Crystal's POV
The moment the wave of power exploded from me, everything around us seemed to freeze in the thin air.
The harsh light from my energy bathed the forest in an eerie glow, and I could hear nothing but the faint crackle of power still coursing through me like a free-flowing river.
For the first time, the wolves hesitated. Their snarls were replaced with uncertainty, their eyes wide with something I hadn't seen before or even gotten from them before—fear.
They were scared of me already.
Alpha Dante, Beta Ezra, and Gamma Ryan stood by my side, their eyes glowing with intensity and low words to me.
Their whole presence was more than just comforting to me, it was empowering. Dante's towering frame exuded dominance, his muscles rippling beneath his skin as he prepared for the next attack even if the opposing team isn't ready to do that.
Ezra was sharp like a sword, his eyes constantly scanning for any movement, calculating the next step of the enemies.
Ryan, with his calm but lethal demeanor, stood ready, a fierce protector without a word to anyone.
The wolves surrounding us circled again, but this time slower, cautious. They had seen the power I unleashed and were no longer eager to rush forward attacking
"They're scared," Ezra muttered, his voice low but carrying a note of satisfaction. "They should be."
"They'll test us soon enough," Ryan added, his gaze locking onto a massive wolf in front of us. "They won't back down, not while Cole still leads them and control their every movement and attack."
Dante shifted beside me, his presence heavy and commanding, also giving warnings to the enemy.
"Crystal," he said, his deep voice steady and very calm than usual, "You've shown them what you're capable of, but they won't stop until they see you as their Queen. They want blood. You'll have to fight for it and prevent yourself and your people."
My heart hammered in my chest as I stared at the wolves closing in. I wasn't a queen yet, if am to say. I wasn't even sure what I was yet. But this wasn't just about survival anymore to me. It was about standing my ground in this situation. I wasn't running from them. Not anymore.
Suddenly, Cole emerged from the pack, his massive black wolf form towering over the others, as the leader of them all.
His eyes locked on me, filled with fury and something darker and visible—hatred.
He didn't waste any single time. With a vicious snarl, he shifted back into his human form, his chest heaving as he glared at me, which made me uncomfortable.
"Enough of all this!" he spat, his voice sharp and venomous, laced with warnings.
"You think you can hide behind them forever, Crystal? You think a few flashes of light make you our queen? You're still nothing and you will forever be nothing!"
I clenched the dagger in my hand, my grip tightening tighter and stronger.
Every word out of his mouth dripped with disdain, but there was no denying the fear simmering just beneath the surface.
"Crystal isn't hiding behind us," Dante interrupted, his voice cutting through the air like a strong steel.
"You're the one who's afraid here, Alpha Cole. You know what she is. You've always known who she would become."
Cole bared his teeth, but he didn't respond to Dante Word's. His eyes were locked on me, burning with an intensity that made my skin crawl and my heart race.
"You think you can just take everything the way you want, your power, your so-called protection from these men? it's all a lie. I'll make sure you regret the day you thought you could stand with us."
Without warning, Cole lunged, his speed terrifying.
He shifted mid-air, his massive black wolf barreling toward me with enough force to knock me off my feet and drop me on the bare floor.
But I didn't back down, to show weakness.
Time slowed as I raised the dagger, but this time, I didn't just defend.
I let go of the fear, let go of the hesitation, and allowed the power inside me to flow freely without anything stopping it half the way.
It surged through me like wildfire, igniting every nerve, every muscle, every single space. I was no longer just reacting to the words from their mouth, but I was fighting back.
The silver dagger glowed with a fierce light, and as Cole neared, I thrust it forward, meeting him head-on. The impact was like a strong thunder. His wolf form collided with the energy radiating from me, and the force of it sent him crashing to the ground.
But he wasn't down for long, he wasn't also trying to show weakness in front of other pack members. With a snarl, Cole rose, his eyes blazing with fury.
"You'll pay for that," he growled with pain in his voice.
Before he could strike again, Dante stepped forward, shifting into his wolf form in a fluid motion.
His wolf was massive, larger than any I had ever seen, with dark fur and eyes that glowed with lethal intensity.
He stood between me and Cole, his growl low and threatening.
"I've had enough of you, Cole," Dante snarled, his voice vibrating through the air, making everyone looking at them.
"You've disrespected your pack, your Queen, and now… you'll answer to me, her protector."
The tension in the air was suffocating as the two wolves faced off, their snarls echoing through the leaves in the forest. The rest of the pack watched, eyes wide with anticipation. It wasn't just about power anymore. This was about dominance. About who would lead here and now.
Ezra and Ryan were at my sides, their expressions calm but focused to act.
"This is a challenge," Ryan said quietly, his voice steady and calm, trying not to react to what he was seeing. "Dante will finish it."
But I couldn't just stand there looking. My heart pounded as I looked between them and the wolves circling us at almost same time .There was no way I could leave everything in Dante's hands. This fight was mine too and I can't hand it over to someone else.
Just as Cole lunged again, I felt the energy inside me flare, stronger than ever.
My hands moved on their own, and before I knew it, I released a surge of power that blasted through the clearing of my palm.
The wolves stumbled back, yelping in shock as the force of it knocked them off their feet.
Cole shifted back to human form, his body trembling with rage and exhaustion from the battle.
"You… you don't know what you're doing," he gasped, but his bravado was fading up at almost same time.
"You don't deserve this power you wield."
I stepped forward, my heart steady despite the adrenaline coursing through me. "Maybe I don't," I said, my voice firm and strong, "but it's mine now. And you'll never take it from me or take me back to the trash you have kept me in."
Dante shifted back to his human form beside me, his eyes still glowing with the remnants of his wolf.
"This is over, Cole," he said, his voice calm but filled with authority. "Crystal is your Queen from now on. You will submit, or you will die."
For a moment, Cole's eyes flickered with rebellion, but then he looked around at me, at Dante, at the men standing by my side and the fight drained out of him. Slowly, reluctantly, he dropped to one knee, his head bowed in submission.
The other wolves followed suit, one by one, until the entire pack was kneeling before me. My breath caught in my throat. This can't be real, this is just fairytale or better still, a dream.
But it was. I was no longer just Crystal, the outcast. I was their Queen now.
And they would never forget it, same as me.