Reya’s POVThe night was still except for the soft breezes sweeping the trees outside the room. I had come here looking for sanctuary, a way away from the turmoil, the memories, the treachery. However, shadows danced along the walls at this time, and the air between Tristan and I throb with a menacing energy I could not disregard.His voice shattered the calm. "You're pulling yourself back into the fire, Reya. Do you know that?I remained silent and stared at the flickering candle. I clenched my hands. I wasn't sure if I was shaking from the cold or anything else entirely."Look at me," he said softly but strongly. He got closer, towering over me when I hesitated. “You're still afraid, aren't you? You're still afraid of what we are. Of what I am, after all of this.”I wanted to lash out, to remind him of all the broken promises, all the nights I spent running from the shadows of what we’d become. Part of me, an older, weaker part longed to recall what it felt like when his touch was t
Tristian’s POVI had not slept. not essentially. Dawn piercing the horizon caused my thoughts to whirl in a maelstrom of remorse, rage, and sadness. The evening had passed in a fog of restless pacing, watching the shadows move as though they knew what was about to be lost.The weight pressing against my chest was almost too much to bear. Not just the looming threat of war, or the unrest stirring beneath my own roof. But something much darker something that broke the delicate thread I held between faithfulness and treason.Then it hit like a punch in the stomach.Breathless and trembling, the messenger's frantic arrival jolted me out of my restless sleep. My heart pounded as my eyes devoured the bloodstained scroll he held with trembling hands.Isaac. My Beta. My brother – in .He had never hesitated. Never even hesitated. Until now.Swiftly, I unwrapped the scroll; terror grew within me. Burned into my eyes were the terms, an alleged abduction, a betrayal unfolding in the dead of dark
Reya’s POVThe cool night air cuts against my skin as I tread softly through the thick forest. A dim shine in the heavens, the moon shadows across Riverdale, the territory I formerly called home. Though tears are about to rise, I gulp them deep within. I have worked too hard to become the woman I am: strong, tough, and committed to settle the ghosts of my past.Years ago, haunted by memories I buried and wounds I declined to acknowledge, this is the place I ran from. But tonight, I have to face them. To at last confront the agony that has shaped my spirit is something I owe to both my children and myself.My childhood home sits silent, abandoned, ruined. Cracks permeate the formerly magnificent walls, and vines are infiltrating the broken windows. Heart pounding, I move closer. So much grief, so much loss is hidden inside these ruins.Fingers shaking as I follow the faded cracks, I sink onto the remains of the porch. This was the place I first realized love might break into bits, loya
Reya’s POVI sit alone in the little chamber that has been carved into the mountain's areas. Though the darkness is in the backdrop, I can only make out my own purpose. A constant hand tugs at my heart, prompting me of the obligation I have to keep.Blood smears down my veins, bearing the weight of the promise. Shivering and with closed eyes, I prepare myself to pledge blood oath for the benefit of my children.Those words are still swirling in my brain; never again.They will never be pawns again, ever.I will never see them going through the same agony once more.I vow to the darkness, my voice being shaky and scratchy in mood. I vow by myself and by the blood I bleed and the lives of my children, I vow…...I'll save them. I will protect them from coercion that has engulfed us over a protracted period, from manipulation, and from the threats of this country.They will be free. Free to choose their own destiny, free to be children…... not tools or pawns in a game they never understoo
Reya's POV. It’s only just dawn, but I can sense the change in the air like a storm is stirring. Every announcement is more rebellious than the last, with news spread like a fire hose through whispers and secret messages.” Despite my initial assumptions, the words I heard are now coming through in smaller groups of rebels rallying behind me instead of the King. Why? It shouldn't surprise me. The feeling is not that the cracks beneath my feet are becoming more noticeable, ready to swallow everything up. But it does. Holding the pendant, I'm confined to my private space in another room. It serves as an essential possession. The worn surface remains in my mind as I gaze upon it, reliving the memories of hopelessness, heartache, and the struggle to recover myself. They're calling me Queen now. I am met with a pale smile, bitter and fierce. I'm not interested in being a mere ruler, but rather in having something greater to offer. My goal is to eliminate the situation where my offspring
Lycan Xander’s POVStanding in the middle of the war room, I watch the shadows dance across the stone walls. I tonight face the most important decision of my reign, one that might rip my heart apart or permanently solidify my leadership.Rey walks in as the door opens softly; her face combines determination with uncertainty. She is carrying herself with the confidence of a lady who understands she will be tested more than ever.I see, though, the uncertainty flickering—and that drives my will.I gently break the silence with the words "Reya."As I call on every bit of patience I possess, my voice is forceful yet kind. “You fought so hard to stay free, to determine your own path. But I have to offer you this option…one that will shape your future.Her eyes are wary yet curious, locked on mine."What is this?" she cautiously wonders.Closing the distance between us, I inch closer; my voice drops to a hush filled of unsaid promise and threat."You know I have been watching over you from