Blood on scales

Kairox’s POV

The screams reached me before her scent did, my body was filled with tension and sharp stabbing pain, and I could barely handle it.

I rushed out of my room, running, boots slamming the ground like I was floating on it, warriors peeled off behind me. I traced the smell till I got to the corridor and paused in shock. My shoulders slacked as I watched Virelle slouch on the ground, covered in blood, face buried on the wall, sobbing.

My head spun as I thought of what could happen. I turned around and rushed to the door of the Luna suite.

And stopped dead at the entrance.

“Alicia,” I called faintly before running to her side. She didn’t respond or turn. She was lying bare on the ground, too weak and pale, eyes stuttering, lips parted like she was struggling to gasp—half dead. Half alive.

“Alicia,” I called again, pulling her to my lap, I held her head up in my arms as tears rolled down my face, and pain surged through my veins like molten lava.

“Kai,” she managed to speak, pulsing. “I’m sorry,” she added. I shut my eyes, trying not to lose myself.

“It’s okay, stop talking now please, save your strength, stay with me okay?” I encouraged, trying to get the guards to summon the doctor. I was in luck when one of the maids passed by.

“Hey, you! Get the doctor, fast!” I ordered. Alicia winced, tears dripping off her lids.

“I have something to tell you, Kai,” she continued.

“No, it can wait, you can tell me all you want when you get better, just stop talking.”

“The child is not yours.” She dropped it, everything she had done, she dumped it all on me and my eyes widened. I remained mute.

“I’m sorry, I was so jealous of the way you look at Virelle, I wanted to do everything to be yours so I tried to sleep with you one night but you were too fast asleep, you pushed me away. I took my chance with Ric when he was drunk. The child is Ric’s not yours. I’m sorry,” she poured her heart out with struggle and pain colliding in every sentence.

She couched, blood splashing out of her mouth, gasping so hard for air until she stopped breathing. Her hand slipped lazily to the floor—she died.

“No,” I breathed “Alicia… please.” I wept, my fist tightened around her as I screamed agony into the air. I remained by her side, silent, helpless, muted—words failed me until two maids walked in through the door.

I stood up sharply, lunged towards the doctor, grabbed his shirt a little too hard, and he choked, raised my fist but paused midway, panting.

“You are a late doctor, she's gone,” I whispered, letting go of him as I walked out the door. I turned to the other maids as they made their way to the suit. “Call the guards to pack her body properly for the burial rituals.”

“Yes alpha,” they answered.

I kept walking until I got to the corridor, virelle was still seated there, now calmer than earlier. The blood stain still lingered all over her, some parts dried and others still a bit fresh. She looked up at me and her eyes pooled again, tears threatening to fall.

“Kairox…” Her voice cracked. Barely a whisper. “I didn’t—I couldn’t—”

I stared at her, at the woman carrying my child, I felt nothing, I saw nothing but a murderer acting as the victim even with the clear evidence all over all. Rage rose so fast it blinded me.

“Seize her.” I snapped, The words tore out before I could think. Screaming on top of my voice until two guards stormed in, warriors surged forward. Two grabbed her arms. A third snapped iron cuffs around her wrists—silver-lined, burning against tribrid skin.

She didn’t fight.

She just looked at me.

“Kairox—please. Listen. It wasn’t me. Something… something took me. I was watching myself do it. I screamed inside—I begged—but I couldn’t stop—kairox… kairox.” Her voice broke into sobs, no one dared to move to help her.

The warriors dragged her toward the door. She twisted, eyes locked on mine.

“I’m carrying your baby! You know me—you know I would never—”

The words hit like claws to the gut.

I turned away.

“Take her to the dungeon,” I ordered, voice flat. “She is to be branded a murderer. Plan her execution in three days. Public. At dawn.” I added.

A collective inhale and tears from the pack members crowded the doorway.

“No! Kairox—look at me! Look at me! I love you—I would never hurt her—please—our child—”

The warriors hauled her out.

Her cries echoed down the corridor, growing fainter, until the heavy dungeon door slammed shut and silence swallowed them.

I dropped to my knees.

I pressed my forehead to the cold floor and broke into tears.

Virelle’s POV

The dungeon was the same one they’d thrown me in months ago—damp stone, silver bars that bit my skin every time I brushed them, the stink of old fear crawled into my belly.

