NIYA'S POV:-
"I'm so nervous," I muttered, tugging on the sleeves of my shirt until they covered my trembling fingers.
"Don't worry, everything will be alright," Blake said, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I looked up at him, my heart pounding in my chest.
Earlier that morning, Ronald had come to my room with news that the former queen was ready to meet us. Ever since then, I had been consumed with nervousness. What if she was strict? What if she threw me in the dungeon for no reason? But why would she do that?
Now, I sat in the living room with Blake, waiting for Luna to arrive. "Blake, I'm really scared," I said, my teeth chattering. He chuckled at my fear.
"Don't worry, she's not going to eat you alive," Blake said, soothingly rubbing my back. I couldn't believe how comfortable I felt with him.
"I know, but still," I shook my head, trying to calm myself down.
"Listen to the young man, I don't bite," a voice suddenly rang out from the staircase. My heart skipped a beat as I looked up to see the former queen descending the steps.
As the former queen descended the staircase, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of awe and fear. As she stood before me, her ageless beauty strikingly apparent. Her skin was smooth and flawless, without a single wrinkle or blemish to betray her age.
Her hair was a rich, dark shade of brown that cascaded down her back in waves, seeming to glow in the light. Her eyes were an icy blue, piercing and sharp, as though she could see into the depths of your soul with a single glance.
Despite her ageless appearance, there was something about her that made it clear she was not human. Perhaps it was the way she carried herself, with a regal air of authority that spoke to her immortality. Or perhaps it was the way her movements were fluid and effortless, as though she had all the time in the world to do as she pleased.
As she approached me, I could feel a sense of power emanating from her, like a palpable force that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
I realized then that this former queen was not to be underestimated, for she was more than just a mortal ruler. She was something beyond that, something eternal and unyielding. And in that moment, I knew that I was in the presence of a true immortal.
She wore a black shirt which was tucked inside her black pants, the only jewel she had was a finger ring, earrings, and a beautiful smile on her face.
"I didn't mean that," I quickly interjected as the woman approached us, her presence commanding attention.
"Have a seat," she gestured towards the couch and we sat down as she settled into the one opposite us.
"Thank you," I said, while Blake simply nodded.
"What brings a gamma and a human to my palace?" she inquired with a smile, as a server brought us tea.
"We're here because I need to know something," I explained, hoping that she could help.
"Hmm, and what might that be?" she sipped her tea, her eyes focused on me.
"You're familiar with the curse, I assume?" I asked, to which she nodded.
"I want to know how to break it," I said, my heart racing.
"Interesting," she placed her cup on the table. "And why do you think I know how to break it?"
"Because of the story you wrote, where you were granted knowledge of every curse," I said, my hope palpable.
"I see," she laced her fingers together. "Well, you should know that my knowledge is contained within those books you looked through."
"But I found nothing on this curse," I sighed in frustration.
"You should know that if it's not in those books, then I have no clue," she informed me, taking a sip of tea.
"So there's no way to break it?" I despaired, feeling defeated.
"Not necessarily," she smirked, noticing my reaction. "I don't know how it works, but I do know of a coven that might be able to help."
"What coven?" I asked eagerly.
"The Luplosia coven," she whispered, her eyes intense.
"Why didn't our ancestors seek them out?" Blake spoke up.
"That remains a mystery," she shrugged. "But if you're determined to break the curse, that's where you need to start."
Luna's piercing blue eyes scanning us as if trying to assess our worth. "Anyway they hate our kind, and we can't seem to find them, but you," she said, pointing a finger in my direction. "You can."
"How can she find them if we can't?" Blake asked, sounding skeptical.
"She's a human gamma, and she has a lot more potential than you think she has," she replied, grinning. Blake scratched the nape of his neck, still unsure.
"But how can I?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
"It's for us to know and for you to find out, because we can't find them," she said, sighing.
"I'll try my best," I promised her with a smile.
"You remind me of my goddaughter," she said, her voice tinged with sadness.
"Where is she?" I asked, sensing that something was wrong.
