The moment the Alpha King declared that I was to remain by his side, the palace walls seemed to close in on me. Whispers followed me like shadows; servants froze mid-task when I walked by, their eyes filled with equal parts pity and intrigue. I was no longer just a rogue... I was his mate—an unwelcome truth in a kingdom carved by tradition and bloodlines.
But being by his side didn’t mean I was safe. The Council had yet to fully accept me, and though Kael had ordered their silence, the venom in Elder Barron’s gaze said more than words ever could. I wasn’t meant to survive the weight of this court. I sat in the royal gardens that evening, my hands digging absently into the dark soil of the herb bed as the moon began its rise. I longed for my pack, my freedom. Instead, I was bound to a life I hadn’t chosen, tied to a King who claimed me in words but kept his heart locked behind centuries of duty. Footsteps approached—firm, slow, and deliberate. Kael. “I told you not to wander the palace alone,” he said, his voice deeper in the quiet night air. I didn’t look up. “I’m not wandering. Just needed air.” He stood over me for a moment, then crouched beside me. His eyes caught the moonlight—silver pools of power and secrets. “You’re angry,” he said, not as a question. “I’m caged,” I replied, meeting his gaze. “And I think you like me better that way.” His jaw tightened. “That’s not true.” “Then why am I still a prisoner in your world, Kael? Why do you parade me like a claim, but hide me from your Council’s approval? You know they want me gone.” Kael exhaled slowly and reached out to brush a leaf from my tangled hair. “You think I don’t see it? The way they look at you. Like you’re dirt under their boots. Like you’re unworthy of this place… of me.” “Am I?” His eyes flared. “Don’t say that.” “You haven’t answered the question.” He stood and turned away, fists clenched. The silence between us grew heavy, suffocating. “There are politics in this court that run deeper than even I can control,” he finally said. “The moment I brought you here, I knew I was risking everything. The bloodlines. The alliances. Even my throne.” “Then why bring me at all?” I demanded, standing to face him. “Why not just reject me and be done with it like most Alphas do when their mate is inconvenient?” Kael stepped closer, his scent—pine and storm—wrapping around me. “Because I can’t reject you. Don’t you understand? From the moment I scented you, everything changed. You burn under my skin, Liana. But that doesn’t mean I can ignore what it will cost.” I swallowed hard. “So I’m a weakness?” “No,” he whispered. “You’re my war.” Suddenly, the air shifted—taut, electric. A growl rose in the distance. Kael turned sharply, body tensing. “Stay here,” he ordered. But I didn’t. I followed him as he stormed past the rose-lined path and toward the western edge of the palace grounds. There, near the training field, a group of guards had formed a tight circle around something—no, someone. A wolf. Bloodied, shaking. My breath caught in my throat. The wolf shifted, collapsing into human form—a girl, no older than sixteen, her eyes glazed and skin smeared with crimson. I recognized her. “Elena?” I gasped, running forward before Kael could stop me. She blinked up at me, weak. “Liana… run. They… they know.” “Who knows?” I knelt beside her, brushing the hair from her face. “The Shadows…” she whispered. “They’re… here.” Kael was at my side instantly, his expression darkening. “Take her to the healer. Now.” Two guards lifted her gently, but Elena's hand caught my wrist before they moved. “It wasn’t just the rogues they were after,” she rasped. “They’re coming for the throne.” And then she passed out. Kael’s gaze met mine, and for the first time since I’d arrived, I saw fear in his eyes—not for himself, but for me. Later that night, Kael stood by the window in his chambers, staring out at the moonlit forest that bordered his kingdom. I sat wrapped in one of his heavy cloaks, trying to piece together what Elena’s warning meant. “The Shadows… who are they?” I finally asked. Kael didn’t turn. “Traitors. Assassins. An old faction of wolves who were banished from every kingdom for blood crimes and rebellion. I thought they were gone.” “You thought wrong.” He sighed. “They’re clever. They’ve waited in silence for years. But if they’ve resurfaced, it means one thing—someone inside my court has invited them in.” My heart pounded. “You think there’s a traitor in your pack?” “I know there is.” “Then you have to act. Warn your warriors. Secure the council.” Kael finally turned to me. “I’ll handle it. But you must promise me something, Liana.” I hesitated. “What?” “If anything happens—if I fall, or if the kingdom turns on us—you must flee. Go to the eastern border. Find Beta Rhys. He’ll know what to do.” “I’m not leaving you,” I whispered. He crossed the room in two strides and pulled me into his arms. “You have to. You’re not just my mate. You’re the only one who can keep the truth alive.” I tilted my head. “What truth?” He looked down at me, conflicted. But before he could answer, a deep howl echoed across the sky—long, guttural, and laced with dread. Kael’s body snapped rigid. “They’re here.”
