Hidden Queen

The News

                                                                                    POV: Nova

       "Auntie, what brings you here? I thought you wouldn't be here till Friday," I say. Auntie Em smiles and wraps her arm around my shoulder. "And miss out on a few extra days to set up a killer party for my most favorite niece? I thought we could skip school tomorrow and Friday and hang out. Maybe go get our hair and nails done. And go on a shopping spree. You have to look your best for the party on Saturday. Its an important day for you. But today, we need to talk. I promised your parents to keep this from you and you in the dark till right before your eighteenth birthday. Lets go to the living room to talk," she says, leading me to the couch. I look at my aunt expectantly and she sighs. "I promised your parents before they died to always keep you away from the supernatural world. You were born as a hybrid but when you were six months old, your parents took you to a witch and she bound your true self in order to keep you human. The bracelet that has been stuck on your wrist will be removed on your birthday and you will go through a change that you should have already been through. It will be painful at first but the pain will go away quickly," she tells me.

       I look at her in confusion. "What do you mean? What am I? Why did my parents hide it from me and then have you hide it once they died? I'm just a normal human," I say. My aunt grabs my hand with tears in her eyes. "You were never human sweetie. Your mother was the only phoenix to exist and your father was the alpha of the Shadow pack. Their love was forbidden and dangerous but they hid it and when you were born they bound your powers in order to hide you, but your father's beta found out and killed them both. Thankfully you were already hidden so no one could ever find you. Now that you are old enough to rule a pack, you will take over the Shadow pack. The residing alpha knows of your coming and is getting everything ready. Come your birthday, every pack in a 1,000 mile radius will be here to welcome the new Queen Alpha," she explains to me. I stand up, careful not to jolt the sleeping Bean in my arms. "You're telling me that I am an all powerful supernatural and yet here I am playing a human that gets beat up and harassed every day?"

       My aunt looks at me with pain in her eyes. "I'm sorry Nova. I had to keep the promise I made to your parents. But now that your eighteenth birthday is coming, I have to get you ready. You need to exude Queen Alpha in order to gain respect from all the packs. You can even invite some friends as long as you trust them to keep a secret. I'll have a witch on standby to erase any part of the supernatural from their mind at the end of the night," she tells me. I rub the smooth metal that I learned would finally be coming off. "Auntie? Is there any way to change people into werewolves or do we have to be born into it? And why was my mom the only phoenix in existence? What are you? How many packs are gonna be here on Saturday? Will you teach me how to be a proper alpha?" I ask. She nods in excitement. "Well, an alpha is the only one that can change someone. Something to do with the power in their saliva. A phoenix reincarnates so there is only one and now that your mother is gone, the phoenix is you so it will be mixed with your wolf self. As far as I know only five packs are coming. I'm a werewolf along with Bean and my mate, your uncle. And of course I will. That's another reason I came early." 

       I look down at Bean. His tousled black hair curls over slightly pointed ears and his nose is slightly pointed upwards like a muzzle. "Nova, why don't we go out to dinner, just you and I. Ben will be here soon and tomorrow I'll call the school to let them know you won't be coming in till next week. We'll spend the next few days getting you ready," she says. I nod. "Uncle Ben is coming? He never comes. It'll be good to see him," I say. I stand up and hand off Bean to his mother. "Let me go take a shower and get ready for dinner," I say, running upstairs to my room. I close my door and pull out my phone and call Roman to invite him and his sister to my party. 

       He answers on the third ring. "Nova? What's up?" He asks. "Is your sister there with you? This question is for both of you?" I ask, almost panting in excitement. I hear some rustling on the other end and then Aymara say hi. "What's up Nova?" She asks. "Can you guys come to my eighteenth birthday party on Saturday? You guys can still come over in the morning to hang out but then stay for the party. My aunt told me I could invite a few people over," I tell them. Roman groans in frustration. "I'm sorry Nova. We can come over in the morning but our family has something to go to that evening. I'll make sure to still bring you a present and if you want we can have our own celebration on Sunday," he tells me. My heart sinks at the thought of having a party with no one but strangers. "OK. Well, I'll see you Saturday morning though. I gotta go. Have to get ready for dinner with my aunt. I won't be at school either," I tell them. 

       I head to my bathroom and take a quick shower before putting on a form fitting red dress with a black leather jacket and ankle high boots. When I walk back downstairs, my uncle Ben is there. When he sees me, he engulfs me in a big hug. "Ah, little niece, how long has it been? Last time I saw you, you were still in elementary school. Go enjoy with your aunt and I'll be here when you get back so that we can talk," he says, pushing me out the door and into Auntie Em's waiting arms. "Come on sweetie, I've made reservations in the next town over," she tells me, pulling me to the car.