Chapter 18: The Heir's Secret

The Council chamber was chaos.

Alphas from a dozen packs were shouting over one another, their voices echoing off the stone walls. Lord Marcus stood at the head of the table, looking older and more frail than he had since the Ashen Lands.

"The First Alpha is a myth!" one of the Northern Alphas bellowed, slamming his fist on the table. "Our ancestors used his story to frighten pups into obedience. He cannot be real!"

"The tomb is empty!" Vera shot back, pointing to the ancient scroll. "Or did the myth steal his own body?"

I sat beside Kael, my hand resting on my stomach beneath the table. The golden light inside me was still humming with unease, reacting to the lingering magic of the Blood Moon.

"Enough," Kael said. His voice wasn't loud, but it cut through the room like a blade. Every Alpha fell silent. "We don't have time to debate mythology. We need to fortify the borders and prepare for an attack."

"Prepare for what?" the Northern Alpha sneered. "An army of shadows?"

The doors to the chamber burst open. A young scout, covered in sweat and blood, stumbled into the room. He collapsed to one knee, gasping for air.

"Alpha," the scout choked out. "The eastern border... it's gone."

The room went deathly quiet.

"What do you mean, gone?" Kael demanded, standing up.

"We didn't even see them coming," the scout stammered, his eyes wide with terror. "They weren't wolves. They were... shadows. Creatures made of smoke and black fire. They tore through the outer patrols in minutes. The warriors... they didn't just die. They were consumed."

A cold, suffocating silence fell over the chamber.

I stood up, my chair scraping against the stone floor.

"Send word to every pack within a hundred miles," I commanded, my voice ringing with authority. "Evacuate the outer settlements. Bring everyone inside the fortress walls. We don't have time to argue about myths. The First Alpha is real, and he's testing our defenses."

The Alphas scrambled to obey, their arrogance replaced by sheer panic.

As the chamber emptied, Kael grabbed my arm and pulled me into a side corridor. His golden eyes were wild with fear.

"Consumed," he repeated, his voice shaking. "These aren't normal enemies, Elara. They aren't rogues. They're something else entirely. And they're coming for you."

I reached up, cupping his face in my hands. The warmth of the blood oath pulsed between us, steady and strong.

"Kael," I said softly. "I need to tell you something."

"Not now," he said, trying to pull away. "We need to prepare the defenses."

"Kael, stop." I held his gaze. "I'm pregnant."

He froze. The world seemed to stop spinning. His eyes dropped to my stomach, then back to my face.

"What?" he whispered, his voice breaking.

"I've suspected for a few weeks," I said, my own eyes filling with tears. "I wanted to wait until the healer confirmed it, but I know. I can feel it through the bond. A new life. Our child."

Kael let out a choked sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a sob. He pulled me into his arms, crushing me against his chest. I felt his shoulders shake.

"A child," he breathed into my hair. "You're carrying my child."

"Our child," I corrected gently.

He pulled back, his hands trembling as he placed them on my stomach. The fierce, terrifying Alpha was gone, replaced by a man terrified of the future.

"You have to leave," he said suddenly, his eyes hardening. "I'll send you to the Southern Isles. They're protected by ancient wards. You'll be safe there while I deal with the First Alpha."

"No," I said flatly.

"Elara, I am not arguing about this—"

"And I am not leaving you," I interrupted, my voice sharp. "If I run, I lose my power. I lose my authority. And if the First Alpha wants me, he will tear apart every territory until he finds me. Our only chance is to face him together."

Kael looked at me, his jaw clenched. He knew I was right.

Before he could argue, a massive boom shook the fortress. The stone walls vibrated. Dust rained from the ceiling.

We ran back into the main hall. Through the massive windows, I saw it.

A tidal wave of black smoke was rolling toward the fortress, blotting out the crimson Blood Moon. And riding at the front of the shadow army was a figure clad in ancient black armor, his eyes burning like hellfire.

The First Alpha had arrived.

Kael grabbed my hand, his grip iron-tight.

"Together," he said.

"Together," I echoed.