Two : The betrayal begins

After dinner, Lyall returned to his room. He no longer spoke to his family, not even exchanging pleasantries. Since his older brother’s passing, he had become quiet and withdrawn—especially after the curse took hold. Yes, Lyall had always viewed the Lycan monster as a curse, because of that beast, he was now branded a coward. He blamed the monster for everything that had happened to him.

In his room, Lyall simply played games on his phone. Then came a knock, and the door opened. Lyall spared only a brief glance before returning his gaze to his screen.

"May I come in for a moment?" his father asked—a question Lyall, naturally, did not answer. Cyrus entered, closed the door, and walked toward Lyall, who was lying on his bed. Cyrus looked awkward, he touched Lyall’s desk and then his books. He picked up one book, opened it briefly, and set it back down. It wasn't that Cyrus had never spoken to Lyall before, but since Lycaon’s death, their relationship had grown distant. He blamed himself, of course. He had been too focused on hunting down Lycaon’s killer and too consumed by grief over the loss. He had forgotten that he still had Lyall, who was also mourning his brother. By the time he realized it, the rift between them had already widened.

"So..." he said, breaking the awkward silence. "How is school, son?"

"School is school. What did you expect?" Lyall said indifferently. He didn't even look at his father as he spoke, his attention remained fixed on the game on his smartphone.

Cyrus nodded. "That’s good... I suppose. How are you feeling? Is... is everything okay at school? Is anyone bothering you?" Cyrus didn't ask this without reason, he had heard what was happening to Lyall—how Cedric and Eve were constantly tormenting him. Lyall glanced at his father, who was standing there watching him. He didn't even invite his father to sit down.

Lyall sighed. "Hm... Nothing." That was all he said.

Cyrus nodded slowly. He didn't want to force Lyall to open up and risk further straining their relationship. "That's good. That's good." Cyrus took a breath and let it out quickly. "Alright. You know where to find me if you... need me. Well... Alright... I..." He gestured toward the door of Lyall's room. "Well... Good night." Cyrus left the room. Lyall tossed his phone to the other side of the bed. He stared at the ceiling for a moment, then covered his eyes with one hand. He was so exhausted—physically and emotionally.

***

Lyall caught a faint glimpse of a dark corridor. He walked through it. Soon, darkness returned.

"Go back now."

A voice spoke—he recognized it. Lycaon. He saw Lycaon standing not far away.

"I don't want to."

"Lyall, come on."

"No. I’ve been planning this for days. And they won't be performing again anytime soon."

"I'm sorry, but it's still a no. Not tonight."

Lyall looked at his clenched fists.

"You're selfish, you know. Mom and Dad let you do anything. They let you get away with whatever you want! Why can't I?!"

Everything went dark again for a moment. Soon, a faint image appeared. He was in a forest now.

'What exactly is that?'

A voice spoke. Lyall looked toward the sound. Ray?

'You don't need to know. Just run as fast as you can to the castle.'

Lyall ran, followed by Ray in his wolf form. Before long, the scene shifted again. He saw Lycaon—in wolf form.

'Go! Go home. Hurry!'

'No! I won't leave you.'

It all happened so fast. Everything grew increasingly hazy. Lyall heard Lycaon shouting.

Lyall sat up on his bed. His body was drenched in sweat; his breathing was ragged, his heart pounding. He looked around. A dream—it was just a dream, he told himself.

"Ah..." Lyall clutched his aching head. He kept having the same dream. But it was always incomplete; there was always a missing piece. Yet, why did he keep dreaming it?

Lyall got out of bed. He reached for the glass on his nightstand. It was empty. He really didn't feel like going to the kitchen just for a drink of water, but his throat felt parched. He needed a drink. Lyall glanced at the wall clock in his room; it was already two in the morning. Surely there wouldn't be anyone in the kitchen, right?

Lyall dragged his feet heavily toward the kitchen. Before he even reached the doorway, he heard a sound. He stopped and strained to listen. A werewolf, indeed—though thanks to the Lycan monster within him, his hearing was twice as sharp. It was the voices of his mother and father. Lyall exhaled. He was reluctant to run into them, they would inevitably ask questions he had no intention of answering. He turned to leave.

"Lycaon?"

His mother had spoken his older brother's name. Lyall froze. He decided to stay and listen further.

