Not Your Mate Anymore novel Chapter 42

 

Josey's POV

“We are gathered here to watch the biggest challenge since I was last challenged. Your queen has been challenged for her title, making this a challenge to the death. Ladies and gentlemen, your queen and our newest member in the vampire community, Josey of the house Wordsworth.” The king says.

Everyone is in the arena was stomping their feet, the sound resonating throughout the arena, giving the feel of a fight coming and I was right in the middle of it.

I was already standing in the arena while the queen took her sweet time cat walking her way over.

Thomas sat with the king as he was the nephew to the king and the king had no children as far as I know so I guess this made him next in line as ruler. Although something told me this king would outlive them all.

“You sure know how to take your time." I say to the queen, who was dressed in a flowy red dress. I was dressed in combat attire, because that's how I was raised but clearly vampires have a different upbringing.

The queen smiles at me but the smile doesn't even reach her eyes as she stands in front of me. A tad bit taller but that won't shake me, not one bit.

Nooo. I won't let it.

"You do know I'm way older right?" The queen asks me and this time, I smile.

"Yes I do. I also know that means noting in my world but you will soon find out why." I say as the crowd shouts in excitement at our show of power.

The king raises his hand to silence the crowd and the queen takes a few steps back from me.

“Kill or be killed, fight!" The king shouts out and the queen wastes no time as she jumps to attack.

I'm all for not wasting time, that's Sabrina's forte. I say this with the utmost respect for my sister but that girl has too much mercy to give and I don't.

I move out of the way but pull her by the hair, slamming her body down on the ground.

I wrap my hand around her neck, releasing my claws that pierce into her skin as I squeeze hard. I sit on her as I place my other hand on her neck. She gains the upper hand and flips us over but I quickly flip us over again, banging her head in the ground three times before finally snapping her neck and pulling her head from her body.

I stand up, the queens head in my hand as I look at the king. My wolf eyes in full display, I walk to one of the guards who held a torch and lit up the queens head. I walk back to the rest of her body and throw it on top of her belly.

I watched as her body burnt, confirming my victory.

My easy victory.

The king jumps off his seat, making his way towards me. He stands next to me, looking at me quizzically.

"Who are you?" The king asks me and I smile.

"I believe your new queen." I say before bowing my head. The crowd cheers as the king raises my hand to show I was the winner.

I had done it. I had infiltrated the vampire world in less than a day. Years and years of training to go to Sabrina’s realm and train for almost ten years. All of that led to this, this very moment.

The king quickly drags me out of the arena and in to the dining hall where he was feasting on the young girl. Images of their act replay in my mind and I shake my head to rid myself of such thoughts.

"Who are you? How does a newly turned vampire defeat and kill an old vampire queen?" The king asks me, forcing my back against the wall.

"I beat her because she wanted to play games, I was there to win. She has lived for a very long time, wasn't it time for a new queen anyway?" I say before lightly shoving him away from me.

I walk away from him and sit on one of the chairs in the dining hall.

"First of all, we need some rules. Can we not have sex where we eat? I mean have your fun but my goodness!" I say, thankful I didn't say goddess out loud.

"I make the rules because I am the king." He says sitting down at head of the table.

I softly chuckle at his statement. Alphas and vampire kings were no different.

I quickly stand up, walk to him. I touch his cheek.

“You can have as many women as you want but you will not touch me. You will also not have sex where I will be eating, understood?" I say as my hand moves from his face to his neck.

The king chuckles, infuriating me but I keep my cool.

"We don't eat, remember?" He says to me and this time, I chuckle.

“Oh but I do. I love my meat medium rare, I'll let the servants know." I say as I walk away from him, wanting to leave the dining hall.

He walks fast and stands in front of me, stopping me in my tracks.

“Every woman here wants me, why don't you?" The king asks me.

“Not used to having a bruised ego? Get over it. There's far worse things in this world." I say shoving him out of the way but he wouldn't budge.

"This isn't some human monarchy where you think you have any say. They call you queen because you sit by my side, you don't rule with me.”

The king says, clearly annoyed with me.

“Then you need to get in with the times. This is a new era, patriarchal rules or traditions are being challenged even in the supernatural world.

You think you will rule forever?" I ask getting annoyed with him.

“Whoever wishes to change the rules must kill me first but you must know, I am alive because my challengers are dead. I remain undefeated."

He boasts with his chest out.

"Then it's up to a woman to dethrone you." I say through gritted teeth.

"Ha! I'd love to see the day.” He says to me. The king has this deep manly voice, a bit raspy too. It was hard to not find it sexy.

"And when the day comes, I'll love it just a little bit more.” I say before walking around him and out the dining hall.

Just when I thought I'd celebrate my victory, sexy grandpa cuts it short with his old ways.

“Wow. I'm impressed.” A lady says behind me. I quickly turn around to see a young girl who looked oddly familiar.

I raise my eyebrow at her, waiting for this young lady to explain herself.

"You're not just some crazy girl looking to get in to my brother's pants." She says to me and I chuckle.

"Believe me when I say I want to stay as far away as possible from any of his old school bootleg pants." I say and she giggles.

"Where have you been all my life?” She asks me and I smile as I think of my family.

"Enjoying life.” I say with a big smile on my face.

I had a wonderful upbringing and Remi was a wonderful woman and stepmother. Sabrina’'s life had a smooth sailing then, nothing went wrong.

Things changed when she found out she was Percy's mate.

We were a happy family. Even though Remi is gone, she gave us a wonderful brother who will scorch the earth to save anyone of us. He wasn't just a normal werewolf.

He was incredibly hardworking and had father's determination and discipline. He was crazy smart too and found new ways to run a pack while following wolf traditions. I can't wait to meet his children one day, seeing them be the exact same way he was when we were kids.

