Blood of the sea,Heart of a wolf

Kieran’s POV

The council was causing a lot of trouble.

The council leader, Azaro, remarked, "My King, we're just expressing what the people want." Why are you hesitant with her if we have been putting trespassing werewolves to death in accordance with Section 45 of the Constitution, which states that "Any werewolf who enters our lands uninvited must be put to death."

"Because she is my partner." Your future monarch. I left the words lingering. "Tell me, is an invitation required for a queen to stand on her own land?"

They all looked at me as if I had gone crazy.

“Yes, she’s my mate. You heard that right.” I turned to Azaro, eyes sharp. “And unless I’ve missed something, there’s no law forbidding me from taking her as mine, is there?”

Azaro’s old heart probably skipped a beat. “No, my King. But... how do you know she’s truly the one? The fated mate?”

I blinked. “Did I not just tell you she is? What more do you need to hear?”

Their disapproving looks were almost comical—like I’d just told them the moon was made of cheese.

“And what if the people rebel?” another council member asked, cautiously.

I smirked. “Then as their King, if they can’t accept or recognize their Queen, I have every right to disown them from the coven. That’s Section 105, isn’t it, Azaro?”

“You are correct, Your Majesty,” he said, voice tight.

“Then it’s settled. From now on, you will address her as your Queen.”

That’s when we heard the rush of footsteps echoing through the halls.

The guards I’d stationed outside Anastasia’s room burst into the council chamber, breathless. A serious offense—interrupting council proceedings could get you executed. But I’d given strict orders: if anything happened to her, they were to come to me immediately.

“Speak,” I commanded.

“My King,” one of them stammered, “Lady Lianna arrived and ordered us to abandon our post. She entered the room.”

“What?” My voice dropped with fury. “I gave you direct orders not to leave that door or let anyone in. If anything’s happened to Anastasia, you’ll suffer my wrath.”

I was already storming down the corridor before the last word left my mouth.

Lianna. She’d never been rational, especially when it came to werewolves—blaming them for her brother’s death. Gods only knew what she’d done.

I slammed open the door—and froze.

Water exploded out of the room, flooding into the hallway. Lianna’s body lay sprawled on the floor, soaked and motionless. Her guard was down too. The entire room was submerged, almost to the ceiling. It was like a tidal wave had crashed into it.

“What in the gods’ names...?” Azaro muttered, pushing past me and dropping to his daughter’s side. He frantically tried to revive her, forcing water from her lungs.

I found Anastasia curled in a corner, shivering. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably. She looked terrified—too scared to even raise her head.

“Ana,” I said softly.

She turned slowly toward my voice. And then, without warning, she stumbled into my arms, clutching me like her life depended on it—before passing out. Even unconscious, she refused to let go.

I called for Matif. He arrived quickly and bent over Lianna. At first, he hesitated—clearly not thrilled to help her—but seeing Azaro unraveling, he finally muttered something in the old tongue. Lianna sputtered, coughing up water, and her eyes fluttered open.

The second she saw Anastasia, panic crossed her face. She scrambled to her feet like a mouse fleeing a cat and ran out of the room. Her guard, now awake, followed her without a word.

Azaro turned to me, still kneeling in the water. “My King... what just happened? Is there something you haven’t told us?”

“There’s nothing you need to know,” I replied flatly. “The information you're entitled to has been given. This meeting is over.”

I gestured for Matif to follow me, and together we carried Ana to a new room. Hers was destroyed—soaked and uninhabitable.

Once she was safely lying in bed, I turned to Matif. “What the hell just happened?”

He hesitated, then asked, “Have you ever heard of the Moonborn Siren, sire?”

I searched my memory. “No. Why?”

“You’ll understand your mate better once you do.” That was all he said before bowing and leaving like a cryptic old seer.

Gods, I hated when he did that.

After the maids finished drying and changing Ana, I headed to the royal library. I searched every corner until I found a thick, deep blue book embossed with swirling silver patterns. The title caught my eye: The Moonborn Siren.

Back in my chambers, I sat beside Ana’s bed and flipped open the ancient pages, glancing at her now and then as she slept.

The book described a powerful being created by the Moon Goddess to end a centuries-long war that ravaged both land and sea. This being—half-wolf, half-siren—was blessed with the blood of the sea and the heart of a wolf.

According to the legends, the Moonborn Siren was the prophesied savior of the ocean, the rightful ruler who would free her people from the tyranny of a cruel sea queen. She bore the true royal bloodline of the sea folk, the only one able to command both the moon and the tides. Among the merfolk, she was known as the Daughter of the Sea. The one destined to wield the Trident of Power.

I looked up from the page and saw Ana stir, her brow furrowing in her sleep.

Something twisted in my chest.

That reaction was foreign to me.

But I knew what it meant.

She wasn’t just my mate. She was something far greater.