I'M STRONGER

Freda’s POV

I wasn’t in a good mood at all today. with a frown and a slight rage hanging between my teeth, I matched with annoyance in hopes of finding Damien.

 As I headed towards Damien's rooms, the castle hallways seemed to run indefinitely before me. My feet matched the beating of my heart as they resonated off the stone walls. No matter how much he might want, Damien had to realize he couldn't control or compel me. I was done being the nervous, doubtful girl unsure of her place on this planet. Right now I was more powerful. That much had come from my training with Elara.

 Lost in my thoughts, I almost ran into someone wearing dark, flowing robes as I rounded a turn. My heart skipped a beat, I staggered back and looked up to see the devil Veresstina standing in front of me, her icy blue eyes fixed on mine. It appeared like she’d have devoured me with flames or anything dangerous at the sight of me.
 
 "Well, well," she muttered, twisting her lips into a nasty smirk. "If it isn’t a little human who feels she belongs here."
 
I straightened myself to meet her squarely. With her keen looks and even more sharp tongue, Veresstina had always made me uncomfortable. But today something inside of me refused to give up. Not now, not now was I going to let her scare me.
 
 With a firm voice, I responded, "I do belong here." And I have nowhere to be headed.
 
 Veresstina closed her eyes and lost her smile. "You are only a toy for Damien," she spat. "A basic human acting to be something more. It is ridiculous, honestly. You mistakenly believe you have authority here.” She said with hate all over her eyes.
 
I forced myself not to respond. She was attempting to cause me to doubt myself, to get under my skin. I wouldn't bring her the gratification though. not now.
 
 My voice was louder than I felt, I responded, "You don't scare me." And I'm not going to let you shove me about.
 
 The laugh of Veresstina was icy, quite frigid. "Oh, lovely child, you have no idea what you are handling. You are not part of our world, and you will drown very soon.
 
 Stronger than anything I had experienced before, a surge of rage shot through me. I closed my hands and drew on the inner power I had developed working with Elara throughout training. I was no longer just some helpless, pathetic female. Real power, is what I possessed. And I had no trouble applying it.
 
 With a stride towards her, I said, "You're the one who doesn't understand. I am not the same person I was upon my arrival here. I'm not scared of you or anybody else; I have learned a lot."
 
 Veresstina seemed startled for a time, as though she had not expected me to challenge her. But the astonishment swiftly became wrath, and before I could respond, she stretched out and forcefully shoved me against the wall as her fangs came out.
 
 Though I didn't let it show, the collision knocked off my breathing. Rather, I pushed back, wringing out of her grasp using the momentum. I hadn't been ready to forget that my training with Elara had taught me how to utilize the strength of my opponent against them.
 
 As I slid loose and gave Veresstina a quick kick to her leg, her eyes grew wide with horror and she staggered backward. She got back fast, her face turning terrible, and lunged at me once again. Still, this time I was ready.
 
 I sidestepped her attack, grabbed her arm, and whirled it quickly behind her back. The action was natural, something I had done repeatedly in my sessions with Elara and even at my pack. Though I could hardly believe I had done it, doubt had no time to surface.
 
 Struggling to get free, Veresstina snarled in pain and wrath, but I stayed still. I could sense the strength I had not even knew I had coursed through me. It was horrible as well as exciting.
 
 "You little wretch, let go of me!" Veresstina muttered, venom tinging her voice.
 
 Still, I didn't let go. My heart pounding, I held her there, pushed against the chilly stone wall. I was in charge, something I never would have imagined. Veresstina seemed to me as this untouchable force, someone who could smash me without thinking twice. But right now, in this instant, I understood I possessed more authority than I had ever dreamed.
 
 "I'm not afraid of you," I said, voice strong. And you won't stop me from doing what I have to.
 
 Veresstina battled harder but she was unable to break free. Though I wasn't sure how long I could maintain this, I wasn't ready to give up just now. Not after I had at last taken charge.
 
 "You're a fool," she spat, her voice trembling with wrath. "Damien won't pick you. All you are is a toy to keep him occupied, a diversion. But when he's done with you, you'll be thrown like everyone else."
 
 Her comments pierced right through, but I kept it under control. I knew Veresstina was trying to cause me self-doubt and break me. I couldn't however, let her triumph.
 
 Tensing her arm, I said, "I won't let you or anyone else decide my fate. Veresstina, you underestimate my strength. And nobody else, including you, will push me around."
  
Veresstina stopped resisting; her breath came in jagged spurts. She said, "You'll regret this," her voice low and threatening. "Little girl, you have no idea what you have got yourself into."
 
 Again, I murmured, releasing her arm and backing off, "I'm not afraid of you." And I refuse to let you threaten me.
 
 Veresstina pointed at me, hate blazing in her eyes. She stopped attacking, though. Rather, she fixed her robes, her face stiffening into one of frigid contempt.
 
 "This isn't over, Freda," her voice like ice. "The game is far from finished even if you might have won this round."
 
 She turned on her heel and then strode off the passage, her robes blowing out behind her. My heart still thumping, the adrenaline still rushing through my veins, I watched her depart.
 
 I stood there collecting my breath and sensed something different inside me. It was not only the excitement of having stood up to Veresstina or the gratification of defending myself. It seemed like power, something more fundamental.
 
 One of the most frightening people in the castle, Veresstina, had confronted me and I hadn't backed down. With everything I had learned, I had battled back and prevailed. Though little, the win meant everything to me.
 
 I was no more a helpless, frail human werewolf. I was strong, competent, and ready to meet whatever lay ahead. And so be it should that require confronting Damien.
 
 Driven once more, I headed down the hall towards Damien's rooms. But my hand lingered over the doorknob when I stopped at the door to Damien's room. Something went off. My bones could sense it.
 
 My heart thumping in my chest, I inhaled deeply, pulled the door open, and went inside.
 
 Then I saw something that stopped me in place and made my blood go cold.
 
 With his back facing me and hands tightly closed into fists, Damien was standing in the middle of the room. But the shadowy figure standing in front of him a figure I knew all too well sent shivers down my spine not only from his posture.
 
 Veresstina.
 
 And she was low and seductive, murmuring something to Damien. Though I could not hear what she was saying, I could feel the strain in Damien's body the way his hands were shaking, his shoulders were clenched.
 
 As I came to understand what was happening, a cold dread crept down my stomach. Veresstina was probably turning Damien against me, bending his mind, which I don't mind, he'll send me out of his kingdom but then I won't be his mate or queen.
 
 Frozen in place, I watched as Damien turned to face me with eyes ablaze with a wrath I had never seen before.
 
 " Freda," he replied, his voice detached and frigid. We should talk.