LOGINPOV: Caleb
Now the palace stood on the edge of panic because a royal adviser was murdered beneath the tunnels, which changed everything.
This was no longer an isolated attack. It was infiltration, corruption, and a possible conspiracy.
I walked through the underground chambers with General Varric beside me while guards inspected the scene.
The adviser lay against the stone wall with his throat torn open and burned into the floor beneath him...
"Sit with us."I didn't, I definitely did not dare, so I remained standing.That seemed to amuse her. One of the noblewomen laughed. "So, this is the servant."Servant. Not maid, not Gina.Servant it is, and immediately I received the unspoken message. She intends to tread on my neck with her words. She had seemed completely normal when I saw her with Prince Caleb; she even spoke to me normally then, but obviously appearances can be deceitful. Now her true colors and hidden thoughts are on display in the midst of people who have similar views to hers, or maybe they just wanted to please a powerful noble.Princess Lena set down her cup and said, "I heard you've become very comfortable inside the prince's chambers."The room erupted with soft laughter. I kept my expression neutral; years as a police officer had prepared me for difficult people, and remembering all that Gina had been through prepared me for the worst. "I serve wherever Her Maje
POV: GinaI never understood loneliness until now. In my last life, I lived alone. Even when I wanted company, I went to bars or on a few dates, but I never truly missed anyone or anything.I always thought I could handle everything alone. But since leaving Prince Caleb's side when he headed for the battle, everything feels wrong, like I'm missing a piece of myself.The enormous palace still buzzed with activity. Soldiers moved through corridors. Some senior guards still barked orders into communication devices as the servants hurried between wings carrying supplies.Yet beneath it all lingered a strange emptiness.I stood on the balcony outside Caleb's chambers long after the war convoy disappeared beyond the mountains.The last thing I had seen was the prince climbing into one of the armored command vehicles.The last thing I had heard was his voice. "Stay inside the palace."Typical Caleb, no farewell or dramatic declarations, just an order. I folded my arms tightly. "Arrogant Lyca
Rage exploded inside me, over my dead body!A movement flashed from the corner of my vision; because I was distracted, I caught the move late; a hidden assassin emerged from the shadows. The blade in his hand glowed silver to stab me. I twisted around, but I was not fast enough.Pain exploded through my side. The silver blade plunged beneath my ribs, my roar shook the valley, and the assassin smiled. He didn’t look like a part of the Forgotten.Big mistake for him, as I grabbed his throat instantly and crushed it. His body collapsed, dead, but blood poured down my side.Keith appeared immediately. "Caleb!""I'm fine."The silver poisoning had already begun, slowing my healing, and my vision blurred briefly.The mountain shook again, and the gate widened further, and from beyond the silver light...A massive shadow moved; the Forgotten left were shouting, rejoicing. The warriors prepared for another fight.Suddenly,
The first missile struck less than three hundred meters ahead of our convoy. The explosion ripped through the darkness. Fire erupted across the valley floor.Several armored carriers were tossed aside like toys. Warning alarms blared inside the command vehicle."Incoming!""Multiple launches detected!""Deploy countermeasures!"The vehicle shook violently as automated defense systems activated. Outside, hundreds of interceptor drones launched into the sky. Blue streaks illuminated the night as explosions followed one after another. The skies themselves seemed to be tearing apart.I stared at the tactical display. The Forgotten had hidden missile batteries throughout the mountain range.These cultists are using military-grade weapons; someone powerful was backing them with resources."General Varric." I called sharply, the old general immediately turned to me, "Yes, My Prince?""Split the First Legion."His eyes narrowed at my instruction, then I expanded the battlefield map. "Their mi
All through the day, I was busy preparing for the battle. By nightfall, the palace was still busy. It breathed like a wounded beast preparing to bare its fangs.We had warriors from nearby packs, and nobles reallocated for security and the battle, too.Our kingdom had survived centuries because we adapted, while humans built their nations around their technology, Lycans also evolved alongside it.We never abandoned our instincts; we just learned to weaponize them to be stronger and better. This has helped us win and make better-informed decisions.The military launch yard below the palace blazed with activity, thousands of Lycan warriors assembled in combat formations. Heavy armored assault vehicles lined the departure zones. Hover transports loaded supplies, and our weapon engineers moved between soldiers performing final system checks.The scent of machine oil mixed with steel and wolf filled the air. It is the scent of war that I grew up in. I am familiar with it, and sometimes cra
POV: CalebNow the palace stood on the edge of panic because a royal adviser was murdered beneath the tunnels, which changed everything.This was no longer an isolated attack. It was infiltration, corruption, and a possible conspiracy.I walked through the underground chambers with General Varric beside me while guards inspected the scene.The adviser lay against the stone wall with his throat torn open and burned into the floor beneath him...A silver crescent symbol of the Forgotten. Again.Varric looked furious. "The killer wanted us to find this."Yes. This was not merely murder. It was a message. My gaze shifted toward the ancient tunnel walls. Water dripped steadily somewhere deeper underground.My mind snapped to childhood tales. I remembered the old stories of sealed ruins and a forbidden gate beneath the kingdom.Trey growled lowly. "This has an aura of darkness." I hated it when he sou
Caleb POVI could not sleep, not even when everywhere had gone silent; my sense of unease was strong, and Trey was restless, he wanted a run or just to find that little maid we met earlier.I ignored him, the maid was just a human, no matter how she smelled so divine, and his eyes drew me in. I wil
Next, I’m standing in an unfamiliar forest, the trees are enormous, their trunks silver-veined and warm beneath my palms as my hand rests on the bark of a tall tree.The ground is soft, with moss that glows faintly blue, lighting my path without shadows.I take a deep breath, allowing the earthy sce
I could not move my limbs, and I felt drained...“She is so weak, just take her back,” Madam Istrell said in disgust, turned around, and left me with a guard.The guard carried me on his shoulder like a bag, lifting me effortlessly out of the room. I noticed Lila stayed behind. Probably to clean up
POV: CalebTrey had reacted before my brain did; I had simply forgotten where I was at the moment. Seeing her wrist in another male’s grip had gotten antsy and restless. I am still stunned by my action, though I do not regret it.The truth is, I had been aware of her presence the moment she stepped







