- BORN TO BE QUEEN
Delilah
Today’s training was different.
For the first time, I stepped into the underground training Hall, a vast, cavernous space almost half the size of a field. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and steel, and the walls gleamed with embedded torches, casting flickering shadows across the arena. This was where King Maxwell trained, and now, apparently, where I would train too.
Weapons of all kinds lined the walls…blades, staffs, guns, whips, even some that looked too ancient to still be in use. Training kits were stacked neatly in different sections, yet none of that mattered to me. I wouldn’t be using them, not today.
My opponent stood a few feet away. Zod. A,seasoned warrior and the pack Gamma, with the kind of broad, muscular frame that exuded raw power. His posture was relaxed but intimidating, his expression unreadable. I didn’t need anyone to tell me that he was stronger than me anyone with eyes could see that. But what I didn’t understand was why he expected me to fight him.
“This is madness,” I muttered under my breath, shifting uncomfortably.
Zod was a skilled fighter, a trained warrior, and a Lycan. He was all brute strength and calculated attacks, and yet he was challenging me? I barely knew how to throw a punch properly. Even Rosa had warned me not to take him lightly.
I wanted to refuse, to tell him this was pointless. Maybe if I called Maxwell, he’d put an end to this. But before I could even open my mouth, the elevator chimed.
The doors slid open, and I felt the energy in the room shift as two figures stepped in.
King Maxwell.
And beside him, his sister, Rowan.
They didn’t say a word, just stood there, watching. Their presence alone sent a shiver down my spine. Whatever was about to happen, I wouldn’t be able to back out now.
Zod’s voice broke through my thoughts. “My queen.”
I turned to face him fully. His dark eyes locked onto mine, his tone eerily calm.
“Please, concentrate on me,” he continued. “Whatever happens, do not go gentle on me. And bear in mind…I won’t go gentle on you. You need to figure out how to beat me.”
I swallowed hard, my fingers curling into fists at my sides. Was he serious? Beat him?
“My queen,” Rosa’s voice called from behind me. I turned slightly to look at her. She met my eyes with unwavering confidence.
“Be calm,” she said. “You’ve got this. Listen to me, you have it in you. Just make sure to dodge his kicks. And don’t forget what I taught you, read his mind to your advantage.”
Still, I nodded.
Taking a deep breath, I squared my shoulders. Fine. If they wanted me to fight, I’d fight.
I barely had time to blink before Zod moved.
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034 BORN TO BE QUEEN
+25 BONUS
Faster than I thought possible, he lunged at me, his fist cutting through the air like a blade.
My instincts kicked in. I didn’t have time to think, to plan… just reacted.
I punched his fist, knowing fully well that that was a wrong move from me.
The moment my knuckles met his, a sickening crack echoed through the room.
Zod’s eyes widened in shock. The force of the impact sent him flying backward, his body crashing onto the wooden floor with a thud.
I stood frozen, my breath caught in my throat.
What just happened?
Rosa rushed to his side, checking him. I could see the way her hands moved quickly, assessing the damage. Then, she turned to me with a glare so sharp it made me flinch.
“What was that?” she demanded, her voice ringing out.
Before I could answer, Maxwell’s voice cut through the tension.
“You will speak to her with respect,” he said, his tone cold.
Rosa immediately bowed her head in submission, but her body remained tense.
I looked down at my hand, half–expecting to see it broken or bleeding. But it was completely fine. Not even a bruise.
Then, I heard myself ask the question that had taken root in my mind.
“What am I?”
Silence.
Rowan was the first to move. She stepped forward, her expression softer than the others‘.
“You’re special,” she said simply. “And your only concern should be figuring out why.”
I met her gaze, searching for answers in her words. But before I could respond, she glanced down at Zod and scoffed.
“Honestly, he got what he deserved,” she muttered. “He attacked before she was even ready. She defended herself instinctively. He should be grateful she didn’t burn him to ashes.”
Burn him to ashes? My stomach twisted at the thought.
“Rosa,” Maxwell commanded. “Wake him up. He’s a Lycan, his bones will heal soon enough.‘
Rosa obeyed, kneeling beside him, but I barely registered it. My mind was still spinning.
I should have dodged. That was the plan, right? Dodge his attacks, not meet them head–on. And yet, something inside me had known to strike back. Something inside me had known I could withstand it.
A presence loomed behind me, warm and powerful. I didn’t have to turn to know it was him.
Maxwell.
The moment his arms wrapped around me, the last bit of tension in my body snapped. He held me tightly, his grip firm but careful, as if he was both protecting me and claiming me at the same time.
034 BORN TO BE QUEEN
+25 BONUS
Then, he spoke.
“This is my destined mate,” he declared, his voice carrying through the room. “I hope every single one of you will learn your place. What happened today will not be repeated?”
The power in his words was undeniable.
His Alpha tone commanded absolute obedience, and I watched as everyone, including Rowan and Rosa, bowed their heads in submission.
Maxwell’s fingers brushed against my wrist, his touch sending warmth through me. He leaned in, his breath ghosting against my ear as he whispered the final words that sent my heart pounding.
“You are born to be Queen.”
Tension crackled in the air, thick with unspoken truths and mysteries I had yet to uncover.
And somehow, I knew…
There are more things I need to discover about myself…My nanny, where is she?
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