My Omega Queen
Chapter 18: Lakeside Cha

POV: Emily

Yesterday, for the first time since I’ve arrived in the Midnight Pack, I had the opportunity to share one side of me with the members. I’ve always loved training sessions and not only because I consider myself good at them, but also because it is a time of bonding. It may seem cruel, but it is not uncommon for werewolves to communicate their feelings better through fists than words. We have a wild side, after all. In the beginning, I encountered the same feeling of reluctance and distance from some of them as I’ve noticed before, but eventually we warmed up to each other. It surprised me that their training is even more rigorous than I was used to see in the Bloodmoon Pack.

Today, at breakfast, I met up with Grace and we decided to meet up at the pack lake after eating, to catch up. Edward has been busy in his office with all kinds of meetings about the ceremony, the pack’s financial status and other pack related business. It’s been getting harder for us to deny the mate bond pull so we agreed that a bit of distance between us would be beneficial for these few days. However, I hope his busy lifestyle is a temporary thing.

Being lost in thoughts on my way to the pack lake, I get ambushed by Grace’s bear hug, almost throwing me to the ground.

“It feels like we haven’t talked for a decade!” says Grace, with her voice shaking.

My arms wrap themselves around her back, in a hug, and I nozzle my nose on her neck, taking in her familiar smell.

“We’ve got so much to talk about.” I reply, but since my face is still on her shoulder, it comes out muffled.

Coincidentally, me and Grace are still not introduced as members in the Midnight Pack, so we could still talk through the mind-link with each other, but so much has been happening at once that it didn’t even cross my mind. Eventually, we break the hug and continue on our way to the lake.

“How have you been?” I ask.

“I’m doing well, trying to adjust to this pack’s ways. Yesterday, I met the Head Omega here and she’s nicer than Wendy. Due to my past experience, I’ve been assigned a job at the canteen. We might not see each other as often during meals, depending on my schedule, but you know where to find me!” she says, smiling at the thought.

“That sounds great! You liked working in the kitchen.”

POV: Emily

Yesterdoy, for the first time since I’ve orrived in the Midnight Pock, I hod the opportunity to shore one side of me with the members. I’ve olwoys loved troining sessions ond not only becouse I consider myself good ot them, but olso becouse it is o time of bonding. It moy seem cruel, but it is not uncommon for werewolves to communicote their feelings better through fists thon words. We hove o wild side, ofter oll. In the beginning, I encountered the some feeling of reluctonce ond distonce from some of them os I’ve noticed before, but eventuolly we wormed up to eoch other. It surprised me thot their troining is even more rigorous thon I wos used to see in the Bloodmoon Pock.

Todoy, ot breokfost, I met up with Groce ond we decided to meet up ot the pock loke ofter eoting, to cotch up. Edword hos been busy in his office with oll kinds of meetings obout the ceremony, the pock’s finonciol stotus ond other pock reloted business. It’s been getting horder for us to deny the mote bond pull so we ogreed thot o bit of distonce between us would be beneficiol for these few doys. However, I hope his busy lifestyle is o temporory thing.

Being lost in thoughts on my woy to the pock loke, I get ombushed by Groce’s beor hug, olmost throwing me to the ground.

“It feels like we hoven’t tolked for o decode!” soys Groce, with her voice shoking.

My orms wrop themselves oround her bock, in o hug, ond I nozzle my nose on her neck, toking in her fomilior smell.

“We’ve got so much to tolk obout.” I reply, but since my foce is still on her shoulder, it comes out muffled.

Coincidentolly, me ond Groce ore still not introduced os members in the Midnight Pock, so we could still tolk through the mind-link with eoch other, but so much hos been hoppening ot once thot it didn’t even cross my mind. Eventuolly, we breok the hug ond continue on our woy to the loke.

“How hove you been?” I osk.

“I’m doing well, trying to odjust to this pock’s woys. Yesterdoy, I met the Heod Omego here ond she’s nicer thon Wendy. Due to my post experience, I’ve been ossigned o job ot the conteen. We might not see eoch other os often during meols, depending on my schedule, but you know where to find me!” she soys, smiling ot the thought.

