"You've got to understand that this isn't just your typical forced entry," he shouts, his voice filling the empty halls. "These savages attacked my pregnant wife and left her to die." I find myself pulling the covers closer to my body, wrapping them around my head as the noise bothers me. "This is not something that you forget, this is something that you make sure cannot happen again. Zion wanted Lily to die and didn't even care that she was pregnant." He is right about that.

I peek over the covers of the bed, towards one of the doors that lead into the bathroom. It has been almost a week since I walked into our house to find Zion and his men in the grand entrance, destroying the walls and even allowing the chandelier to fall...to torture me and leave me there with glass in my flesh and blood staining the floor. Since then the house has been put back together, the walls redone and the floor cleaned to perfectin, and the chandelier that fell is replaced with an even grander one. The second an ambulance picked me up and rushed me to the hospital, Nixon was beside me the entire time, holding onto hope that not just I would be okay, but our child as well.

I survived the attack. I survived the glass within my flesh, the hits to my stomach and chest, and the loss of blood. I survived what I thought was going to be how I perished: in the arms of Nixon as help was just seconds away. Nixon made sure I stayed awake, that I did not shut my eyes or allow myself to lose my grip on life. Stitches in each hand, stitches in in my ankles, and stitches running along my jaw, I still find it hard to believe the amount of blood that I lost.

I still find it hard to believe that my child is still safe.

The doctors said that it is a miracle that I was able to keep this child, for it to undergo emense stress and pain and yet still be safe. Nixon says that this miracle is from Selene herself, a blessing from the Moon Goddess that perhaps means that our child's guardian angel is the Moon Goddess herself.

"Lily?" His soft voice calls out, eyes locking with my gentle gaze as I prop myself up on my elbows as I lie down still. "I hate to do this but I have a meeting to attend."

"Nixon, you're fine," I explain, knowing how much he wants to be here for me. He has his top warriors guarding the house, making sure no more harm can come from that bastard Zion. "You have things to do and you have held them off for too long."

"They are worth holding off if it means I get to stand beside you," Nixon explains, walking over to me and gently holding my bandaged hand. "I would hold off the world if it meant keeping you safe."

My heart feels a tug, one provoked by the sweet words that he speaks as I lie in bed weak. With my hair needing to be colored at the roots again, dark bags under my eyes, bloodshot eyes, an ugly scar to be left long the underside of my jaw, my nose holding black bruises, and my hands and ankles wrapped up for protection, a part of me wonders if Sybil knows what her husband has done. A part of me wants to see Zion lying on the floor as he had left me, but unlike me, I want him lifeless. No one should be able to get away with attacking not just a woman, but one who is pregnant as well.

"Where is the meeting?" I ask, knowing that Nixon needs to take care of business.

He sits down next to me on the bed. "My office at the pack house."

"That's barely a drive and you have your best warriors looking after me. You can go and I will be fine," I inform, glancing to the simple platinum ring around his finger. "You have duties." We took a vow, a vow to stand beside one another and keep one another grounded. We took a vow to protect the other. Nixon is protecting me even if he isn't here because he has placed his best guards around the territory of our house.

Nixon moves closer, arm around my shoulder as he holds me close as he avoids the bruises and cuts upon my body. Every time he looks at what Zion did to me, every time his eyes move to my bandaged and bruises, it is as if hate is radiating off of him in powerful waves to fuel a hurricane. "I'll go and try to be back as soon as I can manage," Nixon decides, kissing the top of my head as I still feel my body sore from the act of hate Zion made me into. I am living proof to Nixon that Zion and his little game is not yet over, that Zion is not finished with the sins committed by the two of them. All due to one woman, a woman who held these men in the palm of her hand and paid them until she realized her mistakes too late. "Do you care if I grab us some takeout?"

Shaking my head, Nixon says goodbye to me, a soft kiss places upon my lips as I try hard and hold back the tears. The tears evoked by the fear in my heart of Nixon being even a few miles away. But he has his best warriors looking after me, not to mention he informed Crimson Lock of the attack upon the Luna and rumors have begun to spread that this pack will become a rogue pack. A rogue pack meaning that they hold no ties to Zion's kingdom, that it will be a sign to other packs of just how badly Zion has treated this one pack. If we become a rogue pack, Nixon would never have to speak with Zion again, never see that monster again. Zion puts all the blame upon Nixon, Nixon's name on some sort of sick checklist; however, he has no idea what his actions have produced. Zion has no idea that his name is not just on Nixon's list, but mine as well, underlined in red, and karma never skips anyone.

Zion has not just made himself become top of the list upon Nixon's list, but has caused me to create a list of my own. No one shoulder get away with what he did, with beating a human, with beating a female, with trying to destroy a house, and with some sheer evil mind, beat a pregnant woman. I may be human, but I am to become a mother, and no one messes with my children, even if unborn. I wish to see Zion suffer.

