In front of a big mirror, Ciara stared at her perfectly decorated self, she was dressed in a beautiful purple gown embroidered with golden threads, her neck adorned by diamonds, it was something a queen wore to her and her husband's coronation, but in Ciara's case there was no husband.

It was her coronation day and also her eighteenth birthday. She was to be crowned Alpha Queen, Ruler of all werewolf packs, and the first ever female ruler.

Even though a lot of werewolves didn't like the fact that she was a female, no one was strong enough to challenge her. She was the strongest and the most powerful being existing on earth to whom all supernatural beings feared.

Immune to all witches' magic, wolfsbane and silver. Everyone thought the goddess made a mistake when blessing her for no one should be blessed with such terrifying power.

And to make matters worse, a female.

Not only was she strong and powerful she was ruthless as well, but everyone also knew not to cross her.

When she was just nine years old, she ordered an entire pack to be executed just because a pack's Alpha's son spelt water on her test book at school. To her, mercy was for the weak and she was anything but weak.

She wasn't always so ruthless; in fact, she was a very kind little princess. Her parents were the Alpha King and Luna Queen, benevolent rulers always told her to be kind, fair and loving to her subjects.

But they were unfortunately killed by an offender whom they were kind enough to forgive. Forcing the eight-year-old Ciara into power. Even though she was too young to lead, she refused to appoint a regent, she ruled over the packs as crown princess.

"There she is, her royal highness and also my future wife." Said Nathan, the only person who didn't fear her and also her best friend.

"Would you like me to sever your head on a platter to your mate?" She asked. Nathan knew she was joking.

"What I'd kill to see a smile on your face. I mean today is your coronation, aren't you in the least bit happy?" He asked with a childish pout on his lips.

"Is there anything I can help you with, I don't think you came just to tell me that you wanted to see me smile." Ciara asked with a slight frown.

"It's always business with you, you're no fun. Anyway, since I'm the only one who doesn't fear you, I've been given the honor of being your driver. You're late to your own coronation." Nathan said as he passed her crown.

"A queen is never late, y'all just too early." She said as she wore the crown. "Anyway, let's get going Mr. driver." she smiled at him. "Yes ma'am." he opened the door for her, and they went to the garage.

The garage had a lot of luxury cars, BMW, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Bentely, Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, name them. You'd think you just walked in a car gallery or something.

Nathan grabbed the key to a white lamborghini, and openned the door for Ciara. "Your Highness." he bowed slightly and helped her in.

It was tradition to go in a limo, but these two weren't one to follow traditions. They did as they pleased, after all, who would be bold enough to rebuke them.

Nathan started the engine and set off to the venue.

The coronation was held in a church. Everyone was already seated, awaiting Ciara's entrance.

The church wasn't filled with joy as it always was with every other coronation before hers, but rather, it was filled with fear. Everyone there wasn't there because they wanted to, they were there because they feared for what would happen if they didn't show up.

An hour later than the set time Ciara finally walked in, the atmosphere turned silent. Everyone was scared to even breathe loud as she walked to the altar.

"Give your subjects a smile, Ciara." Her wolf Ker suggested that she smile.

Just like the goddess Ker, her wolf is destructive and a bringer of death. She plays a major role in Ciara's ruthless persona.

"Since when do you give a damn about them?" Ciara gave her a mental side glance.

"I don't, but they're still our subjects." Ker shrugged nonchalantly as if it didn't matter both ways.

"Fine." Ciara said as she gave her subjects a smile.

Her smile sent chills down everyone's spine, the only time they had seen Ciara smile was when she was ordering someone to be ruthlessly executed.

It's like she enjoyed killing people. And now she was lashing them a smile?

Who's dying?

Did they do something wrong? everyone's heads were filled with those thoughts.

"Ahem." The priest cleared his throat as Ciara reached the altar "We are gathered here to witness the coronation of her highness Ciara Valerian Silverclaw. May the goddess Selene bless her with longevity and wisdom as she rules over the eight hundred packs on the earth as alpha queen."

The priest started the coronation process, he removed the crown princess crown that was on Ciara's head. He then let Ciara repeat the vows after him and when they were done with the vows, he got a golden cup from his assistant priest.

The cup was filled with holy water from the holy spring. It is said that the water from the holy spring came directly from the moon, possessing healing power and holy affinity, and used as anointing for crowning the Alpha King or Queen in Ciara's case.

He poured the water on her head while continuing his holy chants. The water dried up as soon as the chant was over. The holy ceremony was over, he then got the king's crown.

