Lahat ng Kabanata ng THE CAPTIVE'S LOVE: Kabanata 101 - Kabanata 110

And then he returned to Alexandria—hunched against the stone wall yet again, her body convulsing, eyes brimful of incredulity, pain, despair.His eyes were burning."I should have left you to die in the northern pit," he spat, advancing on her."V-Vladimir—please—" she was hacking. "I did this for us—for what we were—"Never was there an us," he spat out, every syllable biting like claws. "There was me, blinded by shame. And you, seething with jealousy like a wolf with a maggot in its head."Her breath caught. "I loved you.""Loved?" His laughter was hollow, merciless. "You do not love. You consume. You saw and saw a throne. You saw and saw my imprint on Emereah. And you could not tolerate that it was not you."He stepped closer, towering over her like judgment."You didn't think I'd pay attention? The poison in your gaze? You spitting her name out like venom?" His voice shook now—not with fear—but with control. "I invited you to stand by my side. I invited you to share the honor of L

The dawn had never seemed so vulnerable.The heavens above the Red Crescent Mountains glimmered with bruised gold, as if the skies themselves breathed in holding their breath. Smoke continued to curl from the shattered peaks where magic had grappled like titans—where blood had etched destiny, and prophecy had bowed to a will more powerful than destiny itself.Emereah stood at the top, shrouded not in velvet nor jewels, but in the dust of a world she would not allow to perish. Before her, the last of the Crescent Silver Moon Fang Pack—few, broken, yet alive—knelt in a large ring. Each bowed forehead. Each heart pumping not in submission, but hope.Vera stepped forward, skin still etched with radiant sigils, dried blood at her temples. She was bare-headed, except for the appearance of a sister who had stood amid flames."They've made their choice, my Luna," Vera whispered, her voice shattering as the words fell into the ground like an act of holy devotion. "The old council is gone. The

They broke the last defenses like fire burning frost.Amongst the ruins of the ancient temple, hooded beings stood praying. Rebels' elders, lips moving tongues older than even Vera was.And at its center—A dagger.Oozing with blood of forebears.Above the Luna Stone."NO!" Emereah screamed, voice rending the heavens asunder.She ran, magic crackling behind her.One of the elder's whipped around, face white with fury. "She has the nerve to desecrate—"Rhovan's sword cut him short.Vera fired a blast of searing white flame, blasting the circle apart.But the senior elder held the dagger in a tighter grip. "If I don't take the throne… NO ONE WILL!"He thrust the dagger downward.But he never touched the stone.Emereah took hold of his wrist.Blazing eyes."Your reign is at its end."And with a roar, she pushed him back.He struck the pillar of stone, falling, out. Silence fell.The rebellion… was done.AftermathWith morning seeping over the gutted hill, smoke ascended into the air, ca

"When she was still inside me. When I gave birth to her under Vladimir's sigil. The curse now lay, under love and bond. But it will burst forth. when she is seventeen.Her fists were clenched."And it will destroy her."A bitter howl of wind ripped through the cave. Wardstones trembled. Rhovan came on, sword aloft, feeling the blast."She did what?" he roared, the muscles in his jaw twisting."."Morgane." Emereah's voice faded to a scream of rage. "She cursed my daughter. My blood. My future!"The cave trembled as Emereah's energy was unleashed. The color of the fire shifted to silver-blue, burning the edges of the rock with an unending hunger for war."She'll come back on the blood moon," Emereah growled, "believing still she has power. Believing she has destiny.".She looked down upon Lunareth, peaceful still in Vera's embrace. Emereah kneeled, laid a kiss upon her daughter's brow, and breathed softly, "You are not a pawn. You are not a price. You are everything."She stood.Her rob

But as something else—something older, something chastened. He moved toward Emereah slowly, and the whole circle watched as he knelt again—not before the flame, not before the child—but before her."I was wrong," he said. "About everything. About control. About prophecy. You were never supposed to be contained. You were supposed to lead."Emereah did not speak with softness.Vladimir's breathing stalled.The flames in the back of Emereah stretched a shadow across her face, dancing like the war that continued to smolder beneath her flesh. Her eyes sparkled—not with malice, but with something more. Memory. Determination. The specter of every dead brother. Every cry that was never silenced. Every grief that had cried her name aloud instead of whispered.She moved closer, the gravity of her words pulling time into a standstill.Don't forget, this kingdom wasn't really yours," she instructed, voice low, cutting, and shaking with flames. "This land—this heritage—was founded by the Crescent