Lyra’s POVHe explained that there was a prophecy of a child who would either destroy both kingdoms or unite them.The child would be an offspring of both Moonstone and Shadowfang royalty.I listened in stunned silence as the weight of his words sank deep into my chest. My hands had long gone cold, and my knees felt too weak to hold me up. I had to pull myself away from Ronan and take my seat on the couch again because If not for the couch beneath me, I was sure I would have collapsed by now.“My daughter, Seraphina,” Aldric continued slowly, his voice low but steady, “ran away to be with her lover. A noble from Moonstone named Lucian. They had a child. You, Lyra.”The world tilted.Lucian.My father.His name sounded strange when said by someone else, especially someone like the former King of Shadowfang. My heart thudded loudly in my ears, muffling the next few words until I forced myself to breathe again.I still remember the night he had helped me flee like it was yesterday. The w
Lyra’s POVI blinked, heart pounding in my chest as I looked between Ronan and Garrick, searching for some kind of anchor in this sea of confusion.What had he just called me?“Seraphina…” the former king whispered again, his eyes still wide, lips trembling like he was seeing a ghost. Like I was a ghost.I turned to Garrick, who leaned in and murmured with a stunned expression, “Seraphina was the name of the former princess. The one who vanished more than twenty years ago.”The blood drained from my face. Princess? Vanished? My throat tightened.I looked back at the former king. He was muttering under his breath, tears building in his eyes, completely unseeing.“I didn’t fail her… the prophecy… by the gods, the prophecy was real,” he whispered, voice breaking. “I didn’t fail her… I didn’t—”“What the hell is going on?” Ronan’s sharp voice sliced through the air like a blade.The old man blinked rapidly and seemed to come back to himself. He straightened slightly in his chair, rubbing
Lyra’s POVI was in the middle of polishing Ronan’s desk—again. The man was rarely in his chambers, yet somehow dust always found its way back like it had a vendetta against royal furniture. I had just finished stacking his maps when a knock came at the door.I wiped my hands on my apron and opened it to find Garrick standing there, eyes filled with concern.“Garrick?” I asked. “Is something wrong?”He opened his mouth, then paused. “Today the Marrow—”He stopped mid-sentence and leaned in abruptly, his nose twitching like he was trying to catch a scent. I blinked, startled.“What are you—?”His eyes widened as he leaned back. “Your scent.”“My… what?”“You have a wolf scent now,” he said, grinning like he’d just won a bet. “A strong one.”I gave a small, sheepish smile, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “Ember’s… coming back to me, slowly.”“That’s amazing, Lyra!” His smile turned warm and genuine. “I’m really happy for you.”It made something soft flutter in my chest. Garrick
Ronan’s POVAfter the war room incident with the marrowind, everyone went back to their own duties. I tried to avoid taking Lyra to my father as much as possible but the old twat still sent a guard to summon me to his office.He never gives up.The last time I stepped foot in my father’s off je, I was seventeen and bleeding from a cut over my brow—courtesy of one of his many “lessons in discipline.” The stone walls still held the same suffocating silence, like even the air didn’t dare speak without permission. Every painting was a stern portrait, and the curtains were dark enough to drain the sunlight of its will to shine. Just like Aldric himself.Now, ten years later, the old bastard had the nerve to summon me like some errand boy. I should’ve ignored him. But curiosity—and maybe a twisted sense of amusement—brought me to his door.I shoved the massive oak open without knocking, because formality between us died the day he broke my ribs and told me it was "character development."Al
Ronan’s POV“Well… will someone answer me.”Every spine in the room stiffened. The power in that voice didn’t come from volume—it came from legacy. The former king, Aldric, stepped into the room with that slow, measured walk that somehow always carried more threat than swagger. He was dressed simply, but there was nothing plain about him. His silver-streaked hair was combed back, and his amber eyes—aged and knowing—scanned the chamber like he already knew everything before a word had been said.The Marrowinds reacted immediately.Lady Marrowind’s crimson lips curled into a smirk that grated on every nerve in my body. The rest of my advisors sat in silence, watching, waiting, unsure whether they were witnessing a routine meeting or the prelude to war.Lady Marrowind surged forward with that exaggerated grace she was known for, clutching the hem of her wine-red dress like a lifeline. “Your Majesty,” she cooed—still addressing him like he still held the throne, “you must forgive the host
Ronan’s povThe chamber was thick with the scent of polished wood, ink, and suppressed egos. Morning light streamed through the high glass windows, gilding the long council table in gold, but even that couldn’t brighten the mood. The moment the Marrowinds walked in—Chloe’s sickeningly sweet smile leading the way—I knew this wouldn’t be a peaceful meeting.I didn’t rise. I sat at the head of the table, flanked by two of my most trusted councilmen, and let the tension simmer. Let them squirm. I wasn’t here for pleasantries.Xavier Marrowind took the seat across from me, his dark eyes sweeping the room before settling on me like he had something to prove. Chloe followed, ever the perfect puppet, her parents close behind with their air of self-importance trailing after them like perfume.“Your Grace,” Lord Marrowind began, with a small bow. “You requested this audience?”“I did,” I said simply.I waited until they were all seated and still, the room quiet save for the occasional rustle of