The Alpha Queen Masquerade - The Rewrite

"Again?" The ground slammed into Adalyn’s back with a grunt worthy thud for the third time. Dirt clung to her palms, and her ribs ached from the last fall, but she didn’t complain. She never did. She was stubborn to a fault, more scrappy when she felt outmatched, which only played into her downfall. For some reason, this time seemed to annoy her more than usual. Her dark brown curls had seemed to collect as much dust as the rest of her She blinked up at the sun bleeding through the tree canopy, then at the smug face hovering above her. Her deep brown eyes squinted against the glare, warm against the contrast of her deep bronzed skin, still streaked with dirt from the fall. Gabriel's grin was wicked. He offered her his hand like a gentleman but had the cheek to look like a devil doing it. She could see the content playfulness dancing in his blue eyes. "What happened to all that bragging this morning? You promised I’d be eating dirt," he said brushing the few strands of blond hair out from his face. "Instead you're just feeding my ego." Adalyn rolled her eyes and sighed heavily after slapping her palm in to his to haul herself up. "Best of four out of seven?" Gabriel's smile lit up his whole face. Warm, wide and annoyingly contagious. "As tempting as it would be to watch you faceplant again I've got business in the city that I have to tend to now.” Adalyn narrowed her eyes as she patted the dust out of her trousers. "Business? Does Matilde count as 'business' now Romeo?" "Hey!" he nudged her in the ribs with mock offence. "That’s slander. I’ll have you know I conduct very thorough consultations, all hands-on, of course. Very professional.” Adalyn grimaced dramatically. "Ugh, that actually made me gag a little." She scrunched her nose and raked her fingers through her scalp like she could scrub the mental image of his s*x life right out of her skull. “You’re impossible.” She shoved him, hard enough to earn a mock stumble. Gabriel just laughed and patted her on the head like the smug older brother he was not, despite how much he liked to act like it. At 23 he still had that annoyingly boyish charm to him. Sharp smile, soft blond hair, the smattering of the odd freckle or two across his nose. The rest of his body was of that of a full grown male, with enough lean muscle packed in to his 6 foot 3 inch frame to make most she-wolves incoherent. Especially in Pherron, the capital city, where his light features stood out against the dark haired nobility that crowed the royal capital. And the ladies loved it. But to Adalyn, he was just Gabe. Not a brother by blood, or even by looks, but by every other bond that mattered. Her Aunt Mya had a habit of collecting, and thirteen years ago that had included one sharp-tongued, street smart kid with no family to speak of. Adalyn had taken to him instantly. Maybe because he made her laugh when things felt heavy, or maybe because he looked at her like she wasn't some broken half-wolf girl like she felt. Their differences were like night and day sometimes, but whatever it was that brought them together, they just fit. And he blossomed into the cocky, maddening, protective pain in her ass that he still was today. “Mind if I come with you into the city?” Adalyn asked, a little too casually. Gabriel didn’t even get a chance to answer. She was already brushing off her trousers and darting for the house. “There’s a new bookstore near Aunt Mya’s shop, I’ll be five minutes!” “Five minutes max, Ady!” he called after her, arms crossed. “I swear, if you make me late for my… handling!” He hated waiting. Always had. But for her? He’d make an exception every damn time. Especially now. Adalyn wasn’t a kid anymore, no matter how much she tried to hide it under combat boots and loose tees. She still carried herself like the scrappy tomboy he’d first met, fast to fight, slow to trust, always more bark than bite. But her wolf wasn’t the only thing stirring beneath the surface these days. Her edges were softening, even if she didn’t notice. The way she moved, the curve of her hips, the confidence behind her teasing grin, it was all starting to shift. She was growing into her feminine skin, and with it came that barely-there pull. That quiet, magnetic hum that drew attention before she even opened her mouth. It wouldn't be long before most people noticed. Before most males would notice. Gabriel crossed his arms and stared at the door she’d disappeared through, exhaling slowly. She still had no clue, did she? That was the problem. -- Inside, Adalyn dashed into her room, tugging off her training top and slipping into a fresh loose tee and a pair of jeans still hanging off the chair from the day before. Her body moved on autopilot. Clothes swapped, hair twisted