Chapter 30
Noelle
When I move to stand behind Lucian, I’m both terrified of the lycans coming to fight us and excited. I’ve never been this close to awakening my inner wolf, but right now, I can feel her in every heartbeat, sense her in every breath.
“Do you think you can shift?” Lucian asks.
“Can you?” I counter, knowing damn well his fairy side has taken over completely. Not that I think about; I’ve never even seen him fight as a werewolf.
“Pfft, of course, I can,” he says, and I watch as my mate shape–shifts into a white, fluffy wolf.
My lips curl into a smile. “You’re so adorable!”
Lucian glares up at me. ‘Now isn’t the time to give me heartsy eyes, Noelle. You should be trying your hardest to shape–shift so we can actually win this battle.’
I clear my throat. “R–right!”
I focus my mind but jump when five lycans come out of the bushes. Luckily, Lucian is there to easily send them flying with his telekinetic abilities, his fluffy body radiating an aura of power and strength. I also notice that his eyes are back to being their usual green.
‘Focus, Noelle,’ His strained voice echoes in my head, almost as if it’s harder for him to use magic when his werewolf is the one in charge.
“I’m trying,” I tell him.
Try harder.‘
Really? As if I can just “will” my inner wolf to come out and play even though she has kept away from me for eighteen freaking years?
Anger bubbles up in my chest, but when I look down at my hands, I gasp–my skin is changing into dark, jet black fur the same color as my hair.
“I’m shifting!” I exclaim, my voice crackling with excitement. The feeling that’s washing over my body is intense, like an itch that grows in strength as it emerges from my bery core, stretching out to every fiber of my body.
Lucian grunts from the ground, looking more than a little impressed as he continues to fend off the lycans. He seems so much smaller now on his four legs, tiny as I grow taller and taller until I’ve turned into a black, towering beast of a lycan. None of the others come close to my size.
And they know.
All the other lycans stop fighting for a moment and instead, look up at me with fearful eyes. Their ears are flattened against their heads and some of them are hesitating to attack me. Could it be because I’m of a royal lineage?
“What are you guys doing?!” Cecilia yells from the ground. “She is the enemy, not your Alpha–attack!”
‘Fuck,’ Lucian swears inside my head. ‘I don’t know how long I can use magic without the fairy taking over. I’ve already sent so many of these wolves flying…what do I do? Break their necks?‘
“You might not have to,” I tense up at the sound of my new, deeper voice but quickly recover. “I’m ready to try out my new strength,” laughter leaves my mouth. “These small fry are soon going to wish they never picked a fight!”
I can feel Lucian’s surprise through the mate bond. I don’t think he expected me, someone who’s been a weak Omega her entire life, to feel this excited before a fight.
But I think that’s why I’m so energized. I’m no longer useless, and the lycans will soon learn that Lucian isn’t the only one who they should fear–I’m dangerous, too!
With a snarl, I launch myself at the remaining lycans, my new form fast despite its size. I tackle one lycan after the other and grow high on power when I realize these little pups have nothing on me. I’m so much stronger!
1/8
3:16 PM
Chapter 30
I can hear Lucian’s chuckle through the mate bond as he watches me toss each lycan aside with an ease that surprises even me. I turn back to look at him over my shoulder, grinning wildly in my lycan form.
He rolls his eyes, but I can see the affection glowing in his green gaze. ‘Don’t get too cocky, Noelle.‘
“Not cocky,” I growl back, “just confident.”
Just then, Cecilia leaps at me from behind. My instincts kick in as I whirl around, swiping her aside with a massive paw. She yelps and skids across the ground, her matted fur bristling with rage.
“You bitch!” she snarls.
I ignore her insult and instead focus on the rest of her pack, my eyes narrowing when I realize more are coming to their Alpha’s rescue. There are so many of them, but maybe if I…
My eyes widen with realization–if I defeat Cecilia, couldn’t I potentially become the new Alpha of the Cleopatra pack? I’m a lycan, too, and I doubt any other lycan from her pack would dare to challenge me if I killed their leader.
‘I like your plan,‘ Lucian tells me through telepathy. ‘And tell you what, if you get the Cleopatra pack to follow you, then I’m willing to step down as Alpha to let you lead the Midnight pack. You could merge the two packs together.
I gasp in shock, eyes kept on my mate. “Lucian….are you…are you actually serious right now?”
“‘Yes, I’ve been thinking about it ever since the last time I lost control, but never mind that now. We can talk about it after you’ve defeated Alpha Cecilia!‘
The encouragement sets my blood aflame. I turn my attention back to Cecilia, readying myself for one last powerful attack. Her hackles are raised and Lucian gives her a warning growl from his position, but I shake my head.
“This is my fight.”
Lucian immediately falls silent out of respect, and I turn my attention back to Cecilia. She looks scared, probably already knowing she can’t take me. I come from a stronger lineage, yet she takes a few bold steps forward, prepared to defend her Alpha status.
“You should have just given up quietly,” she mutters at me with hatred in her gaze. “You have no idea how to lead a pack or how to find the portal to the magical realm.”
“I was born to lead,” I growl back at her. “And I will find my way back home, eventually.”
A snort leaves her nose. “I hope you realize that by entering the magical realm, you will discover more enemies. You better be ready, Noelle. The Songheart family isn’t what it once was, and the only pack you will ever lead is the one you’ve built here. There is no one waiting for you over there.”
“Even if that’s true, I’m confident in your pack members–pack members that soon shall be mine!”
Cecilia doesn’t take well to my words and lunges at me, aiming for my throat with her sharp teeth. But it’s like a chihuahua trying to fight a rottweiler. I dodge her attack with ease and use my massive paw to slam her down on the ground.
A whimper leaves her mouth, but I don’t care. I place my paws over her chest when she is lying down, ready to tear her heart out and take her position as Alpha.
“Coming here tonight was your biggest mistake,” I sneer down at her as I speak. “Because now, you’ve made me so much stronger than I was.”
Cecilia struggles, but it’s clear she’s in pain and burning out of energy. Her once bright, proud gaze is now shadowed with fear. She snarls, “The Cleopatra pack will never follow you!”
I snort, “We will see about that.”
It’s now or never. I place my paw right over Alpha Cecilia’s heart, and I can see the terror in her eyes.
Sickeningly enough, I love it.
A wolfish smirk spreads over my lips. “Any last words, Cecilia?”
She remains silent for a moment and then spits out, “May the ancestors curse you, Noelle.”
20
3/3
3:16 PM
Chapter 30
I laugh at that. “It’s too late for curses.” With a swift motion, I press down, my sharp claws piercing through her chest and reaching her heart.
Cecilia lets out a final gasp, and then her body turns still, forever. I retract my paw, bloodied with her heart, and hold it up in the air as I let out an earth–shattering howl that echoes through the night. It is a signal, a proclamation of my victory over Cecilia and the Cleopatra pack.
There’s a moment of tense silence where the only sound I can hear is that of panting lycans around me. Then, one by one, they lower their heads in submission.
“Alpha Noelle,” one says with their eyes closed, and soon a chorus of the same words follow.
Chills creep down my spine. I’m not used to people looking at me with admiration in their eyes and I slowly shape–shift back into a human to stare at what appears to be my new pack.
I’m their Alpha now.
Holy shit.
Alpha Noelle.
A smile spreads over my lips, but it doesn’t last long.
Suddenly, I hear Lucian scream, “Noelle, watch out!” and when I hear a snarl behind me, I realize that not every lycan has acce
