Malachi’s POV I pulled the map from my drawer and pinned it to the wall with a thumb tack, marking Lord Harran’s territory in the East.
Tomorrow I would have to deal with the bandits myself.
Standing from my swivel chair, I made my way toward the Dowager’s chambers.
I had to give her a piece of my mind before my blood stopped boiling.
A foot soldier rushed up, breathing hard.
“Your Highness, there is an emergency.” I raised an eyebrow.
“Speak.” “The Luna has shifted.
She’s attacking Miss Mira.” A slow, dark smile spread across my face.
My little unshifted runt wife had finally woken up.
The thought sent a hot rush of satisfaction through me.
Now she could tear through bandits like paper.
Just when we needed her most.
“Summon the foot soldiers and the doctor,” I said.
“Meet me in Mira’s room.” I walked briskly, the spring in my step impossible to hide.
Two guards were already outside the door when I arrived.
One of them knelt over the unconscious Mira, checking for a pulse.
Mira lay on the floor in a torn nightdress, blood on her face, still alive but barely.
Lauretta stood in the middle of the room like a monster.
She was no longer human.
She had to be nine feet tall.
Thick black fur covered every inch of her massive frame.
Her spine was hunched, shoulders broad enough to block the doorway.
Yellow eyes glowed with feral hunger, fangs bared in a low, rumbling snarl.
She was crouched over Mira, one clawed hand still gripping a fistful of her hair, the other ready to strike.
I stopped in the doorway, feeling nothing but pure, unfiltered joy.
“We’re here, Your Highness,” the lead guard said, snapping me out of the moment.
“The doctor’s coming.” “Shoot her with the tranq darts,” I told the physician, a thin woman who had just entered.
She swallowed.
“My king, are you sure?
The side effects on a newly shifted wolf can be dangerous.
She might stay unconscious for days.” I gave her the coldest look I could manage.
“Shoot her.
Don’t you dare question me.” The woman lifted the long crossbow with steady hands.
She fired.
The first dart struck the side of Lauretta’s face.
She snarled, but the doctor didn’t wait.
Two more darts punched into her back in rapid succession.
Lauretta’s body jerked once.
Then she let out a low, almost purring growl… and collapsed forward onto her knees, massive frame folding like a broken tower.
She hit the floor with a thud that shook the windows, fur bristling, yellow eyes already rolling back.
“Take her to the medical centre for recovery,” I ordered before I walked out of Mira’s chambers and straight toward the Queen Dowager’s room.
The door was open when I got there.
The Dowager sat by the fire in her usual silk robe, sipping wine like nothing had happened.
When she saw me her smile stayed sweet.
“Malachi,” she said.
“What brings you here so late?” I stopped in front of her chair.
“You went too far tonight.” Her eyes narrowed.
“I don’t understand.” I laughed once, short and ugly.
“Don’t play stupid with me.
You sat at my table instructing my wife like you owned her.
Called Mira my second wife, said she would give me an heir.
You tried to push your poison into my halls.” The Dowager set her wine down.
“I was only speaking the truth.
The girl is not my daughter-in-law.
She is just a tool now.
Soon you will use her and move on.” I stepped closer until she had to look up at me.
“Tool?
She is my wife.
My queen.
And you will never speak of her like that again.” She stood up slowly.
“Or what, my son?” My hand shot out and grabbed her wrist.
Not hard enough to hurt, but hard enough to make her wince.
“Listen to me very clearly,” I said, voice low and cold.
“I am the only one who has the right over Lauretta.
Not you.
Not this kingdom.
Not even her own weak body anymore.
She is mine.
Mine to command.
Mine to use.
Mine to keep.” The Dowager pulled her wrist free and stepped back.
“You are scaring me, Malachi.
Is this how you treat your mother?” “Scaring you?” I laughed again.
“No.
This is how I treat threats to my wife.
You think you can come into my halls and reduce her to nothing?
You think you can turn her into your plaything?
You are wrong.” She straightened her robe.
“She was never your equal.
A woman like that can only bring you down.
The kingdom needs strength, not a poverty-stricken weak girl.” I moved so fast she had to step back again.
“Weak?
She is stronger than any man in this keep.
And you?
You will stay away from her.
Do you hear me?
Stay away from Lauretta.
Do not speak to her.
Do not look at her.
Do not even think about her.
She is mine.
Only mine.
And if you ever forget that, I will make sure you regret it.” The Dowager’s face twisted with anger and disbelief.
Even if I considered her like a mother to me, she didn’t have any right to preside over anything.
I am the Alpha.
“You are blind.
Mira is more of an asset than your wife will ever be, and if you let Mira go, then you’ll be left with your sycophant men.” I scoffed audibly before I leaned in until our faces were almost touching.
“Mira is not an asset.
She will never be more than good enough to fuck.
You can give her to your other son if she pleases you.” I turned and walked out without another word.
Behind me the Dowager’s voice followed, sharp and bitter.
“You will regret this, Malachi.
You will regret every word you uttered tonight.” I didn’t answer.
I was already walking back to the clinic to check on Lauretta.