Their Warrior Queen

Chapter One

‎~Zuri

‎

‎"I'm sorry, Zuri, but we won't be able to pay for your training fee this year. You'll have to wait until next year."

‎My mother's words felt like a blade being driven straight into my chest.

‎"Wait? But... it's important," I managed to say.

‎"I know it is, Zuri, but we need the money for your brother's naming ceremony. We want to make it a huge celebration, and that will cost us a lot of money."

‎My face fell as disappointment settled heavily in my chest.

‎It was always about my brother now.

‎I really needed to attend that training. When I turned sixteen, I waited eagerly for my First Shift like every other wolf my age, but nothing happened. I kept hoping that maybe my wolf was simply taking longer to appear, so I waited patiently until I turned eighteen.

‎However, I still didn't transform.

‎That was when people began to call me wolfless.

‎They said I was weak and different, and while some of them laughed openly at me, others whispered behind my back that I was cursed. It hurt more than I liked to admit, especially because I was the daughter of the Alpha and should have been one of the strongest wolves in the pack.

‎The training at the Werewolf Academy was the only thing giving me hope.

‎Every year, wolves from different packs gathered there to train under powerful and high-ranked warriors. Even wolfless people were allowed to attend, and many of them had discovered their wolves after completing the training.

‎That was what I wanted.

‎That was what I had been hoping for.

‎I couldn't attend the training the previous year because my parents told me they didn't have enough money. Although I had been disappointed, I believed them and waited for another year.

‎Now that another year had finally come, they had found another reason to stop me from going.

‎Not because they couldn't afford it.

‎But because they wanted to spend the money on a huge celebration for my baby brother.

‎"But the fee isn't that high, Dad," I said as I turned to look at him. "You're the Alpha. You could take some money from the pack's finances to pay for it."

‎"Zuri!"

‎My mother's sharp voice made me pause.

‎"Your father can't do that."

‎I lowered my gaze.

‎"The pack's finances are meant for the welfare and needs of the pack, and we can't use them for our personal benefit."

‎"You heard your mother, Zuri," my father said firmly. "Wait until next year."

‎Without waiting for me to respond, he turned around and walked out of the room.

‎A tear rolled down my cheek, and I quickly wiped it away before another followed.

‎"Zuri," my mother said as she stepped closer and rested her hand on my shoulder. "You know how much I was humiliated for not being able to conceive a male heir for your father."

‎My chest tightened as I looked at her.

‎"Now that I finally have one, we need to celebrate it properly. You know how important this is."

‎"But I need to get my wolf, Mum," I said as another tear slipped down my cheek. "You know how much people humiliate me for being wolfless. You should understand me too."

‎"I understand, Zuri, but you need to wait for the perfect timing. The Moon Goddess will surely bless you with your wolf when the time is right."

‎That was where my mother and I were always different.

‎She always talked about the perfect timing.

‎When I didn't shift at sixteen, she told me to wait for the perfect timing. When I turned eighteen and still remained wolfless, she gave me the same answer.

‎But when exactly would that perfect timing come?

‎I was tired of waiting.

‎I just wanted my wolf.

‎"But..."

‎"No buts, Zuri," my mother interrupted. "We promise to pay for the training next year."

‎She used her hands to wipe the tears from my cheeks, and although I wanted to argue with her, I knew there was no point.

‎I slowly nodded.

‎She pulled me into a hug, and I allowed her to hold me, but deep inside, I couldn't get rid of the pain I was feeling.

‎After a moment, she pulled away and smiled at me.

‎"Everything will be fine, okay?"

‎I nodded again, even though I didn't believe it.

‎"You should go and check on your brother."

‎Without saying another word, I left the room and headed toward the nursery.

‎The moment I entered, I found my little brother sleeping peacefully in his cot. I walked closer and stared down at him for several minutes as his tiny chest rose and fell with every breath.

‎For some reason, tears suddenly filled my eyes.

‎I quickly wiped them away and sniffed.

‎"I know you're my brother, but this really isn't fair."

‎He was barely two months old, so I knew he couldn't understand anything I was saying. Still, I needed someone to talk to.

‎I didn't have anyone I could tell my problems to or someone I could pour my heart out to.

‎So, somehow, he had become the only person I could talk to.

‎My little brother.

‎"Ever since you were born, Mum and Dad have acted like I barely exist."

‎My voice trembled as I spoke.

‎"All their care and attention is on you now, while I barely get any of it."

‎I sniffed again and wiped my tears.

‎"They're busy planning a huge ceremony for you while I'm being left behind."

‎I looked down at him.

‎"It's not fair."

‎"Oh, look at that."

‎A familiar voice sounded behind me.