"Bless the goddess Selene, Bless Mother Luna, May the goddess Selene be your guide as you rule over the eight hundred packs." With that he put the crown on her head. "All hail Queen Ciara Valerian Silverclaw."

The priest said as he signaled for all to stand.

"Long live the Alpha Queen." Everyone chimed. Some reluctantly while some holding back their complaints and others with their own various difficulties.

"That took too long for comfort, why did I even have to go through that stupid process of saying vows I don't even mean." Ciara complained to her wolf. "I vow to protect my people? yeah right. I need protection from all of them, do they think I don't know that they all want me dead."

"Don't complain too much, the day is almost done, we're just left with the banquet." Ker smirks.

"This is exasperating, thank goddess I don't have a parade." Ciara let out an exaggerated sigh.

"The perks of being hated I guess." Commented Ker.

"But we still have that irritating drive around the central packs." Ciara complained again.

"Chill out, this coronation drive is in your favorite car, a Lamborghini. Can't you at least be happy about that." Ker leisurely reminds her.

After the coronation drive ended Nathan drove Ciara back to the Alpha Royal Palace to prepare for the banquet. The servants helped her change into a beautiful silver dress, the silver color was worn at the banquet so to honor the moon goddess. Afterall the silver represents the moon.

"You look as beautiful as ever, your highness." One of the servants subconsciously commented on her beauty. Noticing her mistake, she quickly went on her knees to plead for her life.

"Forgive me your Majesty, I didn't mean to address you as highness." She apologized frantically. Ciara just stared at her. Honestly, she couldn't care less how they addressed her.

'Am I really that scary?' she asked herself "Stand up, it's not like I'll have your head for making such an honest mistake. Just finish with my makeup and get out of here." She uttered gracefully.

"Thank you, your Majesty." The female servants quickly did her makeup and left the room, leaving her all alone.

"Can't you be nice for once." Nathan's voice came from the door.

"I was nice, afterall I didn't kill her, did I?" Ciara coldly smiled.

"You know, you rarely smile. But the moment you do smile, it's menacing. It just gave me the chills" Nathan said dramatically, while trembling.

Ciara rolled her eyes at that but eventually ignored him.

Nathan received a call "Yes.... oh... okay.... sure... don't worry about it." He hangs up. "The alpha who was supposed to be your escort for the banquet has reported being sick, so he won't make it." he reported Ciara.

"I'm surprised he waited for this long to have cold feet." She was unbothered. She already knew this would happen. "Congratulations, you've just been promoted from driver to escort." She said to Nathan with a smile which wasn't exactly a smile.

"Given how you're dressed, I'm guessing you already knew this would happen." Nathan's outfit was well matched with hers, prompting to be suspicious of him a little.

"Who else is worthy of being your escort if not me. Asking Alpha Lockwood to be your escort was out of politeness." Nathan said with a smug look.

*****

They arrived at the banquet hall, and as soon as they reached the entrance, Ciara felt Ker become restless. "What's wrong, Ker?" Ciara asked.

"Something doesn't feel right." Ker suspiciously reminded her.

"Nathan, make sure the security is tight. Ker is sensing something ominous." Ciara orders Nathan to be alert. Following that, He mind-linked all the guards.

"Announcing her royal Majesty, Ciara Valerian Silverclaw, and her Escort Nathan Bloodfang." The announcer announced their arrival. As tradition, the Alpha Queen and her Escort gave the first dance. The banquet was in full force, everyone danced, chatted, laughed, and ate with each other.

It's like all the fear and tension they had has all gone. But for some reason, Ciara couldn't shake off the ominous feeling.

"Is everything okay, your Majesty." Nathan asked as he poured her a drink.

"It's nothing." She gestured for him to not worry too much. But then a girl around the age of sixteen walked to them. She was blushing so much that her face looked like a tomato.

'Does she like Nathan or something?' Ciara observes this young girl blushing hard while being in the same presence as Nathan.

"Um, Sir Nathan." The girl called for the young gentleman with a trembling voice.

"Strange, was she forced to do it." commented Ker while feeling everything was suspicious.

"May I have your dance when the next song starts?" She asked after gaining some courage.

Nathan gave her a polite smile "Of course, who can say no to such a pretty lady." He replied and walked off with her.

It wasn't uncommon for parents of lower ranks to force their children to acquaint themselves with higher ranks, and Nathan had the highest rank after Ciara for he was Royal Beta, who wouldn't want their child mated to him.

