Chapter 18: The Bet

Charlotte. 

Since our last encounter, Iris made a conscious effort to avoid crossing paths with me. While this should have brought me some relief, I couldn't shake the feeling that she was plotting something. It wasn't necessarily something bad, but it was disheartening to see her training tirelessly from morning till night, day after day. As the Queen had proclaimed, nobody dared to mess with me or speak to me in a disrespectful manner they used to. Even without the Queen's intervention, rumors were spreading like wildfire that I would be the one to succeed her. Surprisingly, Kali also started to keep her distance, and I couldn't help but wonder what went wrong. Even if everyone turned their backs on me, I had expected Kali to stand by my side. However, she seemed to be the first person to create a divide between us, and it pained me. Every attempt I made to talk to her failed. She had already built a wall between us, just like the others. She even began greeting me every day, bowing her head respectfully. I told her to stop countless times, but she paid me no attention and simply walked away once she was done with her greeting. I knew without a doubt that the pack members did not accept me as their future leader. It had been widely known that Iris was next in line for the throne, until I showed up and disrupted everything. They all felt a deep sense of injustice, for I, an outsider who had only recently set foot in the pack, was being pitted against Iris, who had dedicated her entire life to this endeavor. Yet, no one had the courage to express their discomfort directly to me. It was evident that they were afraid of me, and this realization did not bring me any joy. Though I had struggled with fitting in before, I had never felt so estranged from the others.

As I leisurely strolled through the pack, I stumbled upon a gathering of girls, their laughter and cheerful conversations filling the air. However, the moment they caught sight of me, their countenances fell and a heavy silence descended upon them. I didn't need anyone to explain what had gone wrong; I knew that I was the problem.

"Good afternoon," they greeted in unison. The irritation within me grew so intense that I couldn't contain my thoughts any longer. "And what is so good about this afternoon?" I snapped, my words laced with harshness.

Their faces instantly drained of color, and they all dropped to their knees. "Have we done something wrong? If we have, please forgive us. We're sorry if we've upset you," they pleaded.

The realization of what I had inadvertently said hit me like a ton of bricks. I never intended for those words to escape my lips, but now it was too late to retract them. The girls trembled in fear at the mere sight of me, and I had no desire to become a ruler who instilled such terror.

"It hasn't been long, and yet you're already revealing your true nature," a voice remarked, causing my head to snap in its direction. Iris emerged from the shadows, her body drenched in sweat from head to toe. Clearly, she had been tirelessly training, eagerly awaiting the moment when she could overthrow me.

Regret instantly engulfed me, a wave crashing over my conscience. "I didn't mean it that way, forgive me for my careless words," I pleaded, desperately trying to ease the tension. But the girls remained rooted to the ground, trembling in fear.

"Oh, so now you're changing your tune, huh? Is it because I've arrived that you feel the need to hide? Don't worry, there's no need for that. Even a newborn can see the truth in your eyes, the desire to snap their necks," she sneered.

She was being utterly absurd. If there was anyone's neck I wanted to snap right now, it would be hers.

"Though you may think you hold all the power now, let me warn you that striking a fellow pack member is forbidden, even if you're the one. I'm not sure what the Queen will do, so it's advised that you control your anger and tread carefully," she said, a smug grin on her face.

No matter how hard I tried to swallow my rage and endure her words, they cut deep. I had already proven my loyalty, taking a stab in the chest before them. Wasn't that enough? Yet the girls, convinced of my violent intentions, sobbed uncontrollably, begging for their lives. I could no longer contain my anger, my gaze locking onto Iris with a fiery glare. "You've been itching for a fight, haven't you? Well, let's settle it now. But before we begin, let's establish some rules. Do you dare take a bet with me? I see you've been training hard lately. Let's see if it'll be of any use." From the way her muscles tightened, I could sense that I had struck the perfect nerve, and a sense of satisfaction washed over me. After all, she had managed to provoke me as well, so it seemed only fair to dampen her spirits along with mine.

Iris stepped forward, as if accepting the challenge, her eyes daring me to explain the rules. "What rules are you referring to?" she questioned, her tone laced with curiosity.

"It's quite simple, really. Just a trophy for the victor and, of course, a punishment for the loser. Such things are necessary when stakes are involved, don't you agree?" I replied, knowing she was intrigued by the idea of someone facing consequences. Little did she know that she had overestimated her own abilities and underestimated mine. It was time to show her, for I had reached my breaking point. "If I win this bet, you will have no choice but to become my friend," I declared, watching her shock unfold. Perhaps she had expected me to condemn her to the depths of despair, just as she would have done to me had she emerged victorious. But all I yearned for was peace.

"And what if you lose?" she inquired, her eyebrows raised in curiosity.

"Then I will have no choice but to listen to you, to do whatever you desire," I responded, ready to face the consequences of my defeat.