The wolf Beside the King

Kael landed hard on four paws.

The transformation had happened so quickly that for a heartbeat, even he seemed surprised by the weight of his own body.

His dark-silver fur caught the moonlight as he lifted his head.

Across the ridge, dozens of Silver Fang warriors stood between him and the road to Blackfang.

Their wolves were already shifted.

Their eyes burned in the darkness.

One of them stepped forward.

“Take the Moon Chosen alive.”

Kael's ears flattened.

Again.

That same word.

Alive.

Never safe.

Never free.

Never Kael.

Only the Moon Chosen.

Only the Omega.

Only the thing everyone wanted to possess.

His wolf growled.

Beside him, another enormous wolf stepped forward.

Black fur.

Crimson eyes.

Lucien.

Kael's heart stumbled.

Even in wolf form, Kael could feel the Alpha King's presence. It was powerful enough to make the air feel heavier.

Lucien lowered his head slightly toward him.

Not commanding.

Not ordering.

A question.

Are you ready?

Kael stared at him for a moment.

Then he gave a low growl.

I'm not running.

Lucien's crimson eyes softened.

Neither am I.

The first Silver Fang charged.

Kael moved.

He didn't think.

He simply reacted.

His paws slammed against the earth as he sprinted forward. The attacking wolf lunged, jaws opening.

Kael twisted sideways.

Claws scraped his shoulder.

Pain flashed through him.

He spun and struck back.

The Silver Fang wolf crashed into the ground.

Another came from behind.

Lucien intercepted it.

The Alpha King's jaws closed around the attacker's shoulder—not enough to kill, but enough to throw him aside.

Kael stared.

Lucien was fast.

Terrifyingly fast.

But he wasn't fighting like a king who expected others to protect him.

He was fighting beside them.

A third wolf charged Kael.

Kael ducked.

The wolf sailed over him.

Kael turned and slammed his body into its side.

They rolled down the rocky slope.

Kael heard Rowan's roar somewhere behind him.

Then Darius shouted.

“More coming from the eastern path!”

Kael's head snapped up.

There were too many.

The Silver Fang hadn't come merely to attack.

They had come prepared.

To capture him.

A wolf lunged toward Kael.

Kael raised his head.

His Moon Seal burned.

Silver light exploded beneath his fur.

The attacking wolf was thrown backward as if struck by an invisible force.

The others froze.

Even Lucien stopped.

Kael stood in the middle of the ridge, breathing heavily.

The silver light around him pulsed once.

Twice.

Then disappeared.

Silence fell.

One of the Silver Fang warriors whispered,

“The bloodline has awakened.”

Another answered,

“Impossible.”

Kael's wolf growled.

He didn't understand what they were talking about.

But he understood the fear in their voices.

And for the first time, the fear wasn't his.

It belonged to them.

“Fall back!”

The Silver Fang leader barked.

Several wolves retreated.

Lucien immediately stepped forward.

“Don't let them regroup.”

Darius and Rowan moved with him.

The battle lasted only minutes after that.

When the final Silver Fang warrior disappeared into the forest, the ridge became strangely quiet.

Kael shifted back.

He dropped to one knee, breathing hard.

Rowan immediately ran toward him.

“Kael!”

“I'm fine.”

“You're bleeding.”

Kael looked at his shoulder.

A thin line of blood ran through his fur.

“It’s nothing.”

Rowan's expression hardened.

“You always say that.”

Kael looked at him.

“And you're always worried.”

“Because you're always doing something reckless.”

“I learned from you.”

Rowan almost smiled.

Almost.

Then his expression changed.

His eyes moved toward Lucien.

The Alpha King had shifted back as well.

Blood stained one side of his black shirt.

Kael noticed immediately.

“You're hurt.”

Lucien looked down.

“A scratch.”

Kael narrowed his eyes.

“You said that like Rowan.”

Darius snorted.

“That is exactly what the king would say.”

Lucien gave him a warning look.

Darius raised both hands.

“I said nothing.”

Kael almost laughed.

Almost.

But then he saw something on the ground.

A silver mask.

One of the Silver Fang warriors had dropped it during the battle.

Kael walked over and picked it up.

There was a symbol carved into its surface.

A crescent moon crossed by three vertical lines.

His Moon Seal burned.

Kael dropped the mask.

“What's wrong?”

Lucien stepped closer.

Kael pointed.

“That symbol.”

Rowan went completely still.

Kael noticed.

“You know it.”

Rowan didn't answer.

“Rowan.”

Still nothing.

Kael's voice hardened.

“You know it.”

Rowan finally looked at him.

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

“The crest of the Silver Kingdom.”

Kael frowned.

“There is no Silver Kingdom.”

