My Omega Queen
Chapter 19: Brawn and Brain

POV: Emily

“What do you say, Emily?” said Rachel, challenging me to a fight in front of everyone.

Of course, it would still be considered an optional training session based on our current environment, but all these people’s gazes upon me made it impossible for me to refuse.

Accalia was as angry in front of her insolence, as excited.

“She has no wolf, please don’t intervene.” I tell Accalia, trying to avoid an unfair fight: “No matter what happens.”

After I get an irritated agreement from Accalia, I nod in acceptance to the challenge and make my way onto the training ground, which is a circle, taking a fighting stance. Rachel mimics my action. The crowd goes silent around us, accentuating the seriousness of the situation.

Rachel begins the fight with a jab attempt to my face, which I block pretty easily with my left forearm. I take advantage of this position to go for a right uppercut that hits and backs her away a few steps. She recovers and tries for a roundhouse kick, but it feels as if everything happens in slow-motion because I have time to duck down and lunge, pinning her to the ground. As I hold her hands in a grasp above her head, I finish the fight before it even started by threatening her neck with my canines.

The silence is broken by Grace beginning to clap, which also highlights the end of the challenge. While I get up, I extend my hand to help her up but she chooses to scoff and get up by herself. Some people joined Grace in congratulating me, yet others decide to disperse the crowd. For a moment, I could swear I saw someone familiar leaving the area but I couldn’t see clearly. By the time I turn back to talk to Rachel, she is gone.

Accalia purrs proudly at our accomplishment, even though I can feel her hurt of being rejected. This challenge worked in our favor, as our anxieties about the ceremony have diminished.

“Would you like to celebrate this victory with a girls’ night in my room?” I ask Grace.

“Ooh, YES!” she replies, jumping in joy.

As we enter the mansion, the first thing I notice is Edward’s closed office door, meaning another meeting. I pretend to not notice as we bump into Amanda coming down the stairs:

“Hello!” she says, smiling.

“Hey, Amanda! This is Grace. She is an old friend from the Bloodmoon Pack.”

They shake hands after Grace respectfully bows her head slightly in front of the Beta.

“The more, the merrier”, I think, so I continue: “We were thinking of holding a girls’ night in my room. Would you like to join us?”

“Of course! That sounds delightful. I’ll be there in half an hour.” Amanda responds, radiating happiness.

By the time I finish showing Grace my huge room, Amanda shows up with three bags of chips and a bag of peanuts. We make ourselves comfortable on the bed, and start doing our nails while we talk about our day. Amanda is taken aback by our adventure with Rachel. Her face turned white for a second then she chuckled nervously, brushing her reaction off as surprise. Then we watch a movie and Grace decides that it was time for her to go home. Left alone with Amanda, she stumbles for a few seconds near the door, before saying:

“Emily, rest tomorrow, alright? Because the ceremony day will be tiring.”

The fact that she’s worried for me makes me happy and I smile.

“I’m serious.” She says, with a straight face. “Also, don’t accept food or drinks from strangers. There will be many guests and you never know who’s got something against us.”

Her reaction seems weird but I’m dying to go to sleep so I nod confidently, close the door behind her and head to bed, dozing off soon after. The clock on my nightstand read 2:37 am when I woke up slightly, hearing a few steps on the hallway. His alluring smell was invading my room from beneath the door, which only served to relax me further and make me fall deeper into sleep.

In the morning, I eat breakfast at the canteen and decide to follow Amanda’s advice to relax. I head towards one of the few rooms in the mansion left unexplored: the library.

Despite not having enough time nor access to many books, I have always enjoyed reading, especially about our race’s history. Though, these books are a grim reminder that our lineage is getting more and more scarce with each year that passes, due to the increasing number of werewolves that decide to leave this life behind and marry humans, eventually losing their wolf and powers. In the end, our fate will most likely end up like the witches’ or the fairies’: finding one of us here and there, trying to survive and pass on our way of life to the young.

Nathan used to bring me one book from the Alpha’s library, every year, for my birthday. I would usually have only two or three days to read them before they’d have to be taken back, hence my diagonal reading technique is advanced, if I may say so. Considering this, I begin devouring the Midnight’s Pack’s library.

Before I know it, it is dark outside. I realize that I have missed both lunch and dinner making my stomach grumble almost instantly. My feet lead me towards the kitchen, where I find Edward making toast, again:

“Is toast the only thing you know how to cook?” I ask, more as a curiosity.

He looks at me in acknowledgment, and just turns his back without saying anything back. However, I notice his red ears popping.

“I see, so I was right.” His reaction makes me let out a chuckle. Seeing the big bad Alpha King being teased so easily is quite funny, in a good way. As I get closer to him, I notice that there are two plates on the counter, near the toaster.

“Who is this plate for?” I ask, again, out of interest.

His face gets even redder. But he manages to mumble:

“For you.”

Now it was my face’s turn to get red, which gives him courage:

“I noticed that you’ve been in the library all day, skipping meals. I thought you’d want a midnight snack.”

His kindness and thoughtfulness melt my heart. I reward him with my sweetest smile and a truly wholehearted: “Thank you.”

After finishing the toast and placing the plates on the dining table, we sit down and eat. Edward breaks the silence by asking: “Did you get the itinerary for tomorrow?”

I nod negatively while stuffing my mouth with the crunchy corners of the toast.

“Alright, I’ll tell Amanda to leave it on your nightstand for when you wake up.”

Then he just stares at me with a soft smile while leaning his chin on his right hand. Meanwhile, I was trying to gulp down the food.

“I can’t wait to finally mark you.” He whispers, just enough for me to hear him, making me choke with food. I quickly get up to pour myself a glass of water, at the same time being delighted that I have a reason not to face him. Once I compose myself, I tell him:

“I think we should go to sleep. Thank you very much for the food.” And I start heading towards the stairs.

Edward gets up and picks up the plates, saying: “You’re very welcome. Enjoy your last night sleeping by yourself, Emily.”

I don’t think I’ve ever climbed up stairs faster than this time, hoping he can’t hear my heartbeat. As if the stress for the ceremony wasn’t enough to keep me awake tonight…