‎"The poor girl is crying."

‎My body immediately stiffened.

‎I slowly turned around, and the moment I saw who was standing by the door, my heart sank.

‎It was Luna Circe and her daughter, Quincy.

‎Luna Circe was the Second Luna of the Black Water Pack.

‎When my mother had struggled to conceive a male heir for my father, who was the Alpha, the pack council pressured him into taking another Luna, someone who could possibly give him a male heir.

‎That was how Circe came into our lives.

‎She arrived with her daughter, Quincy, claiming that she had given birth to her while she was still with her late mate. My father accepted them, and Circe eventually became his Second Luna.

‎Although having a Second Luna was unusual, my father had agreed to it because of the pressure from the council.

‎A few months after Circe arrived, however, my mother finally conceived and gave birth to a boy.

‎That should have put an end to all the humiliation my mother had suffered, but it didn't change the way Circe and Quincy treated me.

‎Ever since Circe stepped into the Black Water Pack, she had made life difficult for both my mother and me. She constantly mocked my mother for failing to produce a male heir, while she and Quincy never missed an opportunity to bully me for being wolfless.

‎Fortunately, my mother had eventually proved them wrong by giving birth to a son.

‎But unfortunately for me, I was still an easy target.

‎"You heard me?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

‎"We heard everything," Quincy replied with a mocking smile.

‎"The poor wolfless girl needs love, care, and attention," Luna Circe said.

‎They both burst into laughter.

‎"That's not your business," I said, although my voice shook slightly. "My parents love me."

‎"We aren't children, Zuri. We heard everything you said," Quincy replied.

‎Luna Circe smiled at me.

‎"Your parents don't love you, and apparently, no one else does either."

‎Quincy giggled.

‎"You're just a wolfless piece of shit."

‎Something inside me suddenly snapped.

‎"Don't you dare call me that!"

‎The words came out more boldly than I expected.

‎For a brief moment, I surprised myself because I normally would have stayed quiet and allowed them to humiliate me.

‎Luna Circe raised an eyebrow.

‎"Or what?"

‎I swallowed, but I refused to look away.

‎"Or you'll have yourself to blame, you wicked witch."

‎Luna Circe stared at me for a moment before a slow smile appeared on her face.

‎"Wicked witch?"

‎She repeated my words as if they were amusing.

‎Then she chuckled.

‎"Let me show you what a wicked witch looks like."

‎She turned to Quincy and gave her a small nod.

‎Before I could move, Quincy walked toward me and grabbed my arm.

‎"Quincy, let go of me!"

‎I struggled against her, but she was much stronger than I was. She had a wolf, while I had nothing to give me the same strength.

‎She pushed me roughly, and I fell to the floor.

‎At that exact moment, my little brother began to cry.

‎"Oh," Luna Circe said as she looked toward the cot. "The poor boy is awake."

‎I bit my lip and glared at her.

‎She smiled before reaching into her bag.

‎A moment later, she pulled out a small container filled with white powder.

‎My eyes widened.

‎"What are you doing?"

‎Instead of answering me, she opened the container and emptied the powder all over my face.

‎I screamed as some of it entered my eyes.

‎It burned, and I quickly began rubbing my face while coughing.

‎Luna Circe and Quincy burst into laughter.

‎My little brother continued crying loudly from his cot.

‎Quincy then pulled out a small mirror and held it in front of my face.

‎I slowly opened my eyes.

‎My hair, clothes, and face were covered in white powder.

‎I looked ridiculous.

‎"Ghost-looking," Quincy said.

‎They both burst into laughter again.

‎Tears filled my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

‎Then, just as my brother's cries grew louder, the door creaked open.

‎My mother walked into the room.

‎Relief immediately rushed through me.

‎Finally.

‎She would see what they had done.

‎She would defend me.

‎She and Luna Circe had never been on good terms, so I knew she wouldn't allow them to treat me like this.

‎I quickly turned toward her.

‎"Mum..."

‎But before I could say anything else, Luna Circe turned toward her.

‎"You came to check on your son, right?"

‎My mother didn't answer.

‎Her eyes moved from the crying baby to me.

‎I stared at her, waiting for her to say something.

‎Anything.

‎"But I think staring at your ghost-looking daughter all day would be much more entertaining," Luna Circe added mockingly.

‎I waited for my mother to shout at her.

‎I waited for her to tell Circe and Quincy to leave.

‎I waited for her to defend me.

‎Instead, she stared at me.

‎For a moment, I thought I saw something change in her expression, and hope rose inside me.

‎As I stared into my mother's eyes, waiting for her to say something in my defense, she did the most embarrassing and heartbreaking thing she could have possibly done to me.

‎She giggled.

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