Chapter 2

Chapter 2

…

"Hk!"

Elena couldn’t breathe.

A six-year-old girl with golden hair and round hazel eyes stood frozen, her small fists clenched tightly against her chest.

Her shabby clothes clung to her soaked body, dripping water from when she had jumped into the lake to save the rabbit.

Cold.

But the cold wasn’t what made her tremble.

It was him.

I’m so scared…

That was the only thought echoing in her mind.

She didn’t know why she couldn’t lift her head, her body was frozen, as if the figure before her was the most terrifying being imaginable, capable of killing her in seconds.

“Elena, is that your name?”

Lucien’s voice was cold. His eyes were sharp, as if he wanted to devour Elena alive.

No sound came from Elena. She didn’t dare raise her face even slightly.

“Heh.”

Lucien sneered sharply. As the newly crowned Alpha King, even though his power was not yet complete, he already held authority over all beasts around him. He could command the rabbit that had fled earlier to return to him.

The mysterious power possessed only by the Beast King rendered all animals around him helpless, forcing them to obey his commands absolutely.

“Huh? Lecy?”

Elena was confused when Lecy, the rabbit, suddenly ran back toward her. It stopped right in front of Elena, as if it could no longer control its own body.

“Hm!”

Lucien’s lips curved into a cruel grin. Something inside him felt strange, he wanted to make this little girl suffer.

And so…

Lucien’s sharp gaze fixed on them, and the rabbit standing before Elena suddenly leapt back into the black lake.

“Lecy?!” Elena cried out in panic, but her body remained frozen. The aura of the strange man before her made her too afraid to move.

Seeing Elena’s intense worry as the rabbit sank deeper, Lucien smiled coldly and continued in a cruel tone...

“Jump.”

Lucien’s voice was soft.

Too soft.

“Save your little animal… if you can.”

Lucien whispered the command, deliberately inflicting pain.

He seemed to be playing with her life but Elena didn’t care. She ran forward and jumped straight into the black lake.

Lecy sank deeper and deeper. Elena refused to give up, even as her breath began to fail. Her long golden hair shone like light within the dark water.

'Am I going to die?'

'Who is that terrifying man? Why is he treating me like this? Is it because I’m not pure-blooded?'

'Why does everyone think I’m filthy? I never asked to be born half-human…'

Elena cried. She knew she no longer had the strength to swim back up. She would drown and no one would mourn her.

The life of a half-wolf child was truly miserable.

But just as her hazel eyes were about to close, she was shocked to see the man dive into the lake. He grabbed her hand.

Elena’s eyes widened as she looked up, he seemed like sunlight tearing through the black water.

A strange feeling filled her, something she had never felt before. The feeling of being saved felt unfamiliar, almost unsettling.

“Cough… cough… cough!”

Elena coughed violently once they reached the surface.

Lucien looked indifferent. He stood before her, tilting his head slightly, staring down at her with a terrifying gaze.

“Your filthy blood makes me nauseous. I didn’t let you die because I don’t want your dirty blood contaminating my land.”

“Be grateful, little girl and remember, you owe me your life.”

Lucien’s words were merciless.

His suffocating blue eyes locked onto Elena. She clenched her fists and finally lifted her face.

Her hazel eyes looked like crystals. The little golden-haired girl looked painfully beautiful as she cried.

Elena pressed her lips together, holding back her anger. She wanted to scream, Lecy couldn’t be saved.

“Hm.”

Lucien chuckled coldly, then walked away, leaving Elena behind. She immediately burst into loud sobs as he disappeared from her sight.

“Such an interesting little girl… those eyes really do look like crystal,” Lucien murmured to himself.

He noticed an old woman searching frantically, calling Elena’s name

“Aaaaa…”

“Lecy…”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t save you…”

Elena cried desperately toward the black lake.

Their first meeting brought Elena nothing but suffering. Lecy, her rabbit companion in the forest, had died because of that terrifying man.

“Elena, what’s wrong, dear? I've been looking for you everywhere…”

Elena’s grandmother rushed over and hugged her tightly. Elena said nothing she could only cry and point toward the lake.

That day became a deeply sorrowful one for Elena.

…

Time passed.

Elena still often entered the ancient black forest, the place where she had met Lucien, but she was always cautious, making sure she wouldn’t encounter that frightening man again.

She had to gather firewood, food, and fruit in the forest. Her grandmother was old, and her leg had been injured by Umbreal blood long ago, leaving it nearly useless.

Elena’s grandmother was a true wolf, but her age and injury left her unable to do much. So Elena was the one who frequently ventured into the forest to survive.

...

Five years passed.

Enough time for wounds to settle…

but never truly heal.

Elena was now 11 years old, with thick wavy golden hair and a small, beautiful face, she was about to enter the forest to gather firewood when...

“Elena!”

A 17 year old young man with a sturdy build ran toward her.

“Sir Caelan, what is it? Do you need something from me?” Elena asked gently.

Wearing her shabby dress, her round gemstone-like eyes made her look very sweet.

