The beginning of her Nemesis

The moment Verona opened her eyes she was met with the cold glares of Farah and Gal. For whatever reason they seem to be crossed with her, of which she simply chose to not readily address it.

Her mind was fixated on the events of last night. The sight of her mate, or better still whom she presumed to be her mate still haven't left her mind.

She knew why she was here, the mission was embedded like a tattoo to her heart but somehow she wanted to know who it was. Whether a warrior or a guard, or some random beast passing along.

Verona was curious to find out the identity of the strange fellow.

"You have been busy of late. Pray tell whatever all these was for?"

The usually calm woman attacked straight on barely before her eyes could open fully.

"I do not know what you are asking—"

"oh spare me all that! Getting punished by the King barely a month after your arrival into the palace is not something to be praised for…"

The redhead dragged a frustrated palm over her face, tucking her hair behind her ears one at a time. "You know exactly why I had to do that Farah…it wasn't as if I went out of my way to intentionally provoke him…"

"You should have kept it in. certainly your pride or whatever could afford to take a few weeks of break." Gal couldn't help but lend her voice to reprimand the girl.

"And by the way, how were you not able to steal the gourd away from his neck? it was there within your reach, begging you to take it but you chose to let the opportunity slide...?"

"Wait...what gourd? and whose neck do you speak of?" the Luna was basking in confusion when her mind refused to rewind all that happened the night before. It was like her suffering at the outpost had messed with her memories.

"You found the gourd?" the two serpents asked at the same time while trudging towards Farah.

"Yes to all of your questions. The King wore it around his neck when he carried our 'Queen' to her bed."

"Are you sure?" Gal asked.

"By the blood of Mudine I am sure of it. Not even while I sleep would my eyes ever mistake the image."

Verona felt secluded, like she wasn't a part of them. Every time the subject is mentioned they always turn solemn refusing her to know of any details and only choosing to be vague about it. At first she didn't care, but now her curiosity knew no bounds.

"Even if she had seen it, do you thing a beast like that wouldn't notice when such possession leaves his neck…?"

the blonde one asked with curiosity, but met with aggression.

"The spirit of Atalla does not belong to him! It is not his possession and would never be. Speak with caution child."

Gal shunned the youngest serpent with a raised tone forcing Sophiet to take a few steps backwards.

The Queen sat there feeling like an errant child getting cautioned by her mother and older sister. She wasn't sure she welcomed the feeling.

"Please bring down your voice. The walls may very well have ears."

"Oh at this point the walls may develop both mouth and a nose, I do not care. She…" Gal pointed at the Luna. "Needs to know her priorities and learn how to---"

A sound of something clattering onto the floor cut her speech midway and like lightening she flew to the door and rushed outside, fast enough to catch the receding steps of what looked like a shadow. No doubt someone had just been spying on them, but she wasn't sure for how long and what he/she may have heard.

"A spy?"

Gal asked from behind and it only took the pensive look on the older ones face for her to know the answer was a yes. The moody woman hissed loudly as she pulled her hair like someone battling an illness of the mind.

"Were you able to catch a scent?" this was Verona asking as she climbed out of the bed.

"Not really, just a whiff of Dirt and lime..."

"Lime…? Is that not the scent of the brash woman who thinks herself some uncrowned Queen?"

Sophiet asked drawing their attention to where she needed it to be.

"You mean Asundi?…but how…or better still why?" Verona asked in genuine confusion.

"Welcome to fucking Castle rock!" Gal hissed again and found a spot to lean on by the window.

"Verona don't act so naïve. This is the palace and you are currently the new Queen. If you must gain success in this revenge then you should first understand the weight of the position you occupy. You are the wife to the strongest wolf shifter to exist, an original Lycan…surely you do not think you will exist here without enemies and people trying to sabotage you."

"Or even kill you"

Verona didn't have to guess the ominous response was from the serpent by the window. For whatever reason they will never see eye to eye.

"If they are beginning to watch your every move, then I suspect Queen Ygrette may hold a few reservations against you."

"I do not care about her nor her opinions…" the redhead began to say but was cut off.

"Which is where you got it all wrong my sweet sister" Farah came to stand beside the tall woman and began to pat her head.

"Razhal may act the way he does, as insufferable and wicked as anything but he definitely do not play when it concerns to his family…especially his mother."

"She holds a considerable amount of authority within the counsel and is said to have even played a key role during the dissolution of pack autonomy. She and her sister Margaret used to control the council and the wolf forum until she clocked year two hundred and willingly decided to take a back role." Gal supplied.

"So in essence…?" the Luna asked already seeming bored of the entire discourse.

"You have to gain her approval...?" Sophiet answered for her.

"And if that proves difficult…?"

There was a brief silence and the four women debated the response to such complicated question. Or maybe only the three of them found it difficult, because Gal stood from the window and walked towards them with an answer that paused the room.

"Then we eliminate her. Nothing…I repeat nothing, should and would stand as an obstacle."

Verona debated that heavy response and in a way she saw it for what it was. Gal maybe a violent driven callous woman but she was always right in her logic. Because somehow the green serpent tells hard truths.

But in all her confusions, she was beginning to see some bit of light and understanding and in a way putting her plans in order.

•first she must Search his office, then

•Find Omar's journal.

•Speak to Casper, and try to gain Ygrette's favor.

****

The room was decorated like some mystical cave that somehow spoke volumes about whom it belonged to.

It was befitting for the mother to the King and no gold was spared in its making.

Queen Ygrette sat on a golden stool placed on a raised red polished bronze podium, with her barefoot tucked underneath her and a soft pillow cushioning her weight.

Her fingernails were long and painted gold, same with the bangles that adorned each wrists. She could be mistaken for a woman newly past her twenties but her silvery grey hair may tell a confusing story.

The woman was a mirror version of her son with all the hardness and beauty that came along with it. She was currently looking down at a figure that sat at the foot of the elevated podium. Her prejudice couldn't be hidden as she regarded the trembling fellow.

Somewhere behind the door was Asundi, who stood like a statue along with a dozen uniformed maids. Even she couldn't escape the domineering aura of a Lycan.

"Raise your head"

Her voice was cold and came out as a whisper and the man immediately obeyed.

"What have you heard through your investigation?"

"uhm..my my my Queen…I I I was able to…"

"Stop babbling like an imbecile or you may very well loose the voice entirely."

Her words hung thickly in the air and everyone present knew she wouldn't hesitate to carry it out. Ygrette does not threaten, she merely informs.

"The King...he was…he was attacked at the border village. It was a curse the rumors said. I do not know of all the details my Queen, please show me mercy"

At the mention of her son the woman hastily stood to her full length, dwarfing everyone in the room. Her anger boiled hot like a furnace, refusing to be contained.

"Who dares to hurt my boy! Who is it? Give me a bloody name!!!

"I hear the northern wolves were seen crossing the Yamen river right after the king during his sojourn to the borders my Queen." Asundi slithered her way into the conversation with a hesitant voice.

When the older woman seemed to be interested in her opinion, she somehow got comfortable.

"And same sources also claim the King's new father-in-law was at the lead."