Mag-log inThe next morning, the werewolves gathered at the execution ground.Lucas and Mia were bound to pillars. Mia, already having wet herself in terror, continued cursing Lucas relentlessly for being useless.That was just the kind of she-wolf she was—one who never once reflected on herself.I stood on the platform."Lucas Ashbourne and his accomplices are guilty of treason against the Kingdom, regicide, and trafficking pups."He is hereby sentenced to execution by soul-shattering."Soul-shattering wasn't just a simple death. Instead, it used a secret technique to shatter the wolf's soul, preventing it from rejoining the ancestral spirits and erasing it from existence completely.It was the harshest punishment for werewolves."Proceed!"At my command, several burly executioners raised their heavy hammers."No! Elena! I love you! I really love you! You can't do this to me!" Lucas screamed desperately.The first hammer fell with a loud bang, and his anguished scream pierced through
Lucas glared at me like a venomous snake."Let me go. Give me a ship and one million spirit stones, and I'll destroy the evidence. You can be the Alpha Queen in peace."Otherwise, we can both just go down together!"I silently watched him perform until he grew tired from laughing."You're done?"I reached into my pocket and pulled out a stone—a Memory Stone."This is your so-called evidence, isn't it?"The smile on Lucas' face froze. "How… How did you get this?""Apologies, but the one you stole was a fake. Dad knew long ago that you lot would try to turn this into a whole issue."I rubbed the stone gently. "The reason he endured everything for so long wasn't that he was afraid of ruining his reputation. No, he did it to protect my mother's true identity."I channeled a sliver of power into the Memory Stone, and it glowed.A projection appeared on the wall.It was a night of raging wind and snow. Dad, covered in blood, stood protectively in front of a breathtakingly beautif
Lucas continued to scream as he was dragged away."I want to see the High Sorcerer! I've been framed! The High Sorcerer can prove it!"The High Sorcerer was the descendant of a witch who always wore a kindly smile but was venomous at his core. He was also Lucas' strategist and one of the accomplices who had nearly gotten the Kingdom wiped out back then.In the crowd, the High Sorcerer quietly retreated, trying to slip away unnoticed."Leaving already?"I leaped forward and slammed him to the ground. With a loud roar, he was forced into submission.Looking down at him, I said coldly, "High Sorcerer, the drugs Lucas used—you were the one who concocted them, weren't you?""I don't know what you're talking about," he insisted, cold sweat pouring down his face. "Princess, this is all a misunderstanding…""A misunderstanding?"I pulled out a talisman from inside my clothes. This was something hidden among my father's belongings. I hadn't known its purpose until my bloodline awakened
Under the blood-red moon, thousands of werewolves dropped to their knees."W-Witchcraft! This has to be witchcraft!" Lucas stammered, trembling as he tried to stand. "Elena bought off a witch!"The werewolves exchanged glances, already on the verge of switching sides.Suddenly, an ancient voice resounded from the sky.12 black-robed Elders came gliding in from the direction of the sacred temple. The Grand Elder landed first. When his gaze fell on me, his voice quivered. "Golden eyes… Princess Elena… is a half-wolf carrying the bloodline of the Original Werewolf!"The entire square erupted in shock.Mia screamed, "That's impossible! How could that be? Don't let her fool you! Those are just cosmetic contacts from the human world! She's just tricking you!"I couldn't be bothered with someone as insignificant as her. Among werewolves, strength was the only truth.I picked up the silver dagger that had fallen beside Dad and pointed it at Lucas."I, Elena Nightbloom, daughter of t
Dad lay in a pool of blood. The silver dagger was still lodged in his chest, blood pouring endlessly and staining the frozen soil beneath him.I stood there, frozen in place.The Omegas were scared stupid, too. They scrambled back, pulling their pants up as they went.Lucas clicked his tongue. "What bad luck," he said from the platform, waving his hand dismissively. "But it's good that he's dead, too. Saves us the trouble of finding a place to bury him."Mia, nestled against him, stood on tiptoe and whispered something in his ear.Lucas' eyes lit up as he looked at me."Elena, the old bastard's dead, but his stuff is still around, right? Hand over the Alpha King's seal, and I'll allow you to collect his corpse."I fell to my knees and crawled toward Dad.There was no seal. He'd left nothing behind—nothing except the life he'd given up so that he wouldn't drag me down."There isn't one…" I rasped. "There's nothing…""You're not going to tell me?" Lucas sneered.He snapped h
I jolted awake to see Dad curled into himself. His severed leg had turned a grotesque purplish-black. What oozed from the wound was no longer blood or pus, but foul-smelling black fluid."Dad! What's wrong?"He clutched his throat, his eyes bulging. "Hurts… It hurts so bad… It's burning…"He suddenly threw up a mouthful of blood—black blood.My pupils contracted sharply.It was wolfsbane!They hadn't given me medicine at all! They'd given wolfsbane!"Dad!" I let out a bloodcurdling scream.Without a second thought, I hoisted him onto my back and ran toward the square.Dawn had just broken, and the werewolves were just starting their morning training. Lucas and Mia stood on the raised platform watching them.I laid Dad down on the ground. He kept vomiting blood, his body convulsing violently."Lucas! I'm begging you—save him! Give me the antidote!" I shouted toward the platform.Lucas looked down at me, a mocking smirk on his face."Oh? Looks like that special medicine was







