The morning after the moonlit claiming in the ruins, the world didn’t change.
It shattered.
Not with fire. Not with war.
With silence.
The keep was too quiet—unnaturally so. No wolves barked in the courtyards. No fae whispered in the halls. Even the wind held its breath. The scent of pine and iron still clung to the stone, but beneath it—something colder. Something calculated.
They were coming.
The Council.
And they weren’t coming to negotiate.
They were coming to execute.
***
I stood in the war room, my boots silent on the obsidian floor, my hands braced against the table. The maps were spread—routes, defenses, weak points—drawn in blood-red ink. Torin stood at my side, his silver blade sheathed, his expression unreadable. Lyra was at the head of the room, her dark braid coiled like a serpent, her storm-gray eyes sharp. The Free Pack had claimed the lower tunnels. The hybrids were training. The Southern Witches’ Conclave had sent envoys. The vampire citadel was listening.
We were ready.
And still—
Something was wrong.
My wolf prowled beneath my skin, restless, furious. The bond pulsed—hot, electric—but not with desire. With warning. Jade was in the suite, dressing, her magic humming beneath her skin, her presence a solid wall against the silence. But I could feel it—the shift in the air, the way her breath hitched when she thought I wasn’t listening, the way her fingers trembled when she touched the mark on her shoulder.
She was afraid.
Not for herself.
For me.
And that scared me more than any army.
“They’ll come at dawn,” Torin said, his voice low. “Nine envoys. Three from each species. Armed. Shielded. Backed by Council law.”
“And their charge?” I asked, not looking up.
“Treason,” Lyra said, stepping forward. “For defying the Council’s authority. For harboring hybrids. For breaking Cassien’s blood-bond without consent. And—” she paused, her voice hardening, “—for the murder of Elira Nox.”
My jaw tightened.
“I didn’t murder her,” I said, my voice low, dangerous. “I killed a monster. A tyrant. A woman who held my mother prisoner, who used me as a weapon, who tried to break me. And if they want to call that a crime—” I lifted my head, my golden eyes burning, “—then they can come through me to say it.”
Torin didn’t flinch. Just stepped closer. “They’re not just coming for you, brother. They’re coming for her. The decree names her as an accomplice. A witch who used forbidden magic to manipulate the Shadow Fate. A hybrid who conspired to assassinate a Council member.”
My wolf snarled.
“They’re lying,” I growled.
“Doesn’t matter,” Lyra said. “The Council doesn’t need truth. They need a scapegoat. And you—” she gestured to me, “—are the perfect one. Half-fae. Half-wolf. A killer. A rebel. And she—” her gaze flicked to the door, “—is the weapon they’ll use to break you.”
The bond flared—hot, electric. I could feel Jade in the corridor, her breath steady, her magic humming. She was listening. She had to be. But she didn’t enter. Didn’t speak. Just stood there, her presence a solid wall against the silence.
And then—
She was gone.
Not physically.
But in the bond.
Like she’d pulled back. Shut down. Closed herself off.
My chest tightened.
Because I knew what she was thinking.
She was thinking about surrender.
***
I found her on the balcony, her dark hair loose, her storm-gray eyes fixed on the northern cliffs. The moon had set. The sky was bruised with dawn—purple and gold, bleeding into silver. The wind tugged at her tunic, at the edge of the mark on her shoulder. She didn’t turn. Didn’t speak. Just stood there, her body a silhouette against the light.
“You heard,” I said, stepping behind her.
“I didn’t need to,” she said, her voice low, rough. “I felt it. The shift in the bond. The way your magic flares when you’re angry. When you’re afraid.”
“I’m not afraid,” I said, stepping closer, my hands sliding to her waist, pulling her against me. “I’m ready.”
She didn’t lean into me. Just stood there, stiff, distant. “You don’t have to do this. Not for me.”
“It’s not just for you,” I said, pressing my lips to her temple. “It’s for us. For the pack. For the hybrids. For everything we’ve built.”
“And if they take you?” she asked, turning in my arms, her eyes burning. “If they lock you away? If they strip your title? If they—” her voice broke, “—kill you?”
My hands tightened on her waist. “Then I die fighting.”
“No,” she said, stepping back, her breath unsteady. “You don’t get to make that choice for me.”
“It’s not a choice,” I said, stepping closer. “It’s a vow. A promise. I swore I’d protect you. That I’d never let anyone take you from me. And if the Council thinks they can drag me away while you stand by—”
“Then I’ll stop them,” she said, cutting me off. “Not by fighting. Not by magic. By surrendering.”
My breath caught.
“You don’t mean that.”
“I do,” she said, her voice steady. “If they want a prisoner, I’ll give them one. If they want a traitor, I’ll confess. If they want blood—” her hand rose, pressing to the mark on her shoulder, “—they can have mine. But I won’t let them take you. Not while I’m still breathing.”
My wolf roared.
“You don’t get to sacrifice yourself for me,” I growled, stepping closer, my hands gripping her arms. “I’m the Alpha. I’m the one they want. I’m the one who killed Elira. And if they want justice—” my golden eyes burned into hers, “—they can have me.”
