Chapter 26: The Mark of Truth

The East Wing of the palace was forbidden for a reason.

Raven had always felt its pull—a strange magnetism that made her pause whenever she passed by. Tonight, though, she didn't just pause. She walked straight into the darkened corridor, guided by instinct and desperation.

The echoes of her footsteps bounced off cracked marble and forgotten stonework, their rhythm sharp against the heavy silence. Her wolf stirred beneath her skin, pacing, alert. Every inch of her body screamed that she shouldn't be here, but her heart beat with another truth—she had to be.

Moonlight trickled in through a narrow window above, casting long shadows on a series of murals along the wall. Wolves in silver and blood-red fur danced with men in armor. A crowned figure stood at the center of it all, shrouded in light, surrounded by flames.

She paused, frowning.

That figure—the posture, the streak of silver in its cloak—it looked familiar. Uncomfortably so.

Her fingers brushed the mural’s edge. As if sensing her touch, the stone beneath trembled, and a low creak echoed from the hallway ahead. A heavy wooden door she hadn’t noticed before began to shift, creaking open inch by inch.

She hesitated, then stepped inside.

The room was circular, carved entirely from obsidian rock. Blue runes pulsed on the walls, glowing dimly like a heartbeat. At the center stood an ancient altar, and atop it, a silver orb shimmered faintly. Dust clung to the floor and relics like centuries had passed untouched.

And yet, the room felt alive.

As she approached, the orb flared suddenly, blinding her. Raven staggered back—but she couldn’t tear her gaze away. Visions poured into her skull like molten fire.

She saw a woman—a younger version of herself, yet not quite—running through a burning forest. Behind her, warriors chased on horseback, wolves snarling at their feet. The woman clutched a baby close, wrapped in crimson silk. Then came the flash of a sword. A scream. Blood staining sacred stone.

The woman’s voice echoed in the vision: “Protect her. Hide her from the dark one.”

The orb dimmed. Raven gasped, collapsing to her knees, sweat soaking her brow. Her heart thundered in her ears.

“What… was that?” she whispered.

But she already knew.

That woman was her mother. The child—her.

A sob broke from her throat. Her wolf whimpered deep inside her chest.

This was more than some faded prophecy or noble title. She was a descendant of something ancient, hunted, hidden. And now it was waking up.

“Finally,” a voice drawled from the shadows.

Raven spun around, claws instinctively unsheathing. A tall figure emerged from the far wall, his cloak billowing as if caught in invisible wind. His eyes glowed red, unnatural and cold.

“You've grown strong, little heir,” he said. “But not strong enough.”

“Who are you?” Raven hissed.

“The one who buried your past,” he said, smiling. “And if I must… your future.”

He moved fast—unnaturally fast. One second he was across the room, the next he was in front of her, his hand closing around her throat.

Her wolf surged.

She screamed, shifting halfway. Her claws slashed at his arm, drawing dark blood. He howled and reeled back, and Raven lunged forward, fully shifting into her sleek black wolf form. Her teeth snapped inches from his throat.

But the man vanished—into smoke. Like a nightmare dissipating into air.

She shifted back, breathing hard, chest heaving.

“Coward,” she spat.

“You’ll see me again, Raven,” his voice echoed. “When the moon bleeds, and the final choice is yours.”

Then silence.

The runes on the wall faded. The orb cracked and dissolved. The chamber darkened, leaving only the sound of her rapid breathing.

Raven sank to the floor, trembling. Tears streamed down her face—but not from fear.

From fury.

From purpose.

Because now, she knew.

This wasn’t just her story.

It was her destiny.

Hours later, Raven returned to her chamber. Kade was waiting, pacing, his shirt half-buttoned, hair wild with worry.

“Where have you been?” he snapped, storming toward her. “I woke up and you were gone! I thought—”

She silenced him with a kiss. One fierce, desperate, claiming kiss.

When they parted, she whispered, “We need to talk.”

Kade frowned. “What happened?”

“I found something. Or maybe... it found me.” Her voice cracked. “Kade, I’m not just your mate. I’m something… more. Something dangerous.”

His eyes darkened. “Tell me everything.”

So she did. The orb. The visions. The man. The prophecy. Her mother.

By the end, Kade sat silently, his jaw clenched, eyes unreadable.

Finally, he said, “Then we need to prepare.”

“For what?”

“For war.”