THE FORGOTTEN PRINCESS IS NOW THE QUEEN

CHAPTER SEVEN

I opened my eyes slowly, every inch of my body aching. The pain was sharp and relentless, as if it had settled deep into my bones. Fragments of the attack flashed through my mind, each memory bringing a fresh wave of pounding agony to my head.

I blinked and looked around.

My room.

Relief washed over me, though it didn’t ease the pain. I tried to sit up, but a firm hand steadied me.

“Easy.”

I turned my head. My father.

His face was a mixture of anger and worry—his usual expression whenever I was hurt. With his help, I managed to sit upright, leaning against the headboard.

“Dad… how long have you been here?” My voice came out weak.

“I just got in,” he said softly. “Your mother was here before me. How are you feeling, my dear?”

I gave him a small smile. That was him—always worried, always there.

“I need water.”

Before I could say more, he had already poured a glass and gently helped me drink. The cool liquid soothed my dry throat.

“Who brought me here?” I asked, memories rushing back—the chaos, the pain… the black wolf.

“I don’t know,” he replied. “One of the guards found you outside the gate after we heard a loud howl.”

“You heard it too?”

“Everyone did.” His eyes sharpened. “Who was it?”

“I’m not sure… but I remember seeing a black wolf before I passed out.”

“A black wolf?” His tone shifted—curious, almost excited.

“You know him?” I asked.

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “But I’ve seen one before… when I was young. It was enormous—twice my size—with glowing blue eyes.”

My breath caught. “That’s exactly what I saw.”

A strange chill ran through me. “I didn’t even know black wolves existed.”

“They do,” he said thoughtfully. “But only one appears in each generation. The one I saw belonged to mine… which means the one you saw belongs to yours.” A faint smile touched his lips. “You’re lucky to have encountered one.”

Lucky?

I wasn’t so sure. The creature had been terrifying—powerful beyond anything I’d ever seen. Even now, the thought of it made my chest tighten.

Where did they come from? Why only one per generation?

And… what did they look like in human form?

“But who attacked you?” my father asked, pulling me back to reality. “Was it a pack you know?”

I shook my head. “No. They were rogue wolves. About ten of them.”

His expression darkened.

“If I had been in shape,” I continued, frustration creeping into my voice, “I could’ve handled them. But I haven’t trained in a while… I was too weak.”

“You need to resume your Alpha training,” he said firmly.

Alpha training.

The most brutal training a wolf could endure. It tested everything—stamina, transformation control, combat, speed, power… even hunting. It could take years for an average wolf to complete, though stronger wolves could finish faster.

It sounded simple—until you actually went through it.

“And, Dad…” I hesitated. “I tried to mind-link you during the attack.”

His brows furrowed. “And?”

“It was blank,” I said quietly. “I couldn’t reach you… or Mom. Not even anyone from the pack.”

“What?” His voice sharpened.

“But…” I swallowed. “I connected to someone else. An unknown wolf. His mind was… dark. Cold.”

“A random wolf?” Now he looked truly shocked.

Mind-linking with someone outside your pack was nearly impossible—unless…

“Could he be your fated mate?” he asked carefully.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “He didn’t respond. But I gave out my location.”

“And then?”

“Only the black wolf showed up.”

His eyes widened slightly. “Could it be—”

“Nope.” I cut him off quickly. I already knew what he was about to say.

“But that wouldn’t be a bad thing,” he said with a hint of amusement.

“No, Papa.” I sighed, exhaustion taking over. “I need to rest.”

He chuckled softly, leaned down, and kissed my forehead, brushing my hair back.

“Rest well, princess.”

I nodded as he left the room.

Once the door closed, I reached for my phone. A message from Grace flashed on the screen—my new assistant’s contact.

I opened the chat and typed.

Hi

Hi

This is Jade White.

Are you Grace’s friend?

After a short pause:

Yes. She told me about you. So I won’t have interviews?

I raised an eyebrow.

No need. Just come and register for work tomorrow.

Another pause.

Hmm.

I stared at the screen.

Hmm?

Who replies to their boss like that?

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to relax. No point getting annoyed now.

We’d meet tomorrow.