One morning, a week later, the castle was thrown into chaos when a rival pack arrived at the gates. The guards immediately alerted Kael, who strode into the courtyard with Beta Alex at his side and Belle trailing nervously behind them.
The Alpha of the rival pack, a fierce wolf named Zane with scars crisscrossing his face, stepped forward with a sneer.
"So this is the mighty Alpha King's castle," Zane drawled, his gaze sweeping over the grounds before landing on Belle. His lip curled in disgust. "And this must be the weak little omega I've heard about. Tell me, Kael, has your judgment always been this poor, or is this a recent development?"
Kael's eyes flashed dangerously. "State your business or leave, Zane."
"I've come to challenge your leadership," Zane declared. "My pack grows stronger while yours grows soft. You've even taken in this pathetic omega." He gestured dismissively toward Belle. "A true Alpha king would not let this weakling into his pack."
Belle flinched at his words, but something inside her hardened. All those training sessions, all the kindness Kael had shown her—she wouldn't let this bully disrespect either of them.
"I may be an omega," Belle said, stepping forward despite Kael's protective arm trying to hold her back, "but I'm part of this pack, and I won't let you insult my Alpha."
Zane threw back his head and laughed. "Listen to the little pup bark! Does she think she's a real wolf?"
A tall, muscular she-wolf with cold eyes emerged from behind Zane. "This is who you're defending, Kael? Pathetic."
Belle squared her shoulders. "I challenge your mate to a fight."
Gasps echoed through the courtyard. Kael turned to her, concern evident in his eyes. "Belle, you don't have to do this."
"I want to," she whispered, meeting his gaze. "I've been training. Let me try."
After a moment of searching her face, Kael nodded once, though the tension in his jaw betrayed his worry.
The rival Alpha's mate, Christine, circled Belle with predatory grace. "This will be quick," she taunted.
The courtyard fell silent as the two females faced each other. Belle closed her eyes, feeling something stir within her—something primal and fierce. When she opened them again, a ripple of energy coursed through her body.
In a flash of blinding light, Belle shifted—but not into the small wolf everyone expected. Instead, before the astonished eyes of everyone in the courtyard, stood a magnificent white wolf with silver sparkles. Her fur gleamed in the sunlight, almost iridescent, and her eyes glowed with an inner power no one had ever seen in her before.
A collective gasp rose from the crowd. No one had seen Belle's white wolf before.. The courtyard was in complete silence, every wolf frozen in place at the sight of her transformation.
Even Christine took an involuntary step backward, her confidence visibly shaken. "What trickery is this?" she snarled, but there was uncertainty in her voice.
Kael stood motionless, his expression a mixture of awe and something deeper—something that made Belle's heart race even in her wolf form.
"White wolves are legends," someone whispered from the crowd. "Signs of the Moon Goddess's favor."
Belle didn't understand what was happening, but she felt stronger than she ever had before. Her senses were heightened, her muscles coiled with new power. When Christine lunged at her, Belle moved with graceful precision she'd never known she possessed.
The fight was no longer even a contest. Belle darted around Christine's attacks, her white form a blur of movement. She remembered her training with Alex, but now executed it with supernatural agility. When she finally pinned Christine to the ground, it was with the unmistakable dominance of a wolf far beyond the omega everyone had believed her to be.
"Yield," Belle commanded, her wolf's voice resonating with authority that shocked even herself.
Christine struggled briefly before going still. "I yield," she growled, unable to match Belle's newfound strength.
As Belle stepped back, she shifted back to her human form, her clothes somehow intact—another sign of rare power. The courtyard remained in stunned silence. Beta Alex's mouth hung open, and several pack members had dropped to their knees.
Zane's face twisted with rage and fear. "What are you?" he demanded.
Before Belle could answer, Kael stepped forward, placing himself protectively between her and Zane. "She is under my protection," he said, his voice dangerously quiet. "And according to pack law, you must retreat and not challenge again for a full cycle of the moon."
Zane looked ready to argue, but the law was clear—and the white wolf had unsettled him deeply. With a final venomous glare, he signaled his pack to withdraw.
As they disappeared into the forest, Belle swayed slightly on her feet, the power of her transformation leaving her drained. Kael caught her, lifting her effortlessly into his arms.
"That," he said, his voice low and filled with wonder, "was beyond incredible. Why didn't you tell me about your white wolf?"
Kael's gaze intensified. "A white wolf hasn't been seen in our lands for centuries. They're said to be blessed by the Moon Goddess herself." His fingers gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. "We have much to discuss, but first, you need to rest."
As he carried her back to the castle, Belle was aware of the pack members watching her with new eyes, not with pity or dismissal, but with respect and even reverence. Something had changed today, something fundamental.
"Does this mean I still get my birthday party?" she asked, trying to lighten the moment.
Kael laughed, the sound warming her to her core. "After what you just revealed, we're making it a celebration like none before."
As they reached the castle doors, Belle caught sight of Beta Alex following behind them, still looking thunderstruck. "A white wolf," he kept muttering. "All this time..."
Belle rested her head against Kael's chest, exhausted but filled with a strange new confidence. Whatever her white wolf meant, whatever changes lay ahead, she knew one thing for certain: she was no longer just the weak omega everyone had believed her to be.