The howl rang out, cutting through the night like a blade. My blood ran cold as I recognized it—Cole's rallying cry.
"Cole's coming back," Dante said, his voice low and dangerous as his wolf senses sharpened. His posture was tense, ready for battle.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. My heart raced, not from fear but from the anticipation of what I knew was coming. Cole wasn't going to accept my ascension quietly. He'd rally whoever he could and challenge me head-on. But what unnerved me wasn't just his impending attack. It was that haunting howl, the unmistakable call for war.
"Crystal, stay close to us," Ryan said, his eyes scanning the treeline. Ezra stepped forward, positioning himself in front of me.
"He's not alone," Dante muttered, his voice grim.
I could feel the tension ripple through the pack as they all turned their attention to the trees. Shadows flickered, and suddenly, from the forest's edge, Cole emerged, flanked by a dozen of his most loyal wolves. They marched forward, their eyes gleaming with malice, their movements predatory.
"Crystal!" Cole's voice boomed, dripping with venom. He stepped forward, his eyes locked on mine. "You don't belong here. You never did. You think you can just waltz in, claim power, and expect me to bow?"
I didn't answer right away. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of rattling me. Instead, I straightened my shoulders, meeting his glare head-on. "This isn't about you, Cole," I said, my voice steady. "It never was. This is about the pack, and they deserve better than your leadership."
Cole growled low in his throat, his wolf barely restrained. "The pack deserves strength! And all I see is weakness from you." He pointed an accusing finger at me. "You don't have what it takes to be their Queen."
"You're wrong," I replied. "I'm stronger than you think."
A flicker of doubt crossed his face, but it was quickly replaced with anger. "Then prove it." He shifted his stance, his muscles rippling with power. "Challenge me. Now."
Dante stepped in front of me, his massive frame blocking Cole's path. "You're not worthy of challenging her," he snarled. "You've already lost."
Ezra and Ryan flanked me, their eyes locked on Cole and his wolves, ready for anything. The tension between us was thick, like a thread about to snap.
"Enough of this!" Cole spat, his eyes narrowing. "You think these outsiders can protect you forever? They don't care about you or this pack. They're using you."
His words struck a chord, not just with me but with the pack. I saw some of them shifting uncomfortably, doubt creeping in.
"Crystal," Cole said, his voice softening as if he were trying to convince me. "You're nothing to them. You're just a tool."
I clenched my fists. "And what was I to you, Cole? A nobody? An exile? Someone you threw away when I didn't fit into your plans?"
He didn't respond, but the fury in his eyes was enough answer.
Before anyone could react, Cole lunged forward, shifting mid-leap into his massive wolf form. His claws reached for me, aiming for a fatal blow. But before he could get close, Dante slammed into him with a force that rattled the earth beneath us. The two wolves collided, snarling, a whirlwind of teeth and claws.
Ezra and Ryan sprang into action, cutting off Cole's wolves before they could interfere. The clearing erupted into chaos, wolves clashing, growls and howls filling the air.
I backed away, trying to keep my distance from the brawl, but my heart pounded in my chest. I could feel it—the power inside me, pulsing, waiting to be unleashed. But I didn't know how to control it, not fully.
"Crystal!" Dante's voice cut through the noise, his wolf battling Cole viciously. "Don't hold back!"
I closed my eyes for a brief moment, centering myself. I needed to trust the power within me, to let it guide me. When I opened my eyes again, I felt different—stronger, more focused.
Cole broke free from Dante's hold, blood dripping from his fangs, and charged at me again, but this time, I was ready. I raised my hand, and with a force I didn't fully understand, I pushed. The energy that had been building inside me burst forth, slamming into Cole like a tidal wave. He was thrown backward, crashing into a tree with a sickening crack.
Everything went still. The fighting stopped, and all eyes turned to me.
Cole groaned as he struggled to his feet, his body trembling from the impact. His eyes, wild with disbelief, locked on mine. "What… what are you?"
"I am the Queen," I said, my voice unwavering. "And you are done."
For a moment, I thought it was over. Cole was defeated, his wolves hesitating, unsure whether to continue the fight. But then, from the shadows, a figure emerged—tall, robed in darkness, with cold, silver eyes that glinted in the moonlight.
Dante growled, his eyes narrowing. "Orin."
Cole's lips curled into a wicked smile as he looked back at the newcomer. "You didn't think I'd come unprepared, did you?"
Orin stepped forward, his presence sending a chill down my spine. He looked at me with a twisted smirk, amusement dancing in his eyes. "So, this is the new 'queen'," he said, his voice silky and dripping with malice. "You're impressive, I'll give you that. But you're not ready for what's coming."
Before I could respond, Orin raised his hand, and a dark, swirling mist began to form around him. It coiled and writhed like a living thing, growing larger with every passing second.
"What is he doing?" I whispered, fear gripping me as the mist seemed to take shape, forming into monstrous, shadowy figures.
Orin's grin widened with visible evil on him.
"You'll see soon enough."
In the blink of an eye, the shadows lunged toward us, moving faster than I could react or show my power to. I barely had time to throw up a shield of energy before they were on us, their cold, inky tendrils wrapping around my power, squeezing it tight.
"Crystal!" Dante shouted, rushing to my side, with sword in hand, but even he seemed overwhelmed by the dark creatures which came in looking so good and human.
Ezra and Ryan fought valiantly, but Orin's magic was too strong. The shadows kept coming, relentless, suffocating.
And then I felt it—something sharp, cold, cutting through my defenses, striking deep into my core. I gasped, my knees buckling as the world spun around me. I looked down, and there, embedded in my chest, was a dark shard, pulsing with Orin's vile energy.
My vision blurred as I heard Orin's voice, soft and mocking. "This is only the beginning, little Queen. Enjoy your reign while it lasts."