"But darling, that doesn't make sense. Lycaon wasn't—"

"I know." Now it was Cyrus speaking. "We all know. Frederick doesn't. Perhaps that’s the reason—it’s just a guess, but perhaps that’s why."

"But that doesn't matter anymore. Lycaon is at peace now. I know you were devastated by what happened to him, my love. But please... focus on Lyall. He is your son. He needs our protection. I’m certain those people will try to hurt him."

"Of course, my love. Of course I’ll focus on Lyall. I’ve already assigned Zaiden to watch over him. I would protect him even without you asking." Cyrus let out a long sigh. "It’s my fault. All of this is my fault. I was so devastated by Lycaon’s death that I neglected Lyall, who needed my protection and extra attention. I was a fool."

"Is he... still not opening up to you? Still keeping his distance?"

"As always. But it doesn't matter. Zaiden is with him, so I’m somewhat at ease. I’ll focus on our defenses. Sooner or later, Frederick will rebel. He’ll find a pretext to kill us all." "By using Lyall as the excuse."

Cyrus sighed again. "Right."

"Do you have a plan?"

"For the worst-case scenario? Of course."

"Does... Does he remember the incident yet?"

"I don't think so. If he remembered, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself."

"We need Lyall's memory to catch Lycaon's killer. But making Lyall remember that tragedy would destroy him. Lyall was so close to Lycaon. I can't bear the thought." His mother’s sobs were audible.

"We'll find another way, darling. There has to be another way."

Lyall returned to his room. He didn't want to hear any more. He was so angry with himself. He was the cause of Lycaon's death. Yes, he had heard those words often—from the maids, the gammas, even those crazy cousins ​​of his. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recall the events of that night, and everyone seemed to be keeping it all hidden for his own good. He was frustrated.

***

Lyall was running at a brisk pace early in the morning. Ever since Lycaon’s death, he had been diligent about his morning runs and training—or rather, it had become an obsession. It was a stark contrast to the time when Lycaon was still around; back then, Lyall hadn't even wanted to go near the training grounds, and Lycaon had to go to great lengths just to get him to train or even go for a run.

Lyall stopped running to catch his breath and take a moment’s rest. He had been at it for quite a while. Since there was no school today, he was free to run for as long as he liked. Suddenly, Lyall heard a sound coming from a narrow alleyway. At first, he paid it no mind, but the noise grew louder and closer, moving rapidly toward him. Lyall grew alert. it could be Eve, Cedric, or their friends. A large wolf emerged from the shadows of the alley. It looked familiar. Lyall fixed his gaze on the wolf.

"Jason?" he asked, gently nudging the wolf back into the alley. "Have you lost your mind, showing up like this in the middle of the city?"

The wolf lowered its head.

"What are you doing here?"

"Patrolling, Your Highness. The King ordered us to search for Zaiden." Jason replied via mind-link—a message Lyall could hear clearly.

"My father? But what’s happened to Zaiden?"

"Zaiden... has disappeared, Your Highness."

Lyall laughed. "That makes no sense. He’s an adult, he couldn't just disappear. I’m sure he’s hiding somewhere. He’s too annoying—no one would bother kidnapping him."

"But Zaiden has been missing all night, Your Highness. We thought he’d gone somewhere, but he isn't answering his mind-link. His phone is off, too."

Lyall fell silent. Zaiden, missing? It's impossible.

"Alright, you may go."

Jason took off running again. Lyall still couldn't believe Zaiden had vanished. That infuriating guy?

Lyall resumed his run, sticking to the city streets. He had avoided running in the woods ever since the incident five years ago. Besides, his father had warned him against running there—especially alone. Yet, the more Lyall ran, the more his thoughts kept drifting back to Zaiden. A debate played out in his mind: Had Zaiden disappeared? Been kidnapped? Surely not?

Lyall came to a halt. He felt unsettled.

***

At the castle

Cyrus had been pacing back and forth in the room for quite some time. He was deep in thought, muttering indistinctly under his breath.

"Alpha—"

"No," Cyrus cut in quickly. "Don't disturb me, Dal. I'm still trying to find a way out of this."

Dal fell silent for a moment but eventually called out again, causing Cyrus to heave a long sigh, stop pacing, and turn around.

