The Attack.

The morning came with a soft glow over the room. I tried to move, my body still humming with the activity of the night before. Alejandro’s arm was still around me, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm as he slept. I laid there for a moment, savoring his scents and I loved it, it was a wonderful morning.

But as the events of the previous day came rushing back, the peace of the moment was shattered. The wedding, the confrontation with Clarice, the way Alejandro had killed that Lycan without hesitation, it all felt like a dream, but the weight of it was very real. I was a queen now, and with that title came responsibilities and dangers I wasn’t sure I was ready for.

Alejandro stirred beside me, his arm tightening around me as he woke. “Good morning,” his voice rough with sleep. “How did you sleep?” I turned to face him, his red eyes were soft in the morning light, “Better than I have in a long time,” I admitted, my voice quiet. “But… I can’t stop thinking about everything that happened yesterday. About Lucian, about Clarice… about what comes next.”

Alejandro’s expression changed at the mention of his brother, but he didn’t pull away. Instead, he reached up to brush a strand of hair from my face. “I know it’s a lot,” he said, but you’re not alone in this. We’ll face it together.”

I nodded, but I still felt anxious. “What if I’m not strong enough?” I whispered, the words slipping out before I could stop them. “What if I can’t be the queen you need me to be?” Alejandro’s eyes softened, “You already are,” he said, his voice firm. “You’ve faced more in your life than most Lycans ever will, and you’re still standing. That’s strength, Yolanda. And it’s one of the many reasons I chose you.”

His words brought tears to my eyes, but I blinked them away, refusing to let them fall. “I just… I don’t want to let you down.”

“You could never let me down,” he said, his voice fierce. “You’re my mate. My queen. And I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure you know how much you mean to me.”

I felt a surge of emotion at his words, and before I could stop myself, I leaned up to kiss him, but before things could go any further, a sharp knock on the door interrupted us. Alejandro growled softly, his grip on me tightening for a moment before he reluctantly pulled away. “What is it?” he called, irritated.

The door opened and one of the palace guards stepped inside, his head bowed. “My king, my queen,” he said, his voice respectful but urgent. “There’s been an incident in the eastern wing. One of the servants was found… injured. We believe it may be related to Lucian.”

Alejandro’s expression darkened, and he sat up, his body tense. “I’ll be there in a moment,” he said, his voice cold. The guard nodded and quickly left, closing the door behind him. I sat up as well, my heart racing. “What do you think happened?”

Alejandro turned to me, his expression softening slightly. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “But I need to go see for myself. Stay here, Yolanda. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” No, I said, my voice firm. “I’m coming with you. I’m your queen, Alejandro. I need to be there.” He hesitated for a moment, but then he nodded. “Alright,” he said, his voice low. “But stay close to me. And if anything happens, you let me handle it.”

As we made our way to the eastern wing, I could feel the tension in the air, the way the servants and guards avoided our gaze. Something was wrong, very wrong.

When we reached the scene, my stomach turned. The servant, a young woman, lay on the floor, her body bruised and bloodied. She was unconscious, but her chest rose and fell in shallow breaths, a sign that she was still alive. The room around her was in disarray, the furniture turned over and the walls marked with deep scratches.

Alejandro knelt beside the woman, his expression grim as he examined her injuries. “This wasn’t just an attack,” he said, his voice low. “This was a message.” I felt a chill run down my spine. “From Lucian?” I asked, my voice trembling.

Alejandro nodded, his jaw tight. “He’s letting us know he’s still out there. That he’s watching. And that he’s not afraid to hurt innocent people to get to us.”

“HOW DID THIS HAPPEN!!?” Alejandro roared, all the guards immediately shriveled in fear, we…..we don’t know. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON’T KNOW!!!?” He roared again, this time with rage and disappointment. He immediately left to the war room and all the guards followed without a word, they could see the rage in his eyes. His most trusted advisors were already and could sense his domineering aura

The palace was in chaos. The attack on the servant had shaken everyone, and the cryptic message scrawled in blood on the garden wall was a constant reminder that Lucian was still out there, watching, waiting. Alejandro had doubled the guards and increased security, but it wasn’t enough. He needed answers, and he needed them now.

I stood in the war room, watching as Alejandro paced back and forth, his eyes glowing with rage. His most trusted advisors and guards, all of them tense and silent as they waited for his orders.

“We know it was one of Lucian’s men,” Alejandro said, his voice low and dangerous. “But we need to find out who. And we need to find out now.”

Marcus, Alejandro’s most trusted guard, stepped forward, his expression was grim. “We’ve tracked the assassin’s scent to the eastern woods,” he said. “But he’s covered his tracks well. It’s going to take time to find him.” Alejandro’s jaw tightened. “We don’t have time,” he said, his voice sharp. “Every second we waste, Lucian gets closer to his next move. I want that assassin found. Now.”

The room became silent, I could feel the tension, the fear, but also the determination. They would find the assassin before he escapes.

They tracked his back down to the eastern woods and led from there. It was dark and had an eerie feeling to it, the air was thick with the scent of earth. Alejandro led the search himself, his presence commanding. I stayed close to him, my heart racing as we moved through the shadows, the sound of our footsteps scared even me. We had been searching for hours, the tension grew with every passing minute. But then, just as the sun began to rise, we found him.

The assassin was crouched in a clearing, his back to us as he tried to cover his tracks. He was tall and muscular, his movements were quick and precise but he didn’t see us coming.

Alejandro moved like a shadow, his presence silent and deadly as he closed the distance between them. The assassin turned, his eyes widened in shock as he realized he had been caught, but it was too late. Alejandro was already on him before he realized it, his hand gripping the man’s throat and slamming him against a tree.

“Who sent you?” Alejandro growled.

The assassin struggled, his hands clawing at Alejandro’s grip, but it was useless. Alejandro’s strength was unmatched, his power radiating through the air like a storm.

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the man choked out, his voice trembling.

Alejandro’s eyes narrowed him from head to toe, and he tightened his grip, his voice became cold and deadly. “Don’t lie to me,” he said. “I know you’re one of Lucian’s men. Now tell me, who sent you?”

The man’s eyes widened in fear, but he didn’t answer. Instead, he spat in Alejandro’s face, his expression defiant. Alejandro’s expression darkened, and he slammed the man against the tree again, his voice low and filled with fury. “You’re going to regret that.”