Chapter 5:They Come for their princess

The council hall erupted into chaos.

"The Black Fang Pack?" an elder exclaimed. "They were destroyed fifteen years ago!"

"They couldn't have survived!"

The bloodied warrior struggled to his feet.

"I saw their banners with my own eyes."

"The black wolf... with crimson eyes."

"They're real."

Kael's expression darkened.

"How many?"

"More than two hundred."

"They stopped outside our northern gate."

"And they left a message."

The warrior reached into his torn armour and pulled out a black arrow.

A silver ribbon was tied around it.

Kael untied the ribbon and unfolded the note.

His face froze.

"What does it say?" Rowan asked.

Kael read the words aloud.

'Return our lost princess, Lyra Ashwood, before the next full moon. If you refuse, the Crimson Moon Pack will burn.'

The room fell silent.

Every head turned towards Lyra.

She blinked in confusion.

"Our... princess?" she whispered.

"That makes no sense."

"I've never even heard of the Black Fang Pack."

The Oracle slowly closed her eyes.

"So..."

"It has finally begun."

Kael looked at her.

"You know something."

The old woman nodded.

"I know everything."

"But the truth was never mine to reveal."

Lyra stepped forward.

"What truth?"

The Oracle looked at her with sadness.

"My child..."

"The people you called your parents..."

"...were not your parents."

The words hit Lyra like a bolt of lightning.

"No..."

"That's impossible."

"My father died protecting this pack."

"My mother raised me here."

The Oracle shook her head.

"They loved you."

"They raised you."

"But they did not give you life."

Lyra's knees weakened.

Everything she believed about herself suddenly felt uncertain.

Kael stared at her in shock.

"You were adopted?"

"I... I didn't know."

Lyra's voice trembled.

"I swear I didn't."

Tears streamed down her face.

"If this is true..."

"Then who am I?"

The Oracle answered softly.

"You were born during the Blood Moon."

"The daughter of Alpha Darius and Luna Elara of the Black Fang Pack."

Gasps echoed through the hall.

"They were murdered before your first birthday."

"But one loyal warrior escaped with you."

"He carried you through the forest for three days before leaving you at the gates of the Crimson Moon Pack."

Lyra felt her world collapse.

"So... all these years..."

"I've been living under a lie?"

The Oracle nodded.

"To protect you."

Selene suddenly laughed.

Everyone turned towards her.

The laugh lasted only a second before she quickly covered her mouth.

"I-I'm sorry."

"I didn't mean to..."

But the Oracle had noticed.

Her silver eyes narrowed.

"Interesting."

Selene's smile disappeared.

"You seem... remarkably unsurprised."

Selene looked away.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Before anyone could question her further—

BOOM!

The entire hall shook violently.

Dust rained from the ceiling.

A second explosion followed.

Then another.

A terrified guard burst through the doors.

"Alpha!"

"They've broken through the northern wall!"

"They're inside the pack!"

Kael immediately drew his sword.

"Protect the elders!"

"Get the women and children to safety!"

The sound of clashing steel echoed from outside.

Screams filled the night.

Lyra rushed to the nearest window.

Hundreds of warriors dressed in black armour poured into the pack.

At their head rode a man on a massive black wolf.

He wore a dark crown and carried a sword with a crimson blade.

His eyes scanned the crowd...

Until they landed on Lyra.

He smiled.

Not with hatred.

With relief.

He raised his sword towards the sky and shouted with a voice that shook the battlefield.

"Kneel!"

"Your rightful princess has finally been found!"

Every Black Fang warrior immediately dropped to one knee.

The Crimson Moon warriors stood frozen.

Lyra could only stare.

Because she had never seen the man before...

Yet something deep inside her wolf whispered a terrifying truth.

She knew him.

End of Chapter 5

Cliffhanger: Who is the mysterious Black Fang king, and why does Lyra's wolf recognise him when her mind does not?