LOGIN~Kael’s Territory – Eastern Borderlands~ Kael sat alone in his room, holding a bottle of whiskey. It was already half gone. He didn’t even know when he started drinking. The land the Council gave him was small and far away. It wasn’t a reward—it was more like a punishment disguised as one. But he felt like he deserved something even worse. He should have been locked up with Damon. Or dead like Selene. Instead, he was alive and free. And he had to live with the fact that he destroyed everything. Someone knocked on the door. He didn’t look up. “Go away.” The door still opened. Lyra stood there. She looked weak and tired, like she had escaped from the labor camps. The Council would probably be searching for her. “You shouldn’t be here,” Kael said. “I know.” She stepped inside anyway. “But I needed to see you. I needed answers.” “Answers to what?” "Why you did it. Why you betrayed us." Lyra's voice was steady, but her eyes were filled with pain. "We were pack, Kael. Family.
~Victor’s Territory – Southern Lands~ Victor stood on the balcony of his new home, looking out over land that was supposed to be his reward. It should have felt like success. But instead, it felt empty. “Governor?” his new assistant said from the doorway. “The Council representatives are here for the inspection.” “Tell them I’ll be down soon.” The assistant left, and Victor stayed on the balcony, holding a glass of wine he couldn’t drink. He kept seeing her face. Selene, lying on the throne room floor, her silver eyes lifeless. He had rejected her once. Treated her like she meant nothing. And later, he helped the Council kill her. All for this, he thought, looking at his estate. Land, a title, power… A knock came at the door. “I said I’d be down soon—” “This isn’t about the inspection,” a woman said. A voice he recognized. Victor turned and saw Morgana standing in the doorway. “How did you get past my guards?” “Please. Your guards are weak,” she said, walking in like
One Week Later ~Damon’s Pov~ The silver chains burned. They always burned. Day and night, the pain never stopped. It kept Rex under control. It stopped me from changing form. It stopped me from doing anything… except stay alive in this cage. Not a cell. A cage. High Commander Valen made sure of that. He wanted the “Broken King” to be seen by everyone. A warning. A lesson. So here I was, in the middle of what used to be my throne room, locked inside a small silver cage. It was so tight I could barely stand. Around me, the Council officials went on with their work like I wasn’t even a person… just a piece of furniture. “The southern lands are under control,” someone said. “Governor Victor has brought order. No one is fighting back.” “And the work camps?” “They’re running well. The prisoners are working hard. There have been very few problems.” My people… turned into slaves. Just numbers to them. I closed my eyes and tried not to think about it. I tried not to think about an
~Damon’s Pov~ She stopped moving in my arms. Her silver eyes stared blankly. Her chest wasn’t rising anymore. Her heart wasn’t beating. And the bond… it was gone. Completely gone, as if it had never been there at all. “No,” I said, my voice breaking. “No, no, no!” I shook her gently, then pressed my hands against the wound in her chest, trying to stop the bleeding even though I already knew it was too late. “LYRA!” I screamed. “LYRA, HELP HER!” Lyra stumbled over, Zara supporting her, and she pressed her hands to Selene's chest. Green light flickered for a moment, then weakened and went out. “I’m sorry,” Lyra whispered, tears on her face. “There’s nothing left. She’s… she’s gone.” “TRY AGAIN!” “Damon, she’s gone,” Lyra said softly, clearly heartbroken. “The Beast drained everything—her wolf, her magic, her life. I’m so sorry.” I looked down at Selene’s body—because that was all she was now—and something inside me broke completely. Rex howled in my mind, full of grief so
Then the doors burst open Council soldiers rushed in, and the fight started right away. It was brutal and violent. Our warriors were tired and outnumbered, but they fought as if they had nothing left to lose. Because they didn’t. Damon transformed into Rex and attacked the enemy soldiers with anger. Through our bond, I could feel his rage, sadness, and his strong will to protect me for as long as he could. “I love you,” I sent through the bond. “Don’t,” he replied in his mind, sounding broken. “Don’t say goodbye. Not yet.” But I could feel it happening. The end was near. Maya got injured when a Council sword hit her side. Zara screamed and pulled her back, but there were too many enemies. More of our warriors fell. The Council kept pushing forward. Then the Shadow Beast came into the throne room. Everything suddenly went silent and stopped. Even the Council soldiers stepped back from the huge creature made of shadow and rage. Its red eyes looked around the room, then loc
The world was ending, and I couldn't stop it. The Shadow Beast rushed through the courtyard like a powerful force. Its claws broke through stone, and dark shadows swallowed everything around it. It didn’t care who it hurt or killed—soldiers, our fighters, anyone. Anyone who stood in its way ended up lying on the ground. Morgana stood on the palace steps, laughing like this was all some grand joke, blood still dripping from her mouth where the ritual backlash had clearly damaged something inside her. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” she shouted over the noise. "True chaos. No sides. No loyalty. Just pure, beautiful destruction." "She's lost her mind," Lyra whispered beside me. Maybe. Or maybe this had been her plan all along—if she couldn't control the power, she'd make sure no one else could either. Damon's hand gripped mine so tight. "The tunnels," he said again. "Selene, we have to—" “Your Majesty!” General Mark rushed toward us. His armor was damaged, and blood was running down from
Training began like all the others—brutal and unforgiving.But this time, something went wrong.In the middle of practice, my vision suddenly became blurry.I missed a strike, and the spear slipped from my hands."Focus," Damon snapped."I am—"Before I could finish, the world tilted violently. My
I couldn't sleep.Every time I closed my eyes, I remember kneeling in front of Damon. I heard his cold voice calling me his tool.I felt the shame all over again, like everyone was watching me and judging me.My chest hurt from the humiliation.Around midnight, I gave up trying to sleep entirely an
The east tower was beautiful.Of course it was.Everything in this cursed palace was beautiful.Michael led me through hallways filled with paintings and tapestries, up a spiral staircase with iron railings shaped like wolves, past windows showing gardens I couldn’t bring myself to enjoy.The bond
Cora rushed into my room at midday, her eyes full with panic."You need to get dressed. Now. My lady""What? Why—""His Majesty is holding Court in an hour. He's requested your presence." She was already pulling out clothes from the wardrobe, a gown in deep emerald that looked far too elegant for s







