Aria couldn’t breathe.
She could hear everything.
The dripping water beneath the mountain.
The movement of stones collapsing in the distance.
Damon’s heartbeat.
Kael’s heartbeat.
Even the terrified breathing of the creature standing before her.
Everything was suddenly clear.
Too clear.
Her body felt different.
Stronger.
Lighter.
Alive.
The silver wolf standing behind her was no longer separate from her.
It was her.
We are one.
Aria’s eyes widened.
“You…”
I am you.
The voice wasn’t frightening anymore.
It felt familiar.
Like someone she had been waiting for her entire life.
My name is Lyra.
“Lyra…”
Damon took a cautious step forward.
“Aria?”
She turned toward him.
Damon immediately stopped.
His eyes widened.
The girl he had rejected was gone.
In her place stood a silver-eyed woman surrounded by an aura of pale light.
Her clothes were torn.
Her dark hair fell around her face.
And behind her stood the largest silver wolf he had ever seen.
Damon’s lips parted.
“You’re beautiful.”
Aria’s expression hardened.
“Don’t.”
He lowered his gaze.
“I’m sorry.”
“You’ve said that.”
“I know.”
“Then stop saying it.”
Damon nodded.
Behind him, the creature laughed.
“How touching.”
Aria turned.
The creature stood several meters away.
Its black-scaled body towered over them.
Its crimson eyes were fixed on her.
“Who are you?”
The creature smiled.
“You don’t recognize me?”
“No.”
“Of course.”
It looked toward Kael.
“You never told her.”
Kael emerged from the rubble.
Blood covered his forehead.
His sword was broken.
But he was alive.
Aria’s relief came before she could stop it.
“Kael.”
His eyes immediately found hers.
For a moment, something softened in his expression.
Then he saw the silver wolf.
His face changed.
“Aria…”
“I’m fine.”
“You shouldn’t have awakened.”
She frowned.
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
Kael stepped closer.
“Can you control it?”
“I think so.”
The silver wolf behind her growled.
Kael stopped.
“Your wolf has its own consciousness.”
Aria nodded.
“Her name is Lyra.”
Kael’s eyes widened.
“Lyra?”
“You know that name?”
He stared at her.
“Yes.”
“How?”
Kael didn’t answer.
The creature laughed again.
“You really should tell her, Kael.”
Kael raised his broken sword.
“Be quiet.”
The creature’s smile disappeared.
“You still think you can command me?”
“No.”
Kael’s crimson eyes began glowing.
“But I can kill you.”
The creature laughed.
“Can you?”
Kael shifted.
His bones cracked.
Dark fur spread across his body.
Within seconds, the Lycan King stood in his true form.
He was enormous.
A black wolf with crimson eyes.
Aria had seen powerful wolves before.
None compared to him.
Kael charged.
The creature met him halfway.
The collision shook the mountain.
Damon grabbed Aria.
“We have to move.”
She pulled away.
“No.”
“Aria, they’re going to bring the mountain down.”
“I won’t leave him.”
Damon stared at her.
“You care about him.”
Aria looked at Kael fighting.
“I don’t know.”
Damon’s face tightened.
“You never looked at me like that.”
She turned toward him.
“What?”
“Like you were afraid of losing him.”
Aria didn’t answer. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
Because he was right.
The realization frightened her.
She barely knew Kael.
Yet the thought of him dying made something inside her ache.
Lyra spoke.
He has protected us.
Aria frowned.
“Us?”
Yes.
“Why?”
Lyra was silent.
Then—
Because he promised.
Aria’s heart tightened.
Another crash echoed through the chamber.
Kael was thrown across the room.
He hit the ground hard.
“Kael!”
Aria ran.
The creature lunged toward him.
Aria raised her hand.
Silver energy exploded from her palm.
The creature was forced backward.
It roared.
“What are you doing?”
Aria didn’t know.
She simply knew she couldn’t let it touch him.
Kael slowly stood.
His wolf form disappeared.
Blood dripped from his mouth.
“Aria, control yourself.”
“I’m trying.”
“Don’t attack with emotion.”
“Why?”
“Because your power feeds on it.”
Aria stared.
“What happens if I lose control?”
Kael looked at the cracks spreading across the mountain.
“You could destroy everything.”
The creature laughed.
“She could destroy much more than this.”
Aria turned.
“What do you mean?”
The creature stepped forward.
“Your power doesn’t belong to this world.”
Kael’s expression darkened.
“Enough.”
The creature ignored him.
“Your mother knew.”
Aria froze.
“What did she know?”