"Dal, I told you—" Cyrus didn't finish his sentence. He saw Stella, his wife, standing there with a worried look on her face. "What? Did something happen?"

"The Gammas just reported a lot of movement at the border," Stella informed him.

He furrowed his brows. "Wait, why did they report that to you? Why not to me or Dal?"

Stella crossed her arms over her chest. "Didn't you shout first thing this morning—looking sour—that you weren't to be disturbed for ANYTHING unless Zaiden was found?" she said, frowning.

"Oh..." Cyrus nodded repeatedly. "So, what was it?"

"A lot of movement at the border. Wolves are arriving from out of nowhere." Stella sat down on one of the chairs. "But they aren't coming from the forest, they're coming from the city. We can't forbid anyone from entering the city—especially since we live side-by-side with ordinary humans."

"Could they be tourists? That’s possible, right?" Cyrus speculated.

"No, I don't think so, Your Highness. They arrived all at once, in large numbers. It was very conspicuous—deliberately so, I believe." Dal offered his opinion this time.

Stella frowned. "To scare us? If so, that’s a reckless move."

"No, that’s a good thing. It gives us time to prepare." Cyrus nodded firmly.

"I’ll get our wolves ready and—"

"No!" Cyrus cut in quickly. "We’re going to prepare an escape plan."

"An... escape plan? We’re going to run away? But this is our home, and you’re the Alpha here." Stella protested. She couldn't believe her husband was acting like a coward.

"For the worst-case scenario, my love—just for the worst-case scenario." Cyrus said soothingly. "We don't know for sure who is loyal to us. Even though we’ve hunted down and caught a few traitors, it isn't enough. What matters most are Lyall and Lycus. Their safety is the priority."

"I agree with the Alpha, Luna. The children are more important. Especially Lyall. Ever since Frederick found out that the monster resides within Lyall, he’s been the primary target."

"Dal is right. Besides, it’s only for the worst-case scenario. Get ready. We need to be prepared if it happens," Cyrus urged. Stella nodded and left the room. Cyrus looked at Dal. "How many of our people can we trust?"

"Quite a few, Alpha. Most of the Gammas are on our side."

Cyrus nodded. "Good. Get a car ready—somewhere far away, a safe place no one knows about—and load it with the things my wife has prepared. And oh! Zaiden! Any news from him?"

"Not yet, Alpha. Some people said they saw him at the border."

"I’m sorry, Dal. I’ve been so focused on my own family that I neglected your son."

Dal smiled. "No need to apologize, Alpha. Zai is grown up now, he’s a strong, resilient werewolf. He’ll be fine," Dal reassured him. He knew Cyrus was under immense pressure. There had been too many attacks on the pack lately. The casualties weren't limited to werewolves, ordinary humans were falling victim too. Lykort’s territory was vast, and living alongside humans required a great deal of time and energy to keep the area secure. But Cyrus was a wise and intelligent Alpha—a fact widely acknowledged. He handled issues swiftly, without arousing suspicion among ordinary humans. Yet, this time, his family was involved. Indeed, for the five years since Lycaon’s death, Cyrus had strived to ensure Lykort’s safety—especially for the sake of his child. Dal understood that. He knew the sorrow of losing a loved one; he had experienced it himself when his wife, Melanie, passed away. He had been devastated, and it was Zaiden who helped him rise again, becoming his sole focus.

"No." Cyrus placed a hand on Dal’s shoulder. "Your child is important, too. He’s like a son to me. You just focus on Zaiden. I’ll handle the rest."

"No, Alpha—I’ve already dispatched some men. There will be news. I’m certain of it. Don’t worry. You just focus on your family. I’m going to check on our forces again." Dal left the room.

Cyrus gazed out the window—having had his back to it until now—and let out a long sigh. He had long suspected this would happen. His cousin had coveted the throne for ages, believing it was his birthright. The Lykort Pack was one of the oldest in the world, renowned since ancient times for harboring the Lycan monster. A pack possessing the Lycan monster became the strongest, automatically ascending to the status of the ruling monarchy. The pack leader was an Alpha, if that Alpha also harbored the Lycan monster within, he would automatically become the King of Werewolves—the Alpha of Alphas. Cyrus and Frederick belonged to the Lycaros family, the ancient lineage that held the hereditary—albeit randomly manifesting—right to the Lycan monster. The trait might have belonged to a younger sibling, but upon that sibling's death, the Lycan monster might not necessarily pass to their child, but rather to another member of the Laros family.

