Chapter 10

Ashley's POV

A few days after confiding in Dante about Ryder's threatening behavior, I found myself wandering the palace gardens again. This time, however, I made sure to keep near the main pathways and well-guarded areas, not wanting a repeat of being cornered alone.

As I admired the neatly trimmed hedges and vibrant flower beds, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched. Furtive movements seemed to catch the corner of my eye every so often, but whenever I turned, there was no one there.

Unease prickled along my spine, but I tried to brush it off as lingering unease from the incident with Ryder. Dante's guards patrolled regularly. Surely I was just allowing my mind to play tricks.

Even so, I found myself cutting my stroll short and heading back inside to the safety of the palace interior. My steps quickened automatically as I neared the entrance.

That's when I heard it - a muffled thump and harsh groan. Freezing in place, I strained my ears, instantly on high alert. It came again, definitely closer this time. A scuffle of some kind?

Every hair on the back of my neck stood on end as my wolf senses kicked into high gear, detecting the tangy metallic scent of blood in the air. Dread coiled tight in my belly as I realized whatever altercation had occurred, it was happening dangerously close to the entrance I was headed towards.

My instincts screamed at me to turn and flee in the opposite direction. But some deeper, stupid stubborn part of me needed to know what was going on. Staying low and cautious, I followed the sounds and scent trail around a thick patch of hedges...and felt the blood in my veins turn to ice at the sight that awaited me.

Two of Dante's guards lay in crumpled, lifeless heaps on the ground, their sightless eyes staring up at me from broken necks. The metallic smell in the air was their blood, still sluggishly oozing out onto the grass.

A strangled gasp escaped my lips before I could stop it. Who...who could have done something so brazen, so close to the palace entrance itself?

"Well, well. What do we have here?" An icy female voice cut through my horrified shock, sending violent tremors down my spine.

Turning around, I came face-to-face with a striking brunette regarding me with pale, stone-cold eyes. Though I didn't recognize her, something about the predatory look on her face and the way she held herself screamed 'dangerous'.

"You picked the wrong place for a stroll today, little omega," she practically purred, slowly starting to stalk a circle around me with the powerful, sinuous grace of a born hunter cornering her prey. 

"W-who are you?" I managed to force out, my voice emerging shakier than I'd hoped. "What do you want?"

Emma raised one eyebrow, like she was surprised she forgot. "Oh yeah, manners! I'm Emma." Then she gave a nasty smile and looked you up and down in a mean way. "Listen up, I want you OUT of here. Your smell is awful and I never want to see you again."

My breath caught in my throat as her words sank in, an icy trickle of dread snaking down my spine. This was no random psychopath , this was someone who clearly knew who I was and had been seeking me out specifically.

Before I could even say a word, Emma was a blur of movement. Like a lightning-fast snake, she slammed her hand into my back with unbelievable force. I went flying, landing in a heap with stars spinning in my eyes.

Blood filled my mouth, a metallic tang that told me I was busted open. It was clear – Emma wasn't here to chat. Cold and calculating, she walked right up to me and grabbed a chunk of my hair, yanking my head back so hard it hurt.

Emma wasn't messing around. She leaned in real close, her angry face practically touching mine. I could smell how furious she was, spit flying everywhere. "You think you can just breeze in here and steal whatever you want?" she hissed. "You're not even good enough to lick Dante's shoes, much less be his partner!"

Before I could even think of what to say, she slammed my head into the ground. The crack was awful, and stars exploded in my vision. Everything started to fade to black, and all I could hear was her mean words ringing in my ears.

"This is just the start, omega bitch. By the time I'm through, you'll be begging to leave this place forever."

Then everything faded to black.

—————

I woke up with my head banging heavily.

By my side was Dante seated impatiently.

Finally you're awake. What the hell happened?

Who hit you? Where did you go? Are you okay? What….

I am fine " I cut Dante off.. he looked so worried, at some point I started to wonder why he is so good to me.

I managed to sit upright before proceeding to explain what had happened and how I ended up in this situation.

I met a woman outside, I think she was the one you took the guards at the entrance. But I think the main reason she came here was to take me down. I told Dante, sounding very worried.

She told me to leave this place and go back to where I came from. Dante pulled me to a warm embrace, calming my nerves down.

Do you know her from anywhere? Or perhaps have you seen her before? Dante queried.

I nodded my head in the opposite direction 

I haven't met her before. But she mentioned her name. She said she was Emma.

Dante's expression darkened at the mention of the name. "Emma," he repeated, his voice low and contemplative. The name sounds very familiar . But whoever she is, she is definitely dangerous .

I shivered at the thought of someone so dangerous being close to the palace. "What should we do? What if she comes back?"

Dante's eyes softened as he looked at me, his protective instinct clear. "You don't need to worry about that. I'll increase the security around the palace. Emma won't get close to you again."

I felt a wave of relief wash over me, but it was mixed with a lingering fear. "Why would she target me? I don't even know her."

Dante put his hand in his hair and said in a tired voice: "Bad people like her like it when things are messy and people are scared. She probably thinks you're easy to pick on because you're new and don't know much. But don't worry, she won't hurt you as long as I'm around."

His words were reassuring, but I couldn't shake the unease. "Thank you, Dante. I don't know what I would do without you."

He smiled, a rare expression that softened his usually stern features. "You won't have to find out. Get some rest. We will start training in the morning."

As he left, I lay back down, my mind racing. Who was this Emma, and why did she seem so determined to scare me away? The questions swirled in my mind, making it difficult to fall back asleep.

The next morning, I woke early, the events of the previous day still fresh in my mind. I got dressed quickly and made my way to the training grounds, determined not to let fear hold me back.

Dante was already there, waiting. He looked up as I approached, a hint of concern still in his eyes. "Ready to begin?" he asked.

I nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yes, I'm ready."