EAVESDROPPING

The morning sunlight from the curtains made me open my eyes, the soft rustle of satin sheets was the only sound. I found myself in Damien's arms, my head resting against his chest.
“Good morning, my Queen” Damien's deep voice woke me up fully. 

“Good morning, my King” I replied as I tried to hide the redness of my face as I nestled deeper into Damon’s arms. Listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. The warm feeling I didn’t know I needed until recently. 

It felt like the world outside could disappear, and I would still feel safe here. For a moment, everything was perfect and peaceful.

I sighed contentedly, tracing lazy patterns on his bare chest. “I could stay like this forever,” I whispered. It wasn’t often that I allowed myself to relax like this, but when I was with Damien, it was as if all the tension in my life faded away.

Damon chuckled, the sound rumbling through his chest. “As much as I’d love that, I’m afraid the Kingdom won’t wait for us, they need their King and queen.”

I groaned playfully, burying my face into his chest. “Don’t remind me.”

He shifted slightly, propping himself up on one elbow and looking down at me. His gaze softened, and he brushed a strand of hair away from my face. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something.”

I looked up at him, curious. “What is it?”

“There’s a vampire festival coming up,” he began, his tone casual but his eyes searching my face for a reaction. “It’s a big deal around here. Witches from all over will be attending as well.”

I blinked in surprise. A festival? Witches? This was definitely not something I had expected to hear about, but then again, nothing in this world was quite what I expected. Still, the idea of being around so many vampires and witches at once made my heart race. What would they think of me? The human who might one day be their queen?

Damon seemed to notice my hesitation, his hand stilling against my cheek. “You don’t have to come if you’re not comfortable, Freda. I know this world can be overwhelming sometimes, and the festival... well, it can be intense.”

I took a deep breath, trying to think about everything. I was already so far out of my comfort zone, living in this kingdom, training with Elara, and navigating a life that felt like a wild dream I couldn’t wake up from. But I couldn’t hide forever. If I was going to be Damien’s queen one day, I had to face this world head-on.

“No,” I said, my voice firm despite the nervous flutter in my stomach. “If I’m going to be your future queen, I need to be there. I want to be there.”

Damon’s eyes sparkled, and he leaned down to press a soft kiss to my forehead. “I knew you’d say that,” he murmured. “You’re stronger than you think, Freda.”

I wished I felt as confident as he seemed to be in me, but I forced a smile, trying to believe his words. I would have to face these challenges one by one.


After Damien left me in his room to his study, I decided to get ready for my daily training session with Elara., Recently she has been training me in strength.

It wasn’t just about physical power, it was about using my inner strength, and learning how to stand my ground in a world where I was constantly reminded of how different I was. 

I walked to the training grounds. I liked Elara. She was patient with me, and there was something about her presence that was calming, even when I was frustrated. But lately, training has been difficult. I wasn’t getting it, whatever “it” was, and it was starting to wear on me.

Elara was already waiting for me when I arrived, standing in the middle of the clearing with her arms crossed and a wide smile on her face. Her long, dark hair shimmered in the sunlight and her piercing green eyes.

“Ready to get started?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

I nodded, even though I wasn’t sure I was. But what choice did I have? If I was going to survive in this world, I needed to get stronger, both physically and mentally.

We started with the usual exercises, focusing on breathing and centering my energy. Elara had explained that strength came from within, that I needed to tap into the part of myself that was unshakable. But no matter how hard I tried, I felt like I was constantly falling short.

“Focus, Freda,” Elara said, her voice calm but firm. “You’re too tense. Let go of your fear, I can sense it.”

I gritted my teeth, frustration bubbling inside me. “I’m trying,” I muttered, but it didn’t feel like enough. How can she even sense and feel my fear?  Every time I tried to center myself, it wasn’t working,  I wasn’t like the others. I didn’t have their power, their grace, their confidence. I was just… me.

We moved on to the more physical part of the training—pushing against invisible barriers, and channeling energy through my hands. But once again, I wasn’t getting it right. I could feel the power slipping through my fingers, like trying to hold onto water.

“Come on, Freda,” Elara encouraged. “You’re overthinking it. You need to trust yourself.”

I clenched my fists, feeling my frustration boil over. Why wasn’t this working? Why couldn’t I do what seemed so easy for everyone else? 

“I can’t,” I snapped, the words slipping out before I could stop them. “I’m not like you. I’m not like any of you.”

Elara didn’t flinch at my outburst. Instead, she stepped closer, her expression softening. “You’re right. You’re not like us. You’re different. But that doesn’t make you any less capable, I’m teaching you magic humans can do if they learn”

I looked away, my anger fading into something else, something that felt a lot like self-pity. Elara reached out, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Freda, the only person standing in your way is you. You’re stronger than you know. You just have to believe it.”

Her words echoed in my mind, and for a moment, I let myself breathe. I let myself believe that maybe, just maybe, she was right. I closed my eyes, feeling the tension in my body release. I focused on the energy inside me, the quiet strength that had always been there, even if I hadn’t seen it before.

When I opened my eyes, something clicked. I pushed my hand forward, and this time, the energy responded. It surged through me, powerful and I could feel the invisible barrier give way under my touch.

Elara smiled, pride shining in her eyes. “There you go,” she said softly. “You did it.”

I couldn’t help but smile back, a sense of accomplishment flooding through me. For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt like I was capable of something more.


Later that evening, after the training session was over and I had showered and changed, I went looking for Damien. I wanted to talk to him about the festival, to ask more about what to expect and how to prepare. Damien wasn’t in his study or court room so I wandered through the castle. I stopped when I heard voices drifting down one of the corridors, that sounds like Damien.

I paused, curious to know what was going on. Damon’s voice was low, I couldn't hear what he was saying. But there were others I could hear but I couldn’t recognize.

I moved closer, staying hidden behind one of the stone columns, listening in despite my brain screaming it was wrong to eavesdrop.

“We can’t let her ascend,” one of the voices said, “She’s half human and half werewolf, not a good hybrid combination. So It’s madness to even consider.”

“Humans don’t belong in positions of power,” another voice chimed in, their tone dripping with disdain. “Damien, you’re making a mistake.”

I froze, my heart racing. They were talking about me.

“She’s not just a human,” Damon’s voice cut through the air, sharp and defensive. “She’s stronger than you think.”

“Stronger?” one of the elders scoffed. “She’s weak. She’s not fit to rule alongside you.”

My stomach twisted at their words. Maybe they were right. Maybe I wasn’t fit for this. But then I heard Damon speak again.

“I don’t care what you think,” he said coldly. “Freda is my choice. And if you try to stand in our way, you’ll regret it.”

The silence that followed was deafening. I pressed my back against the wall, my heart pounding. Damon was defending me. 

I turned and hurried away before anyone could see me, my mind swirling with conflicting emotions. Damon believes in me. But could I believe in myself?