All Chapters of Beneath the Alpha’s Mark: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

The first thing I learned about being a queen was that nobody actually knew what to do with me.The second thing I learned was that everyone expected me to know what to do with them.I stood on the highest balcony of the silver palace, staring at the army gathering beyond the valley.Thousands of warriors filled the plains.Silver armor.Black banners.Ancient wolves.Guardians.And at the far end of the valley, an enormous army waited beneath a sky that had turned almost completely black.My hands were cold.I wrapped my fingers around the stone railing.“This is insane.”Kael stood beside me.“Yes.”I glanced at him.“You're supposed to tell me everything will be fine.”He gave me a tired smile.“Everything will be fine.”I narrowed my eyes.“You don't believe that.”“No.”I laughed softly.“At least you're honest.”He looked at the battlefield.“I don't want to lie to you.”For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.The wind moved through my hair.Far below, warriors shouted orders.W

The shadows came like a storm.They poured across the battlefield, crawling over the ground, climbing the walls, twisting around the legs of warriors who were too slow to move.For one terrifying second, I forgot how to breathe.Then Kael's hand tightened around mine.“Lira.”I looked at him.“Look at me.”I did.His eyes were calm, even though chaos surrounded us.“Don't let them decide who you are.”I swallowed.The words from the throne echoed inside my head.One Queen.One Alpha.One choice.But what choice?I didn't understand.The first shadow creature lunged.Kael stepped in front of me and cut it down.Another came from the side.I raised my hand.Silver energy burst from my palm and sent it flying.More followed."There are too many!” Darius shouted.He and several warriors fought desperately near the palace gates.The Devourer tore through the shadows, but every creature it destroyed seemed to be replaced by two more.Elarion shouted something, but I couldn't hear him over t

The darkness inside the gate looked alive.I stood at the entrance, staring into it while the rest of the kingdom remained behind me.No sound came from inside.No wind.No footsteps.Nothing.That somehow made it worse.Kael stood beside me, his hand still wrapped around mine.“You don't have to go first.”I glanced at him.“You're the Alpha.”He raised an eyebrow.“And?”“Shouldn't you be brave?”“I am brave.”“Then go.”He looked into the darkness.“I'm brave enough to admit when something looks terrifying.”I laughed softly.It was a small laugh, but it helped.Behind us, Darius cleared his throat.“If both of you are finished flirting with death, I would like to suggest that we don't enter the creepy doorway.”I turned.“Darius—”“No. I'm serious.”He pointed toward the gate.“Every terrible thing we've encountered has started with someone saying, ‘Let's see what's inside.’”Elarion nodded.“For once, I agree with him.”I looked at the ancient doorway.“The throne said three tria

The silence between Kael and me felt wrong.Not peaceful.Not calm.Empty.I had spent so long feeling him through the silver thread between us that I hadn't realized how much I had come to depend on it.His presence had always been there.A quiet warmth beneath my skin.A pull whenever he was near.A warning whenever he was hurt.Now there was nothing.I reached for his hand.He looked at me.“Lira…”“Don't.”My voice cracked.“Don't tell me it's going to be okay.”He didn't.For once, Kael had no reassuring words.The Hollow King watched us from the center of the throne room.His dark crown glowed against his forehead.“You see?” he said quietly. “This is what happens when you challenge destiny.”I turned toward him.“You did this.”“No.”He shook his head.“You did.”I frowned.“You separated the bond when you chose the life you wanted.”“That wasn't my choice.”“It was.”His eyes narrowed.“You chose a life where the bond didn't exist.”I looked at Kael.“No. I chose him.”The Hol

The mountain exploded.I barely had time to breathe before a wall of stone came crashing toward us.“RUN!”Kael grabbed my hand.We sprinted through the forest as rocks tore through the trees behind us.The ground shook so violently that I nearly fell.Kael caught me around the waist.“Keep moving!”“I’m trying!”Another explosion sounded.The mountain split apart.Something enormous climbed through the opening.At first, I couldn't understand what I was seeing.It had the body of a wolf, but it was far larger than any wolf I had ever seen.Its fur looked like moving shadows.Silver markings covered its enormous chest.Its eyes were completely white.And beneath its feet, the ground turned black.The First Beast.It lifted its head.Then it roared.The sound knocked several warriors to the ground.I covered my ears.My knees weakened.Kael pulled me against him.“Lira!”“I’m okay.”I wasn't.My heart was racing.The Fourth Mark on my wrist burned.The Beast stopped.Its enormous head