CHAPTER 5

The last time she saw Draven ripping off a wolf's hand that held her. “Touch her again, and I'll gut you where you stand!” He snarled, removing his sword from the belt.

She fainted.

Liora didn't know how long she had been out until cold water splashed her. She screamed while waking up.

“Who is there?” She said, shaking. Her body was curled in the corner of the cell, her hands trembling, her legs bound by rough iron chains that bit through her skin.

“Finally, the very obstacle I wanted to remove, the Moon goddess, helped me,” Kaelen said, smiling and revealing himself.

“Kaelen?” She called out in a whisper. “What are you saying?”

“For God's sake, Liora. I was never going to marry you, never going to make you my Luna. You were sick in the head, talking to the air and drifting off sometimes. You were too reckless….too much for me,” he said, lying down with one knee touching the damn floor. “You were so full of yourself.”

Liora pressed her palms against her ears, trying to block the sound of Kaelen's voice.

“Why are you telling me this now?” Fresh tears are pouring out

“Because of what I am now going to do. Your father is going to die, and this kingdom where you dreamed and lived will be under my control, and everything you bragged about will be destroyed. I hated you, Liora. Hated your family. Hated your gut. Everything about you”

“Leave my father out of this,” she screamed.

“Your father, during the war, attacked my kingdom and killed my mother. Burned my house, and my father signed his tax law. I lived every day with dread that I would finally get my revenge.”

“No….the rumor was a lie. They lied to you. It wasn't my father. It can't be him.”

Kaelen's laughter rang, and he held her chin, forcing her to look up. “I don't love you. I never did. And never will. And now I am going to watch your Draven and your father kill each other.”

Kaelen's laughter rang out at every corner of the prison. “Your precious little Draven isn't going to save you now.”

“I'm going to tell everybody about what you said.” She warned.

Kaelen lifted her face, smiling like a lunatic. “Not really, dear. You are going to forget ever seeing me here,” he said, slamming her face on the cold tiled floor. Blood gushing out. “Nobody is ever going to believe you,” he said, injecting a substance into her body.

Her vision blurred, everywhere spinning around, and she fell into another sleep.

—

The iron door screeched open. She stiffened, the blood already dried up, staining her face.

Draven strode in, his golden eyes glowing. His aura filled the room instantly, pressing down on her until the guards stationed at the wall dropped to their knees, bowing their heads in submission.

“Who did this to you?” His eyes darkened

“I don't know.”

Her breath caught as his gaze locked on her.

“Draven, don't,” she began.

But he was already at her side, kneeling, his hands closing over the chains that bound her. His fingers flexed.

“You think these can hold you?” He growled. With a sharp sound, the chains snapped like twigs, clattering to the ground.

Liora rubbed her raw wrist, glaring through her tears. “You can't just keep tearing through my life as if it belongs to you!”

Draven's eyes softened but hardened again. “It does”.

Before she could protest, heavy footsteps echoed. Her father entered, followed by the elders.

“Draven,” her father said coldly. “Step away from her.”

Draven rose slowly, his posture straight. His hand brushed Liora's as if to remind her she wasn't alone. “If anyone touches her again. I’ll rip out their spine– yours included.”

The elders gasped.

But her father didn't flinch. His gaze slid to her. “You have dishonored us, Liora, and your mate here is rubbing the dirt more on me,” he spat venomously.

Her chest tightened painfully. Her father continued, his voice rising. “The bond between you and Kaelen was supposed to seal our packs in strength. Now you are bonded with our enemy.”

Liora stumbled forward. Her voice trembling, “Father, please. I didn't choose this. The moon goddess”

“The Goddess didn't do anything,” he snapped, cutting her off.

Her lips parted, her tears blurring her vision. “I don't want him. I wanted–”

Her voice broke. She couldn't say it. Not here, not with Draven standing beside her, his aura thrumming with fury.

Draven's laugh. “You speak of bonds and promises as if they matter more than the will of the Moon Goddess herself,” he stepped forward. “She's mine.”

Her father's eyes narrowed. “She's already arranged. The bond will not be broken.”

“I can break anything,” his lips curled back in a snarl.

Her father's gaze sharpened. “Do you know how many lunas have died in your stead, boy? How many women has your curse consumed?”

Liora's stomach dropped, and she turned her head towards Draven, her lips parting, “What curse?”

Draven's jaw tightened, eyes flicking for the first time. “It doesn't matter.”

Her father's bitter laugh echoed. “Doesn't matter? The sickness in your blood kills every mate you take. And you would drag my daughter to her grave with you.”

Liora staggered back, her body shaking. “No”.

Draven turned to her. “Your father called it sickness. I call it obsession. And maybe he's right– maybe it had killed the others. But you–” his hand cupped her face, forcing her trembling gaze to meet his. “You are a fighter. The Goddess wouldn't be foolish enough to kill you.”

Liora's lips trembled, tears spilling from her eyes. “You marked me without telling me this…”

“She already bears my mark. That alone is proof. If she were meant to die, she would have fallen already.”

Liora's breath seized as her body shook violently, white foams coming out from her mouth, and she held tightly to Draven, her tongue pronouncing ancient words.

She fell to the ground, but Draven held her, his hand tightened around her shoulder, but it didn't stop until she went silent.

The elders gasped, and her father fell.