The Unexpected Queen - Book cover

The Unexpected Queen

Sofia Landeiro

4: Chapter 4

LEAH

After dinner, Maria and I head out for our run, promising Mom we’ll be back in an hour. The sun is still hanging in the sky, not quite ready to call it a day.

We strip down, leaving our clothes in neat piles on the terrace. We exchange a look of shared mischief before shifting into our wolf forms and darting into the forest. Sia, my wolf, is thrilled to stretch her legs and feel the cool earth beneath her paws. We chase each other, leaping over obstacles, and sharing laughter through our mind-link.

We reach a small lake, its surface still and reflecting the moon. I approach, lowering my head to drink. My wolf’s reflection stares back at me from the water, and I can’t help but admire her. She’s a beautiful blend of brown and gold in the moonlight. Not the biggest wolf in the pack, but not the smallest either.

Suddenly, Maria growls behind me. I turn to see her staring into the trees. I lift my snout, sniffing the air.

“Rogues?” Maria’s voice echoes in my mind.

“I think so,” I respond, moving to stand beside her.

A wolf I don’t recognize emerges from the trees. It bares its teeth, saliva dripping from its jaw.

“Run when I say so, okay?” I keep my eyes locked on the rogue.

The wolf crouches, inching closer. I focus on its paws, and as it prepares to pounce, I tell Maria to run. I throw myself at the rogue, sinking my teeth into its neck. It flings me off, and I land on my feet as the rogue rolls toward the lake. I see Maria’s wolf disappearing into the trees, and I follow.

Sia pours all her energy into running, and we catch up to Maria quickly. We sprint through the trees, not pausing to catch our breath. The rogue’s steps echo behind us, but they fade as we near our pack borders. Relief washes over me as we reach my house, but we don’t shift back until we’re on the patio.

“You’re bleeding!” Maria exclaims, wrapping her arms around me in a hug.

“It’s not my blood,” I reply, bending to pick up our clothes and heading inside.

“What happened to you?” Mom gasps when she sees us.

“We ran into a rogue by the lake, and Leah was amazing! She tackled the wolf and bit its neck!” Maria’s excitement is palpable as she animatedly recounts the story to Mom.

Mom looks at me, worry etched on her face. “You could’ve been hurt, Leah! You need to be more careful!” She hands me a towel. I wipe my face and see the towel turn red with blood. The reality of what I’ve done sinks in. I faced an unknown, potentially dangerous wolf and came out unscathed.

I don’t know what came over me. I just reacted, my only thought to keep Maria safe.

“Go shower, sweetheart. I’ll call Maria’s parents to pick her up,” Mom says, her hand gently stroking my arm.

I nod, hugging Maria before heading upstairs. In the mirror, I see blood smeared around my mouth, down my neck, and across my breasts. I look fierce. My hazel eyes shift to black as Sia moves closer to my consciousness to see our reflection. She likes what she sees—we look untouchable. I smile and ask her to relax.

I step into the shower, letting the warm water wash over me. Blood swirls down the drain. Once I’m clean, I dry off and pull on sweatpants and a T-shirt. Mom knocks and enters as I’m combing my hair.

“How are you, sweetheart?” she asks, sitting on my bed.

“I’m okay. I thought I’d be more scared in a situation like that, but I wasn’t.”

“I’m glad you’re okay. Maybe it’s all the training you’ve had.” Mom fiddles with her sleeve, clearly shaken by our encounter in the forest.

“Maybe.” I shrug, setting down the comb and joining her on the bed. “Don’t worry. I’m fine,” I reassure her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

“Promise?” Her eyes are teary. “I don’t want you to end up like your father. You’re so much like him. Brave, strong, always standing up for what’s right.”

“I promise, Mom,” I reply, hugging her. After a bit more reassurance, she leaves me alone. I crawl into bed, completely drained from the day. Sia is equally exhausted from our encounter and the subsequent escape. I lie there for a few minutes before sleep claims me.

Once more, I find myself in the forest of my dreams. My ethereal white dress flutters in the breeze as I tread the familiar path. I glance to my right and, as always, two gleaming eyes meet mine from the shadows. But this time, fear doesn’t grip me. Instead, I feel a surge of confidence. I extend my hand towards the darkness and a massive silver-gray wolf steps out from behind a tree. He’s enormous—horse-sized. My heart thumps wildly as he approaches, each step he takes echoing in my chest. He’s the most majestic wolf I’ve ever seen, easily twice the size of any normal wolf. His muscles ripple with each stride, and he halts just a breath away from my outstretched hand. The only sound is our shared breathing as we lock eyes, neither of us looking away. I yearn to touch him. The wind wails in the distance and an owl hoots. I inch closer to the wolf, my heart pounding as I near him. I’m so close now, I can feel the warmth radiating from his body. Just as my fingers are about to graze his fur, the dream yanks me back to reality. I bolt upright in bed, my heart still hammering in my chest. I touch my cheek and it’s warm, as if the dream was real.

Next chapter
Rated 4.4 of 5 on the App Store
82.5K Ratings
Galatea logo

Unlimited books, immersive experiences.

Galatea FacebookGalatea InstagramGalatea TikTok