"Dead," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears that she tried to hold back.
"I'm sorry," I said sympathetically, feeling a pang of sadness for her loss.
"It's..." she trailed off as we sensed someone behind us. We turned to see a tall man with jet-black hair standing behind us. He was dressed in a suit, but his presence exuded power and authority.
"There is a former Alpha and Luna, a present Alpha and Luna, they want to meet you," he bowed, indicating towards the door.
"Send them in," she said, her tone commanding.
Moments later, a man and a woman entered the room. The man was tall and muscular, with dark hair and piercing blue eyes, while the woman was beautiful with long golden hair and bright green eyes. They both exuded power and authority, and I could sense Blake tensing up beside me.
"What brings you here?" Luna asked as they entered.
"We are here to invite you to the ceremony of crowning my son as the alpha," the man spoke, and I noticed Blake tense up even more.
"Why are you all standing? Come, have a seat," Luna said, motioning for them to sit down. It seemed like a mistake because as soon as they saw us, they were in shock, and we were in shock looking at them. It was Steve, Louise, and Matt's father Simon, the Alpha, and mother Crystal, the Luna.
"What are you both doing here?" Steve asked, and I looked at Blake, who was as speechless as I was.
"We..." I stuttered, unable to form a coherent sentence.
"I asked something?" Steve looked at Blake, who continued to stare at him, unable to speak.
"Do you know each other?" the Luna asked, and we turned our heads towards her.
Blake and I both nodded, and Steve spoke up. "Yes, Javeria."
"Javeria? Aren't you Luna?" I frowned, confused.
"Yes, Javeria is my name," she chuckled.
"And Luna was the name given to me by the moon goddess, but when I found my mate and formed a kingdom, it was hard for us to rule so many wolves. So we made packs, and with every pack, we had one Alpha title. But we didn't know what to call the females, so I gave them my name as the title and accepted the name Javeria," she explained with a smile.
I couldn't help but ask her about the meaning behind her name. "Why did you give up your name?" I asked her curiously, noticing the way her smile only grew wider at my question.
"Why not? We are all her children, and luna means the moon. Every leader deserves it," she replied with a warm tone. Her eyes shone brightly as she spoke, and I couldn't help but feel drawn to her presence.
I nodded, impressed by the depth and symbolism behind her chosen name. I could see why she was such a respected leader among the pack.
Suddenly, the conversation shifted as Jeveria spoke up, "So how do you all know each other?" she asked, looking at me and Steve.
"This is the gamma of my pack, Blake Hudson, and this girl is my daughter-in-law, Niya Smith," Steve introduced us with a wide smile on his face.
"I didn't know your son was married to a human. I thought it was a werewolf," Jeveria frowned as she looked at Steve, clearly surprised.
"She's not my daughter-in-law," Louise interjected, rising from the couch.
"Louise," Steve warned her, but she didn't seem to care.
"No, Steve. I don't understand how you can be so cool about this," she yelled, her voice echoing in the spacious room.
We all stood up from our seats, watching Louise and a fuming Steve,who seemed to be growing angrier by the second. Jeveria looked amused by the sudden tension in the room.
"How did this happen? Hmm? She betrayed everyone by kidnapping Amanda and taking her place. She's an imposter," Louise pointed at me as she walked closer.
"I didn't want to marry your son. Amanda made me do it," I explained, trying to tell my side of the story.
"Seriously? And why would she do that?" Louise scoffed, clearly not buying my words.
"I don't know. She said she had some work and needed to be there," I replied, feeling frustrated.
"Oh, is it? You're a liar. You injected her with wolfsbane and stabbed her," Louise accused me once again, her voice filled with venom.
My frustration and anger finally boiled over, and I stepped towards her, my eyes narrowed as I spoke in a dangerous voice.
"Trust me, if I had stabbed her, she wouldn't be alive. Werewolf or not," trying to make her understand that her accusations were baseless, my tone leaving no room for doubts.
