Chapter fifteen
Louise's POV
Warmth.
That was the first thing I felt.
Not the gentle warmth of bathwater but something deeper. Something burning beneath my skin, spreading slowly through my veins like liquid fire.
My body felt strangely heavy.
My eyelids refused to open.
I could hear faint sounds around me voices, footsteps, movement but they felt distant, as if I were underwater.
Someone was speaking.
"…she still hasn't woken up."
That voice…
Tess.
I tried to move, but my limbs wouldn't obey.
What… happened?
The last thing I remembered was sinking into the hot bath, finally relaxing after the chaos of yesterday.
Then everything went black.
Third-Person POV
Earlier that morning…
When Louise didn't arrive for breakfast, Tess assumed she was just running late.
Louise was never the type to oversleep, but the previous day had been exhausting.
Still, something felt… wrong.
An uneasy feeling crept into Tess's chest.
After a few minutes, she excused herself from the breakfast hall and went to Louise's room.
The door was slightly open.
"Louise?" Tess called as she stepped inside.
No answer.
Her brows furrowed.
Then she noticed the bathroom door.
It was half open.
And water was dripping onto the floor.
"Louise?"
Tess pushed the door open.
Her breath caught in her throat.
Louise's body floated motionless in the bathtub, her head tilted to the side, completely unconscious.
"Louise!"
Panic exploded through Tess.
She rushed forward, grabbing Louise's shoulders and pulling her upright. The water splashed everywhere as she tried to wake her.
But Louise didn't respond.
Her skin felt burning hot.
Fear tightened Tess's chest.
"Help!" she shouted toward the hallway.
Servants rushed in moments later.
Soon after, Dave and Lypon arrived.
And within minutes, Louise was carried through the palace halls toward the one person who might understand what was happening.
The Kingdom's Head Shaman.
Wagen.
Wagen's chamber was filled with the scent of herbs and burning incense.
Ancient symbols carved into the stone walls glowed faintly in the dim light.
Louise lay unconscious on a carved wooden bed while the old shaman examined her carefully.
His wrinkled hands hovered above her body as he murmured ancient chants.
But nothing happened.
Minutes passed.
Then more.
Wagen tried different herbs, charms, and healing rituals.
Still nothing.
Louise remained unconscious.
Tess stood near the doorway, her hands trembling.
"Her condition…" Wagen finally said slowly, "is critical."
The words felt like a punch to Tess's chest.
Her mind instantly began replaying the morning's events.
What if she had noticed earlier?
What if Louise had been lying there longer than she realized?
Her fingers curled tightly.
"If I had come sooner…" she whispered shakily.
Guilt flooded her chest.
Suddenly, a pair of strong arms wrapped gently around her shoulders.
Dave noticed the fear that had engulfed his mate and pulled her into a comforting embrace.
"It's not your fault," he said softly.
Tess shook her head weakly as tears filled her eyes.
"But what if I was too late?"
Dave tightened his arms slightly.
"Louise is stronger than that," he reassured her quietly.
Tess leaned into him, tears slipping down her cheeks.
Across the room, Wagen suddenly froze.
A faint silver glow began spreading across Louise's body.
The old shaman's eyes widened.
"Wait…"
Everyone turned toward the bed.
The glow intensified, soft and radiant like moonlight.
Wagen slowly dropped to his knees.
"Impossible…"
A marking slowly appeared along the arch of Louise's foot.
A glowing crescent moon.
The room fell silent.
Then Wagen spoke in a trembling voice.
"The prophecy…"
Kyle's POV
I arrived just as Wagen finished speaking.
"…the Divine Mendora Luna."
The words echoed through the chamber.
I stood frozen near the doorway.
For a moment, no one noticed my presence.
Then Dave turned.
"Kyle."
Everyone stepped aside slightly.
My eyes locked on Louise's unconscious form.
Her body was glowing faintly.
The crescent mark on her foot shimmered softly.
Wagen bowed his head respectfully.
"Alpha King," he said. "The prophecy has awakened."
My jaw tightened.
"What prophecy?"
"The Divine Mendora Luna," Wagen explained carefully. "A sacred Luna chosen by the Moon Goddess herself. She is meant to embody the goddess's spirit and guide the werewolf kingdom alongside the Alpha King."
His voice grew reverent.
"She holds equal importance to the king."
Silence followed.
But inside my chest, something cold twisted violently.
Equal to the king?
I had heard this prophecy before.
Long ago.
And the last time the kingdom believed in a "divine Luna…"
My mother happened.
My father died.
Our dynasty nearly collapsed.
My eyes darkened.
"This changes nothing," I said coldly.
The room grew tense.
Dave frowned slightly.
"Kyle"
"I will not let history repeat itself," I cut him off.
My gaze remained fixed on Louise.
"She will stay out of pack affairs."
Wagen looked shocked.
"But Alpha, the prophecy"
"I don't care about prophecies."
My voice hardened.
"We already have a Luna Queen. That's all she will be."
Without another word, I turned and walked out.
Louise's POV
I woke hours later.
My body felt strange.
Lighter… but also stronger somehow.
Tess sat beside my bed.
Her expression brightened immediately.
"Louise!"
"What happened?" I asked weakly.
Tess hesitated.
Then she explained everything.
The bathtub.
The shaman.
The prophecy.
The Divine Mendora Luna.
My mind struggled to process it all.
A Luna chosen by the Moon Goddess.
Someone meant to stand beside the Alpha King and guide the kingdom.
It sounded… unreal.
Then Tess's expression darkened slightly.
"There's something else," she admitted quietly.
"What?"
She hesitated again.
"I overheard Kyle talking to Dave."
My stomach tightened.
"What did he say?"
Tess sighed.
"He said the prophecy changes nothing."
My brows furrowed.
"And?"
"He plans to keep you out of pack matters."
The words stung more than I expected.
But the next ones hurt worse.
"He said he won't let another Luna destroy the pack like his mother did."
Silence filled the room.
So that was it,that was how he saw me a threat ,or a repeat of his thrashy past.
My fingers slowly curled into fists.
For a moment, I said nothing.
Then a strange calm settled inside me.
Because for the first time in my life…
I felt purpose.
Direction.
If the prophecy was real…
Then I wouldn't allow anyone to push me aside.
Not even the Alpha King.
I slowly sat up.
"Where is he?" I asked.
Tess blinked.
"You're not actually going to"
"Oh, I am."
My wolf stirred inside me.
And this time…
I wasn't backing down.
Kyle might be the Alpha King.
But if he thought he could sideline me.
He was about to learn exactly who he was dealing with.
I don't even want to know what's happened to him in the past I sure as hell wasn't going to let his past experiences affect me.