Chapter 7
1099 Words
The first light of dawn painted the sky in shades of pink and gold. As I stirred awake, a strange mix of excitement and nervousness washed over me. Today marked a new beginning—a day filled with challenges, responsibilities, and powers I was only beginning to understand.
Genius was missing from the warmth of our bed, and panic instantly tightened in my chest. Before I could even move, his voice echoed gently through the mate bond.
“Princess, relax. I’m inside the house. Get dressed and come join us.”
Relief swept through me. Taking a deep breath, I quickly changed and stepped outside the tent.
The crisp morning air hit my skin, but something felt… off. A strange scent lingered nearby, sharp enough to put my instincts on edge. Violet immediately stirred inside my mind.
“Someone is nearby,” she warned. “Be careful.”
Ignoring her caution, I reached out through the pack link.
“Zeus. Genius. Daniel. Outside. Now.”
Within seconds, they appeared alongside Dream and Jade. The moment they stepped beside me, I felt safer, stronger. Yet the strange scent only intensified.
A low growl rumbled in Violet’s chest.
The others formed a protective circle around me as the woods rustled nearby. Tension crackled through the clearing.
Then movement flashed between the trees.
Without thinking, I sprinted toward it.
“Artemis, wait!” Zeus shouted behind me.
I ignored him.
The moment I reached the tree line, something primal exploded inside me. I dropped to all fours instinctively, a powerful growl tearing from my throat. Energy pulsed through my body, wild and electric. The figure hidden in the woods froze before quickly retreating deeper into the forest.
The second the threat disappeared, I turned back toward the others.
Everyone stared at me in shock.
“Princess,” Genius breathed, “your eyes are glowing purple.”
Zeus stepped closer carefully. “Art, calm down. Your powers are still unstable.”
Violet’s voice echoed proudly in my head.
“Our eyes will always be purple. The shade changes with emotion and strength.”
Confused and overwhelmed, I followed the others into the house. Inside, they led me to a room with my name carved into the wooden door.
Seeing it sent a strange feeling through me. This place was beginning to feel like home.
Once we were seated, Zeus finally spoke.
“As Queen, you’ll need more than a mate. You need trusted leaders beside you. A Beta. A Delta.”
I didn’t even hesitate.
“Zeus is my Beta,” I said immediately. “And Daniel is my Delta.”
Both of them looked stunned before pride spread across their faces.
“Thank you, Art,” Daniel said sincerely.
Zeus only smiled at me, but I could see the emotion in his eyes.
The moment passed quickly when I remembered the figure in the woods.
“Who was out there?” I demanded.
The room fell silent.
Finally, Genius answered. “One of Oliver’s wolves.”
Anger flared through me instantly.
“So he’s still watching me?”
“Yes,” Zeus admitted. “Oliver’s pack never stopped searching for you.”
The memory of Oliver’s strange behavior at school suddenly made much more sense.
“We need better protection,” I said firmly. “More patrols. More guards. I also want to know how many pack members are still missing.”
Daniel exchanged a surprised look with Zeus before answering.
“A lot scattered after your father died and your mother went into hiding. We’ve been trying to rebuild ever since.”
Violet stirred excitedly.
“You can find them.”
I blinked. “What?”
“You’re their Queen,” she explained. “Every wolf in this pack is connected to you.”
Though uncertain, I listened as Violet guided me through it. Closing my eyes, I focused on the strange energy humming beneath my skin. At first, there was only silence.
Then suddenly—
Voices.
Feelings.
Connections.
I gasped as unfamiliar presences filled my mind. Wolves scattered across different states. Some frightened. Some lonely. Some hopeful.
“You found them,” Violet whispered proudly.
My heartbeat quickened as I reached out mentally.
Come home.
One by one, emotions flooded back through the bond—shock, relief, loyalty, excitement.
They were coming.
When I opened my eyes, everyone in the room stared at me.
“You did it?” Daniel asked in disbelief.
I nodded slowly, still stunned by what I had just experienced.
“They heard me.”
For the first time since learning the truth about myself, confidence bloomed inside me. I wasn’t just pretending to be their Queen anymore.
I could feel it.
The rest of the day focused on training. Despite having no experience, my body reacted instinctively during combat exercises. Every movement felt natural, as if Violet already knew how to fight and was guiding me through it.
By evening, dozens of wolves had returned to the territory.
As they gathered in the clearing, I could feel their eyes on me—curious, uncertain, cautious.
Then one wolf stepped forward.
He was massive, with scars running across his face and shoulders. His sharp gaze locked onto mine with open defiance.
A challenge.
The crowd quickly spread out around us, forming a circle. No one spoke.
The wolf lunged first.
We collided violently, claws tearing through dirt as growls echoed through the clearing. He was powerful, experienced, relentless. Every strike tested me.
But Violet refused to back down.
Neither did I.
Instinct guided every movement. I dodged his attacks, countered his weight, and finally forced him onto his back beneath me.
I pinned him down with a snarl.
The wolf struggled for a moment before finally lowering his head in submission.
Silence swept through the clearing.
Then, one by one, the pack bowed their heads toward me.
Respect.
Acceptance.
Loyalty.
I slowly stepped back, breathing hard but standing tall.
No one questioned my place anymore.
Exhaustion finally settled into my bones as the adrenaline faded.
“We rest tonight,” I told them firmly. “Tomorrow morning, we plan our next steps.”
The pack obeyed immediately.
Later that night, I curled up beside Genius in bed, emotionally and physically drained. His arms wrapped protectively around me while Violet’s voice softened in my mind.
“You did well today, Artemis.”
For the first time in days, I believed it.
As sleep pulled me under, one final thought echoed through my mind:
I was no longer just surviving.
I was becoming the Queen my pack needed.
- Writer
