The Iridescent Wolf

Chapter One (Danica's POV)

My heels click against the black marbled floor as I make my way down the long portrait-filled hallway. I do my best to avoid the haughty stares of my ancestors, but I can feel the contempt burn into my back as I pass. God, I don't want to be here, I think to myself as I get closer to the double doors of my father's office. I stop just outside of knocking distance and take a deep breath in hopes of calming my nerves.

I can't do this, I think to myself. I hadn't stepped foot in this office in four years. What gives me the right to waltz in there now? My body begins to tremble in fear and my breathing shortens as I continue to stare at the door. No, I'd rather just face the consequences of not going to this family meeting than go in there. I start to slowly back away from the door when it opens with a flourish. 

"Do you plan on standing there all day and making the rest of us wait?" My father's voice booms causing me to visibly flinch.

"I-I'm s-sorry father," I mumble under my breath. 

"Pathetic," my sister snickers, her seafoam green eyes lighting up with glee at my distress. 

"Just come in already. We've wasted enough time on your foolishness," my father sighs, running his hand through his salt and pepper hair. 

I quickly scurry into the room and place myself close enough to hear my father talk, but as far away from the rest of my family as I could get. Once I'm settled in all eyes are back on my father, who sits proudly behind a dark oak desk. I watch as he takes a deep breath before speaking words that would change the werewolf community forever.

"Now that, that is all settled the reason I called you all in here today is to inform you that the King and Queen have died." A hushed silence falls over the room before everyone explodes with questions.

"How could this have happened!?" My mother shouts, her face pale with shock.

"Who's in control of the kingdom??" My older brother questions, his brows furrowed in thought.

"Who cares about that! What about the prince!? Is he ok!?" My sister shrieks on the verge of tears. 

"ENOUGH!" My father roars in his Alpha tone, causing a tense silence to fall over the room. "I am the Alpha and your father and you will speak to me as such." 

"I apologize things got out of hand dear, we're all just worried right now. This has never happened before and they were so young. They had only been in power for 20 years," my mother responds in a hushed tone. Worry and fear etched deeply on her face causing her to look much older than she was.

"I know my love," my father sighs taking my mother's hand in his own. "The capital is under a lot of duress right now, but the council is taking care of things as we speak. This takes me to the second reason as to why I called you all here. We will be leaving the day after tomorrow to attend the princes' coronation."

"Oh my, that poor boy has just barely turned 17. Is he ready to inherit the crown?"

"My dear Lenore the boy has been preparing for this moment his entire life, he'll be ready, he has to be not just for the sake of the kingdom, but for the sake of werewolves everywhere."

Another silence settles over the room as everyone stews over my father's harsh, but true words. God I can't even begin to imagine how the prince is feeling right now. He doesn't even have a week to grieve before having to lead the country. 

"Alright, that is all of the information I have so you may leave and start preparing for the trip. I need you all to be on your best behavior, do you understand me?" My father questions, making it a point to stare directly at me. I cautiously nod my head, unconsciously shrinking in on myself. My father scoffs and with a wave of his hand dismisses my siblings and me. 

I'm barely halfway down the hallway when someone slams me up against the portrait of my great uncle Oliver. I let out a groan as shooting pains claw down my back. I hear my sister's angelic snickering before the force holding me against the portrait lets me fall to the floor. I look up to see my sister's glowing seafoam green eyes looking at me with delight and I know that whatever was about to happen, it wasn't going to be good. 

"What do you want Angelique?" I mutter and immediately regret saying anything at all. In a split second my sister's face morphs from glee to rage. She swings her foot back and kicks me in the stomach causing me to shriek in pain. She rolls her eyes in annoyance as she daintily kneels next to me. She slowly leans close to my face and I do my best to control the urge to spit the blood, which had accumulated in my mouth, at her.

"If you speak to me like that again I will break every bone in your right arm, got it?" She whispers into my ear causing me to recoil in fear. I warily nod my head and that appeases her. "Goddess you are so pathetic, honestly I don't know why our parents bothered to keep you around all this time. You are just a shit stain on our perfect family you know."

"I know," I murmur as my eyes mist over with tears. I know more than anyone else that Angelique's words are true. My family would be better off without me. I mean how could they love someone as pathetic as myself. I was a wolfless nobody.

"Ugh, please tell me you aren't going to start crying? At least try to save some face and do it in your room," she says, abruptly standing up. "Anyways I just wanted to tell you to stay the hell away from me during this trip. I heard the prince is still unmated and I don't want your pathetic excuse of a werewolf self to screw up my chances."

"Ok, Angelique," I whisper, my voice hoarse from pain. 

"Good girl Dani, you're not totally useless," she chuckles, flipping her auburn red hair behind her before parading confidently down the hallway. 

Goddess, I don't think I'm going to make it through this trip in one piece, I think to myself as I carefully pick myself off the floor.