Lord Ravenscrest's POVThe remains of my dungeon still smolder from the lycan prince's assault. Three levels of carefully constructed security, decades of planning, all reduced to ash and corpses in a single night. Dr. Thorne's body has been removed, but his blood still stains the stone floor where he died.My most valuable asset—gone. My son's betrayal—complete. My reputation among the supernatural community—damaged beyond immediate repair.But I am not a man who accepts defeat.I stand in my ruined study, glass crunching under my boots from the windows the lycans shattered during their retreat. The morning light streams in, illuminating the destruction, but my mind is already moving beyond this setback to the next phase of my plan.The secure phone in my desk drawer rings twice before a familiar voice answers."My lord?""Kaelen." His name comes out as a growl. "I trust you've heard about last night's... incident.""Yes, sir. The entire supernatural community is talking about it. Th
Ivan's POVThe service tunnel Avalon described runs exactly where he said it would—beneath the wine cellar, connecting to a forgotten storage area near the dungeon levels. My team moves through the darkness with practiced silence: Marcus and Dmitri flanking me, while Avalon guides us despite his still-healing wounds."The guards rotate every four hours," Avalon whispers, checking his watch. "We have maybe twenty minutes before the next shift change."But something feels wrong the moment we emerge into the dungeon corridor. There are too many guards—at least twenty instead of the twelve Avalon mentioned. Lord Ravenscrest has reinforced his defenses."It's a trap," Marcus hisses, but we're already committed.The first guard spots us, and all hell breaks loose.Silver blades flash in the torchlight. I shift partially, claws extending as I tear through two guards who rush us. Behind me, I hear Dmitri's roar of pain, then Marcus shouting warnings. The narrow corridor becomes a bloodbath of
Ivan's POV"Wait," I say, my voice cutting through the throne room's deadly silence. "Father, no."The king's silver eyes snap to mine, and I can see the dangerous glint that means I'm walking a very thin line. "No?""Don't kill him. Not yet." I step closer to Avalon, who's swaying on his feet, blood pooling beneath him on the stone floor. "This one has something to tell us. Something important."My father's expression doesn't change, but I can feel his displeasure like a physical weight. "You would show mercy to a Ravenscrest wolf? After what they did to your mate?"The words hit like a blow, but I force myself to remain steady. "I would hear what he has to say before we execute him."Avalon looks up at me with those amber eyes, and I see something there that makes my chest tighten—gratitude mixed with desperate hope. He's barely conscious, his wounds worse than I initially realized."Speak," I command, my voice harder than I feel. "Tell us what you know about Jason. Before you bleed
Avalon's POVThe sealed letter crumples in my fist as the full weight of my father's words hits me. He wants me to help destroy Ivan. The same Ivan whose eyes held nothing but disappointment when I betrayed Jason. The same Ivan I'd admired from afar before everything went wrong."I won't take Kaelen," I say, my voice barely above a whisper.My father's eyebrows raise. "Excuse me?""I said I won't take Kaelen with me." I meet his cold gaze. "I can handle the seer consultation alone.""That wasn't a request, Avalon. It was an order."The guilt I've been carrying since Jason's capture suddenly transforms into something else—resolve. I think of Jason's broken voice echoing through the dungeon: You made me believe you cared about me. The truth is, I did care. I still do. And I can't be the instrument of Ivan's destruction too."Then I refuse the order."My father goes very still. "What did you just say?""I refuse. I won't go to the seer. I won't help you destroy Ivan." The words come out
Lord Ravenscrest's POVThe morning sun filters through the tall windows of my study, casting long shadows across the ancient oak desk where I conduct the business of our pack. Power has always been about leverage, about understanding what others need and ensuring they need it from you. Today, I hold the most valuable leverage in the supernatural world.A male omega.I lean back in my leather chair, savoring the weight of this victory. Decades of careful planning, of positioning pieces on the board, and finally the prize has fallen into my hands. Not through force or conquest, but through my own son's ambition. How perfectly ironic.A knock at the door interrupts my thoughts. "Enter."Avalon steps inside, his usual confidence replaced by something I've rarely seen in him—uncertainty. Perhaps even regret. How disappointing."Father, I want to see him," he says without preamble."Him?" I raise an eyebrow, though we both know exactly who he means."Jason. I want to see that he's... that h
Ivan's POVMy father leads me to his private study, away from the bustling palace corridors. The room is exactly as I remember - dark oak furniture, ancient texts lining the walls, and the faint scent of leather and pine. He closes the door behind us and gestures for me to sit."We need to talk," he says, settling into the chair across from me. His expression is serious now, the joy of our reunion temporarily set aside. "About the real reason you're here."I should have known he'd see through my casual return. My father has always been perceptive, able to read people's true motivations with frightening accuracy."The someone you mentioned to mother," I begin carefully. "The one I can't marry anyone else because of... it's complicated.""How complicated?"I take a deep breath. "He's male. And he's an omega."My father's eyebrows shoot up, genuine surprise flickering across his face. "A male omega? Ivan, do you understand what that means?""I know he's rare—""Rare?" My father leans for