He is the perfect balance between wolf and human. His first shift went smoothly as if he felt no pain but I know it's because he masks his pain, the military child.

Then there was Sabrina.

Sabrina, never abused her strength. Always the caring and respectful but child has a mouth on her. From a young age and my father can't seem figure out where she got that foul mouth from.

"So, I'm going to ask you the one question everyone here is dying to ask you. How did you do it?” The kings sister asks me.

"Wait a minute. I don't even know your name." I say and she smiles, her fangs showing.

"I'm Cherisse and you my dear are now the new queen to my brother, Cayden." Cherisse tells me.

“Well Cherisse, my name is Josey and I'm a werewolf." I say as we walk but Cherisse stops in her tracks, making me stop as well.

"You mean you're a dog? How can I not smell it on you?" Cherisse says to me with the world's disgust on her face.

"You drink blood for a living and you're going to look at me like that?" I ask her. She closes her eyes and opens them again.

Her face a little relaxed but her body was tense.

“I was born a wolf and unlike you, It wasn't just decided on some day that I'd be a dog. I'm a proud dog by the way. This dog used her dog strength and dog claws to decapitate your blood drinking queen. The dog way." I say annoyed.

"Look I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. We are just enemies in the outside world. So my reaction stems from years fighting your kind.”

Cherisse says to me and I shake my head no.

"It does not excuse the behavior. I'm a vampire too so I'm not exactly the enemy now, am I?” I ask looking straight into her eyes.

"No.” She says looking down and I take that as my chance to walk away from the king's sister.

I walk around in circles looking for Thomas's room but I was failing, dismally. I bump into a human slave.

"Hey! You are human." I say and she nods her head shyly at me.

“Can you please show me to Thomas's room? I'm lost.” I ask and her eyes bulge out.

"Is something wrong?" I ask and she shakes her head no, fear evident in her eyes.

“I'm not going to hurt you. I just need your help getting to that's Wordsworth's room, do you think you can show me?" I ask again and she nods her head yes.

She starts walking and I follow behind her. She was visibly shaking, underfed and definitely going through some trauma.

These vampires were truly the monsters of the earth. I wish they had a heavenly realm so Sabrina could have a chat with their god. They were abusive and cruel.

 

We stop at a door and she starts to walk away. I gently grab her hand.

 

“Where can I get some food around here?" I ask her.

 

“I can speak?" She asks and I nod my head yes. Her voice sounded so groggy as if she hasn't used it in a long time.

 

Poor thing.

 

"We don't keep food in the castle as the king said the smell disgusts him so we have to walk a few minutes to our hostels to eat but there's human territory thirty minutes from here, where there's all sorts of restaurants." She says and her eyes get glassy when she tells me about the human town.

 

“Okay then. Let me change in to something less bloody and we can both go. Actually, come in and wash up. I'll borrow you something to wear." I say but she shakes her head no.

 

This girl clearly doesn't know me. I open the door, dragging her in. Thomas wasn't in his room, which was great.

 

I lead her to the bathroom and throw her a towel. I run the shower then search the bathroom for an extra toothbrush, finding one that was still in it's packaging. Imagine one that was already used by a blood sucking devil.

 

I hand it to her.

 

"Clean up and that's an order.” I say before walking out and closing the door. The girl showers for less than ten minutes and she walked out.

 

"Now I see what you look like. You are actually very beautiful. Here wear this.” I say handing her a pair of Jean's with a basic long sleeve cotton shirt.

 

Okay, by basic I mean an Armani cotton shirt.

 

I leave her to it as I quickly go shower. I walk out, a white towel wrapped around my body to find Thomas with his hands wrapped around a very scared human girl.

 

"Unless you want to feel my wrath, you will let her go. I'd say apologize for your terrible manners but I know I'd be asking for too much." I say to Thomas.

 

He let's the girl go, the poor girl dropping to the floor trying to catch her breath.

 

I wrap my hands around Thomas, and I tighten my grip.

 

"I'm aware we are in your room but if you ever put your hands on that girl again, I'll make you pay and I'm not my sister. I kill on the spot, no mercy." I say before throwing him across the room.

 

He lands on his feet and chuckles.

 

“First of all, yes! This is my room so imagine my surprise finding a servant in regular clothing standing in my room. Secondly, I don't like threats." Thomas says to me.

 

I help the girl up, mouthing I'm sorry to her.

 

"That was no threat. It's a promise." I say. I get dressed right in front of Thomas and the human girl.

 

I am a wolf, nakedness is something we get used to overtime.

 

I also wear denim jeans and a basic shirt. A cotton shirt with cartoon drawing.

 

I put on my sneakers then pick out two very thick coats and two cardigans. I take the girl's hand, leading her out of the room.

 

"You know, we don't befriend our food.” Thomas shouts out and I chuckle.

“I guess I'll just go hungry then." I say as I close the door behind me.

 

The girl stands next to me, clearly shaken from Thomas's attack.

 

“I'm so sorry that happened. I shouldn't have left you alone but I get my own room soon so that won't happen again. Now, do you think we will get something to eat at this hour?" I ask looking at my phone and it was past midnight.

 

"We can go to my mother's house.” She says and I smile.

 

“Home cooked food? Yes please.” I say excitedly as she leads us out of the castle.

 

“It's a little far. I don't think we can walk the distance and not with the snow.’ She says to me and I smile.

 

"What's your name?" I ask the girl.

 

“I'm no one." She says looking down but I place my index finger on her chin, to raise her head.

 

“What name did your mother give you?" I ask again.

 

"Kimberley." She says in a whisper but I heard her.