Elara's POV
If anyone had told me that I would marry a monster to save a kingdom I would have laughed, but here I am, sitting in a carriage wearing a wedding gown that feels like a burial coffins.
My name is Princess Elara Vance, the only daughter of King Alder of the human realm of Vareth, I was born under a blood moon, an omen the priests said, a cursed child who would bring ruin or peace depending on whom she loved.
Now my father calls it fate, I call it betrayal.
The wheels of the carriage groan as we enter the dark border that divides humans from wolves, the night is cold, silver and endless. Every time the horses snort I imagine claws scraping against the road, I press my palm to the window trying to calm my shaking hands.
"Almost there, Your Highness," one of my guards murmurs, his name is Captain Riven, a loyal man who raised me like a sister more than a princess, his face is pale now, his jaw tight, even his sword hand trembles
He shouldn't be afraid but he is, everyone is afraid of the Wolf King.
They say Kael Fenrir killed his first queen and drank the blood of her heart. They say his kingdom is cursed that the moon itself turned against him.
And yet… I am being sent to him as a bride.
A peace treaty, they called it.
But peace is just another word for sacrifice
When the carriage stops, I realize we have reached the gates of Moonspire Castle.
Through the window I saw the gates of Moonspire Castle, it was enormous, built of black stone that glitters under the moonlight like frozen tears, the towers pierce the sky and the walls seem to breathe somehow, like they're alive.
A low howl rises from somewhere inside the forest, long and haunting, the sound makes every hair on my body stand up.
"Stay behind me, Princess," Riven says as he opens the door.
But I don't, I step out first.
The air hits me like a slap, cold, sharp and heavy with something wild that makes my skin prickle. The guards posted at the gates are not men, they are wolves walking upright, massive creatures in armor with golden eyes glowing faintly through their helms.
One steps forward and his voice rumbles like thunder, "The King awaits his bride."
My heart twists at that word, bride, it sounds wrong in my ears
The massive gates open, and I follow them into the courtyard. Blue torches flicker along the stone walls, casting ghostly light over carvings of wolves and moons.
every step I take echoes too loudly and it feels like the castle is listening,
Then I see him at the end of the hall.
He stands under a silver chandelier, a tall figure in dark armor and a black cloak lined with fur, his hair is as dark as night, his skin pale against the torchlight, but it's his eyes that hold me frozen in place, cold sharp silver like moonlight trapped in ice.
King Kael Fenrir, the Wolf King himself.
Power radiates off him in waves, but under it I sense something sorrow a deep quiet kind of grief that doesn't fade no matter how many wars he has won,
When he moves toward me my heart forgets how to beat.
"Princess Elara of Vance," his voice is deep and smooth, "you have come far."
"I had no choice," I answered before I can stop myself from talking.
Something flashes in Kael's eyes, surprise maybe or amusement, then his lips curve slightly, "Honesty…."I wasn't expecting that
He stretched his hand. "Then let us at least pretend this is a choice."
When our palms touch, a jolt runs through me like lightning. The torches hiss, the air trembles, and the moon outside burns brighter than before.
And suddenly, I felt pain across my wrist, I cried out and tried to pull back, but Kael's grabbed my hand tightly.
"What's happening?" I said surprisingly
The wolves around us exchange glances. Kael's voice drops lower.
"The moon has chosen," he says softly. "You bear the mark."
"The mark of what?"
He doesn't answer. Instead, his expression shutters, and the warmth in his eyes vanishes like fog "You should rest, Princess. The ceremony will be at dawn."
And just like that, he turns and left
A woman steps forward, small and nervous with soft brown hair and quiet eyes, "I am Liora, my lady," she says, "I will take you to your chambers."
Her voice is calm but her hands shake as she gathers my train, she keeps glancing toward the ceiling like she is expecting something to fall on us.
As we walk, I try to speak, but she only says, "The castle doesn't like new blood."
"What does that mean?" I ask surprisedly
She gives a tight smile. "You'll see soon my lady
We walked in silence down the corridors with weird blue fire
The walls had pictures of wolves hunting under red moons. She stopped at some doors, pushed them open.
The room she opens is beautiful, silver drapes, crystal mirrors, and a bed carved with wolves and moons. But it is too cold.
When I ask about the King, she hesitates.
"He is not what he seems, my lady," she says carefully, "and neither was his queen
"What was she like?"
"Queen Seraphina was beautiful and powerful," Liora's voice drops to barely a whisper, "the King loved her desperately but she wanted something he couldn't give, she wanted the moons power for herself."
"What happened to her?"
"She died, but some say she never left."
Before I can ask more, Liora bows and slips out silently.
I fell onto the bed, exhaustion pressing down on me. My wrist still burns, while the mark glowing faintly in the dark.
I tell myself it's just nerves. Just a dream.
But as I was about to sleep, a voice calls softly, low, beautiful, and full of grief.
"Elara…"
I went back to sleep, thinking it was Liora calling . But when I open my eyes, I am no longer in my room.
I found myself in the middle of a moonlit forest, the trees around me are burning, and a woman stands ahead, her gown was dripping blood. Her face is pale, her eyes sharp silver, just like Kael's eyes
She looks at me and whispers,
"He belongs to me."
When I blink, she is already gone.
I wake up gasping, my heart hammering so hard it hurts.
My room is freezing, the candles blown out, my veil lies torn on the floor like something ripped it apart, and the mirror across the room, the large ornate mirror is fogged over from the inside.
And on the glass, three words were written….
WELCOME HOME, QUEEN.