Andraeanum were destined to be together;
sure to create the greatest leader of all time. Stella shook her head at the
sad thought that it would never be; Andraeanum- called Andrea, had died trying
to give birth to the next generation of kings. And Ova, the then head healer,
had been given to mob for causing her death.
Stella sighed as she moved away from the balcony and
toward a shelf of books. She let her fingers slide over the spines. Initially
she had come to read up on the mating ritual. Now, she just needed to clear her
head. Flynn had asked her to be his mate; even though he had no right. A female
was the only one who could choose. But Stella was not a female; she was a
woman- a human.
Stella dropped her hands and weaved her way through a
couple of isles. Her being human could be remedied, Flynn had told her. He
could not bite her, his blood or saliva would kill her. It was a failsafe to
make sure a male couldn’t just run out on his pack and turn any human. No, it
was much more diabolical than that. A human female had to be sponsored by
another female leopard. The exchange of blood would most likely succeed. But
the blood exchange bonded the two females’ and they would become sisters in the
eyes of the pack. But there was a catch. A turned human was not pure and her blood-status
could turn out to be Omega, a servant. She could work to remove herself from
the lower class but while she did her “sister’s” status would also suffer.
Thus it was difficult to find a female leopard willing
to perform the ritual. Flynn said he could find an Omega female, but that would
most assuredly lower Stella’s status and thus she and Flynn could not be mated
until she was at least a second legion. God, it all sounded so complicated. And
Stella was losing hope her and Flynn would ever be able to be together. Because no matter what, as a Beta, he could not take a human as a
mate, all because the offspring of a leopard and a human was 50/50.
Stella groaned as she found a leather chair and
plopped down in it. The real kick in the pants was Sarai. Flynn had said he had
smelled something in her blood, maybe a latent leopard; like she had it
somewhere in her linage. If a female sponsored her it was possible she would be
turned into second legion immediately. And the King.... Conri could choose any female he wanted and according to Flynn and Core he had
already chosen Sarai. He just wasn’t going to tell Sarai that.
But if he ever did, Sarai could very well become the
queen of an entire race... but only if she chose it. Why no one would tell her
this, why they were forbidden to tell her this- under penalty of death- was
beyond Stella. But the biggest question was , did Sarai
fancy the king? Stella had noticed how everyone treated her like she was
already the queen, standing when she entered, letting her eat first, bowing to her when she wasn’t looking. It was all because
everyone knew the King had made his decision; if Sarai would have him, he would
take her- human or leopard status didn’t matter.
It was also why Kellen’s transgression nearly got him
killed. He had directly disobeyed the king. He had sought to claim Sarai and
elevate his own status. In the end, it had cost him everything
“Good evening Sarai.”
Stella perked up, scooting to the edge of her seat.
She listened to the exchange for just a moment. Then, as quietly as she could
she crept to the edge. She watched, with building intensity as her friend put
her fingers in his hair and then- caution thrown to the wind- drove both hands
in his thick black mane with reckless abandon. When they kissed Stella about
came out of her skin, her friend did fancy the king.
And in that moment she knew she had to find a way to
be with Flynn because they were most undoubtedly staying. She scooted back a
little too fast and bumped into a bust. The statue teetered and Stella held her
breath. But as it toppled and took several books with it, she darted behind the
large leather
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