The Wolf Queen’s Awakening

CHAPTER 002

Blackness enveloped the Nachtwald Pack estate. The air was thick with the scents of burning wood and wet soil, but underneath that lurked something even worse: blood. As darkness descended further over my estate, Leonie scrubbed harder at her floor scrubbing routine, though its stain had long since dried; my hands were raw while nails cracked, but that did not stop her, for stopping would cause someone to notice her and could only bring bad omens upon them all if someone noticed her; something no good ever happened then.

My spine shuddered when the kitchen door suddenly swung open with an inexplicable sound.

"Get up," came a sharp command from Viktor's beta, Karl, standing over me with his shadow spanning across the floor. I swallowed hard and attempted to move slowly; any sign of defiance would only bring consequences back on myself.

"Viktor wants you to serve at his pack meeting tonight," Karl told me, and I was annoyed. I hated these gatherings with all their smells of alcohol, leering gazes from men, and whispered insults from women—things that had long made me shudder with disgust. As far as defense was concerned, silence had long been my best strategy; yet tonight Alphas from other territories would be present, which meant something must be happening!

Karl led me silently into the main hall, where the long wooden table was already set with trays of roasted meat, golden bread, and goblets of dark wine from Viktor's Nachtwald Pack—proudly displayed as Viktor displayed it to show its wealth. At first there was laughter and chatter in the room, but when Viktor stood up, it fell silent like an air blade cutting through air.

"Greetings, brothers!" He raised his goblet. "Tonight we will discuss alliances. Strength. Power."

As I moved between guests and refilled their drinks, the smell of too many wolves in one room made my stomach queasy. Reaching Viktor's seat, I carefully poured his wine—only for him to grab hold of my wrist before I could retreat!

"Oh," Viktor said with great amusement. "Allow me to introduce my dear sister." My body stiffened into protest as Viktor pulled me forward, yanking me forward so forcefully I nearly fell forward while holding onto the goblet in my hand—but it had to be... corrected.

Viktor smiled ruefully. My cheeks burned with shame as laughter rippled around the table while I kept my gaze down and my hands trembled trepidatiously.

"She has had an opportunity to redeem herself, and I must say, she's become quite submissive since then," Viktor observed.

"Obedient, aren't you?" His voice dripped with oily thickness: "That's rare!" "You look familiar." I realized I hadn't seen him for quite some time—he had golden eyes with fierce and cold-hearted stares as well as a scar across his cheek." [Hmm!] He asked in slow-paced monotone, [Obedience is rare]. That's rare indeed!" he concluded with, adding, "That's rare indeed." "That's rare indeed!" His eyes met the stranger's old golden gaze; then another strange encounter ensued with cruel golden eyes meeting his.

"That's rare indeed!" I said back then with his voice carrying the slow and thick. That's rare indeed! He said his tone made up until then abruptly changed direction with his slow and thick voice, his words, of course, with someone obeying him." The man responded as quickly, saying, "Then, with his voice, which had no more, that voice became like oil, a slow and thick voice filled his tone, that, of course, he said, his thick and slow voice, indicating his voice came, and, and his voice started speaking in tone. He spoke before responding to the word. That rarely happens, but then, that is rare! "It's ours!" "That was an indication...re." The voice said something along these lines as to his tone that followed him back then, saying something similar but sincere after hearing the ret. ret. "... was then with him saying... then followed this way with him/her back and so on this time, but then. It then. That's like oil... this time..." That's his voice, slow and thickly, when I asked him. Are...? It It wasn't said then... the voice and so slowly until finally after hearing someone (that wasn't meant until now)... "So rare. "That's quite rare...! This time too...!" he continued... "That would also be rare. This one." That's rare. . "It is rare too. It went on so soon when this one too." The voice joined again before another said... and went on... when asked another when then! Finally told you! This too!" "Was. And" "was like (pronounced as well, "but"......!"). That's not too much! "... That will do! " It must say when one. "He did indeed!" "Now....... (or before him). "Will give!" "Him. "And... "was..." before "that too. "In this way, "that one." But this one. "This!" "That's rare!" He later. "They said, He then...! 'This one! Added." "And... "W... "...! "I wouldn't dare!" When his... "T-in't."'" had said! "He got that one. "That! "Not." "Hent. O too. "...". "Well! Added. That one! He/I mean'!" (Or so, said. Was was" was added to his

