They Want Me Alive

Ariana's POV

Nobody moved.

The young guard stood at the bottom of the stairs, trying to catch his breath.

"They're waiting outside the castle," he said. "They sent messengers instead of soldiers."

Rowan frowned.

"Messengers?"

The guard nodded.

"They said they came to speak before anyone draws a sword."

Kael looked at him.

"And if we refuse?"

The guard lowered his head.

"They said they'll consider it a declaration of war."

For a few seconds, nobody said anything.

Kael turned to Elias.

"You knew this would happen."

"Yes."

"You could have warned us."

"I did."

Kael looked confused.

"When?"

"I warned your father."

The words surprised everyone.

Even Kael.

"My father died years ago."

"I know."

"He never told me anything about the Moon Council."

"He was trying to protect you."

Kael looked away.

There were still things about his own family that he didn't know.

I stepped forward.

"I'm tired of people protecting me with silence."

Everyone looked at me.

"I've spent my whole life wondering why I never felt like everyone else."

I looked at Elias.

"Now people are trying to kill me."

I turned to Kael.

"You brought me here because you believed I was important."

Then I looked around the old hall.

"Will someone finally tell me who I am?"

Elias let out a slow breath.

"You were born into the Moonborn bloodline."

"I've already heard that."

"But you don't know what it means."

He pointed to the old painting on the wall.

"Long before the packs fought over land and power, there was one family that kept peace between them."

"My family?"

He nodded.

"The Moonborn kings and queens settled wars before they began. Every Alpha respected them."

"What happened?"

"They were betrayed."

The hall became quiet.

"One night, people they trusted opened the palace gates."

My eyes stayed on his.

"The royal family was attacked."

I remembered the fire.

The screams.

The voice shouting...

Protect the princess!

My breathing became uneven.

"I saw it."

Kael turned quickly.

"What did you remember?"

"The fire."

I pressed my fingers against my forehead.

"I heard someone shouting."

Another memory appeared.

A woman pushed a little girl into someone's arms.

She was crying.

"Run!"

The picture disappeared again.

Tears filled my eyes before I even realised it.

"I think..."

I swallowed.

"I think that little girl was me."

Nobody tried to correct me.

Because everyone knew it was true.

Kael took one step closer.

"You don't have to remember everything today."

I laughed sadly.

"My whole life has been a lie."

"It wasn't a lie."

"It feels like one."

His face softened.

"You were given another chance to live."

"While everyone else died."

The words hurt more than I expected.

Elias lowered his head.

"Not everyone."

I looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

"There was one survivor besides you."

Hope filled my chest.

"Who?"

Before Elias could answer, the castle horn sounded.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

The guard looked towards the stairs.

"They're coming inside!"

Rowan reached for his sword.

"I thought they wanted to talk."

"They do."

The guard looked frightened.

"But they said they'll only speak..."

His eyes found me.

"...if Ariana walks out to meet them alone."

Kael answered before I could.

"No."

His voice was calm, but there was no room to argue.

"They don't make demands inside my kingdom."

I looked at him.

"What if they're telling the truth?"

"What if it's a trap?"

"I can't hide forever."

"No."

He met my eyes.

"You can't."

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then he made his decision.

"If they want to see you..."

He slid his sword back into its

sheath.

"...they'll see both of us."

Outside, another horn sounded.

This time...

It came with a voice that carried across the castle.

"Bring us the Moonborn Princess..."

"...or we will come and take her ourselves."