What?”
“Yes, and now she has twins-two sons! When the council found out, they stripped me of my title since I couldn’t produce an heir. They’ve suggested I beg Lucas and Simon not to throw me out, or become the second wife to that slave.”
“So, what do you want me to do?”
“I want you to help me convince the council to reconsider. You also want the throne, don’t you?”
“You’re asking me to help you go against the council, to risk everything, for what? Sure, I want the throne, but not at the expense of my life.”
“You don’t have to do much. Think about it-if we get rid of those children, the council will reconsider. The packs will rebel, and Lucas and Simon’s authority will crumble. That’s when you can take what you want.”
He was silent for a while, emotions flickering across his face-uncertainty, determination, confusion. Finally, determination settled in.
“Are you sure of all this, Veronica? If this goes wrong, I’ll make sure you pay.”
I met his gaze, fire burning in my veins. “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.”
He studied me for a moment longer before a slow smile spread across his face. “Then let’s remind them why they feared you in the first place.” And just like that, I knew I had managed to gain an ally, and a strong one at that.
“Alright then, so what’s the plan?” he asked, settling into his seat more comfortably.
I took a deep breath, my mind racing through the steps I had already begun to form. “First, we need to create a distraction, something big enough to divert their attention away from us. We can’t make any moves while Lucas and Simon are watching everything so closely. They have eyes everywhere.”
Fabian nodded, his expression thoughtful. “I can manage that. I have a few contacts who owe me favors. They can stir up some trouble in the eastern packs, enough to keep the council and your husbands busy for a while.”
“Perfect. Once they’re preoccupied, I’ll make my move on the council. But I’ll need your support to influence some of the undecided members. If I can sway enough of them, we can push back against the decision to strip me of my title.”
Fabian chuckled, though there was no warmth in it. “You always were ambitious, Veronica. It’s one of the things I liked about you.”
“This is about survival, Fabian,” I said sharply. “Ambition has nothing to do with it.”
He raised his hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright. I’ll help you. But if this goes south, you’re on your own. I won’t let your mess drag me down.”
“Fair enough,” I replied. “But trust me, this will work. And when it does, we’ll both have what we want.”
Fabian smirked. “I hope for your sake, it does.”
With that, the alliance was sealed. I rose from the filthy couch, eager to leave the hideout. “I’ll be in touch when everything is set in motion,” I said, pulling my hood back over my head.
“Be careful, Veronica,” Fabian warned, his tone more serious now. “Lucas and Simon won’t let you get away with this if they find out.”
“I know,” I replied, my voice cold and resolute. “But they won’t know until it’s too late.”
Without another word, I turned and left the hideout, my mind already plotting the next steps in my plan. The sun was rising higher in the sky as I made my way back to the car, casting long shadows across the forest. My heart was racing, not just from the thrill of the conspiracy I had just set in motion, but from the knowledge that I was one step closer to reclaiming my power.
As I drove back toward the palace, the weight of what I was about to do settled on my shoulders. There was no turning back now. The council, Lucas, Simon, and that wretched Ashley-they would all pay for what they had taken from me. And when the dust settled, I would be the one left standing, my crown restored and my kingdom under my control once more.
I gripped the steering wheel tightly, my knuckles white with tension. This was only the beginning, but I could already taste victory.