“Not anymore.”

Lucien's expression changed.

“Darius.”

The Beta general immediately understood.

“Your Majesty?”

“Tell the scouts to search the eastern road. I want to know where these wolves came from.”

Darius nodded and disappeared down the ridge.

Kael looked between Lucien and Rowan.

“What aren't you telling me?”

Rowan sighed.

“Kael”

“No.”

His voice was sharper now.

“I'm tired of hearing that.”

Rowan fell silent.

“For eighteen years,” Kael continued, “you've told me I'm safer not knowing. You told me the people hunting me were dangerous. You told me my parents were people I should never ask about.”

His eyes burned.

“And now people are attacking me because of a symbol I don't even understand.”

Lucien remained silent.

Kael looked at him.

“You knew something too.”

Lucien didn't deny it.

“I knew there were rumors about an ancient bloodline.”

“Rumors?”

“Nothing confirmed.”

Kael laughed bitterly.

“Of course.”

He turned away.

Then a voice entered his mind.

Not Lucien's.

Not Rowan's.

Ancient.

Deep.

Remember who you are.

Kael froze.

The world seemed to disappear around him.

The mountain.

The wolves.

Lucien.

Everything faded.

He saw a throne.

Not Blackfang's throne.

Not Valerion's.

Something older.

A throne carved from pale stone beneath an enormous silver moon.

Behind it stood hundreds of wolves.

Alphas.

Betas.

Omegas.

All kneeling.

Not in fear.

In loyalty.

A man sat upon the throne.

Silver hair.

Amber eyes.

A crescent mark on his forehead.

Kael stared at him.

The man looked directly at him.

You carry my blood.

Kael's breath caught.

Then the vision shattered.

He stumbled.

Lucien caught him before he hit the ground.

Kael immediately tried to pull away.

Lucien released him.

“I'm sorry.”

Kael stared at him.

For some reason, the apology affected him more than the vision.

“You didn't have to let go.”

Lucien looked surprised.

“You pulled away.”

“I know.”

“Then I assumed you wanted distance.”

Kael looked into his crimson eyes.

“I don't know what I want.”

Lucien's voice softened.

“That's allowed.”

Those three words settled somewhere inside Kael.

No demands.

No commands.

No claim.

Just permission to be uncertain.

Kael looked away.

“Your kingdom…”

Lucien waited.

“Will they accept me?”

Lucien knew what he meant.

Not as an Omega.

Not as the Moon-Chosen.

As Kael.

“I don't know.”

Kael looked back at him.

Lucien continued.

“But I will make sure they learn.”

Something warm moved through Kael's chest.

His wolf stirred.

Mate.

Kael immediately pushed the thought away.

“Don't.”

Lucien's expression became serious.

“I didn't say anything.”

“Your wolf did.”

A faint smile touched Lucien's lips.

“So did yours.”

Kael's face heated.

“Mine is confused.”

“So is mine.”

Kael looked at him.

“For a king, you're surprisingly honest.”

Lucien's smile disappeared.

“I've learned that lies destroy kingdoms faster than swords.”

Before Kael could respond, Rowan approached.

“We need to move.”

Kael looked toward Blackfang.

The fortress was still visible beyond the mountains.

But now the journey felt different.

He wasn't simply traveling to a kingdom for protection.

He was walking toward answers.

His past.

His parents.

The Silver Kingdom.

The Moon Bond.

And the strange throne he'd just seen.

Kael looked at Lucien.

“If I come to Blackfang, I want conditions.”

Darius had returned and nearly choked when he heard that.

Lucien, however, simply nodded.

“Name them.”

“I choose where I sleep.”

“Agreed.”

“I choose whether I stay.”

“Agreed.”

“No one touches me without permission.”

Lucien's expression hardened.

“Agreed.”

“And no one calls me property.”

Lucien looked directly into his eyes.

“Anyone who does will answer to me.”

Kael studied him.

Then he extended his hand.

Lucien looked at it.

For a moment, neither moved.

Finally, Lucien took it.

Their palms touched.

The Moon Bond pulsed.

Silver light travelled across their hands.

Both wolves growled inside them.

Mate.

Kael quickly released him.

Lucien did the same.

Neither spoke.

But something had changed.

Not ownership.

Not submission.

A choice.

Kael turned toward Blackfang.

“Let's go.”

They began walking.

None of them noticed the figure watching from the forest below.

A black cloak moved between the trees.

Golden eyes followed Kael.

A gloved hand touched an old silver pendant hanging around the figure's neck.

The same crescent.

The same three lines.

A quiet voice whispered,

“So the Moon Chosen finally awakened.”

The figure smiled.

“And now every kingdom will come for him.”

Then the stranger vanished into the darkness.