Normal werewolves find their fated mates when they turn eighteen, but royal werewolves can sense their mate the moment they awaken their wolves which is at the age of fifteen.

Royal werewolves are the werewolves that serve directly under the Alpha King/Queen and Luna Queen.

As soon as Nathan was at the center of the room, a silver chain was around his wrists, chaining him. "What the..." Nathan exclaimed, surprised by the sudden development.

But his reaction was slow so there's nothing he could do with the silver chain on him. He turned to the girl that led him into the trap, "Why are you doing this?" He asked her while suppressing his internal turmoil.

"I'm sorry Sir Nathan but the Alpha Queen has to die. She was already a tyrant when she was just crown princess but now, she's an Alpha Queen. Who knows how many lives would be lost because of her." The girl uttered helplessly but determined enough to not retreat.

"Wait, her majesty isn't like that. when did she ever kill an innocent...."

"Stand down Alpha Queen or your Beta dies." Nathan was interrupted by a man holding a dagger against his neck. The man was wearing a black clock, the werewolves didn't have to look at his fangs or red eyes to know he's a vampire.

Ciara had already shifted halfway, while she gave all the control to Ker. Ker was growling and was ready to attack, but seeing Nathan with a dagger pressed against his neck kept her on a tight leash. She might have been the strongest and fastest being on earth, but the distance was too vast even for her. Any wrong move and Nathan might lose his head.

"What do you want?" she roared while emanating a powerful aura around her, causing her surroundings to change.

"Now now, your majesty but I'd like to speak with her majesty Ciara." The vampire said and Ker gave Ciara back control.

Ciara was now back in her original form.

"What we want is simple." The vampire continued after seeing Ciara return back to her original self .

'Wait, we?' Ciara noticed what the vampire said and was confused more than ever. She then noticed that something was not right. How did she not notice this? This vampire stood in a room full of werewolves, and there were some wolves close enough to save Nathan, but no one did.

Not even the guards showed any sign of wanting to save him. They were all in this together.

"Bare your heart and allow yourself to be killed and we'll let your Beta live. And don't worry, we won't scam you, we have it written in holy paper." The vampire asserted.

Holy paper is like a contract with the soul. If anyone violates any agreement written on it, everyone who'd benefit from the violation will die with no exception. Of course unless you are a god with omnipotent powers and abilities, otherwise the result is but an absolute perishment.

'They really mean it when they say they won't kill him.' Ciara scowled with uncertainty.

There are two reasons why Ciara was considered to be a threat. Firstly because she was insanely powerful and wasn't affected by silver and wolfsbane. Secondly, because the only way to kill her was by stabbing a dagger dipped in the blood of a werewolf, witch, vampire and a human.

What made that an impossible task was that she was born with a barrier protecting her heart. Only she had the power to open it. Only when she let herself be killed would she really be killed.

"So you're saying if I die Nathan lives, correct?" Ciara asked for confirmation, not really a question.

"Correct." replied the man. Nathan noticed what Ciara was about to do.

"You can't!" he bellowed. "I won't let you."

"Stay out of this Nathan. That's an order." Nathan had tears in his eyes. who said men don't cry.

"It doesn't matter if I were to die, my younger brother would take up the role of royal Beta. But you, no one will take up the role of an Alpha Queen." Nathan stubbornly protested.

On the other hand, Ciara gave him a smile "All hail Alpha King Nathan Bloodfang." She said to the wolves and as if they were put under a spell, they all bow to Nathan. "Long live the Alpha King Nathan Bloodfang."

No one could understand why they were bowing to Nathan. It's like they lost control of their bodies.

Ciara smiled again, "See, they accept you. I have the power to make them obey me, but that power doesn't work if they don't accept me. You are the only one I have left Nathan. I told you, didn't I? If death do us part. I'd be the first to die."

With that she let down the barrier and a wolf near her drove a dagger through her heart.

As her eyes slowly closed she saw the chains on Nathan removed and he ran to her. Holding her tightly "You dummy, who's going to be my wife now." He said with a bitter-sweet smile and tears falling through his eyes, each drop was sheltering hundreds of myriad emotions that were hard to define or describe .

"Your mate, who else would." Ciara weakly smiled while her life drained from her, each second was priceless, not even gold or diamond would be enough to buy those seconds.

She gave him a weak gaze that was losing its light."A king should never cry in front of his subjects." With that she slowly began to experience her light fade away, her breath stop and her life perish.

"You just had to have the last say, huh?"