A/N~ So this is the last chapter and it may seem to stop in an odd place, but it will become clearer when the next in the series comes out. The next story in the series is a crossover, and it may seem an odd one but I hope everyone will enjoy it. The title probably gives it away a bit. It will be called The Incredible Hulk Meets a Green Woman. Stay tuned for that. Please read, enjoy and review! ~A
WSG-Epilogue
As all of the Shifters flowed out of the cave after their prey, Kenzi looked back at her throne and was honestly surprised to see Dyson still there and wasn't really surprised to also see Dougal still there. The older Shifter looked very perturbed at his son, but Dyson only had eyes for her.
She had a slight smirk on her face, she knew and wasn't ashamed to admit that she was proud of being the focus of the wolf. She felt her limbs loosen as she walked toward him and said, "You didn't want to join the Hunt, D-man? Maybe take a bite out of crime…or in this case the criminal formerly known as the Ashe? Gotta admit, did not see that one coming."
"I must confess Elder," he said offering a courtly bow to the young woman, "I find myself distracted with more pleasant pursuits than a Hunt."
Kenzi gave a little snort as she walked into her new lovers arms and tapped him on the nose with her forefinger as she said admiringly, "Saw what you did there, pursuits, tricky, tricky, my clever wolf. You have or we have at least one other thing to deal with first though." she said while inclining her head toward the elder Thornwood. Dyson gave a frustrated huff before giving a tilt of his own head in agreement.
He refused to release her, though taking her by the hand as she led the way toward the other wolf Shifter. Kenzi grabbed the older wolf by the sleeve of his coat and dragged him along to the throne. Feeling a little power happy, she indulged the feeling by saying in a authoritative voice, "Dougal Thornwood attend me." and then releasing him in front of the throne before sitting down.
"Since I am now officially your Elder and future Queen, I have a few questions for you. Questions that I think my current status should make you a little more inclined to answer than you would have been before." Kenzi said speaking more formally than she ever had before.
She held Dyson's hand more firmly and he casually knelt beside her and kissed her knuckles again as though to reassure her that he wasn't going anywhere.
Kenzi relaxed slightly and said, "First I would like to know where have you been for the past few centuries and why has it taken you this long to find your son?" Kenzi drew a deep breath as the elder Thornwood seemed to be collecting his thoughts. She added in a quieter and decidedly more angry tone, "Were you even looking for him?"
Dougal's gaze slid from the Elder to his son and he replied honestly, "No, I was not. I was told everyone was dead including my son." he said slowly and Kenzi could hear the sorrow still in his voice from the remembered loss of his pack. "It never occurred to me he might have survived. I grieved but I moved on."
Kenzi watched Dyson as the older man spoke and saw his stoic expression but could feel his anger and hurt underneath. She wanted to make it all better for him but knew this was something the pair would have to work through on their own. .
"Then of course there is the matter of you trying to set your son against me, during the Challenge." The older wolf blanched almost as grey as his hair, and slid to his knees. The dais was now crowded with the two hooded women, Dyson and the other hooded and cloaked male. "There are two reasons I don't feel threatened by what you did." said Kenzi looking at the kneeling old man. "One it was a challenge and wolves are nothing if not opportunistic, everyone would like to be the Alpha. It's understood. Second I happen to know your son would be very hurt if after all this time of thinking you were dead, he didn't get to talk to you at least before your dumbassery gets you really killed this time…and three…"
The still hooded boy added, "And three you still have too much of your humanity left, for your own good."
Kenzi rolled her eyes and the wolf beside her snickered under his breath as his father looked up at the pair incredulously. "No Bash. Its and three I prefer to think of it as me being the incredible Kenzi that I am. Dyson please make your father get up off the cold, hard ground, and you two go spend some time together. Just do me a favor don't get Shifter-napped it seems to be becoming a popular pastime in the fae community."
Dyson helped his father stand by grasping his elbow as the elder Thornwood levered himself up from his knees. He turned back to Kenzi and wrapping his arm around her waist he leaned in and whispered to her, "You and I have unfinished business lass,"
Smiling up at him she replied, "So do you and your father and he's been waiting longer. Though sometimes I feel like I've been waiting for you forever, so don't take too long this time."
