Chapter 4: Her life as Maddie.
"Maddie! Maddie!"
Defiance didn't know that the two lunatics running towards where she was standing were coming for her until Semeen pointed it out.
"Those are Maddie's parents, Jake and Lucy Franklin. They are Omegas too and remember you are their daughter and act accordingly" Semeen told her.
"How shall I act around their presence, Commander? They look…weak!" Defiance murmured as she turned towards her Aunt.
"If Luna was here she would say something like 'weakness is strength too, Diddy" Semeen searched her head for something to say to sound wise and motherly.
Defiance blinked. Were they talking about the same Queen-Empress Janessa Mildred Willow of Aradale? The first woman to command her husband's army and Werewolf pack, defeat an entire hemisphere in three days, invade the Midland and retrieve her imprisoned husband?
"Mama will never say something like that. She got me by first sword at three years old"
Semeen thought about it "You are right. Luna hates weakness"
Semeen had officially run out of what to say.
"But she would say only a coward beats the weak, Diddy" Judd's voice startled them. He had finally woken from his fist induced sleep. "When they see you, they see their daughter, can't you muster some sympathy for them, imperial princess? Even Queen-Empress, someone often likened to the goddess of war still feel compassion for the broken hearted and the weak"
Semeen opened the door and Judd came down from the car.
"I shan't be far away from you, niece. I will be your shadow and I will let no harm come to you but we must do as Commander Semeen says or we shall fail our mission, Princess"
Defiance was quiet for a minute before she nodded. She placed her head on his chest. People always wondered about the closeness of the imperial royal family. They hugged without reservation and they were affectionate towards each other. They were different from other empires.
"Chin up, your royal highness. Queens don't cry" Semeen told her.
Defiance nodded. Judd kissed her hair and let her go.
"Why did you do that?" Semeen asked him through her clenched jaw. The Franklins were close by now, they had a look on their face when they saw Marcus Cross kiss their Maddie's hair.
What business did the Alpha's right hand man have for showing such affection for Maddie in presence of his wife, Mrs Cross. Beta Wolves considered themselves superior to mere Omegas.
Semeen flashed Judd an annoyed look.
"Why did I kiss my niece?" Judd appeared puzzled.
"Except here…in this century, she is not your niece. She is their daughter and currently they are wondering why a beta wolf with a mate is kissing their formerly comatose daughter!" Semeen snapped at him before she quickly placed a smile on her face as the Franklins came closer to them.
"Beta Marcus, where did you find our daughter?" Jake asked Judd as he tried to muster bravado but it was failing him.
No Omega wants to appear like he was challenging the pack's Beta and Alpha's right hand man.
"I…found her in the…. ask Semeen, none of this makes any sense to me. What are you even wearing?. It looks uncomfortable!" Judd pulled the tie Jake Franklin was wearing.
"Are you trying to strangle yourself, sire?!" Judd looked exasperated. He pulled out a dagger from Semeen's ankle and cut off Jake's Franklin's tie from his neck.
"Now, I have liberated you, sire. No man should strangle himself no matter what!" Judd said and threw the tie on the ground and stepped on it.
Jake took a step back from the Alpha's beta who was acting quite strange and he pulled his daughter back with him.
"That was my only tie" he murmured.
"Good. Now, you won't attempt the greatest sin against the gods of the earth - taking your own life"
Semeen closed her fist and she slammed it into Judd's chest with a big smile on her face.
"Honey, shut up!" She snapped at him. "You must pardon my mate. He fell and hit his head this morning in the shower. Now, I fear, some screw might have come off in his head, it's why we are here in the pack's hospital. We found Maddie wandering down the road and we brought her back" Semeen explained.
Lucy Franklin nodded with a grateful smile on her face.
"Thank you, Beta Cross. Maddie has been missing since morning and we've notify the pack's warriors about it since we are at war with the white grave pack, we thought she might have been…" Lucy let out a breath as she tried to hide her terror.
"I understand. I have to get Alpha's Beta back to him before he notices that he is gone. Goodbye, Franklins" Semeen said and grabbed Judd's hand.
She pulled him towards the car but he wouldn't budge. Letting his niece out of his sight with a sucidal stranger and an emotional fake mother didn't arouse trust in him.
"Don't make this difficult" Semeen whispered to him.
"I am not leaving without her. I refuse to" He spoke loudly enough for the Franklins to hear him.
"Beta Cross here has been instructed by the Alpha to make sure that the security of the pack hospital is up to date and to report on the progress of your daughter" Semeen quickly explained.
Jake and Lucy looked at her in disbelief. "Why would the Alpha concern himself with the safety of an Omega?" Jake asked them.
Semeen took a step forward in an intimidating manner "Are you questioning the Alpha's authority?"
She saw them shrunk into themselves.
"Forgive us!" They quickly added.
Defiance turned around as soon as she heard voices behind her. They were teenagers, most looked her age. About twenty of them in the first group that passed.
She had never seen so many people that looked her age before. The imperial palace wasn't exactly open to visitors and she was her parents' only child. Her cousins crown prince Alexander and Princess Eireth of Koi were her only friends in the world and that had been enough. It wasn't like she had time between the witch's training, pack training and training to be Empress to make more friends.
So, while the adults argued about whatever they were arguing about, she saw him.
His hair was longer than most lads she knew. He was tall with dark hair that fell softly down his shoulder. It was the only softness about him. His arms spoke of strength and his strides told of his grace. Defiance took a step forward.
Finally, a lad worthy of the imperial princess.