I shake my head and whisper back to him, "The 11th house will follow me to the ends of the earth to extinguish my family's line after what my father did.  If I lead you, I just doom you all."

My beta, Fred, struggles to control his wolf and grips my arm, "We're even more doomed without you."

I only have one way to truly save my people and that's to replace the murdered queen.  I'm of the blood, as the last touched I can challenge the rites at any time to claim her throne.  This was always my privilege, instilled in me since birth.  Though I had no desire to take on her mantle, she'd been a kind enough monarch.  I had no choice now.  If I became queen my pack would replace the 11th as the royal pack and they'd become untouchable by the other houses.  It was a gamble, one that would likely kill me, but it was the only play that I had left.

And so, dear reader, this is the story of how I signed up for my own doom.  How I became the willing participant in the rite of queens and lost the one true love of my life.

The morning air was cool and crisp as I stood at the edge of the arena, the first rays of sunlight casting a soft pink glow over the aged wooden structure below. The second day of the tournament had arrived, and with it, an expectant silence hung over the crowd. I could feel their eyes on me, though I refused to let the pressure show. My gaze was fixed on the ring below, where the warriors were preparing for the next round of combat, their faces hard with determination and the promise of bloodshed.


Chapter 16 - Your Brain is Your Best Weapon