Chapter 2 What She Deserved

The chain snapped as the punching bag ripped.

Sand burst out, spraying Lorraine's boots.

She was hardly breathless as sweat coated her face.

She debated between cleaning up first and continuing the punishing routine of training she had started at dawn.

The second option won almost immediately.

She got into position for a set of kickboxing lunges.

The first round of kicks had the dummy almost snapping off its stand.

"Wow. Someone woke up bright and early." The amused tone had Lorraine straightening as she turned around.

The tight sensation that had settled in her chest all morning eased slightly as she saw the red-haired woman by the door.

"My queen." Lorraine bowed in greeting to the one person she respected most in her new world. Queen Athena.

A woman who had risen from being a rogue to becoming the first queen of the kingdom she had united, the United Kingdom of Werewolves.

Meeting Athena had been one of the best things to happen to Lorraine. She was one reason the despicable "rogue" tag had been lifted from Lorraine's life. Who would have thought the daughter of a sex slave would become a beta general?

"Lorraine." Athena's brilliant smile graced her exquisite face, her jade green eyes glinting as she took in the burst bag.

"Trouble sleeping?" she enquired gently as she took Lorraine's hand.

Lorraine always thought Athena's keen eyes never missed a detail. Yet she tried anyway.

"No, not at all. I slept fine. I just want to get an early start," she said hurriedly.

Athena's eyes lingered on Lorraine's for a moment, and she thought the queen might probe.

Lorraine was not sure she had rallied her willpower enough to hold back from spilling everything bothering her to the queen right there.

She hated feeling this way. For years, she had lived on duty and action alone. So the torrents of emotion that had been battering her since what happened at the Mirage Pack were not normal for her.

Athena's presence had always soothed her, but at the moment, Lorraine just wanted to scream while pulling at her hair.

The undignified image that thought conjured in her mind made her straighten up as she decided to do what she hated most. Lie to the queen.

But instead of asking, Athena simply squeezed Lorraine's hand gently, patting the back with her other hand as she said, "I am glad you did. Of course, you will let me know if there is anything you'd like to discuss?"

"Of course, my queen," Lorraine responded with relief.

She watched Athena step over to where the boxing gloves were kept.

"It's been a while. Spar with me?"

"Yes, my queen." Lorraine responded, getting her gloves too as she wondered if the session would help her get rid of the anxiety she had not been able to dispel all morning.

Athena was not actually dressed for training in her cream-coloured jumpsuit and slippers.

Yet she casually tossed her slippers aside and gave Lorraine quite the workout with a precise series of fists, kicks, and tumbles.

She looked just as regal while flipping Lorraine over her shoulder as she did when presiding over pack matters from her throne.

"Better?" Athena said as she held out her hand to pull Lorraine up from the last flip.

"Better." Lorraine responded with a smile, surprised that she actually felt a bit better.

Athena had that effect on others.

Soothing without probing. A better queen, Lorraine could not think of.

"You ladies looking to outdo us or something?"

Lorraine felt the slight change in Athena's stance even before they both turned to the man entering the training hall with his beta.

Love was painfully evident on Alpha Raymond's face as his eyes zoned in on Athena, his big smile crinkling the sides of his eyes.

He kissed Athena soundly, a humming sound in his throat that had Lorraine looking away awkwardly.

It was not as if it was the first time these two had shown their love so openly, but with what had just happened that almost made them lose each other, Lorraine could not help but feel mushy inside seeing them like this again.

"I miss you so much, my queen," Raymond said breathlessly as they finally separated.

Looping her arms around his neck, Athena teased in response, "I just left you in bed minutes ago, my alpha consort."

"Too long," Raymond answered, rubbing his nose against hers.

Lorraine looked away with a genuine smile caressing her face as she resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

Her gaze met Justin's and he winked at her.

She resisted her customary glare at him and simply looked away.

There was a time she had thought the mild attraction between them might lead to something.

But now...Logan.

Athena's giggle at whatever Raymond was whispering to her was Lorraine's signal to get out of there before the lovebirds scarred her for life.

She looked at the sand she had intended to clean up and back at the door, muttering, "I will come back for that."

Athena tried to pull back and was pulled right back into Raymond's embrace.

His intended kiss landed on her collarbone as Athena looked from the sand to Lorraine's retreating back, saying, "No, leave that for the maids to handle."

"Yes, my queen." Lorraine responded hastily, not bothering to look back as she heard kissing sounds.

"Well...ehn, I will go do that...thing," Justin called out to Raymond.

The latter did not bother to respond as Justin turned on his heel and followed Lorraine out.

Justin chuckled as they headed towards the Alpha House. "Damn. Those two make being single so hard."

Lorraine did not bother to wipe the smile off her face as she responded, "I can't believe that bitch almost succeeded in ruining their bond."

"She got what she deserved," Justin said gravely.

Lorraine's brows rose at his statement. "Well, who would have thought you had a penchant for violent death, beta?"

Guinevere, the impostor, had shot herself when her schemes blew up in her face.

He shrugged with a grin. "For those who deserve it, yes. I am full of surprises, you know. Want to find out about others?"

He winked when she shot him a glare.

Then his look suddenly turned serious. "I am just so glad you are okay, Beta General. You won't believe this, I know. But I actually missed you while you were gone."

Lorraine stiffened when he suddenly held her hand.

She was about to shrug him off when a terse command snapped through the morning air.

"Take your hands off her!"