LOGINSYLVARA POVI went still.My mind couldn’t accept what Ael had just said.Kaelen’s mother… killed? By Malachai?His own fatherNo. That didn’t make sense. That couldn’t be true.I turned slowly toward Kaelen. His face had changed. All the anger was gone now. What was left was something heavy… pain, sadness. Like a memory he had buried for years.“Kaelen…” I whispered, my voice shaking. “Is that true?”He didn’t answer at first. His jaw tightened. His hand in mine went cold.Ael didn’t move from the door. His voice was quieter now, but firm. “I wish it wasn't.”My chest tightened. “But… she was the queen. His wife…”Ael nodded once. “Yes.”Silence filled the room again.Kaelen finally spoke, his voice low. “She didn’t die from sickness. like he told the pack.. He had been lying for years to the tribes”I felt my breath catch.“She was poisoned,” he said. Each word felt heavy. “Slowly… over time.”My stomach dropped.I shook my head slightly. “But why would he.,”Kaelen cut me off, his
SYLVARA POVI held Kaelen close as we walked through the halls, my arm around him, steadying him with every step. His body was still weak from the chains and the rune. He leaned into me just enough, trusting me to hold him up.The palace was quiet. Guards and servants moved out of our way quickly, lowering their heads. No one dared to speak.I could still feel their eyes on me.Fear. Shock. Respect.I didn't care.. All I cared about was Kaelen being safe.. That was all that mattered to me.Ael followed behind us, silent, watchful. I could feel his presence, making sure no one tried anything.We finally reached Kaelen’s chamber. I pushed the doors open and helped him inside.“Sit,” I said softly, guiding him to the bed.He sat down slowly, letting out a breath, his chest rising and falling hard. His skin still had marks from the chains. My chest tightened at the sight.I knelt in front of him without thinking, my hands gently touching his wrists. “You’re hurt…” I whispered, my voice lo
SYLVARA POVMalachai laughed, cold and sharp. “We’ll see about that,” he said, turning his gaze to Morrin.“Continue Morrin… and when you’re done, kill her,” he commanded.Morrin’s smile twisted cruelly. “My pleasure, Your Highness,” he said, laughing.I narrowed my eyes, my hands trembling with anger and fire. “Touch him… and face the consequences,” I warned, my voice low and dangerous.Morrin laughed, raising his hands as he began chanting, the shadows around him twisting and pulsing like living things.Something inside me snapped. My eyes glowed bright, fangs sliding out, heat and power surging through me. I ran forward, every muscle burning, and gripped Morrin’s neck hard.The elders gasped, frozen.“I warned you,” I growled, voice low and deadly. “Mess with me… or my husband, and you’ll pay.”Flames of raw energy licked from my hand, scorching him as I squeezed, feeling his power falter. With a sickening snap, his neck broke, and I threw him to the floor.His body lay on the grou
SYLVARA POVI followed the path Kaelith had shown me, each step heavy but filled with fire. The echoes of the garden, the roars, the heat of my awakening still burned inside me. I would miss them, every one of them, but my heart was set on one thing now… Kaelen.“Thank you,” I whispered softly, my voice trembling, still carrying the power inside me.Then that familiar voice slithered through the shadows, cold and teasing.“Hmmm… you smell different… stronger,” it said.“All thanks to you,” I replied, my voice steady, though my chest still burned.The voice laughed low and cruel. “Glad I could help… now it’s time you return to where you belong.”I nodded.“Let’s get you back to Velkorin,” it said, and I could feel the power behind the words. “They aren’t ready for the new you.”A shiver ran down my spine as the air thickened, shadows twisting around me. Then the voice began to chant, low and rhythmic, words I didn’t fully understand but felt deep in my bones:“Rise from fire, blood, an
KAELEN POVEnough with the lovers’ quarrel… or whatever this is,” Aedric said, laughing.I stared at him my gaze burning him. If not for these chains I would have ripped his head off“Are you allowed to take concubines? Because from what I know … High Chief Raja, he doesn’t allow that in the Frost Moon Tribe.”Aedric’s eyes went cold, staring right at me.Before he could answer, a voice I hadn’t heard in twenty-six years cut through the air. Every bone in my body froze, my chains suddenly feeling heavier.“You still haven’t stopped being stupid and naive, boy.”I turned slowly. And there he was. The monster who threw me out after my mother died…The monster I hated with every breath in me.The Alpha of the Ironclaw. King of the Seven Kingdoms.Malachai Veyr.My father.My chest tightened, my lungs burning. I couldn’t speak. I had thought I’d buried the memory of him… the cruelty, the fear… but here he was. Alive, breathing, and staring at me with that same cold, unyielding fire in his
KAELEN POV“Nothing. We watch. For now,” Ael said calmly, like it was the easiest thing in the world.I blinked at him, incredulous. “What? Are you’ve got be joking? Watch? While she’s out there, alone, in I don’t know the fuck hands?!”Ael didn’t flinch. “Yes. Because rushing in now will get her killed. Or you killed. Or both… and many others . I’ve seen what they’re capable of… this isn’t just Aedric anymore. There’s something controlling him, something powerful. We can’t fight it head-on… not yet.”I ran a hand through my hair, pacing again. “So… I just… wait? I’m supposed to stay locked up here while they—”“They’ll underestimate you if you stay calm,” Ael interrupted sharply. “You think they’ll expect you to act smart? To let the moment pass and strike later? No. That’s your advantage. You wait. You observe. And when the time is right, you hit…. and you hit hard. That’s how you save her.. And your pack.”I swallowed, my chest tight, fury and frustration burning in equal measure.
Sylvara POV The morning of the fourth trial arrived faster than I expected. I woke to the sound of the palace alive again… footsteps, distant growls, the low hum of anticipation. Every chamber felt like it vibrated with the same energy I felt coiling in my chest, a tension I couldn’t shake.I swu
I woke up slowly, my body heavy, my mind foggy.The bed beside me was empty.For a moment, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, listening to the quiet of my chambers. The sheets were still warm, scented with him, and that alone made my chest tighten. Kaelen was gone. No warning. No goodbye. Ju
My fists landed where they could… jaw, shoulder, throat. Not clean. Not pretty. But effective.Rovan snarled and shoved me hard. I hit the ground on my back, the impact knocking the air out of me completely this time.For a heartbeat, the sky spun above me.Get up.I rolled just as his foot came do
Sylvara PovThe training ground fell quiet when Kaelen stepped forward.It wasn’t sudden. It was the kind of silence that spread slowly, like everyone felt him before they saw him. Conversations died. Laughter faded. Even the restless shifting of wolves eased as attention turned toward the raised s







