Three

It had shocked him.

Not the battle itself—he had fought countless wars and crushed even the strongest packs without hesitation—but the way it had ended.

Utterly, Completely Destroyed.

Aurelian’s wolf army had swept through his forces like a storm through dry leaves, leaving nothing behind. It had not been a battle.

It had been a massacre.

Every soldier he had taken with him—betas, Lycans, warriors who had served him for decades—had fallen Only he had survived.

And not through strength Not through skill But because he had run.

The memory alone made Alpha Feal’s jaw tighten as he paced the length of his throne room, fury radiating off him in suffocating waves.

Never in his forty years of rule had he tasted such disgrace And worse—He had been forced to beg.”Beg.

The Wolf Council—those old, self-righteous rulers who only intervened when it suited them—had been his only salvation. He had gone to them like a desperate man, offering pride, dignity… anything.

They had agreed to step in.

But Aurelian had set his terms Cruel, Unforgiving and Absolute.

And Feal had been left with only one choice.”Accept…Or die.

The heavy doors creaked open.

Luna Zoran stepped in, her presence as commanding as ever, though her expression shifted the moment she saw him.

“What happened?” she began, her voice edged with concern. “Your warriors—I didn’t see them outside. Is everything—”

“Where is Seraphine?”

Her words died instantly.Zoran stilled, blinking in confusion as the question settled between them.

“You mean… that useless child?” she asked slowly, her tone laced with disdain. “The one you—

“Do not test me, Zoran,” Feal snapped, his voice low and dangerous. “Not today. Where is she?”She flinched.

For once “She’s with the healer,” Zoran answered, her voice tightening. “She was… punished earlier.”

Feal dragged a hand down his face, exhaling sharply.

“What is going on?” she pressed Silence lingered for a moment before he spoke.

“We lost.”The words hung heavy in the air Zoran’s lips parted in disbelief.

“We lost everything,” he continued bitterly. “We are now at the mercy of that bastard… Aurelian.”

“Aurelian?” she repeated. “Who—”

Then it clicked Her eyes widened.

“Wait… Nelo Vitale’s son?” she whispered. “But you—didn’t you kill him?”

Feal let out a harsh breath, raking his fingers through his hair.

“I thought I did,” he muttered. “It was an ambush. A perfect one. He’s been preparing for years—growing stronger, building his army… waiting.”

“Nelo “

The name alone tasted bitter.

Once, they had been allies, Friends Until ambition had taken root.

Feal had slaughtered Nelo’s entire pack—burned it to the ground, wiped out his bloodline Or so he had believed.

Aurelian had survived.And now… he had returned Stronger, Deadlier and Unforgiving.

“He would have killed me,” Feal admitted coldly. “If I hadn’t gone to the Council.”

Zoran’s hands trembled slightly. “What… what did they decide?”

Feal’s gaze darkened.

“The accord demands that I hand over my children.”The room fell into silence.

Then—

“What?” Zoran’s voice broke. “What do you mean, hand them over?”

“He will take them,” Feal said flatly. “All of them. Along with this pack. We now belong to him.”

Her knees nearly gave out.

“No… no, not my children,” she whispered, gripping his armor. “Not Kaelion. Not Hazel. You can’t—Feal, you can’t let this happen!”

“We have no choice!” The roar echoed through the chamber.

“We can hide them!” she cried desperately, falling to her knees. “Send them away—anywhere! He won’t find them!”

“They know Kaelion’s scent!” Feal snapped. “Do you think Aurelian is a fool?”

Silence,Heavy and Desperate.

Then Zoran’s voice dropped, trembling.

“We can… we can give him someone else.”

Feal’s eyes flickered.seraphine “But she isn’t,” Zoran whispered. “She is your niece.”

“She is my blood,” he said slowly. “They will test it.”

A pause.Then—What if they knew if she is your niece”?

“They don’t know that.”The words came out cold.

Calculated.

“She carries our scent,” he continued. “To them, that is enough. Aurelian wants blood. A royal. He won’t question it if it satisfies his terms.”

Zoran stared at him.

“You’re going to offer her instead?”

Feal didn’t hesitate.

“Yes.”

Her lips trembled—but not from sorrow.

Relief.

“Then do it,” she said quickly. “Save our children.”

Feal turned away, his expression hardening.

“Where is she?” Zoran hesitated.

“She was whipped today.”

For a moment, Just a moment, Feal looked like he might explode.

“THEY ARE ALREADY ON THEIR WAY!” he roared. “HOW DO YOU EXPECT THEM TO BELIEVE SHE IS A PRINCESS WHEN SHE LOOKS LIKE THAT?!”

A call from the king

I had never been summoned to Alpha Feal’s presence.

Not once, Not in eighteen years.

So when Madam Sonia shook me awake and told me the Alpha had requested me… I thought I was still dreaming.

Or dying ,Perhaps both.

She gave me something bitter to drink, something to dull the pain, and helped me into a clean dress—one far finer than anything I had ever worn.

It felt… wrong. As though it didn’t belong on me.Two guards escorted me through the long stone corridors toward the throne room—a place I had only ever entered to scrub its floors.

My stomach twisted with unease

Why now?

Why me?

Was this it?

Was he finally going to end it?

The doors opened, And I saw them.

Alpha Feal.

Luna Zoran.

Kaelion.

Hazel.

All standing together as a family One I had never been part of.

My gaze lingered on him—the man who had shaped my entire existence without ever acknowledging it.

For the first time…He was looking at me.

Not through me but At me.

“Your wounds,” he said. “Are they visible?”

I blinked, confused.

“I… I don’t know, Your Majesty,” I whispered, lowering my head.

He gestured to the old advisor.

“Check her.”

Jed stepped forward.

“Turn around, girl.” I obeyed, my heart pounding as his fingers moved to the back of my dress, loosening the ties.

I flinched.

“Stay still.”

The fabric parted.

Cool air brushed against my torn skin.

Silence followed.

Thick and Heavy.

“Gods…” Feal muttered. “Why isn’t she healing?”

“She is latent,” Jed replied. “She cannot shift.”

A sharp exhale.

“Of course she is,” Feal scoffed. “A disgrace in every sense.”

The words hit harder than any whip.

“How old is she?”

“Eighteen,” I answered quietly when prompted.

Feal rubbed his temple.

“Can the wounds heal? Quickly?”

“Some healing has begun,” Jed said. “The healer must have used blood magic.”

The doors opened again.

Madam Sonia entered.

“You called?”

No title, No bow.

Nothing.

“Explain,” Feal demanded. “Why is she still latent?”

“She is not,” Sonia replied calmly. “Her wolf is simply… waiting.”

Feal laughed bitterly.

“Waiting? For what? A miracle?”

“She survived what no one else could,” Sonia said sharply. “Do not underestimate her.”

Feal waved her off.

“It doesn’t matter. She only needs to look presentable.”

Presentable?

For what?

“If she appears weak,” he continued, “Aurelian will see through it.”

The name struck me.

Aurelian?

What was happening?

“Daddy, this is ridiculous,” Hazel complained. “How am I supposed to marry Darius if people think she is me? Look at her!”

Think I was her?

My heart began to race.

What did that mean?