QUEEN CHRISELDA
Thelma rushed up to my side in shock when she heard my voice echoing around the arena. She saw the video the elders raised right in my face and froze, turning over to glare at me.
Her eyes said it all.
She wants to know how I made such a terrible mistake.
But I don’t know how this video was taken in Violet’s room. That place was locked. Even the windows had no opening, so how? How?!
“All these years you lied to us.”
I faced the elders, shivering in fear.
“You said you saw when the late Luna perished in the hands of those creatures. You told us you fought them and tried to save Luna Violet! But it was a lie!”
“You killed our Queen!” They pointed accusing fingers, getting the people to spark at me.
Trembling, I said in my defense, stuttering fearfully, “I… I didn’t! I fought those creatures to save Wolf Fall and Violet. They… killed her. I was saving her!”
But it seems no one was ready to believe me. They were all mad!
I pointed at the video and said, “This video is a fake! I didn’t say anything like this! I was tangled in an emotional moment at that period and needed someone to talk to. Violet is my best friend. Her room was the only thing close to her. I didn’t kill her. I didn’t!”
“Oh, so now the person who uploaded this video is a liar?”
“YES!” I responded loudly, losing myself by the minute.
I took the phone from the elder who was holding it and said, facing my people, “I am innocent! Whoever that posted this video about your Queen is playing with fire. How dare you accuse the Werewolves’ savior of such a terrible crime?!”
My voice echoed around the arena, showing how furious I was with this mess. But it wasn’t enough to make my people believe me. They had their reasons, and I didn’t like it at all.
One of the elders grabbed the phone out of my hand roughly and said, pointing at the name on the video, “This video was uploaded by the same person who exposed your son and that damsel called Fiona. And everything has been true. How do you explain that, Chriselda?”
“I… I…”
“When Fiona’s case was first mentioned, your son confirmed it before the whole pack! He said that the video was indeed true. The next video was also affirmed by the damsels Allen slept with. We spoke with three of the girls we saw in that video, and they told us all the lies he fed them to get in-between their legs!”
“Both videos have been confirmed true, and once again another video has been uploaded of you this time, Chriselda. That’s your voice in that video as well as your lips following every damn words we all heard! So, don’t think you can lie to us! You are no Queen, but a murderer!”
I gasped at the elders words. They believed the video content over me.
My people were in agreement with this accusation.
They were so furious that they began to sing my name out, calling me a killer!
No, I am not a killer. I’m a Queen! I am the ruler of Wolf Fall. The savior of every Werewolves!
“They ruined our daughters and lied to us!”
“You are no Queen, but a monster!”
“THAT THRONE DOESN’T BELONG TO YOU. YOU STOLE IT FROM LUNA VIOLET!”
My people roared at me, throwing things at my direction.
In fear, I hid behind Thelma for safety. She still stayed silent, saying nothing to the matter.
Why is she quiet? Can’t she see what is happening to me?!
If she doesn’t intervene, I’ll lose my throne. We’ll lose everything!
The elders suddenly made an announcement that marked the end of my reign. “From now on, both Chriselda and her son, will no longer rule…”
“WAIT!” Thelma voiced out, interrupting the elders’ judgement.
They all looked at the sorceress, who glanced at me and said to the people, “Chriselda is innocent. This is a foul play taking place in our midst.”
What she said caused a sudden disrupt in everyone’s midst. They felt she’s just trying to hide my crime, since we’ve known each other for long. But what my sorceress said helped me.
“We haven’t said this to anyone because we were protecting Wolf Fall from danger. But I guess it’s time you all knew what is happening.” Thelma held me close like a mother to her child.
“There has been traces of Vampire movements in this pack, and its not just their scent we are picking, but strange dark magic. Those bloody bats have learnt how to control this dark powers so they can not only wipe out wolf fall, but eliminate your Queen. After all, she’s the one who stopped those creatures from taking over the werewolves many years ago. They are back for revenge.”
Her words left everyone shocked.
When I saw the look on the elders faces, I felt relieved. It seems they were beginning to question themselves.
I felt my power coming back to me, but I wasn’t prepared for the next thing Thelma shared. It shocked me to the core.
“Worst, they have joined hands with the Rogue your Queen has been hunting down for long. They came into our pack and killed your Beta!”
“What?!” I gazed at Thelma in horror, wondering if she was referring to Dean or another Beta from a different pack.
But the answer was clear. Thelma is talking about Dean!
“He’s dead?” I asked my sorceress, trembling before her.
Thelma sighed and shared how she and Allen went out to find the Beta but discovered his dead body in the woods.