They’d stripped me of the bloodied dress and given me another rough dress that barely covered my thighs. The iron cuffs stayed on—burning me slightly until I could no longer pay attention to the pain.

I curled on the thin pallet I used to sit on, arms wrapped around my belly.

The baby kicked—sharp, insistent and I winced.

“I’m here baby, mummy is here,” I whispered to the darkness.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I tried—I tried so hard—”

Footsteps echoed outside the bars.

A guard—young, barely more than a boy—stared at me with wide, horrified eyes.

“Is it true?” he asked. “You killed Luna Alicia?”

“I didn’t want to,” I rasped. “I swear on the Moon—I swear on this child—I had no control. Something… something made me.”

He paused, looked at me for a long minute before backing away.

“If you wanted to take the place as the luna, you could have mentioned it instead of killing the luna. You are a murderer,” he said and ran away.

Kairox’s POV

I didn’t leave Alicia’s side. I sat beside her shrouded body until the elders came to prepare her for the pyre. I watched them wash the blood from her skin. Close her eyes. Wrap her in white linen. Every movement carved another piece from me.

When they carried her out, I followed to the edge of the courtyard—then stopped.

I couldn’t watch the flames.

I returned to my room, locked the door, and sank into the chair that still smelled faintly of Virelle and stared at nothing.

I remained in the room for two days, disconnected from the outside world and my duty warriors pounded on the door, the elders demanded an urgent council, they did all they could to get me out.

I didn’t answer.

Leadership slipped through my fingers like sand, and I let it.

Because how could I lead when justice demanded I kill the woman I loved—and the child she carried?

How could I breathe when every heartbeat reminded me I had condemned them both? Time slipped away like it was useless and I didn't care.

Kaelric’s POV

I was getting used to the chaos I had invented, my skin was filled with satisfaction and joy as I watched my brother rot in silence, I walked around the crescent moon like I already wore the Alpha mantle.

I sat in the high seat at the council claiming to cover for Kai.

I gave orders—reinforce the north wall, double the night patrols, ration meat for the coming winter.

I acted as the alpha, commanding warriors and they obeyed without hesitation. But the hunger for more, to own it all pressured me.

Some hesitated, glancing toward the Alpha’s locked quarters.

“Kairox needs time to grieve,” I said smoothly. “The pack needs strength now. I’m here.”

They nodded and gave in. It felt incredible to be in power, now I understand why Kia always feels on top of the world.

Alicia’s pyre burned at dusk on the second day.

The entire pack gathered.

I stood at the front—head bowed, face innocent like I didn't know what happened, hands clasped behind my back, grieving like I actually was.

When the flames roared high, I lifted my voice in the sad, mourning howl.

The pack joined.

Kairox remained indoors.

I let the sound wash over me.

I felt it feed something dark and satisfied inside my chest.

Virelle would die in two days.

Kairox would watch—broken, hollow.

And when the ashes settled…

I would step forward.

Claim what was mine by blood and birthright.

The Alpha seat will finally belong to me.

The pack will worship me.

And the satisfaction of watching them both bleed for what they took from me. For a moment, I was proud of myself. I had started planning everything from the moment I told Kai to buy Virelle. I knew she would be of good use.

I turned from the fire and walked back to the dungeon stairs.

Paused and listened. Virelle’s weeping sound came faintly from below.

I smiled.

Then continued upstairs.

To Kai’s room.

I pushed the door but it was locked.

“Kairox, can I talk to you for a moment?" he stayed silent until the door clicked open.

Kairox sat back, motionless in the chair, staring at the wall.

He didn’t meet my gaze.

I closed the door behind me and walked closer to him.

“Brother,” I called quietly but he didn’t answer.

I stepped closer.

“Two days,” I murmured. “Then she burns. Then you can finally rest. Do you really want to burn her? I thought you loved her more than I did.”

His head lifted slowly.

Eyes red-rimmed. Hollow.

“If you touch her before the execution,” he rasped, “I will kill you myself.”

I laughed—soft, cold.

“You can try.”

I turned to leave.

At the door I paused.

“One more thing.”

He didn’t move.

“Alicia’s child would have been beautiful,” I said. “Pity.”

Then I walked.

“Pity for you, the child was yours.”

I froze.