“Thot sounds greot! You liked working in the kitchen.”

She nods and then quickly brushes off the subject: “Never mind that, tell me how the…” and she puts one hand over her mouth, whispering: “…mission is going.”

It only takes me a moment to figure out that she’s referring to our previous tense discussion on p*tricide and escaping the mad king, to which I can only display an awkward smile in response.

“About that… my spying techniques were not as advanced as I had hoped so I got caught messing with some documents and eavesdropping on the first day.”

Grace gasps in surprise, which makes me chuckle nervously.

“We had a serious discussion about it and it turns out that he indeed has killed his father due to the late king becoming mad over his mate’s death and damaging the pack’s morale with reckless actions. He had even murdered an innocent child for a meaningless reason, which determined Edward to step in and defeat his father in a fair challenge. All those rumors you’ve heard come from groups inside the pack that supported the late king’s ways.”

“Oh my Goddess! I’m so sorry, Emily! I’m so stupid, I should have at least verified these stories before coming to you with them. But I was so worried for you!”

Grace stops in her tracks and starts sobbing. I take her arms in mine and comfort her:

“Hey, please don’t worry about that. I am very grateful to know that someone’s watching my back and keeping me updated. Everything turned out okay.”

Grace looks in my eyes and nods in response. Then we start walking again, eventually reaching the lake. It is as beautiful during the day. It surprises me that it is still completely desolate of werewolves, yet I blame it for other pack activities. We stand there for a moment in silence, enjoying the scenery and gazing into the crystal-clear water. After a few minutes, I break the silence:

“It seems that I’ll have to fight Rachel for my position.”

Grace nods slightly in agreement and replies: “Expected, I assume. She would lose a lot of respect in the pack after what she pulled in the canteen the other day.” Then, following a pause, she gulps and says: “Are you scared?”

“I… I think so. It feels strange to be afraid of losing something that you have never had. I mean, what’s the worst that can happen? She banishes me and then I become free.”

“It’s not that simple. Obviously, you would wish to remain by your mate’s side. Besides, I think being a Luna and a Queen fits you.” And she smiles. “You’ve always been kind to everyone, regardless of how they would treat you, yet stern when needed. And don’t even get me started on those ridiculous reflexes.”

My cheeks start burning as I feel flattered hearing this.

“I know! How about we go watch Rachel train? This way we might gauge her skills and come up with a strategy.”

“That actually… sounds like a good idea. I wished we had let our wolves run free since it’s been a while for Accalia, but the earlier we get there, the more likely it is for us to encounter her.”

Since we both agree, we excitedly start heading towards the training grounds, in a quite fast paced walk. As we arrive, to our surprise, it doesn’t take long to notice a noisy crowd circling one of the fighting pairs. Accalia quickly discerns Rachel’s smell among the mass, starting to growl menacingly. I grasp Grace’s hand and push through the people. Awaiting us in the middle was a duel taking place, between Rachel and one of the buffed pack warriors from the prison, Alexei. They were both still standing in a perfect fighting stance, despite being clearly sweaty. Rachel goes in for a jab which is swiftly blocked by Alexei’s huge arms, who responds with a kick to the side, breaking her stance. Rachel quickly regains her composure and seems to be waiting for Alexei’s move while they move around each other. At one point, when Alexei is opposite me, we make eye contact. This is enough for Rachel to take advantage of and send Alexei to the ground with a few continuous front kicks, followed by a right hook.

“He could have blocked that.” crosses my mind.

Rachel is declared the winner and everyone begins clapping. She puts on a smug face, relishing in the attention by taking a winner pose. That’s when she notices me and confidently proclaims to the crowd:

“Look, everyone, our future Luna is here to train! I am sure she wouldn’t say no to a challenge, would she?”

And the crowd turns towards me, expecting an answer.

“What do you say, Emily?” continues Rachel.