Crystal's POV
The howls grew louder, closer, as the pack approached to my standing position.
My heart pounded, my grip tightening on the silver dagger.
I stood beside Alpha and his brothers, their presence grounding me as the power inside me pulsed up at once, almost eager to be unleashed.
"Remember, Crystal," Alpha said quietly, his voice low and controlled, distracting me from my concentration.
"You don't need to fear your power. Let it flow. Let it guide you on what to do."
I nodded, my breath shallow. It was easier said than done.
I had never had power or being a wolf, never been in control of anything since my first day on earth.
How was I supposed to wield something so raw, so dangerous, when I didn't even understand how it works.
The courtyard was bathed in moonlight, casting eerie shadows on the stone walls on us.
The main tension in the air was electric, thick with anticipation.
My ears picked up the rustling of footsteps, lots of them—closing in faster.
And then, they emerged from the trees at the edge of the grounds, with their fire-burning looks.
The pack.
Dozens of wolves stood there, their eyes glowing in the darkness of the pack.
Some had shifted to their wolf form, their sleek fur bristling under the moonlight.
Others remained in their human forms, but their eyes, those cold, accusing eyes were locked on me.
Leading them was Cole, his face twisted in a snarl and anger.
"So it's true, Crystal Damian," Cole spat, stepping forward to me.
"You really are involved with them." He sneered at Alpha and his brothers, before turning his gaze back at me.
"I knew there was something off about you, but this... You've been hiding what you are this whole time from all of us in this pack?"
"What are you talking about!" I shot back at him, trying to sound braver than I felt of myself.
"I didn't even know about any of this until now, and you are saying trash."
"Lie all you want, Crystal" Cole growled, his voice filled with venom and laced with hate.
"But we all know what happens to threats to the pack. You should've stayed in the hidden shadows, Crystal."
The rest of the pack snarled in agreement, their hostility palpable.
My body tensed, fear clawing at my insides slowly, but the power within me… it surged, stronger than ever, pushing back against the fear out and also making me act brave by the seconds that ticked away.
Alpha stepped forward, his posture unyielding.
"She is not a threat to the pack as you claim. But if you force her hand, you will see what she is capable of doing to you."
Cole bared his teeth, his eyes glowing with fury, before he busted into a loud laugh.
"She's already a threat by existing as an outcast here! A nobody like her doesn't deserve to stand with wolves like us. We won't bow to some hidden queen or an outcast."
Before anyone could stop him, he lunged forward, shifting mid-air into a massive black huge wolf.
His speed was terrifying, and for a split second, my instincts screamed at me to run and save my life.
But something inside of me, something deep and primal, reacted before my mind could catch up.
The power burst through me like a tidal wave of water.
My body moved on its own, the dagger in my hand glowing with a strange light as I raised it up in defence, and with a swift movement, I met Cole's charge head-on. Time seemed to slow as the silver blade sliced through the air, colliding with his wolf form.
A searing light exploded from the dagger on my arm, sending him crashing to the ground, yelping in pain. The force of it knocked him back several feet, and he lay there, stunned, his wolf form trembling.
I stared down at him, wide-eyed, the dagger still glowing faintly in my hand.
What just happened?
The pack was frozen in shock of my action, their eyes shifting between me and Cole, who was struggling to get back on his feet, due to the huge scar on me.
The power within me hummed louder, but I could feel it beginning to settle it as expected, as if waiting for my next move.
"Crystal…" one of the pack members whispered, fear lacing his voice, due to my actions on their leader.
"What… what are you?" he asked, with his fear visible.
"I actually don't know," I murmured, shaking my head, also in shock.
My heart was racing, but for the first time, I didn't feel weak. I felt alive and strong.
Alpha Dante stepped beside me, his eyes burning with approval.
"This is only the beginning of your strength, Crystal. You are awakening a strong wolf for yourself."
Cole finally shifted back into his human form, panting heavily as he glared at me, fury, anger and hate in his eyes.
"You think this changes anything for you, crystal?" he spat, wiping blood from his mouth.
"You think we're just going to fall in line behind you? You're still nothing and you would never be worth anything!"
Before he could move again, Alpha Dante voice cut through the tension, cold and authoritative. "Enough."
The air around us seemed to thicken as Alpha Dante took a step forward, his presence suffocating.
"You will not harm her," he growled, his voice filled with an ancient power.
"She is under our protection, and she is more than you could ever hope to comprehend of her."
Cole snarled, but even he seemed hesitant to challenge Alpha Dante again. The pack was restless, their fear palpable. But they didn't move.
"Leave," Gamma Ezra commanded, his tone final.
"Return to your packhouse and reflect on what you've witnessed of this day. If you challenge her again, there will be no mercy next time."
There was a long tense pause. Then, slowly, Cole and the others began to retreat, their expressions a mix of anger and fear.
The whole pack melted back into the shadows, disappearing into the forest, but I knew they weren't gone for good. They would come back. They would try again.
Once the pack was out of sight, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
My legs felt like they might give out at any moment, but the power still hummed faintly under my skin, reminding me that this was only the beginning.
Alpha Dante turned to me, his expression unreadable.
"You did well," he said quietly and calm.
I looked down at the dagger in my hand, the silver blade still faintly glowing.
"What… what was that?"
"That was the power within you as a wolf and a queen," Alpha said, his voice low.
"You've only tapped into a fraction of its powers."
I swallowed hard, the reality of what just happened sinking in.
"I don't know if I can control it."
"You will," he said, his eyes steady on mine.
"We'll help you do that. But you need to be prepared for anything that arise. This was only a test for you. The real challenges are still ahead of you."
I nodded, though my mind was still spinning. I had just fought off an attack from my own pack, and I wasn't sure what that meant for me anymore. But, I just know I wasn't safe with the pack.
Alpha Dante placed a hand on my shoulder, his touch grounding.
"You've taken the first step of victory, Crystal. But now, we need to move quickly. The pack won't wait long before they strike again. And next time, they'll bring more than just one angry wolf to protect themselves."
I glanced back at the spot where Cole had been, my heart heavy with uncertainty.
This power… this destiny… it wasn't something I had asked for as a slave wolf.
But now, there was no turning back of it.
I wasn't a nobody anymore in this pack.
I was the Lycan Queen. And the pack was right to fear me, and no more treating me as trash.