"Luna Lily?" a voice calls out, knocking at the door to my room as I know who it is. If I have made a friend since this traumatic event, it would be the woman about to enter the room. Black hair is what I first see as she enters the room, her olive completion, dark brown eyes, and tall figure all cause Fiona Williams to look more like a exotic model than a warrior of Crimson Lock. Dressed in black, a leather jacket added to the dominating look, she walks to where I lay, her gaze soft and a gentle smile across her face. She has become on of my best friends, one stationed on the boarder of the house until we met and Nixon wanted me to have someone to keep me company. I like Fiona a lot, one of the kindest hearts I have been allowed to meet. With Taylor beyond understandable, Nixon constantly having a busy mind, and not many people to know, Fiona has climbed the ranks.

"Hey, did I miss anything?" I ask, referring to pack gossip as Fiona has been my news reporter lately as Nixon tries to not worry me with the pack wanting to go rogue.

"The pack wants a meeting when you're feeling better. They want to vote on leaving and see what you and Alpha Nixon decide," Fiona explains, taking a seat at one of the couches in the sitting area by one of the balcony doors. "They do not want ties to a kingdom whose King almost killed their Luna." She is right.

The doctors even were surprised I was able to live. With hits like that not from a human, it should have taken a larger toll upon my body. They do not understand how I was even able to keep my child at least. Nixon believes Selene is watching over my child and me, that she has become some guardian angel. All that matters to me is that not just I am alive still, but this child too.

"Nixon is meeting with someone today. No doubt about what Zion did," I comment, Fiona looking over her shoulder to me as she raises an eyebrow. "I would suspect another Alpha or perhaps some nobel. I do not know."

Getting to her feet, Fiona walks over to me, scratching her head as I wonder what is going through her mind. "I was not supposed to find out who the visitors are...but I happened to be there at the pack house when they arrived. I got in trouble for seeing what I saw."

"What? It cannot be that bad? Some rogues perhaps?" Why would Nixon meet with rogues through? I thought either fellow Alpha for the most part. But since Crimson Lock is ready to depart from Zion's Kingdom, they would know if rogues were going to visit as they want to become a rogue pack. "Who?"

"You mean what? You mean what is Nixon meeting with." I raise an eyebrow, on the edge of my seat as Fiona sits down beside me. "You know what we are at war with? What the werewolf empire is at war with?"

I nod, trying to follow along with Fiona as believe she wants me to feel concern here. "A powerful breed of vampires," I reply, watching as Fiona nods, allowing me to feel that set in. "You're saying that he is in a meeting right now with the enemy that the kingdom is fighting against."

"Not the kingdom," Fiona explains, causing me to raise an eyebrow. "The average pack, the average alpha, and even the rogues all believe that we are fighting for a cause, that these vampires are slaughtering different packs and are trying to take our lands."

"And what about the alphas, packs, and rogues that are not average?"

"You were able to see what kind of man Zion is. What kind of man he is when his wife is not around and his Senate not overlooking his every action." A sour taste forms in my mouth. "We are at war because of the King, because he thought his actions in slaughtering a noble family of vampires was justified because they disrespected him." We are at war for his selfish reasons? "To the father of the family, he burned alive before the man's family. To the mother, he allowed his men to do what they pleased with her, raping her and hanging her from the balcony of their house."

"And the children?" I ask, my voice cracking as I cannot believe what I am hearing. I cannot believe that Crimson Lock may be the only pack to know the truth here.

Fiona shakes her head. "To the son, Zion beat him to death, and to the little girl...he bled her out."

Horror. Horror is all I can feel as it fuels the hate already present. How did Sybil marry a man like this. Not even Nixon would do such a thing. Compared to what he did to Lillian, it is no comparison to Zion slaughtering a family and going to war with another species as he tells his kingdom a different story behind the cause.

"Alpha Nixon has called the generals of the army as well as the Emperor to discuss a way to end this war. He is in the meeting to finish plans to get into the palace."

"He wants to kill Zion," I comment, a lump in my throat as I remember the words he spoke as he held my broken body in his arms. "And I support him with every damn ounce of my being."

"Things could end badly, Luna," Fiona adds. "The palace is Zion's domain."

"And yet Zion invaded our domain."