Louise looked fearful for a moment, but then she opened her mouth to speak once again. Before she could say anything, Jeveria's voice boomed through the room, silencing everyone.
"Enough. I won't appreciate such behavior in my palace," Jeveria spoke with authority, putting an end to the argument.
"But she--" Louise started speaking as Jeveria held her hand in the air, her eyes conveying a message of urgency.
"Is the blood oath done?" Jeveria asked with a commanding tone.
"Yes, she even bears our family ring," Steve answered, his voice full of conviction.
"Then it's done, Louise, you'll accept her as your daughter-in-law and give her the respect she deserves," Jeveria concluded firmly, her eyes gleaming with authority.
"I won't respect this mere human who betrayed us and my son, who took away my son's happiness," Louise said with hatred in her eyes as she looked at me, her words piercing my heart.
My eyes welled up with tears as I tried to hold back my emotions, but the pain was too much to bear. I couldn't help but wonder why I was being punished for something I never did. I looked at Jeveria, hoping for some sort of solace, but even she looked tense.
"Fair enough then," Jeveria said, looking at Louise before turning towards me. "But Niya, there's something we need to do. Ronald, come here," she called out.
I watched as Ronald rushed towards us, his face full of worry. Jeveria whispered something in his ear, and he nodded before walking away from us.
"I swear, Amanda is lying," I whispered, hoping that someone would believe me. But Louise looked at me with anger in her eyes, and I knew that there was no convincing her.
Just then, Ronald came back with a box in his hand. Jeveria took it from him and opened it, revealing a beautiful pendant with a small wolf on it. I looked at it in awe, wondering what it was for.
"Turn around," Jeveria ordered, and I did as she asked, feeling something cold touch my neck. I looked down to see the pendant on the chain around my neck, and I felt a strange sensation within me.
"What's this?" I asked, confused by the sudden turn of events.
"I Javeria, the daughter of Selene and the former Queen of the Werewolves, pronounce you Niya Smith as my goddaughter," Jeveria said, and I heard gasps from Louise, Crystal, and Simon.
Tears welled up in my eyes, and my heart filled with a sense of belonging that I had never experienced before. The pendant glowed as Jeveria said those words, and I looked at her with a sense of awe and wonder.
"Niya," Steve said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Say that you accept Javeria as your godmother."
"I--" my voice cracked, and I looked at Blake, hoping for some sort of guidance.
"I Niya Smith, accept you Javeria as my godmother," I pronounced, feeling a sense of relief wash over me.
I heard wolves howling in the distance, and a smile danced on Steve, Blake, Ronald, and Jeveria's faces. Jeveria hugged me, and I felt a sense of motherly love that I had missed for so long. I cried as I hugged her tightly, my heart overflowing with emotion.
"Why?" I asked, my voice trembling with emotion.
"Because you remind me of my goddaughter," Jeveria said, holding my hand as she led me away from the others.
"I couldn't save her, but I can help you." she sighed as she placed her hands on my shoulders.
"She was kind and selfless like you, brave and unloved," she smiled at me.
"I know, Niya. You lack love, and that's why you have so much darkness within you," I averted my gaze.
"I couldn't help my goddaughter overcome her darkness, which led to her downfall and eventually, her death. But I see that you have a lot of potential," she hugged me tightly as I felt the warmth of motherly love that I had always yearned for.
"Thank you," I whispered, and she patted my head. "Shh, you have me now."
As we walked out of the room towards the people gathered in the living room, Jeveria spoke to Louise and Steve, entrusting them to take care of me. "Louise, I believe you'll take care of my god-daughter," she said, looking at Louise who nodded in response.
Then she turned to Steve, the alpha of the pack, and said, "Steve, I hope that she receives the respect she deserves as the female beta and the wife of your son." Steve nodded in agreement, assuring Jeveria that he would take care of me.
"You don't have to worry about that, she's like a daughter to me," he smiled as I gave him a side hug, feeling grateful for his kindness.
"You're so lucky," Blake whispered to me. I smiled at him, feeling grateful for his friendship.
