“The Moonborn Heir has awakened.”
The voice outside disappeared.
But the fear it left behind remained.
For several seconds, nobody inside the apartment moved.
Eren was still holding Kael’s hand.
The silver mark on his wrist continued glowing faintly.
Kael stared at it.
He had seen that symbol before.
Not in books.
Not in stories.
In nightmares.
Seven years ago, deep inside the cursed wildlands, he found the same symbol carved into the bones of ancient creatures.
Every time he saw it, death followed.
“Kael.”
Lyra’s voice pulled him back.
“What is happening?”
He looked at her.
For the first time since their reunion, she saw something she never expected from him.
Uncertainty.
The Shadow Alpha King was afraid.
Not for himself.
For Eren.
“We need to leave.”
Lyra frowned.
“What?”
“Now.”
She stepped back.
“You still haven’t answered me.”
“Lyra—”
“No.”
Her voice hardened.
“You don’t get to walk back into my life, tell me you are my son’s father, and then start giving orders.”
Kael looked at her.
She was right.
Seven years ago, he would have ignored everything and acted alone.
But things were different now.
There was a child between them.
A child who deserved answers.
“I’m trying to protect you.”
Lyra’s eyes flashed.
“From what?”
A deep growl echoed outside.
The windows shook.
Kael turned.
His expression changed.
“From them.”
The moment Kael opened the door, he saw them.
Wolves.
Hundreds of them.
Moonfang warriors.
But they were not attacking.
They were kneeling.
Every single wolf had their head lowered toward the apartment.
A wave of confusion spread through the street.
Nobody understood what was happening.
Then a voice came from behind the warriors.
“Move.”
The crowd separated.
A tall woman walked forward.
Her long silver hair moved with the wind.
Her black eyes carried strange markings.
Seraphina Noir.
The only person Kael trusted with the secrets of the cursed wildlands.
Lyra immediately became defensive.
“Who is she?”
Kael stepped slightly in front of Lyra.
“She is someone who knows what is happening.”
Seraphina looked past him.
Her eyes landed on Eren.
For the first time, her calm expression broke.
“No.”
Kael noticed.
“You know him.”
Seraphina did not answer.
Instead, she whispered:
“The prophecy was wrong.”
Lyra’s face tightened.
“What prophecy?”
Seraphina looked at Kael.
“The one that caused your exile.”
Everyone moved inside.
The apartment was too small for the number of secrets being revealed.
Lyra stood near Eren, refusing to let him out of her sight.
Kael noticed.
Even now.
Even after everything.
She still protected their son first.
Seraphina placed an ancient scroll on the table.
“The Moonborn prophecy was written over a thousand years ago.”
She opened it.
“The prophecy said a child would be born carrying the blood of two worlds.”
Kael looked at Eren.
“Two worlds?”
Seraphina nodded.
“The Alpha bloodline.”
She looked at Lyra.
“And the original Luna bloodline.”
Lyra froze.
“What?”
Seraphina studied her.
“You were never just a healer’s daughter.”
Kael looked at Lyra.
A strange feeling entered his chest.
“What are you saying?”
Seraphina answered calmly.
“Lyra Moonveil is the last descendant of the first Luna Queen.”
Silence.
Lyra stared.
“That’s impossible.”
“No.”
Seraphina shook her head.
“That is why they erased your identity.”
Kael’s mind raced.
Everything changed.
Lyra was not chosen because she was weak.
She was chosen because she was dangerous.
A loud explosion interrupted them.
The entire building shook.
Kael immediately moved toward Eren.
“Stay here.”
Lyra grabbed his arm.
“Don’t.”
He looked at her.
For a moment, they both froze.
Because this was the first time she had touched him willingly.
Her expression changed.
So did his.
Then she quickly released him.
“Don’t die again.”
The words were quiet.
But Kael heard them.
And they affected him more than any command.
“I won’t.”
Outside, the attack had begun.
Masked wolves moved through the streets.
Not Moonfang.
Not rogues.
Different.
Stronger.
Kael recognized their fighting style.
“Bloodclaw.”
Seraphina nodded.
“The rival packs know.”
Kael’s expression darkened.
“How?”
Seraphina looked toward the apartment.
“Because Eren’s awakening announced him to every powerful wolf within hundreds of miles.”
Kael’s hands tightened.
The child was not hidden anymore.
He was a target.
The battle lasted less than ten minutes.
The attackers expected ordinary Moonfang warriors.
They did not expect Kael.
The first attacker lunged.
Kael caught his throat.
“Who sent you?”
The wolf smiled.
“You think this is about the child?”
Kael narrowed his eyes.
“What?”
The attacker laughed weakly.
“You still don’t understand.”
Blood dripped from his mouth.
“Your son is not the reason they feared you.”
Kael’s grip tightened.
“Explain.”
The attacker looked toward the apartment.
“Your bond with his mother is.”
Then he died.
Kael froze.
When Kael returned inside, Lyra immediately noticed something was wrong.
“What did he say?”
Kael looked at her.
And for once, he did not hide anything.
“He said they feared us together.”
Lyra looked confused.
“Us?”
Seraphina’s expression became serious.
“The prophecy was never about Eren alone.”
Kael turned.
“Then what was it about?”
Seraphina looked between him and Lyra.
“You two.”
The room went silent.
“The first Alpha King and Luna Queen created the strongest bloodline in history.”
She pointed at Eren.
“And every generation feared that blood returning.”
Lyra’s breathing became uneven.
“So they destroyed us before we could become that.”
Seraphina nodded.
“Yes.”
Kael looked down.
Seven years.
Seven years of believing he lost everything because of betrayal.
But the truth was worse.
They had not destroyed him because he was weak.
They destroyed him because he was powerful.
And Lyra was the missing piece.
Later that night, Kael stood alone outside.
The territory was quiet.
Too quiet.
Darius approached.
“We caught one of the attackers alive.”
Kael looked at him.
“Who?”
Darius hesitated.
“That’s the problem.”
Kael frowned.
“What?”
Darius handed him a small object.
A ring.
Kael recognized it immediately.
His expression changed.
Because it belonged to someone who should have been dead.
Someone who was supposedly killed seven years ago.
Someone connected to the night everything fell apart.
Kael looked at the ring.
Then Darius spoke.
“The attacker claims he was following orders from…”
He paused.
“Your mother.”
Kael went completely still.
His mother.
A woman who died when he was young.
A woman who could not possibly be involved.
But then the ring in his hand began glowing.
And carved inside it were three words.
THE QUEEN LIVES.