Sofiya Volkov lived a joyous life, but it all shattered in a single night. She was only eight years old when her uncle barged into her room and shook her awake, his words incoherent and urgent.

In her sleep-laden state, when she asked about her parents, she was told they went far away. When she asked how far, she was told they were unreachable.

She didn't understand why her parents left her behind, and no one answered her, no matter how much she wailed and screamed.

It was only with the passage of time that she felt her clan's grief as her own, a haunting chorus of loss echoing in the depths of her soul. But amidst the waves of grief, a fierce hatred brewed towards the vampires who had killed her parents.

And so, she vowed to drive a stake through their hearts should she ever encounter one.

Finally, the day had come.

The day she had been waiting for a long, long time. She wasn't going to face just any vampire — he was the King of all the vampires. If she pierced his heart, the vampire society would realize how it felt to be robbed of family.

A family so loving, she could not accept their absence even after years.

The loss, the suffering, the agony — everything was as unbearable as it had been yesterday.

"Why do you look like you're plotting a murder?" Jason's sharp voice reached her ears.

She met his gaze, lips stretching into a smile. "What if I am?"

"Sofi," he started, his tone tinged with concern. "I'm going to inform your uncle."

"You're my beta, not his."

"Not for long if you murder the Vampire King."

"I hate him!" A low growl rumbled from deep within her, reflecting her wolf’s temper.

He sighed. "We all do, but we have to respect the council."

Right, the council. "Fine," she conceded, exhaling slowly to calm her nerves. Her focus returned to the document she'd been holding for the past one hour. Truth to be told, she’d been staring at the jumble of letters as her mind wandered off.

If there was anyone she loathed after the vampires, it was the council — House of Unity and Security.

Everyone believed the five members of the council were chosen by the Moon Goddess herself, as they could wield her magic to uphold peace among all supernatural beings. But their relentless hostility towards Sofiya made her question this belief. They certainly knew how to put her down. Deeming her too young to share a room with them, and she, being a woman, only compounded their disdain. How different their demeanor would be if she were a Luna, bearing pups and managing the packhouse.

She hadn't been of age when the clan needed a new leader, so her uncle assumed the position of Alpha King. The council found him satisfactory as the ruler, but when they learned she was ascending the throne, as she rightfully should, they summoned her to the council house. There, she faced scrutiny and dissection. However, thanks to the unique abilities she possessed, the council had no choice but to accept her as the Queen of all werewolves, albeit begrudgingly.

She could detect whether a person was lying or telling the truth, heal wounds with a touch, and sense the emotions of those around her, but she also harbored a new gift that nobody had seen or heard of before. By holding a person's gaze, she could peer into their past, as if watching a motion picture.

Just when she thought she'd crossed the bridge, a bigger problem rose when her clan refused to accept her. They saw her unfit solely because she was a woman.

For half a year, danger followed her like a shadow. She received dozens of letters from her clan, demanding she step down or die. Not knowing how to handle such an unexpected blow, she followed her uncle's advice and attended the mating ceremony. She thought she would find her mate in the hunting grounds, where all the unmated werewolves gathered after turning eighteen, but he wasn't there. She even resorted to mate hunting — an extreme measure, for which she traveled from one pack to another with her loyal warriors, but again, she did not find the intoxicating scent nor did she cross paths with any mesmerizing man. And there was no magnetic pull that bound her soul to his.

She was devastated.

Who wouldn't be?

While she didn't believe that a queen needed a king to rule, she definitely needed her chosen one.

To this day, a part of her, however small, still longed for him. She was surrounded by love and care, but nothing could fill the emptiness that only her mate could. She had seen others and knew what a blessing it was to have a mate. Someone who would make you smile even on the worst of days, look at you like you are the most precious person in the world, and support you through highs and lows.

But it was all just if.

She pretended like it was okay, centering her life around her clan and their well-being. And eventually, it felt easier to breathe through the pain in her heart.

Things soon took a turn for the better. After realizing that she was as strong as her father and as generous as her mother, with powers which only a ruler should have, the opinions of the werewolves changed. They were pleased with the way she worked and the laws she made. And when goodwill letters started pouring in, she realized they'd accepted her wholeheartedly as their Queen.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts, drawing her attention away from the laptop screen.

"Thank you." She nodded at the maid who placed two mugs of coffee on the table, bowed, and exited the room.

She reached for one of the mugs and brought it to her lips for a long sip. Jason stretched his arms and took the other mug.

"It's going to be a long night," he said, rolling his head to relieve the tension in his shoulders and neck.

Glancing at the clock, she agreed. It was already past midnight. If only she had tackled the reports earlier, they wouldn't be rushing right now. The responsibility of four hundred and eighty-five packs was no joke after all. But she had let them pile up until she was summoned by the council for the meeting.

"You can go to sleep if you are tired."

Jason shook his head. "Two heads are better than one. It will be quicker. And you need some rest, or you'll be cranky tomorrow."

"It can't be helped. My mood sours when I think of them," she admitted, relieved that the meeting was held only once every five years. She couldn't tolerate their presence otherwise.

"Maintain your calm. You can't do anything reckless."

"Don't worry," she reassured him. Talking about them was one thing, but taking action was another. She was no fool to their power.

Faint daylight streamed through the windows by the time the reports were finally completed. Jason rose from his seat and left with a wave of his hand. She closed her laptop with an audible sigh and called after him. "Good night.”

Despite the hour, she felt wide awake, having trouble sleeping since that night when she was shaken awake. But, heeding Jason's words, she decided to rest for a while and made her way to her chamber. She changed into her silk nightgown and collapsed onto the bed, closing her eyes just as the first rays of sun touched the night sky.