back into a ponytail, curls tamed just enough to pass. She grabbed the nearest band, looping it twice before catching herself in the mirror. She blinked. Her own reflection stared back, lips slightly parted like she was about to say something. Her bronzed skin was glowing faintly from exertion, eyes darker than usual under the lashes, like they held a secret even she didn’t know. There was something wild in the way her curls refused to be fully tamed, something older in the way her shape filled the shirt she used to drown in. And then the mirror flickered. Not physically. Not with light, but with presence. Because in her place, for the briefest moment, stood a girl who wasn’t her. She had the same face but not. Hair black as ink, eyes colder,like something ancient was staring out through them. A stranger wearing her bones. The girl didn’t speak. Didn’t move. Just watched, gaze locked to hers, lips parted in a silent whisper she couldn’t hear. Adalyn’s chest went tight. as she took a half-step back. With another blink of her eyes the image vanished, leaving just her again. Flushed and breathing fast, a few strands of hair loose around her temple. Her heart thundered in her chest. “What the hell…” She stepped closer to the mirror, eyes scanning every detail like it might glitch again. Nothing. Just her own reflection now. Gabriel’s voice rang from outside, startling her in the moment “You said five minutes, Ady! I’m counting!” Adalyn shook her head hard, like she could rattle the image out of her skull. She was tired. That was all. Up late with a book, chest aching from a throwdown, and a smug ass like Gabriel wasn’t exactly good for mental clarity. Still, something about that reflection… She shoved the thought aside. “Coming!” she shouted, yanking open the front door. Gabriel was waiting outside, arms crossed, foot tapping with that signature blend of irritation and fondness he reserved only for her. His wolf stirred in the back of his mind, restless and alert, the way it always did when she stepped into a room. The second she crossed the threshold, his eyes flicked to her face. “You alright?” he asked, brow pinched. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” “I’m fine,” she lied automatically, waving it off. “Probably just need more sleep. I swear I’m starting to see things.” She laughed, weakly, and brushed past him down the stone path toward the gate. Gabriel moved before she even reached the gate, cutting her off in two strides. “Seeing things?” he repeated, voice low now. “What kind of things?” Adalyn bumped into him, let out an annoyed grunt, and glared up. But the annoyance faltered when she caught the look in his eyes, sharp with concern but soft around the edges. The kind of look only someone who’d seen her fall apart would recognize how to give. “Gabe…” she sighed, placing a palm on his chest. “It’s nothing. I’m serious. Just tired. And my wolf’s still dead asleep, so clearly nothing’s wrong, right?” Wrong. But she didn’t say it. Gabriel didn’t answer right away. His jaw worked, like he wanted to push, like he knew something wasn’t sitting right. He’d seen her face go pale like that before. Right before one of her headaches hit. He’d seen her seize up, eyes glazed, lips trembling through pain she never voiced out loud. And lately, she’d been too good at hiding them. Still, she looked steady now. Still cheeky. Still sharp. He exhaled, long and reluctant. Adalyn reached up, tapped his jaw with her fingers, gentle. “You don’t always have to be on guard, y’know. I’m not made of glass.” “You’re worse,” he muttered. “You’re breakable but you won’t admit it.” She rolled her eyes. “For someone who thinks I’m breakable, you sure as hell didn’t hold back earlier.” She let out a dry laugh, expecting him to match it. But when his worried expression didn’t budge, her smile wavered. Her smile faltered. She sighed, then reinstated it with a touch more force than ease. “I’m okay. I promise.” That wasn’t enough to convince him. But it was enough to make him let her go. He stepped aside with a grunt, flashing her that familiar brotherly scowl—the one that meant: you’re not off the hook, I’m just biding my time. Adalyn smirked, already halfway to the gate. “Can’t have Mr Loverboy running late for his ‘business meeting,’ now can we?” Gabriel straightened his back and puffed out his chest like he was heading into battle. “Damn right. Reputation’s at stake.” Two long strides and he was beside her again, shoulder bumping in to hers. “Don’t hate the player, hate the game, Ady,” he said with a wink. She stared at him, deadpan. “Did you really just say that out loud? Like, with your full chest?” He grinned. She groaned. “I’m embarrassed for you.” And just like that, the tension bled away. Not entirely. But enough.