Not just a presence-but eyes. Watching. Just beyond the veil of trees.
"Don't move," thornak growled.
The others froze, their weapons already halfway drawn.
A flicker of shadow moved in the trees, fast as a blink. Not a rogue wolf. Something taller. Leaner. Smarter.
"Karv, signal the others. Ruvan, with me. Dain, flank left."
Thorn's voice was quiet, controlled-but inside, his wolf roared, pacing under his skin. There was no fear in him, only focus.
He stepped forward, and the moment he did, a figure stepped out from the treeline. Cloaked in gray, face hidden beneath a hood.
"I wondered when the mighty King of Vargorath would show himself," the figure said, voice echoing through the wind.
Thornak's eyes locked on the stranger. "And who are you to desecrate my borders with this filth?"
The figure chuckled. "I am no one. Merely the hand of a greater force. One that remembers what you Lycans have forgotten."
The wind howled through the trees.
Thornak took a single step forward. "Then let your master hear this: Vargorath doesn't bow. Not to shadows. Not to blood magic. And not to ghosts of a forgotten age."
The figure tilted its head. "We shall see."
And then-it was gone.
Not a step. Not a breath. Just vanished.
Dain emerged a second later from the trees, snarling. "I couldn't get to him. He moved too fast."
Thorn turned back to the others, jaw clenched. "He wasn't alone. They're testing us. Pushing the edges. They want us to chase shadows."
Ruvan stepped beside him. "What do we do?"
Thorn's eyes burned gold as he looked toward the north. "We prepare. We find out what power they're drawing on. And when the time comes..."
He drew his blade, its steel singing in the frozen air.
"...we end it."
....
Back in the castle, Aedric strode into the Queen's chambers without waiting to be announced, a folded parchment in hand and a knowing gleam in his eye. The queen sat before a low table, sipping fragrant tea from a delicate silver cup, her expression serene but expectant.
"Well?" she asked, not bothering to look up.
Aedric offered a mocking bow, then held out the parchment. "Information, as requested. Our little guest had quite the humble beginnings. A backwater village near the eastern ridge. Adopted along with her brother by a common trader and his barren wife after some tragic mystery no one seems to recall in detail."
Maravelle finally lifted her gaze, taking the parchment with dainty fingers. She read in silence, her face betraying no reaction until she reached the end.
"A nobody," she said coldly. "No bloodline. No title. No worth."
"She fought off a pack of rogues, they say," Aedric added with a shrug. "Perhaps she's not entirely helpless."
Maravelle gave him a withering look. "Savage instincts do not make a queen."
Aedric smirked. "Even if she is his mate?"
The queen's eyes turned to ice. "Even then."
She rose, letting the parchment fall to the floor like discarded refuse. "He may be king, but Vargorath is not his alone to command. He forgets what is expected. What is owed to our people. A throne cannot be shared with a girl raised in filth and shadow."
Aedric arched a brow. "Then what will you do, my queen?"
Maravelle moved to the window, her voice like a blade wrapped in silk. "She cannot remain here. I don't care what fate has decided. She is not one of us... and she never will be."
She turned slowly, meeting his gaze with cool authority. "Summon Lady Selene. Discreetly. I would speak with her."
Aedric arched a brow. "oh?"
"She has the breeding. The strength. The poise. Everything Lara lacks," Maravelle said with quiet conviction. "And she was raised to know what it means to serve this kingdom. To stand at a king's side with dignity."
Aedric's smirk deepened. "You intend to remind Thornak what a real queen looks like."
"No." Maravelle crossed the room, pausing just before him. "I intend to remind him what his duty looks like."
....
Lara stood near the window, watching the golden light spill across the stone floor. Everything about the king's chambers felt foreign and grand—heavy with silence and meaning she didn't understand. She wrapped her arms around herself, still unsure why she had been brought here, let alone in the Lycan King's room.
A knock came, and the door creaked open. A tall man stepped in, dressed in fine black and silver. He had the same sharp jaw and piercing eyes as Thornak, but there was a gentleness in him that made her instinctively relax.
He smiled and bowed slightly. "Lady Lara, I'm Kael, Thornak's brother."
She nodded politely. "You're his brother? I didn't know he had one."
"Not many do," Kael said with a smirk. "But I'm the better-looking one, so they usually remember me eventually."
Despite herself, she gave a small laugh. He gestured toward the hall. "Come. My brother asked me to show you around the eastern wing."
"I… alright," she said hesitantly. "But I don't understand. I thought I was only meant to be here a few days."
Kael paused, studying her. "Is that what he told you?"
"No. He hasn't told me anything, really." She glanced down. "I don't know why I'm here."
Kael's smile faded slightly. "He'll explain when he returns. He should be back this evening."
The walk through the eastern wing was quiet but breathtaking. Unlike the grander parts of the castle, this area was private, dimly lit corridors with thick carpets, old stone carved with ancient runes, and rooms whose doors were rarely opened. Kael spoke casually as they walked, pointing out chambers and courtyards.
They stopped before a set of tall, ivy-covered doors.
"This is the king's garden," Kael said. "His personal sanctuary. No one enters without his permission."
Then he opened the door and gestured for her to go in.
The air changed the moment she stepped through, cooler, softer. Trees arched overhead like a cathedral of leaves, and a small stream ran quietly through the center. Wildflowers grew in the corners, and birds fluttered from branch to branch. It was secluded, serene...
Lara's breath caught. "It's beautiful."
"He doesn't let anyone else in here except the gardener." Kael said quietly.
She turned to him, a puzzled expression on her face. "Then… why are you bringing me here?"
Kael hesitated for a beat, as though weighing how much to say. Then he offered a small smile. "Because he asked me to. And because… you're not just anyone, Lara. Whether you realize it or not."
"I still don't understand," she said softly, eyes scanning the tranquil garden again. "All this feels like a mistake."
Kael didn't argue. Instead, he gently gestured for her to follow him again. "Come. There's something else I need to show you."
They passed through another hallway, quieter and older than the rest, the stone walls lined with silver sconces that flickered with soft flame. Kael stopped at a heavy oak door carved with the crest of Vargorath, the twin wolves.
"This," he said, pushing the door open, "is your room."
Lara stepped in slowly, eyes widening.
It was warm and airy, decorated in rich tones of deep green and gold. A fireplace crackled gently to the left, and large windows opened onto a secluded balcony that overlooked the far side of the garden. A canopied bed stood in the center, draped in velvet. Everything was elegant, but not overwhelming. It felt… personal.
"This is too much," she said quietly. "I'm not staying here. I'm just here until... until my family is safe."
Kael didn't answer directly. Instead, he motioned toward two figures standing just outside the door.
A soft-spoken young woman with chestnut braids stepped forward and curtsied. "My lady. I'm Mira. I'll be assisting you with anything you need."
And beside her, a tall man with a hardened expression nodded once. His eyes were sharp, always scanning. "Dorian," he said. "Your assigned protection."
"My what?" Lara asked, blinking.
"Bodyguard," Kael explained. "Thornak's orders. Mira and Dorian will remain close. Always."
Lara looked between them, her throat tight with confusion. "But I don't need a guard. I'm not..."
"I know," Kael interrupted gently. "Believe me, I asked the same question. But my brother was very clear. You're to be safe. Always."
She wrapped her arms around herself again, feeling small in the grandeur of it all. "I still don't understand why."
Kael gave her a kind look. "You will. When he returns tonight, he'll explain everything."
She gave a small nod, though her heart was thudding with a mixture of anxiety and unease.
As he stepped back toward the door, Kael added quietly, "Lara… you will be dinning with the king tonight."