<><>

Eyelids once heavy open instantly with no resistance, the sudden sound driving me to a state of awareness as my body shoots upright and my back becomes instantly sore. If anything, my reaction time either means that I am paranoid or am getting better. Paranoid because of what happened what feels like hours ago, it feels like hours ago when I was crying out in pain as I was unsure if my body would be able to handle the impact it received. If anything, I am recovering well, and unlike the last time I found myself in a position of being attacked, this time there is no witch that come here and heal me. Almost a year ago I found myself being chased by a rogue, wolf, charging at me as it landed its teeth into my flesh and Nixon arrived to my aid, killing the rogue and helping me receive the care of a witch that patched me up perfectly well. Sadly this time I cannot receive the aid of a witch because of the child within me, because of the fear in the pack doctor's opinion and Nixon's own as well that the aid of a witch could effect our child in ways that we may not know until too late.

But here I lay, my body tucked into the warm covers of the bed, my body sore yet getting better, and my vision a bit blurry from just waking up. No one is with me in the room, no Fiona, not any guards, but I know that four men are right outside my door. Four men who look like they could snap any monster's neck and stare death right in the eye. Nixon placed these men to protect me because they are the best and knows that I will not be harmed with these men making sure I stay secure. As for the noise that woke me up, every noise has been doing that lately. I try not to sleep most of the time, scared of another attack, scare that I may awaken to find myself in another pool of the crimson color, my hands stained with blood, and the smell of it causing a metallic taste to go off in my mouth.

Trying to relax my shoulders, I find myself sinking back into the pillow where my head once laid, my body sliding back further into the cocoon of the blanket. As I hear voices outside and just down the hall, I can recognize the voices, the ones that I have been hearing for days now. These men are no importers. No one is here to put me into a state of darkness for Nixon to arrive too late at.

"Lily?"

He's back. The meeting took at least two hours, longer than he thought but he needed to conduct this meeting. He needed to meet with these men and I do not plan on holding his lateness against him. For almost a week Nixon has barely gone to take care of pack business and now he has finally taken care of business that will put not just him and myself at ease, but the future of our child. The future of our family.

"I am so sorry that I am late." I expected to hear the words, to hear those words come forth from his lips and to make me want to run up to him and hold him close.

I shake my head. "No need to apologize, Nixon, you needed to take care of pack business," I inform, shifting my position on the bed to get a better look at the man whose last name I took. "Fiona informed me of the meeting, of the individuals you were meeting with."

"The vampires?" Nixon asks as I nod in return. "And what did you think? Did you think me unwise to try and form an ally with the enemy of this kingdom that deserves not one ounce of our service? Did you think me a traitor to some cause Zion says is for the greater good?"

I sit up, propping myself up and onto my elbows as I tilt my head to the side and look my husband right in the eyes. "I thought it worthy and justified," I reply, my answer completely honest. "What did they say?"

Navy eyes disconnect from my gaze, looking to the windows placed behind the bed, the balcony doors on either side as they lead out to a balcony that allows space to escape from the world. I know Nixon picked the location of this house to get away from the racket of the city and enjoy fresh air and a place to find a sense of haven, but now intruders have occurred and we find ourselves at the other side of the river. The other side of the rushing river with deadly rapids and hidden monsters that lurk in the shallow end for their prey. Zion is a monster below the water, awaiting us to let down our guard and fall right into his awaiting trap.

But Zion should know better than picking a fight not just with Nixon Maxwell, but with Lily Maxwell and Crimson Lock. Zion has not just declared another battle with Nixon, but with Crimson Lock and me. Nixon Maxwell, a warlord who knows he will get the last say. Crimson Lock, one of the most powerful packs in the world with enough treaties and packs in fear of them to create their own Empire. Lastly, Lily Maxwell, me, the women who Zion has not just laid his tainted hands on, but a pregnant mother who will ensure her child's survival even if it means getting her own hands dirty. No longer am I afraid to play the lamb like I once was, but Nixon has helped me become a strong women. The road may have been more than bumpy along the way to get to where I am today, but that does not mean those memories are a weakness Zion can use against me. I am the Luna of one of the most powerful packs, a pack that could become it's own kingdom, and I hold that pack's loyalty. I hold this pack's respect. I hold this pack in the palm of my hand and do not intend on losing my throne.

I may be a human, but I sit on a throne of wolves.

"They will help. Help to allow us have justice for what Zion has done to this family, to you...and that they will help take down Alpha King Zion," Nixon informs, looking over his shoulder to meet my stare as he takes in a deep breath. "They will help, and when we emerge the victors, a new kingdom shall be born."

"What sort of kingdom?" I ask, my full attention grabbed as Nixon walks over to me, only taking three strides until he stands before me at the foot of the bed, eyes scanning the bruises upon my face.

"A kingdom without limits."

<><><>

As the pale moonlight consumes the open room, I find my ankles sore as I sit in the chair, rocking back and forth as the doctor finally gave me the green light to walk around the house. Cranking my neck to the side, I look to the figure outlined in ebony, their stance one of power, and the moonlight pooling around the form as they stand before me. With my back to the door of the room, I face him, his eyes almost glowing in the darkness as we both allow this dark period of night to consume our thoughts and actions.