“No. I just want to take you to Luris. The coronation of the new king will be held today. Your grandmother asked me to find you.”

“Come on.”

Caelan Blackthorn, the only son of the Alpha Commander, the strongest commander in the Lupus Kingdom.

Elena and her grandmother lived in the Blackthorn Pack, and Caelan had known Elena since childhood.

“Huh? A new king?” Elena asked.

Caelan nodded while holding her hand.

“Yeah. I heard the new king is the same age as me. He’s the king destined to overthrow the demon king whose name must not be spoken.”

Caelan spoke excitedly.

They ran through fields of flowers. As they passed, petals flew into the air.

“Hm…” Elena grew more curious.

Soon, they arrived at Luris the capital city of the Kingdom of Lupus.

The werewolf kingdom was far from primitive. Grand buildings adorned with artistic carvings filled the city, and wolves throughout the streets carried out their daily routines.

Times had changed. Wolves only transformed during the full moon. In daily life, they lived mostly in human form to conserve their power.

Caelan led Elena through the crowd.

“Caelan!”

Someone called out. Elias Frostclaw one of Caelan’s close friends and also a friend to Elena waved at them. He had prepared a spot for them to welcome the new king.

Today, the king’s face would be revealed to all Packs.

“That’s My Father,” Caelan said, pointing.

His father stood proudly in his commander’s armor, with Caelan’s mother smiling gently beside him.

Around them stood the Alphas of every Pack, awaiting the king’s arrival. Tonight’s full moon would complete the king’s power, that was why the ritual bathing would take place.

The sound of ceremonial werewolf drums echoed.

Silence fell instantly.

The massive gates separating the palace from the city of Luris opened.

From within, the kingdom elders emerged in white robes. Among them walked a teenage boy...

Lucien Noctyrr Valecrest.

Seventeen years old, 185 cm tall, Pale blue eyes, burning like blue flames.

Whispers spread through the crowd.

The legend was true, the new king possessed a 100% human form, yet his blood was 100% wolf. As true wolves, they could smell and sense it.

And there was something else they couldn’t understand, their bodies bowed instinctively. Their blood burned hot at the sight of him.

That was proof that the young man before them was indeed the new Alpha King.

“This scent…”

Lucien walked forward with a cold aura. The older he grew, the stronger he became—strong enough to instantly recognize the scent that had haunted him for five years.

The scent of a half-human.

His sharp gaze swept over the bowed crowd until he spotted golden hair among them.

“Hm.” Lucien smiled coldly.

The girl was easy to find, wearing a faded, shabby blue dress. “Uhk!”

Elena suddenly felt a piercing pressure steal her breath. A soft wind brushed past her.

Instinctively, she lifted her head... “Hk!”

Her breath caught. Her heart felt crushed as her eyes widened.

The Alpha King was staring straight at her, and he was the man who had bullied her five years ago the man who caused Lecy’s death.

Elena clenched the hem of her dress, somehow, she felt certain he would bully her again.

Unable to control herself, she cried out of fear and anger. He looked at her like a worthless toy.

“Hm…”

Lucien showed no reaction. He still had to proceed with the ancient ritual that would crown him King of Beasts.

“As passed down in the legend of the Moon Goddess, a king will be born, one destined to overthrow the demon king whose name must not be spoken, the ruler of the Underworld. That king now stands before us…”

“King Lucien Noctyrr Valecrest…”

The voice of Elder Thorne Grimwald echoed as he held a blazing torch. The sun was sinking low, welcoming the rise of the moon to bless the ascension of the new king.

But while the sun still lingered at the horizon and the sky remained tinted in orange, a thunderous rumble suddenly roared through the air.

A deafening tremor.

From the far end of the city, thick black smoke surged ominously.

“What is that?”

Everyone present, wolves and half-wolves froze in fear.

A voice echoed, spoken in a language no one could understand.

It was chanting a spell that drove all humans into savagery. Their eyes turned pitch black, and claws began tearing through their hands like those of the Umbreal.

Chaos erupted.

Alpha Blackthorn immediately sprang into action, protecting anyone he could but this disaster felt planned.

“How could Umbreal enter the city of Luris?! There must be a traitor!” Alpha Blackthorn roared as he shifted into a massive jet-black wolf.

He stood bravely in front of Lucien, who had yet to gain his full power since the full moon had not risen.

From within the swirling black smoke, a familiar figure emerged.

Gargan Noctyrr Noar.

He had betrayed the Moon Goddess, drunk the blood of the demon whose name could not be spoken, murdered his own wife, and bowed to the demon king of the Underworld to overthrow Lucien Noctyrr Valecrest’s throne.

Alpha Blackthorn’s eyes widened.

He let out a thunderous roar, unleashing his power. As the strongest commander of the kingdom’s forces, he would not fall to a wolf who had allied himself with the Underworld.

“HAHAHA! Oh, Cillian, how pitiful it is to serve such a weak king!”

“Well then, out of sheer mercy, I’ll end him myself!” Gargan snarled.

He was in wolf form, but crimson flames pulsed through his veins. His eyes burned red, his power darker than ever.