XXXXXXXXX
Several days later:
The Morrigan was back at her compound and sure enough even when she tried to use the escape tunnels to get outside the perimeter. She would be chased back by Shifters who were apparently on guard around the facilities. She could neither head out to have her assignations, which Evony always had outside of the compound so that her various partners would be safe from manipulation by the dark fae council or various members of her court. Nor could she appease her dual addictions for couture and shopping. Needless to say the Morrigan was getting antsy. Especially when she found out that the Ashe had not returned from the Challenge.
News of the Hunt and the future Queen of Shifters edict against the fae leaders were spreading like wild fire. Despite the Morrigan's best efforts to keep them secret. The dark fae court were not happy and the Morrigan was aware of rumblings by the court and the council to remove her from power.
Especially after a search of the property revealed that every Shifter, their family and anyone they considered friend or pack member had overnight disappeared from the compound. She would probably already be exiled or dead, except rumor had it that the light fae were actually going through the same thing, even worse because of the supposed loss of the light fae leader. Despite both sides efforts at spin control, the fae of both sides were restless if not downright panicking..
Of course in the case of the light fae most of the Shifters had actually left when the Ashe had taken Thornwood and collared him, several days before the Challenge. "The Ashe was an arrogant fool of a fae." she thought as she wandered around her throne room impatiently.
Really she didn't know why the council and her court thought they had the right to blame her for the current situation. After all the decimation of the packs and the recruitment of their cubs wasn't her fault exactly. It was actually before her time as the Morrigan. Even Khef had realized that, why else would he be willing to compete in the Challenge for the dark fae, for her?
Evony really did miss the tiger Shifter who was her right hand. He would be difficult if not impossible to replace. Especially with the scrutiny she was currently under by the council.
As for her part in the kidnapping and coercion of the Shifter King and her attempted murder of the now Elder, well it was just one Shifter and of course at the time, one human. Then there was the battle between the light and dark fae, during which the Shifter King was killed. Honestly not one of the fae who had fought the Shifters and their allies had claimed the kill. The fact that in the current climate of political unrest among the fae and the Shifters, meant certain suicide with such a confession being made.
Speaking of political unrest which was what the council was choosing to call it, she snorted at the politically pompous posturing of a bunch of fuddy duddy fae. The only one of her old honor guard who remained was Vex and she didn't really trust him. After all, the Mesmer was the councils man, not hers. More unnerving to her was that Vex was actually the favorite of nearly the whole council. She had to replace the tiger and the other Shifters from within the ranks of those who remained within the compound itself. After the recent setback nobody was willing to come anywhere near the place when they heard about the Hunt being called. So she had to work with what she had.
Edward was the most promising of these new recruits, he seemed to have no life outside of the compound. Actually he seemed to have no life at all. Only working in a calm and efficient manner.
Which was why she called him into the throne room for a very special assignment. He took the kneeling position she expected of all of her obsequious underlings. "You asked to see me, milady?"
"Yes, I have several tasks I need completed in as short a time as possible. First I want to find out as much as possible as you can about the new Elder. Where she has been staying, who her friends are, where she gets her money from? Also find out if the Ashe has been confirmed dead and if so who they are vetting to replace him. They won't leave his position vacant for long, nature hates a vacuum." she watched the blond tap furiously on the screen of his tablet.
He looked up at her at the pause and said, "Yes ma'am anything else?" he asked devotedly.
"I need you to find someone with knowledge of Shifter law. I want to know how to prevent that little wannabe from becoming the actual Queen of the Shifters. Find me a loophole."
Te younger fae nodded his head as he once again typed furiously again for several seconds more before adding, "Will that be all ma'am?"
"No, I find myself in a mood. Find me some playmates, would you Eddie?" said the Morrigan before with a sweep of her dress, she returned to her throne with a bored expression.
The young male fae, paled and turned a little green, he managed to swallow rather loudly before responding rather shakily, "Yes ma'am." He said before scurrying off to fulfill the Morrigan's wishes.
The Morrigan smirked as she turned to head down to her dungeon to get ready. "So the Shifters were starting a rebellion, so the dark fae were being threatened with war. So her life and position were threatened. So she couldn't go shopping… a woman had to find her entertainment somewhere," Evony thought as she headed down the stairs to her play room. Besides she already had a few plans in motion to take back control of the situation, from the Elder, the Shifters and the Council.
A/N/N~ As usual I will be taking a few weeks to get the next story in the series stabilized. I'm also going to be working on a few more stories not related to this series. Please check my profile for updates. Thanks to everyone and I hope you continue to enjoy my work. ~A