As we said our goodbyes to Jeveria and Ronald, Jeveria called out to me, "Niya!" I turned to face her.
"Remember one thing," she said.
"Don't let your darkness take over you. Don't forget there are people who love you." She smiled at me, and I felt tears prickling at the corners of my eyes. I hugged her one last time before leaving.
The drive back to the packhouse was silent. No one said a word, and the atmosphere was heavy with unspoken emotions. I sat in the back of the limo, feeling a mix of sadness, anxiety, and confusion.
Louise was sitting across from me, throwing daggers my way. Blake was to my left, and Steve was to my right. "Awkward," I whispered, trying to break the silence.
Blake nudged me, and I looked at him questioningly. "What?" I asked.
"Everyone can hear you," he whispered back. I rolled my eyes, feeling a hint of amusement.
"We can hear you too, Blake," Steve chuckled. Blake scratched the nape of his neck, a nervous habit of his.
"You guys never told me, what were you both doing there? And how did you find that place?" Steve questioned.
"Ronald asked me to visit him, and Niya was bored sitting in the house, so I asked her to tag along," Blake replied with confidence. For a moment, I almost believed him.
"Okay," Steve said, sounding unconvinced.
The car came to a stop, and the driver's voice boomed through the speaker, "We are here, Alpha."
We got out of the car, and Steve and Blake left to attend to their work. They asked me and Louise to go inside the packhouse.
As I entered the house, I was met with a scene of chaos. Amanda, was crying, and Cedric, looked furious. Other family members looked disappointed and upset. I couldn't help but wonder what had happened.
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***AUTHOR'S POV***
Jeveria slowly made her way up to her room, feeling the weight of her heavy heart as she walked. She knew that what she had just done was for the greater good, but that didn't make it any easier.
As she opened the door to her room, she saw a figure standing by the window. She let out a sigh and closed the door behind her.
"Is it done?" the figure asked without turning around.
Jeveria nodded her head slowly. "Yes, I did as you asked. I pronounced her as my goddaughter and gave her the necklace."
The figure turned around and walked towards her. "Good. You did the right thing."
Jeveria played with her finger ring, her eyes staring off into the distance. "But do you think it was the right thing to do? To bring her into all of this?"
"It was necessary," the figure replied firmly. "I'm doing what needs to be done, Javeria," the person replied as they sat down beside her.
Jeveria nodded, her expression solemn. "I hope so"
Jeveria couldn't help but think about the look in Niya's eyes. They were so full of darkness and it scared her. "Niya has a darkness within her that could be dangerous if left unchecked. We need to protect our kind." She confessed.
"I know. But it's hard to let her go. I know you miss her and can't give her place to another person. But what we did will not just protect Niya, it will save your goddaughter too. Maybe you'll be able to meet her someday," the other woman said with a reassuring smile.
The two of them stood in silence for a few moments, the moon casting a soft glow into the room.
"It's a beautiful night," the figure finally spoke, breaking the silence.
Jeveria looked up at her, confusion etched on her face. "What do you mean?"
"The moon," the figure gestured towards the window. "It's shining so brightly tonight. It's like it knows that everything is going to be okay."
Jeveria smiled softly, feeling a sense of comfort wash over her. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
The two of them stood there for a few moments longer, taking in the peaceful night. And for a brief moment, Jeveria felt a glimmer of hope that everything was going to be alright.
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So what do you think?
Is everything happening with Niya is the start of her happiness or she'll face more heartbreak?
Why was Amanda crying? Is that her plot?
And what do you think about Jeveria?
Who might the person be? And why do they want Niya to feel the pain?
And I know this chapter feels like hurry. But I promise future chapters are quite interesting.
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Dear readers,
I just wanted to let you know that this chapter has been edited since its original posting.
I hope the changes have improved your reading experience and made the story more enjoyable.
As always, thank you for your support and for taking the time to read my work
If any mistakes please let me know
And please do vote
Thank you❣️
❣️🕊️PEACE🕊️❣️