A Queen Among Snakes: Chapter Five - Mei

Looking in the mirror I’m still surprised by the woman who looks back at me. It’s been a few months since I came to the Invictus Pack and the changes in me are more than obvious. My dark, wavey brown hair is now thick and glossy instead of greasy and matted with dirt and dry blood.

Chris had the former Gamma female – Evalyn’s mother-in-law – come in and treat my hair to get it looking decent again. It took her hours, but that was only part of the work.

My diet has significantly improved since being here, which has not only improved the health of my hair but the rest of me too.

The Mei from months ago was skin and bone. My skin almost looked translucent; covered in bruises with veins and bones sticking through the skin. I rarely saw my reflection but when I did it was terrifying. Now my skin has a peachy hue to it and looks healthy and my bones are hidden under skin and muscle where they belong. My brown eyes – that for years were dark and lifeless – now shine a warm chocolate colour. I look and feel like a different person. Getting to this point has not been easy though.

When I came to the pack I was looked over by their head doctor, a very nice man with a friendly face and a caring touch. He said I had multiple bones that had healed incorrectly and that is why they still caused me pain. The only way to repair the damage would be to reset the bones.

The thought of more pain terrified me, and I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t want them to break my bones, even if it would help me. I was too scared and even Chris was near tears. Chris eventually talked me around promising they would sedate me first. I was grateful for that and having Chris close made me heal faster. Just holding his hand soothed the pain I was in.

Since coming here I have gotten healthier and stronger. The kind of strength I knew was living inside me all these years but unable to break free. I’ve been able to learn more about myself and get stronger, but I still feel like there is more inside me waiting to come out. I just wish I knew what it was.

Chris knew I wasn’t a mutolupus, and it took me a week before I decided to tell him what I was. I know I had promised to keep myself hidden but I knew he was someone I could trust because he’s my animai.

I also finally learned what that meant. Your animai is your soulmate, a person Goddess Zarseti chose just for you. You complete each other and make each other stronger, and he does. As terrified as I was, I can’t deny that the moment I saw him I felt an emptiness inside me begin to fill. I felt like I was home.

It’s nice to know the Gods didn’t forget about me. Having a soulmate and being saved by him proves that.

Revealing what I am to Chris was scary. He was surprised but also in awe. He wanted to know everything about me, but sadly I couldn’t tell him much because, in truth, I’m still learning about myself. Albus Mons took me when I was just five, so the knowledge of my species is limited.

I am a nagata; a serpent being, but unlike a mutolupus, I do not have a spirit that resides within me. I am the human, and I am the snake. I am stronger and faster than a wolf with superior senses. I know my mother was a nagata and my father was a mutolupus, yet I am not a hybrid.

My mother in her mixed-form was eight feet tall with a tail that was nine meters long with the most beautiful golden scales. She reminded me of a statue of a Goddess. My father’s wolf was named Aiguo, with beautiful grey, white, and black fur and was roughly 4’8”. Together we lived as part of the Tian Pack back in China. They were my family and treated me so well… until the day they didn’t.

I am a rare nagata, just like my mother I possess the gift of healing. I can heal any injury or wound. I’ve had this gift since I was born and my mother would always tell me how special I was and taught me how I was supposed to use my gift, but she would never actually let me use it. She told me I should never use my gift in front of anyone else. I never understood why.

On top of all this, I have three forms instead of two like a mutolupus. I have only been shifting for the past few weeks, but it feels incredible! Shifting into my snake or mixed-form is exhilarating and freeing. In those forms my scales are indestructible and I’m even faster than in human form. I feel like myself; my true self, not the scared, weak, little girl hiding in a basement from the angry wolves who meant her harm.

My true test of strength came two weeks ago as I fought alongside my pack when we were attacked by an army of humans who had been turned into wolves. That day I felt like I found my purpose. I fought for and with my pack. I saved lives; I even saved my Alpha.

People don’t fear or shun me here, they welcome me, they care for me, and they praise me. It still feels strange but at the same time, it makes me happy. Mei from a few months ago would not recognise me now.

I put on my yellow sports bra, white workout tank top, black leggings and black sneakers and tie up my hair ready for morning training with the pack.

Training has become one of my new favourite activities, in fact, I’m now a co-trainer alongside Gamma Tyson – who is my brother-in-law. I help him with training the pack and maintaining pack security, though I’m technically still learning. The duty would traditionally go to his animai Evalyn – who is my sister-in-law.

I love having a sister! She is so sweet and caring and she always makes me laugh, but fighting and training isn’t for her, so instead, she assists her brother, Chris in his Delta role handling pack finances. As the female Delta, it should be me doing that, but the Alpha decided to change things.

Just as I’m about to step out of the closet, Chris swings me into his arms and plants kisses all over my face making me giggle and squirm.

“Chris! Stop!” I cry between laughs.

“Stop being so cute then,” he teases as he nuzzles me.

I catch my breath smiling up at his shining hazel-green eyes. He’s dressed in a white-fitted t-shirt and workout shorts with his hair up in its usual bun. He’s so dreamy, I’m sure sometimes I’m dreaming him. He’s too perfect to be real.

“We’ll be late for training,” I chastise.

He shrugs, “I can live with that, we’d still be getting in some exercise,” he says while wiggling his eyebrows making my cheeks turn a bright shade of red. “Besides, you can kick their rears any day,” he points out. I’m still getting used to that fact.

“I don’t want to leave a bad impression now that I’m working alongside Tyson.”

He sighs and nods in understanding, “I love how thoughtful and dedicated you are,” he says kissing my cheek as he sets me on my feet and takes my hand in his. “Five bucks says Eva whinges about something,” he jokes making me giggle.