The Wolf Queen’s Awakening

CHAPTER 007

It hit me like a punch to the gut: an ancient, wild,, and dangerous scent that didn't belong to Leonie—atleast, not who I had known up until now. Something about its presence felt off, out of place even within this century's walls. It wrapped around me, seeping into my lungs and awakening instincts deep within my bloodline.

As I moved closer, Leonie shuddered. Her arms were tightly wrapped around herself as her breaths came in short gasps. Fear began pulsing through her veins—though not necessarily fear of me; rather,, it was one she didn't understand and one that had been kept hidden for too long within herself. Leonie's golden eyes flickered between me and the dead body on my floor before dilation settled over both.

Assassin lay still and motionless on the marble floor, his throat torn open by my own claws. Blood pooled beneath him, seeping into every c***k of its floor surface. Johann stood close by, his gaze darting between Leonie and me while waiting for my command; unfortunately, I barely registered his presence.

"Who are you?" I inquired, using a low and controlled voice. As I crouched in front of her, forcing myself to move slowly because too quickly would likely prompt her to bolt, leaving me without her help.

Leonie opened her mouth, yet no words came out. Instead, her fingers dug into their own skin as her shoulders trembled erratically. Leonie attempted to deflect my question,, but I wouldn't let it pass us by,, so I inhaled deeply again before giving Leonie time to think and respond. I inhaled again as this wasn't just ancient information either.

Something familiar popped into my mind, something from long before my birth and hidden within my ancestor's stories. Realization sent a chill through me.

"You know," I whispered softly, "even though it might not come up immediately in your memory—somewherenside, you know." She stiffened. I tilted her face upward to force her gaze to meet mine and murmured, "You might not remember, but somewhere inside there's some sense that something happened here."

Tears were welling up in her eyes, and for an instant I thought she might break. Instead, something else made my blood run cold: she smiled—not in an ordinary, soft manner, but rather in a hollow and broken way that only briefly touched her lips—giving off an air of someone with nothing left to lose.

"I don't know anything," she whispered in my ear, and neither do you. These were challenging words, which only confirmed my belief that she was telling lies.

Johann spoke up, breaking the lingering silence. "What are we supposed to do with Leonie's body?"

My fingers briefly touched Leonie's chin before I let go and stood upright to my full height without looking away as I spoke.

"Burn it all."

She inhaled sharply upon hearing my command and inhaled more deeply upon seeing my expression of intent; yet instead of protesting or screaming about how cruel my decision was, she just sat there silently, her hands curling into fists against the fabric of her dress. In an instant there was movement. And it happened far too fast for me.

Too out of character. Before I had time to react, Leonie flew at me, not in attack but more out of desperation than anything. She grabbed my collar with both hands while her face came close enough that her entire body trembled with fear.

"Please," Leonie whispered softly into my ear, "Stop looking. Let this go."

Her words hit me like an electric charge. I stared down at her. This broken, caged person was imploring me not to search for the truth—not because they wanted me to keep a secret, but because they simply needed my support in breaking free of her prison cell.

But because she was terrified of what I might find. I hadn't always been patient with riddles or people asking for mercy; yet something about Leonie holding onto me, her face being contorted into horror by my presence, made something dark arise within me; reaching up, I swiftly pried off her fingers from mine without incident.

"I don't stop, Leonie," I replied in a soft voice. "And I won't allow anything to change.

Hours later, I stood on the balcony of my estate with the cool wind biting at my skin, and below was an endless city that shone with night. Johann approached, and his face became indecipherable. "Are you sure about this?"

I breathed slowly before answering, "No." Do you believe she's dangerous?"

"I don't understand her yet," I replied, my jaw tightening in discomfort. Johann nodded, then hesitated for a second before asking,

"You smelled it, didn't you?" But he knew. as the scent of ancient blood, something not supposed to exist anymore. I did not reply, but he knew already what I knew—something's wrong here; something must not exist here anymore.

And I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted to uncover the truth or was just afraid of it. Leonie sat on the edge of her bed, fingers gently tracing over faint scars on her wrists as her heart beat incessantly in her chest, loud enough for Elias to hear it in his ears!

Leonie had worked so hard to forget the past, yet here was Elias dredging it up again.

Soon enough, he would discover what she dreaded most: truth.