Author's POVWhen Elara was finally dragged up and struck again and again, she didn’t scream. Not once. She wouldn't give him that satisfaction. But her breathing turned ragged. Her skin, slick with blood and sweat, burned like fire.Kael stepped closer once more, crouching beside her as she lay on the ground.“You’re going to die soon, you know,” he whispered. “And no one is coming to save you.”She didn’t reply.“Don’t you want to beg me?”Still, silence.Kael frowned and stood again, brushing his hands off like he’d just finished peeling fruit.“Take them back. Chain them tighter. Still starve them.“He turned and strolled back to his chair.“And Elara…” he called lazily as she was dragged away. “If you change your mind… and beg me for mercy, I might let you be queen beside me.”“Just kill me already, you bastard!“ Elara screamed, struggling against the guards.Kael laughed to himself, then waved them all off like they were no more than a passing breeze.But behind his smile—behind
Author’s POVKael sat sprawled on the velvet throne in the center of the great hall, glass of wine in hand, legs lazily parted as if the world already belonged to him, and maybe it's his.Outside, the courtyard buzzed with servants and warriors preparing for his coronation. Banners bearing the new sigil—of his warriors bleeding over Cadman steel—flapped in the wind. But inside… Kael was restless.Bored.So damn bored.He let out a slow exasperated sigh, swirling the wine in his cup until it spilled over the edge and dripped down his fingers.“This waiting,” he muttered, eyes narrowed at the dancing flames of the chandelier above. “It’s exhausting.”A whore beside him chuckled nervously, her fingers trailing down his chest, leaning toward him. “Perhaps I can—”“Leave,” he said coldly, not even glancing at her.She stiffened, then scurried away, her eyes wide with fear.Kael straightened up slowly, that twisted gleam already forming in his eyes.“I need entertainment.”He turned to his
Gomez's POV“Not all of them,” Nolan cut in, leveling his gaze at Gomez. “Some will come around when they see we’re serious. Once we begin the march, they’ll have no choice but to pick a side. So, we can't let them weigh us down.”Gomez turned away, jaw clenched. Maybe he was right.Or maybe they’d sit back and watch us burn.Whatever it was, if he was alive after everything was over, he would get back at them. They are traitors and traitors shouldn't be given a seat at their table when the storm is finally over.“Do we know how many warriors Kael has stationed in the Cadman Palace right now?” Alpha Rhys asked.Nolan pointed at the map. “Rough estimate? Over a thousand. But more could be hiding in nearby towns. He’s clever. Hewouldn't want to leave any stones unturned.”“And Kael himself?” Alpha Gideon of the Eastwood pack—who has been silent all this while asked.“He won’t leave the palace before the coronation. He thinks he’s untouchable,” Gomez said coldly. “And that’s exactly why
Gomez’s POVTha air inside the war room of the Stormfang palace was thick with tension and the scent of candle wax and burning logs. Maps were spread across a long wooden table, showing the Cadman Pack borders, marked in red ink, and dotted with notes of patrol movements, guard rotations, and secret tunnels Gomez still remembered from his years of service.Around the table, half the Alphas who had attended the meeting earlier were now seated again—quiet, stern-faced, determined. These were the ones who had chosen to act. The rest of the Alpha had backed down simply because they were afraid of the Rogue king's tyranny.Alpha Nolan stood at the head of the table, his jaw clenched, his eyes burning with resolve as he addressed them. “We strike before the coronation. If we wait, the seal will become permanent, and Kael will gain the full recognition of the Alpha Council.”“Agreed,” said Alpha Lydia of the Redstone Pack—she was the only female Alpha after about two decades and she's quite
Kael's POV “Do I look like a fool to you?” I hissed. “N-no,” he choked, his weak hands reaching out and tapping me slightly. “Then tell me exactly who was the last person to visit Gomez before he vanished.” The healer’s lips trembled. “L-Lady Lyra,” she whispered. “She… she visited three days ago. Maybe she knows something.” I froze, releasing my hand from his throat. He let out a guttural cough. Lyra. Of course. She’d been acting strange lately. Distant. Quieter than usual. Always slipping off at odd hours. She’d changed since the miscarriage, but I thought she was just grieving her loss even though I knew that might not really be the case. Now… Now I wasn’t so sure. So I should ask her, right? I stormed out of the infirmary and toward her room, heart thundering with suspicion and fury. I didn’t even knock. I kicked the door open. Lyra turned sharply, already dressed in a pale silver dress, her hair loosely packed in a ponytail; she looks beautiful but I wasn't here for th
Kael's POV The palace bustled with activity—servants running up and down the marbled halls, tailors entering and exiting with bolts of silk, decorators arguing over flower arrangements, and chefs preparing menus to impress royalty. And at the center of it all stood me. Kael Whitmore. Soon to be King. I have been thinking a lot recently. Everything still feels like a dream. A dream come true—one that is too good to be true. How did I get here? I remembered the days that I have been so frustrated. The days that it seems nothing was working. The days everyone once doubted me, even my own father. But with perseverance and hardwork, I was able to achieve all I have ever wanted. I leaned back on the throne, draped in a black robe trimmed with gold thread, a glass of aged wine in my hand. I swirled it lazily, watching the reflection of the chandelier’s light dance across the crimson liquid. “My coronation,” I muttered under my breath. “In eleven days, the kingdom will kneel to