SWACK!

SWOOSH!

With a single swing of his arm, Gargan sent nearly all of Cillian’s guarding forces flying.

ROAR!

Cillian slammed his foot into the ground, shattering the earth beneath him, and charged forward... But two strange Umbreals beside Gargan blocked him with unfamiliar magic.

It was the first time Cillian had ever seen Umbreals wield such power.

SWOOSH!

Gargan lunged straight toward Lucien.

Since childhood, Lucien had been hunted. From the moment he was born, the world itself seemed determined to erase him.

“Lucien, we have to run... now!” His mother, Nimia Valecrest, tried to pull him away.

But Lucien refused.

He clenched his fist and stared sharply at Gargan, who grinned mockingly at him.

“That’s enough, Mother. I’m tired of running!” Lucien growled.

Stepping forward in fury, he unleashed his absolute power, the authority that commanded all beasts, including wolves.

Gargan froze instantly.

“Hk!”

He couldn’t breathe. His eyes burned like embers as his body was crushed by an unseen force, his voice echoing across the city.

Forced to bow before Lucien... Yet he refused submission.

“Oh, dark demon, ruler of the Umbreal, free me from the chains of this false king!” Gargan screamed.

The demon king laughed upon his throne, surrounded by rivers of molten lava.

As Gargan spoke those words, the sky itself seemed to split apart.

He lost all reason, proof that he had fully become one of the Umbreal, his wolf blood had been sold in exchange for power granted by the demon king.

That severed Lucien’s absolute control over Gargan’s blood.

And then...

Lucien saw it clearly.

A massive claw rushing toward him...

“Lucien… run!”

His parents who had protected him all his life threw themselves in front of the attack.

Umbreal blood splashed over them, instantly draining their strength as they collapsed in pools of blood.

The earth trembled violently.

Time stopped.

No sound.

No breath.

Only blood.

All around him, half-humans controlled by Umbreal slaughtered the wolves of the kingdom.

Lucien felt an uncontrollable rage surge within him.

Everything slowed including Gargan charging at him once more with the same claw.

Lucien’s blue eyes darkened.

Then...

BOOM!

Gargan’s claw struck something solid, it shattered upon impact with Lucien’s forehead.

Lucien stood frozen, staring at his parents’ bloodied bodies.

A dense, invisible force surrounded him, so powerful that even Gargan’s might could not penetrate it.

“Die!”

“Die!”

“DIEEEEEE!”

“AAAAAAAH!”

Lucien’s scream tore through the sky.

The earth quaked violently.

Gargan panicked and the Umbreals chanting strange magic panicked as well.

“Hm?”

The demon king frowned upon his throne.

Even without awakening his full power, Lucien was far stronger than they had anticipated.

Beasts from the Black Forest stormed into the city, devouring half-humans as they transformed into Umbreals.

The entire earth answered Lucien’s command.

“His heart!” A voice whispered urgently into Gargan’s mind.

In desperation, Gargan slashed Lucien’s chest then fled, along with the two Umbreals who had brought him there and the traitors still hiding within the city.

Lucien collapsed unconscious.

There was no wound on his heart, but Umbreal blood had tainted him, preventing the awakening of his true power.

“Father… Mother…”

Lucien stared at his motionless parents as darkness consumed him.

---

At the same time…

“Father!!!”

Caelan watched his parents being slaughtered by half-humans turned Umbreal. He could do nothing, his power was not yet complete.

“Father…"

"Mother…”

“Aaaaaaah!”

Caelan roared in grief, seeing ancient beasts from the Black Forest slaughtering the corrupted half-humans, Caelan transformed into a wolf and joined the battle, killing those on the brink of becoming Umbreal.

Meanwhile, Elena searched desperately for her grandmother.

“Grandma… Grandma?”

She was terrified.

Umbreal blood splashed onto her but strangely, she did not transform into umbreal like the other half-human, a faint yet visible golden light seemed to protect her.

“Grandma…”

Elena cried as pain burned through her body, as if her skin were on fire.

Amid the blood-soaked chaos of the city, Elena collapsed unconscious.

...

The chaos ended when Gargan and the demon king’s forces retreated.

But the city was drowned in blood.

The ancient beasts returned to the forest when Lucien fell unconscious, it was a defeat for the Kingdom of Lupus.

That year, Lucien failed to awaken his true power and watched both his parents die before his eyes.

Hatred toward half-humans grew stronger, they hunted every last one to be exiled.

But Moon Seer Hera demanded that Elena the half-human girl of the Blackthorn Pack not be expelled.

It was the Moon Goddess’s command, delivered through her dreams.

And so, Elena became the only half-human allowed to remain in the Kingdom of Lupus.

Thankfully, her grandmother was safe.

Before the coronation ceremony, Elena’s grandmother had already returned home near the forest, exhausted. Yet hatred toward Elena only deepened.

Even Caelan who once protected her now despised her.

Elena became the cursed one…

Unwanted.

Hated.

And watched.

Because no one realized—

the same girl they despised…

was the one who would one day decide the fate of their king.