Viktor smiled. "Indeed," he continued. "To strengthen our future partnership, as an offering to Alpha Elias Falken, I offer her as collateral." The atmosphere shifted; laughter faded and was replaced by something darker; my stomach dropped. At that moment a voice from behind the table spoke up: Cold. Distant. Dangerous

I turned my head slowly; my breath caught. The man speaking was different; he wasn't lounging around like everyone else; rather, he sat still, composed, his gaze fixed on Viktor. Elias Falken. We had all heard of him; everyone knew about Elias Falken, the Eisenclaw Alpha known for his brutality and ruthlessness, whose pack was one of the strongest even among Elders.

Viktor offered Elias an ultimatum. A gesture of trust to seal their alliance. Elias didn't react immediately but studied me with unsmiling eyes before slowly standing and taking his place among us in the room, the room becoming still. "I don't need trust," he replied, "I need assets."

"And she is one."

Elias approached with controlled movements, stopping inches away from me—my pulse raced faster as his gaze darted around and his tilted head, seemingly considering. control He murmured to himself, "You think broken things have value?"

Something in his voice sent shivers down my spine—not mockery but curiosity.

Viktor laughed and stated, "She may be broken, but she is resilient." mess Elias reached out, brushing his fingers gently against my wrist for an observation test; my skin prickled under his touch, but I did not flinch—having learned not to.

"Fine," Viktor replied at long last. "I'll take her." With that, the room breathed easier as the tension gave way to murmurs of approval and relief. My breath came short as my chest tightened in fear that this couldn't possibly be happening! When Viktor turned towards me with a wide smile, he whispered quietly, "Thank me, sister; finally you are leaving this place. Now let's thank Viktor."

Departure should have been an encouraging thought. Yet as soon as I caught sight of Elias with his unreadable calculations in his eyes, I knew one thing for certain—I would be entering something much worse.

Morning arrived too quickly. I was shoved into a sleek black car, wrists tied tight and heart racing as we zoomed deeper into Eisenclaw territory along a serpentine road that wound through dense woods—becoming older as we moved further along our journey.

The estate was large, modern, and unwelcoming. When we approached, its gates silently opened as we pulled to a stop in its courtyard. I remember feeling my arm being gripped firmly while being pulled out; soon thereafter, I tripped on some loose gravel, which cut deeply into my bare feet with its sharp stones.

"Move," came the command, forcing my way forward as my eyes darted around. To my disbelief, these wolves standing guard were nothing like those in Nachtwald; their gazes showed no curiosity but only calculation as though assessing my worth.

Elias was standing at the top of the stone steps, his expression unreadable. I nodded and asked to speak. Elias suggested I speak first before swallowing hard and nodding yes to speak later. "Yes," was my response.

He gazed upon me briefly before turning away. "Take her to her quarters."

As two guards approached me, my expectation was for them to lead me directly into a cell or servants wing that fit with my new status. Instead, they led me through hallways filled with grand staircases and towering glass windows before stopping me at an unexpected door that seemed... different.

One of them pushed open the door, and inside was a bedroom! Not a cage or dungeon, just an ordinary bedroom complete with a bed larger than anything I had been sleeping on for months, a fireplace, and clothes closets filled with clothes—I looked around slowly as my mind reeled with questions: Why is he giving me this?

"Relax," one guard said softly. "He will summon you when it is time." When they left, I gasped as the door clicked shut behind them—all at once it felt as if something important had changed within me; no longer did I owe anything to my brother; rather, I had become something else entirely.

But I had no idea what this meant.