CHAPTER FOUR

VIKTOR

As the dazzling lights on the sacred platform slowly faded, the entire room was yet to recover from the stunned silence that had settled it. In the back of my mind, I could sense their own shock, disbelief and fear since they had somehow forgot to control their emotions and their wolves.

I stood up to my feet and turned away from Delilah to address the crowd of guests watching me so attentively.

“Thank you for the welcoming party, but I think you all have seen enough for one night,” I said, my voice low yet commanding. “Go home. Now.”

At my command, the guests instantly snapped out of their daze and scattered across the room like a pack of rats seeking the exit. Meanwhile, I descended the sacred platform and walked away with a stoic expression.

But deep down, my wolf stirred with me. Not with triumph or fury about the maddening decision I had just made for the two of us, but with a strange, deep hunger that echoed across my very insides. It wasn't his usual thirst for bloodshed or chaos, but something much darker and more persistent.

Something was wrong.

I had barely walked a few steps away the sacred platform when a hand instantly grabbed my arm and suddenly spun me around, only to meet an angry face glaring back at me.

“What in the name of the moon goddess's ten fucking stars is this madness?” Andrei hissed, trying to keep his voice low as possible so as not to be seen cursing at the new Alpha King. “What the hell were you thinking, Viktor? Do you know what you have done?”

Great, he must have been really furious if he was calling me by my first name in public. I raised my head, intending to snap at him or deliver some sort of dismissive response that would get him off my back for a while, at least.

But then, I saw it. The undercurrent of disbelief, anger...and fear lingering in his eyes as he stared at me.

I let out a soft exhale before responding. “I have my plans, Andrei. There's no need to concern yourself.”

“Con-Concern myself?” My Grand Beta scoffed, looking at me like I had just declared that the moon was pink. “You want me not to concern myself?! How can I not do that when my Alpha King just made a vow in front of the Vyrclaw Pack that he would mate with their High Priestess?”

Internally, my wolf winced. I knew how bad things looked, but I just couldn't summon a single shred of regret or remorse over the decision I had just taken.

“As I said, I have a plan—”

“A year, Viktor!” he said, his voice cracking at the end. “You have only a year left to get that damn woman in your bed again, or you'll die!”

I paused at the slight tremor in his voice as he quickly looked away. Andrei, my Grand Beta and best friend, was somewhat similar to me when it came to emotions. Yet, he looked genuinely worried for me, and I didn't know how to comfort him.

So instead, I took another alternate route. “Actually, I need you to do something for me,” I said, slapping his shoulder to get his attention. “From now on, I need you to get Trin and Kytiri to watch her from now on. Make sure they understand what's at stake.”

Andrei's head whipped back fast at my words. “Why do we need to protect her? It is you that we need to watch now—”

“Because tonight, the entire world just found out my weakness,” I explained. “And we both know that there are some people who won't hesitate to use her against me.”

Understanding dawned in my Grand Beta's eyes. “I'll go relay your orders immediately.”

The air shifted the moment Caspian appeared, his presence heavy with restrained fury as he walked towards me with his pack elders trailing behind.

“Your Majesty,” he gritted through his teeth. “There's something I must discuss with you.”

“Not now,” I waved a dismissive hand as I walked past them, splitting away from Andrei, who was already leaving to execute my orders. A sharp pulse flared beneath my ribs, stealing my breath for half a second, but I ignored it.

Then, another hand reached for me again. This time, it was more gentle, softer than before. My entire body stiffened, already sensing the identity of this stranger before I could even turn around.

“Your Majesty,” Deliliah said, her voice filled with icy calm. “Please follow me. We need to talk.”

I pulled my arm away from her grip. “I will not be seeing anyone else tonight. If you wish to say something, then you can say it tomorrow—”

“Viktor!” she snapped, her voice cracking like a whip. “We are talking. Right now.”

I tensed immediately at her sharp tone. Something within me wanted to defy her on purpose, to push her until she broke the icy composure she had. But the strange hunger within me suddenly felt sated, like a calm had descended upon my wolf within.

At that moment, all I wanted was to keep her hands on me for as long as I could.

“Fine,” I grunted, yielding to her request. “But if it's something I don't want, then I'm leaving.”

Deliliah didn't respond to my words, simply dragging me out of her alpha's mansion with my hand intertwined in hers. She led me to the forest behind the mansion, the tall trees surrounding us.

When we reached the heart of the forest, she finally stopped walking.

She turned to face me slowly, moonlight slipping through the trees to illuminate the sharp lines of her face. There was no anger in her expression. No panic. Only a chilling calm that unsettled me far more than rage ever could.

Then she released my hand.

The sudden absence sent my wolf surging forward, displeased and restless, but I crushed him down as she took a single step closer. Close enough that I could feel her presence, steady and unyielding, like the earth beneath my feet.

“Viktor,” she said quietly, her voice soft yet commanding. “Kneel.”

The word struck harder than any shout.

“Kneel,” she repeated, unflinching. “Renounce the vow you made tonight. Undo it before it destroys you and everything tied to you.”

The forest pressed in around us, shadows stretching long and thin, bearing silent witness. I felt it, the pull, the pressure, the ancient power imbued into her words. My wolf snarled, bristling, fury and instinct colliding violently in my chest when I realized she was using her priestess powers to coerce me into changing my decision.

I straightened instead.

A low growl tore from my throat as I met her gaze, fire blazing where calm had no right to exist.

“Over my fucking dead body.”