“That you weren’t born to rule the wolves.”
Aria’s heart raced.
“Then what was I born to do?”
The creature smiled.
“Open the gate.”
The ground shook.
A massive circular symbol appeared beneath Aria’s feet.
Kael’s eyes widened.
“Move!”
Aria tried.
She couldn’t.
Her feet were trapped by silver light.
“Kael!”
He ran toward her.
The creature attacked.
Kael blocked the blow.
The force sent him flying.
Damon rushed forward.
“Aria!”
He grabbed her arm.
The moment he touched her, the mate bond exploded.
Silver and blue energy collided.
Damon cried out.
Aria screamed.
A vision appeared.
She stood in a beautiful garden.
Damon was beside her.
They were older.
Married.
Happy.
Children ran through the grass.
Aria smiled.
Then the vision changed.
The garden burned.
Damon stood alone.
His hands were covered in blood.
A sword lay beside him.
Aria’s body was on the ground.
Damon screamed her name.
The vision disappeared.
Aria gasped.
Damon was staring at her.
“You saw it too.”
She nodded.
His face was pale.
“I’ve seen that vision before.”
“When?”
“Every night since I rejected you.”
Aria’s eyes widened.
“What?”
“I dreamed you died.”
Damon swallowed.
“Every time I tried to ignore it, it became worse.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“Of the prophecy.”
Aria looked toward Kael.
He had heard everything.
“What prophecy?”
Damon hesitated.
“The one that says…”
He looked at Aria.
“…the Queen will die by the hand of the man she loves.”
Silence.
Aria’s heart stopped.
“Who?”
Damon looked at Kael.
Then at Aria.
“We don’t know.”
“I know.”
Everyone turned.
The creature pointed at Kael.
“The King.”
Aria’s breath caught.
Kael’s expression became cold.
“Don’t listen to him.”
The creature smiled.
“Ask him what happened the night your mother died.”
Aria turned toward Kael.
“Tell me.”
Kael said nothing.
“Tell me!”
His eyes met hers.
“I was there.”
“I know.”
“I fought your father.”
Aria’s blood ran cold.
“You fought my father?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he had joined the Blood Moon Clan.”
Damon looked shocked.
“That’s impossible.”
Kael continued.
“Lucian believed the Moon Gate should be opened.”
Aria shook her head.
“My father wouldn’t do that.”
“He did.”
“No.”
“He wanted the power inside it.”
Aria’s eyes filled with tears.
“Then why did my mother die?”
Kael’s voice became quieter.
“She tried to stop him.”
Aria froze.
“And you?”
“I tried to save her.”
“What happened?”
Kael looked away.
“Lucian attacked me.”
“And my mother?”
“She stepped between us.”
Aria’s heart shattered.
“What did you do?”
“I moved.”
“Why?”
“I couldn’t stop my sword.”
Aria stared.
“Your sword…”
Kael closed his eyes.
“It struck her.”
Silence.
Aria couldn’t breathe.
The creature smiled.
“There is your truth.”
Kael looked at her.
“I didn’t mean to kill her.”
“But you did.”
His face broke.
“Yes.”
Aria stepped backward.
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
“She trusted you.”
“I know.”
“You promised her.”
“I know.”
“You failed.”
“I know.”
Her silver wolf growled.
The mountain trembled.
Kael looked at her.
“Aria…”
“Don’t.”
The silver light around her intensified.
The creature watched eagerly.
“Yes.”
Its voice became a whisper.
“Feel the anger.”
Kael’s eyes widened.
“Don’t listen to it.”
The creature laughed.
“Let the blood awaken.”
Aria’s power exploded.
The entire chamber turned silver.
Damon was thrown backward.
Kael struggled to remain standing.
The creature raised its arms.
“Open the gate!”
Aria screamed.
The circular symbol beneath her feet cracked.
A massive black door appeared behind her.
Something on the other side began pounding against it.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Kael’s face went pale.
“No.”
Aria turned.
“What?”
Kael stared at the door.
“That isn’t the Moon Gate.”
The creature smiled.
“It’s the real one.”
The door shook.
A claw pushed through.
Kael looked at Aria.
“Run.”
Aria couldn’t move.
The claw broke through.
A pair of enormous crimson eyes appeared beyond the opening.
Then a voice echoed from the darkness.
“Queen…”
Aria’s blood froze.
The voice continued.
“I have been waiting three thousand years.”
The door began opening.
Kael stepped in front of Aria.
Damon stood beside him.
For the first time, the two men faced the same enemy.
And from the darkness beyond the gate…
Something stepped into their world.