For centuries, the Lycan monster had not appeared within the Lycaros family. Then, one day, it manifested in Alexius—Cyrus’s father—when he was eleven years old. Once Alexius became a Lycan, the throne that should have belonged to Frederick’s father passed to Cyrus’s father instead, it now belonged to Cyrus, even though he did not possess the Lycan trait himself. After Alexius died and it became clear Cyrus lacked the Lycan nature, Frederick began plotting to oust him. Matters came to a head when the monster appeared and terrorized the city. Frederick assumed the creature was Lycaon—Cyrus’s eldest son—but in reality, Lycaon had merely been protecting the young Lyall.

Frederick’s obsession with the throne had blinded him. He had openly rebelled on several occasions, and Cyrus had repeatedly sought ways to dismiss or counter these actions. Frederick was his cousin and his best friend—or at least, he had been before jealousy and madness took hold of him. Yet, deep down, Cyrus knew that the day would come when Frederick would launch a full-scale rebellion—a moment that now seemed imminent. Cyrus let out another long sigh. Lycaon’s death had left him obsessed with the safety of the pack and his family. He blamed himself for Lycaon’s passing; he had been negligent, careless. He had known all along that Frederick was eyeing his position. Cyrus had even asked him to fight for the Alpha role honorably—he was willing to relinquish it if Frederick proved worthy. All Cyrus wanted was a quiet life with his wife and children. But Frederick had refused, for reasons unknown. Cyrus believed Frederick was capable, yet strangely, he kept declining the challenge. It was ironic, really; had Frederick become Alpha and Lyall the Lycan King, their lives might have been peaceful—or so Cyrus thought. Instead, Frederick targeted Cyrus’s children, intent on ensuring there would be no more Lycans left to challenge his claim to the throne.

***

A loud sound of shattering glass rang out. Eve was holding a metal baseball bat. Her room was a mess; items were scattered everywhere, and several things lay broken. She stood before a shattered full-length mirror; shards of glass still clung to the frame, reflecting her image. She gripped the bat tightly, her jaw set and her breathing ragged, as if she had just been running.

"Good heavens, Eve—what is going on?" Erina asked, startled as she entered the room. Eve didn't answer. "Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay?" Eve shot back coldly.

"You look terrible. And what is that blood? Is that blo—"

"Damn it!" Eve screamed, making Erina flinch. "What’s so great about Cedric? Why him?! I’m the best one here! Not Cedric!" Eve threw the bat onto the floor and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Did your father praise him again?" Erina asked softly, trying not to aggravate Eve’s anger further.

"It’s the worst! My father told him to bait that fake prince into transforming into a Lycan! But that was my job!"

"But you haven't succeeded yet—you know that. Maybe your father has a plan to—"

"So... you think I'm incompetent?" Eve glared at Erina.

"N-no, that's not it. I... I mean—"

"Cedric’s getting a big head because of it!" Eve cut her off. Yes, she was absolutely furious. All this time, she had constantly demonstrated her achievements to her father—from combat skills and strategy to her schoolwork. Yet, her father always prioritized Cedric; he always assigned Cedric the important tasks, while she? She was left with nothing but trivial, boring chores—like looking after her sick mother. "I swear, I won't let him take what's rightfully mine! Cedric is just a fool! Right?" she asked Erina.

Erina nodded quickly. "O-of course. You're far better than Cedric," she stammered. She didn't want to make Eve any angrier; she knew exactly what Eve was like, and she was no match for her.

"I've made up my mind." Eve stood up. "I'm going to challenge Cedric. I'll show Father and everyone else that I'm better than him. Tch! I'm certain Cedric won't be able to beat me. Where is he now?"

"From what I hear, he's in the forest with his friends."

Eve frowned. "The forest? That's strange. Cedric hates going to the forest. He usually hangs out with girls and his friends at the café."

Erina shrugged. "I don't know; that's just what I heard. Maybe he's already started their plan to change Lyall."

"I won't let him succeed. Let's go!" Eve walked out of her room, followed by Erina.

***

Tadariez