"What about a pale color? The cream color was good before, but it wasn't enough." I raise an eyebrow, looking around the room where holes have been covered and the windows replaced.

"You can always add a pop of color. Like blue or pink when we get the news," I comment, my eyes scanning over the locations where axes were once placed in the walls and bullet holes placed in exact location to create the symbol of death. In werewolf folklore, Nixon told me that the Moon Goddess embedded the symbol of death upon the wolves that once tried to overthrow her, the that mark was passed down for generations to see, for it to be a symbol to all of the unrighteous activity of their bloodline. By this symbol placed upon the wall of our child's room, it only sparks a fire within Nixon and me.

Walking over to where I sit on the wooden rocking chair, his hands are placed on either side, the chair stopping its movement. Eyes locking with mine and tension becoming present in the atmosphere, Nixon looks down to me, eyes soft yet holding a hollow emotion, his lips pressed together in a firm line, and the sharp features of is face are only more prominent as the pale moonlight shines upon them.  "You do realize that Zion has declared war."

"I thought there was already a war going on between the two of you ever since...her," I point out, raising an eyebrow as Nixon only shakes his head.

"That war was ended, or at least I thought it was over, the moment Zion discovered the news of her murder." Nixon won that war. He won that war because he got his hands dirty, but Lillian was more fucked up than him, it was either her or him that night and she was the one to perish. "Battles have been fought since then, battles as dangerous as a fire that Zion only fuels now with gasoline into a war. Since Lillian's death he has done small things like trying to limit the power of Crimson Lock."

"He wasn't successful I take it."

"No, for this pack is stronger than his entire Royal Guard Squadron. We have done small things to one another, but the moment he thought that harming my wife was a good idea, he allowed himself to become someone I want to see suffer like never before."

"Killing him is his suffering? To realize that he has lost this war?" I ask, knowing the darkness of the matter is being discussed within the walls of the room our child shall grow up in.  Nixon seems to reel back, as if the question I ask has an answer due of greater weight.

"Killing him is elementary compared to what I have in store for him." My throat runs dry as I watch Nixon, how his predator eyes scan over my body, focused on every bandage, stitch, cut, and bruise left as evidence of the crimes committed by a man so many outside of this pack see as a holy man.  "I expect him to pay for every scar down to the tiniest scratch he placed upon your body."

As he gets onto his knees, Nixon kneels down before me, meeting my height as his hands take mine softly, placing them in my lap as he offers me a soft smile. Hands leaving mine, they move to my jaw, his fingers hovering over the path of the stitches under under my chin, eyes inspecting every stitch, as if trying to remember how they look embedded into my bruised flesh. Nixon's hands moves to my collarbone, to where the fabric of my robe covers both my modesty and the bruises upon my chest, stomach, as well as the cuts. As his hands go under the fabric and push aside the silky material, the top half of my body is exposed to him. But this time, this time he is looking at me not for a turn on, no, but for an inspection of what Zion has done to me.

My breasts cut and bruised from the class, my left collarbone holding stitches, and my stomach holding a black bruise, his eyes go down to where our child is, to where there is a small bump, one that tells the observer of the child awaiting to be born. Hands placed upon the baby bump, a smile spreads wider across Nixon's face, only, his eyes are trained to the locations where evidence of Zion's brutal treatment is left.

"No man deserves to get away with a crime like this," Nixon whispers, sliding the robe back over my shoulders as I become covered once more. "Do to others as they would do to you."

"And suffer he will," I comment, my hands placed upon either side of his face as I pull his head towards mine. Lips softly meet mine and I find myself needing Nixon's presence as i find myself yearning for his company. Why? Perhaps because I know the risks of his alliance with the vampires. But Nixon is not just solely doing this for me, no, but for this pack, for justice, and to put to an end the wars Zion and him have faced each other in. This even that will soon enough happen will also be a sign unto other packs, one of the truth behind the man they call their King. As for Sybil, as for the woman who lives in the shadow of her husband and knows nothing of his dark side, perhaps this event will allow her to see the truth behind her husband. The truth that her husband sits upon a throne of lines and builds his power by lying to the public.

Zion may be a werewolf, he may be a King, and he may be powerful, but the moment he messed messed with me, when he invaded this home and beat a pregnant woman, beat a human, he will realize that his act of terror was just the start to his eternal hell.

Zion may sit upon a throne made of marble for his royal ass, but I hold the loyalty of Crimson Lock and its Alpha. I sit upon a throne of the strongest wolves in the world. His throne may be designed to show off his wealth, but my throne is one of vicious wolves that do not hesitate to bite.