The heavy clang of metal echoed as the prison door creaked open, and the torchlight spilling from the hallway painted long, wavering shadows on the cold stone floor. My pulse quickened. I gripped the broken wooden piece we had found, a makeshift weapon. While Sophia held a rusted metal tray like a shield. We had no idea who or what was coming, but we refused to be dragged away like helpless prey. Then we saw them. The elders of the Northern Range Pack. Their presence froze us in place, time itself seemed to pause. Their long ceremonial robes brushed against the floor as they stepped into view, their faces unreadable but carrying the weight of centuries of wisdom and judgment. They stood tall, unflinching, their gaze piercing like they could see right through my soul. I felt my grip falter, my fingers trembled as I slowly lowered the wooden stick to the ground. Beside me, Sophia did the same, her lips parting in shock. We exchanged a glance, neither of us had expected this.
Evelyn POV We were locked up in the royal prison, a place that had once echoed with the cries of those I ordered to be thrown into its depths. Now, it was my voice, my heartbeat, my trembling breath that filled the silence. The irony was cruel and unforgiving, like a blade pressed against my throat. Every crack in the damp stone walls, every droplet of water dripping from the ceiling, seemed to mock me. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to feel something other than the cold that seeped into my bones. Hope, it was all I had left, a fragile, flickering thing so small it almost felt foolish to cling to it. But what else was there? Without hope, I would crumble. We would both crumble. I kept telling myself that we just had to be positive, even as the damp air suffocated me and the iron bars seemed to close in, tightening around my soul. The room was dimly lit by a single torch outside the cell, its light barely brushing against the walls, leaving most of the prison cloaked
Elders’ POV The whispers had already reached us long before we set foot in the palace grounds. Rumors of destruction, betrayal, and an unsettling truth that refused to remain buried. We keepers of the ancient laws and guardians of the Northern Range Pack’s spiritual essence could not ignore the call of duty any longer. We arrived in silence, the air itself felt heavy, as though the palace was holding its breath. What used to be a vibrant place filled with life and laughter now stood as quiet as a graveyard. The once-bright banners that fluttered against the winds seemed dull, muted as though even the threads remembered the blood and chaos that had unfolded here. The scent of dust, smoke, and iron greeted us, unforgiving reminders of the battles that had shaken these walls. Our steps echoed softly on the stone pathways, the sound magnified in the emptiness. We paused briefly at the palace gates, taking in the broken spears scattered near the entrance, the cracked pillars, and t
MILA’S POV The room still pulsed with tension long after Dino’s parting words sank into the walls like poison. His voice lingered in my head, low and dangerous, You have no idea how deep the rot goes. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to quiet the storm in my chest. He stood there so calm, so sure of himself as if he held every answer we didn’t even know we needed. His eyes, cold yet blazing with something primal, made my skin prickle. Who was this man, really??? A son of the late King, or just a cunning liar who knew how to wear a mask???? My gaze flicked to Dominic, and in a voice so low only he could hear, I whispered, Do you think his secret could be in the box??? Dominic’s jaw tightened. His eyes darted toward Dino, then back to me. Slowly, he nodded. I think so, Mila. If the King hid letters about James, what makes you think he wouldn’t hide something about him?? A shiver snaked down my spine. The box, the weight of its secrets still pressed against my though
THE STRANGER’S POV DINO The silence that followed my command was sweeter than I expected. For a moment, everyone froze in a stillness so thick I could almost taste their fear, or was it surprise??? Slowly, they turned toward me. And the look on their face...oh, that was priceless. I saw it in their eyes, full of disbelief, then confusion, then something sharper, almost like recognition. They didn’t know me. Not really, but they saw him in me. The resemblance was undeniable, written across my face like a curse. The King’s face. Even James, from what I’d heard, didn’t mirror him so perfectly. And now, seeing the shock ripple across their features, I finally understood what the old woman meant when she whispered in my ear on those cold nights by the fire, Your blood will speak for you one day. It was speaking now, loud and clear. I let the silence stretch, savoring it, then I broke it with words I’d been rehearsing for years. I heard you invaded the palace. My voice
Dominic’s POV For some reason, Mila and I had been wandering around the palace like two restless spirits, poking our noses into places we had no business being. The war was over, the palace was quieter now, but something about the stillness felt wrong, too quiet, too perfect. The rulers of the palace are no more, and the maids and guards, most have returned to their different places, out of fear of not surviving and engaging in a war not theirs. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s that perfection is always a lie. Why do I feel like we’re doing something we’ll regret later? I muttered under my breath, trailing behind Mila as she led the way down a narrow hallway that smelled of dust and secrets. She threw me a mischievous smile over her shoulder, her brown eyes glinting in the dim light. Because you’re too scared to live a little. Scared???? Hell no, I scoffed, though the truth was, my gut told me this wasn’t a good idea. Cautious???? I guess is a yes and