TWELVE

It has been two months since I stayed in the Rosemoon pack; In the situation with the rogues, I helped Derek with the pack's issues, like the border's security and arrangement of the remaining warriors to secure and others.

Everything is going well for me, apart from my family's disturbance and a pack member's challenge.

(During two months in Rosemoon pack).

In the Afternoon.

Immediately, I stepped into the training ground silence occupied the atmosphere. The attention didn't faze me at all. Aiden told me that apart from him and our family, I unknowingly assert dominance anywhere with many people, like warning them to back off.

He does not understand why people make trouble for me when knowing They can't offend me.

In this situation, that is not the problem; almost every pack member, both old and new, must know me as the former beta's and current beta's last-born daughter and sister.

I stayed in a corner watching the training with Aiden teaching them.

I train myself alone in the forest, where I can destroy trees since I am not in the goldmoon pack, where I can destroy pieces of equipment and replace them at any time.

My strength, agility, and speed without Artemis' powers is a disaster and will be a calamity with them.

I stayed and watched the training till the early evening of the day.

"Training dismiss." Aiden dismissed the training and went to his sister, who waited for him in her corner.

He and his sister have a tactic understanding of training and how they settle their schedule.

In all the packs, they trained together; he conducts the training and trains with his sister in the nearby forest morning and evening.

"Are you sure you are a commander, or you are the SANGUINEX?. but you don't teach or do anything to us," An arrogant voice spoke out as I was about to leave with Aiden to train in the forest.

An awkward silence occupied the training ground at the question.

Aiden and I turned to the owner of the voice until I smirked inwardly at the face of the pack member.

'Ah! what was I expecting, 'Trouble' always comes to me when I want the opposite.' I sighed to my unfortunate fate in attracting trouble inwardly.

'Anyway, I was getting bored of the daily routine, and it seems my wish came true.' I added to my thoughts.

Ariana Smith, My former best friend and a lackey of Stella, She used without knowing herself.

'How foolish.' I thought.

"What is the meaning of this, miss?" Aiden questioned sharply.

Ariana faltered because of Aiden's intimidation before talking, "It is true that she stays without talking and goes to the guest house."

" If she is truly the SANGUINEX, she should stop being lazy, we are fighting for the pack, and you are not helping carmen," she added while tilting her head upward with a smile.

"You."

"It seems you have a problem with me," I replied calmly, stopping Aiden from talking.

" Yes, I do. my pack members do, and you are beta's family daughter, but you are not helping your pack," Ariana said.

'In the end, she is the beta's sister.' Ariana thought smugly.

"I see, then who are you?" I asked.

"Huh?"

"Who are you, and do we have a relationship for me to tell you my issues?" I repeated calmly.

Ariana was speechless with questions.

Yes, there is no relationship between them, yet, they were best friends before that night.

'she couldn't forget me,' Ariana thought.

"B-But this your pack, and you are beta's sister carmen." Ariana stammered.

"Now, let me make some things clear;

First, I am not the beta's family daughter and am not part of this pack and broke ties with them. lastly, my name is Carmen Millers, the goldmoon pack commander, and who gave you the audacity to speak, the name, so carefree?" I reprimand impassively.

"Also, I accept your challenge."

"w-what?" Ariana asked in a daze.

"I accept your challenge," I repeated.

"When did I challenge you?!" Ariana shrieked.

"You questioned my position as commander, and It seems you need to learn the basics of ranks in fighting and the unknown rule of authority."

"B-But."

"Aiden, be the referee." I ignored her paled face.

Aiden nodded and instructed the pack member, " please move to the center."

Ariana never thought things would turn this way.

She wanted to put carmen in a difficult position as a lazy person who didn't care for her pack, but the scheme bounced back to her.

She looked at her friends to help, but they avoided her pleading gaze.

She turned to the pack members for help, yet they avoided her gaze.

Ariana gritted her teeth and walked to the front.

Aiden looked at the two of them opposite each other, with people surrounding them in the background.

"Until one submits and shifts if needed," Aiden instructed with seriousness.

Aiden looks at both of them before shouting, "Start."

I looked at Ariana, who shifted to her pale brown wolf growling at me.

"Let me use this opportunity to teach you." I extended the claws on both hands before getting into a defensive stance.

My feet are at a slight side angle.

The knees, in front of the direction of my feet with arms at the side.

The pale brown wolf jumped with her claws at my face before I clawed her snout to the side of the building.

"Number 1. Never underestimate your opponent." I warned.

The pale brown wolf hit the wall with a whimper escaping her mouth.

"Number 2. Look for weaknesses." I appeared in front of the wolf before picking and throwing her to the other side of the building.

The wolf hit the wall again, and her broken bones sounded in the stunned crowd.

"Number 3. you must always be on alert because no enemy will wait for you to recover." I picked up the pale brown wolf and squeezed her neck.

"stop! please stop." A young man screamed and made his way to the front staring at me.

'He seems to be her mate.' I thought and looked at his neck and saw a mate mark.

" Why should I stop?. she has not forfeited," I questioned the paled man.

"Y-You are killing her, and You can't see that?" The man stuttered.

"Carmen," Aiden called me out.

He hates it when people look at me as a monster and can see how everyone stares at me.

'It seems I overdid it,' I thought.

"she challenged me by speaking of my place as commander, on the battlefield, and no one cares if you are mates or not."

I brought the pale brown to my face and spoke to her while everyone listened, " I will repeat what I said to Stella; Your position is like a servant's position to mine, Don't offend the people you can't offend, and never forget my name, runt." I dropped the wolf on the ground without care and left with Aiden behind me.

After that day, During training, all the pack members flinch at my presence.

It didn't faze me about their fear when my family started to disturb me.

Aiden tells me my ex-mother invites me to a family dinner every night, but I smiled coldly at her attempts.

I ignored every invitation of hers and continued my daily life until I found someone unexpected on the doorstep of the guest house with Aiden after morning training.

"Dylan," I questioned.

"Sister," Dylan answered his sister's call.

"It's commander carmen to you." I reacted.

"I see."

I spoke after the awkward silence, "Aiden, I will come after you."

"Sis." Aiden didn't like it, but he agreed.

"I see you replace us after you ran away," Dylan said.

"You can't replace something if you don't care for it," I replied.

"Carmen, you can't forgive us?" Dylan asked.

"Why should I forgive you when I don't care about you?" I questioned.

"Let me tell you something, beta knight. I stopped caring until you raised your hands on me." I added.

"Carmen."

"Why didn't you help me?. It was not my fault I didn't have a wolf." I asked.

"I expected insults from them, but not from you, and you were my closest family, yet I see the feeling was unrequited." I stared blankly.

Dylan flinched at his sister's blunt questions and statements, He regretted everything that he did and looked at my eyes to see if there was any emotion to see if there was a chance, but all he saw were blank and dull violet eyes staring at him.

"Carmen, you didn't shift, and we were a Beta's family and didn't want a disgrace." Dylan came up with excuses.

"I don't want excuses and asking, why did you do it?" I stopped Dylan from talking.

Dylan lowered his eyes and thought, ' why did I do it?'

he couldn't come up with an answer.

"I- I don't know" He lowered his head in shame.

"I see."

'How tragic, It seems I am the only one who loved them during that time.' I thought amusedly

"That's how far your love goes for me, to the point you won't hesitate to turn your back on me, brother," I said sarcastically.

I left him at the entrance with my parting words.

These are the difference between my adopted family and my blood-related family.

One knows kindness, the other values their reputation and benefits, Tragic but true.