“He was killed by the Rogue and those vampires, my Queen. Wolf Fall is under attack.”
Her announcement brought fear to the people. Everyone began to panic.
No one talked about the video anymore but about the attack Thelma mentioned.
Thelma used their fear to form a lie, claiming the Vampires are manipulating everyone to turn against me, so it’d be easy for them to strike.
“They want to use you to get rid of the only person that can save us all. If Queen Chriselda is gone, they will strike and everyone will become slaves! You saw it with your own eyes that night, didn’t you? They thought their attack on us was successful. But thanks to the Goddess for using wonderful souls like Evolet, we won the battle that night,” she said, praising that omega.
I took all these as part of her plan to manipulate the people, and just like that, they all fell for Thelma’s words.
Now they all think we’re at war.
Thelma has successfully changed their mindset. They now feel the video was an evil projection to get them all to hate me.
Wonderful! This is why I kept her close to me.
My brilliant sorceress.
“Now you all know the dangers we’re facing. This is the time for every Werewolves to come together as one, for our enemies are upon us. Who knows… they might even have a spy in our midst, pretending to be among us. We need to be careful.”
With all that she had said, I finally found my voice and said to the elders, hiding my anger for the geezers, “I know I still need to prove myself to you all after what you saw, but I am not afraid to take this test. I will bring this war to an end for the second time, and that will show you all that Chriselda has always been a true friend to Violet. Mark my words.”
They stared at me in shame. None of them had anything to say to me.
With pride, I left the arena with Thelma, ending the gathering.
When my sorceress and I went inside, the first question I asked was of Dean. “Is he really dead?”
“Yes,” she confirmed, increasing my fear.
“There’s no link between that Dark blood and the vampires, but Dean’s death was caused by Cadell. No single scent of the attacker around the scene, and you know well that his darkness neutralizes such evidence,” Thelma shared.
I felt my heart ache at this horrible information. No wonder he didn’t report back to me yesterday. And I didn’t even bother to contact him to know how the mission was going.
I didn’t know he was gone!
“But how? I sent him on a mission to spy on Evolet’s home. How did Cadell get to him?” I uttered out, sharing everything with Thelma.
When she heard this, she said, “You would have gotten your answer if you hadn’t canceled the hunt in my absence.”
“Huh? What do you mean?” I looked at my sorceress in confusion.
She stared back, about to say something when Allen showed up and interrupted our discussion.
Thelma had to leave us, promising to speak to me later. But I wanted to hear from her now!
What does she mean by all that?!
“How could you, mother?!” Allen sparked, standing in my way.
“You took away my position before the people! Have you forgotten that I’m your son?!”
“Don’t you dare raise your voice at me, boy!” I yelled at Allen, shunning my son with my dominance.
“Have you forgotten who you’re talking to?! I am the Queen of this pack, and you better learn how to respect me in my pack!”
“Queen? Ha!” He scoffed.
“You’re no Queen, mother. You are a criminal,” Allen accused without any fear, smirking at me.
“I saw that video. The way you were ordering the late Luna to rot in the grave where she belongs… That’s no manipulation from any vampire. That’s the real you, a control freak. You are a murderer.”
“And you wonder why I stripped you off your position as the Alpha? That’s because you have proven to be a fool instead of being my son. You think you can rule as you like because I made you Wolf Fall’s King? Well I’m sorry Allen. Wolf Fall no longer has an Alpha. The people only have a Queen, and that’s me.”
Allen groaned at my words, tightening his fist in rage.
Instead of backing out once and for all, Allen said, “If truly you are innocent of your crime, then you’ll continue to rule this pack. But if you are indeed the one who killed Luna Violet, then you will perish.”
“How dare you?!” I glared at Allen, stunned by his words!
What kind of a son did I raise?
This isn’t my child, but a monster!
“After all, I am your son, my Queen. You raised me up to rule this pack after your reign, and I will do that. Either you are taken out by this war or I…” He smirked, chuckling at me.
There’s no need for me to ask what he means. I know what my son is planning to do!
Goddess! Allen wants to wipe me out of power for taking away his position!
His behavior reminds me of… of myself!
“I am your son, and a part of you made me what I am today. If you are indeed the one who gave birth to me, then you’ll take back your words and declare me the Alpha again. So think well, mother. Don’t make the mistake you’ll regret,” He warned, giving me a hug.
When he did this, I saw flashes of myself in the past with Violet.
It felt like history was replaying itself, but this time around, Allen is… No, not my son!
“Long live the Queen,” Allen whispered, pecking me on the cheek.
He soon left me all alone to think about his threat, and I couldn’t help but feel like my son was gone.
I’m harboring a monster!