She didn’t flinch. Just stared at me—really stared—and for the first time, I saw it.
Fear.
Not for herself.
For me.
“You think I’d let you walk into that fire alone?” she asked, her voice breaking. “You think I’d stand by while they strip you of everything? While they call you a monster? While they—” tears burned in her eyes, “—kill the man I love?”
My chest cracked.
Because she’d never said it before.
Not like this.
Not with her voice breaking, her body trembling, her magic flaring like a storm given form.
“Then don’t make me choose,” I said, pulling her against me, my arms wrapping around her. “Don’t make me choose between you and my duty. Between love and survival. Because if I have to pick—” my lips brushed her ear, “—I’ll always choose you.”
She didn’t answer.
Just held me, her fingers digging into my back, her breath hot against my neck. The bond pulsed—hot, electric, alive. And for a heartbeat, I thought we’d won.
Then—
The horns sounded.
Deep. Ominous. Council.
We pulled apart, turning toward the east gate. The sky was lighter now—silver and gold, bleeding into dawn. And there, on the horizon, they came.
Nine figures, cloaked in black and silver, riding on wolves, on shadows, on enchanted steeds. The Council envoys. Armed. Shielded. Backed by law.
And behind them—
A cage.
Dragged by two armored wolves, its bars forged from moonsteel, its interior dark. But I could feel it—the magic. The blood. The way the bond flared, hot and electric, like a warning.
Someone was inside.
And they were alive.
***
We met them at the gate.
Not with weapons. Not with magic.
With presence.
I stood at the front, shirtless, my scars on display, my golden eyes burning. Jade at my side, her dark hair loose, her storm-gray eyes sharp. Torin to my left, Lyra to my right. Behind us—the Free Pack. Wolves with fire in their eyes, witches with spells at their fingertips, vampires with fangs bared, fae with thorned wings.
We didn’t bow.
We didn’t kneel.
We just stood.
The lead envoy dismounted—a vampire with silver eyes, his coat lined with Council sigils. He didn’t look at me. Just stepped forward, unrolling a scroll sealed with wax the color of dried blood.
“By order of the Supernatural Council,” he intoned, his voice cold, “Kael Blackthorn, Alpha of the Northern Packs, you are hereby charged with treason, murder, and the unlawful harboring of hybrid abominations. You are to surrender your title, your weapons, and your mate, and submit to immediate imprisonment pending trial.”
My wolf snarled.
“And if I refuse?”
“Then you will be taken by force,” he said, not looking up. “And your mate—” his gaze flicked to Jade, “—will be executed for complicity.”
Jade didn’t flinch. Just stepped forward, her voice cutting through the silence. “And if I go willingly?”
The envoy paused. “Then you will be granted clemency. A fair trial. And—” he glanced at the cage, “—the prisoner inside will be released.”
My breath caught.
“Who’s in the cage?” I asked, my voice low, dangerous.
The envoy didn’t answer.
Just stepped aside.
And then—
The cage door opened.
Not by hand.
By magic.
The bars retracted, sliding into the stone like serpents. And from the darkness—
He emerged.
Small. Frail. Human.
His face was pale, his eyes wide, his hands trembling. He wore a tattered coat, his hair matted, his skin bruised. But I knew him.
Everyone did.
“Silas,” Jade whispered, her voice breaking.
My blood turned to ice.
Because Silas wasn’t just her cousin.
He was her only family.
Her ally. Her lifeline. The one who’d helped her infiltrate the keep, who’d fed her intel, who’d stood by her when the world called her a monster.
And now—
He was a prisoner.
“They took him from Veridia,” the envoy said, his voice cold. “Two nights ago. He was found in possession of forbidden documents—proof of your conspiracy. And now—” he stepped closer, “—he will testify against you. Unless she surrenders.”
Jade didn’t move. Just stood there, her breath steady, her magic humming. But I could feel it—the shift in the bond. The way her pulse raced, the way her fingers trembled, the way her body screamed with the need to run to him.
And then—
She did.
Not toward the Council.
Not toward me.
Toward Silas.
She moved fast—blinding, desperate. One moment she was at my side. The next—she was on her knees in front of him, her hands cradling his face, her voice breaking. “Are you hurt? Did they—”
“I’m fine,” Silas said, his voice weak. “But you’re not. Jade, don’t do this. Don’t let them win.”
“They have you,” she said, her voice raw. “And I won’t let them hurt you. Not while I’m still breathing.”
The envoy stepped forward. “Then surrender. Now.”
She didn’t look at him. Just turned her head, her storm-gray eyes locking onto mine.
And I saw it.
The choice.
The betrayal.
Not of me.
Of herself.
Because she was going to give herself up.
For him.
For family.
For love.
And I couldn’t stop her.
Because if I did—
I’d be no better than the Council.
***
“Run,” she said, standing, her voice low, urgent. “Take Silas. Get him out. I’ll hold them off.”
“I’m not leaving you,” I growled, stepping closer.
“You have to,” she said, her eyes burning. “The pack needs you. The hybrids need you. And if I’m gone—” her hand rose, pressing to the mark on her shoulder, “—you’ll still have this. You’ll still have me. In here.” She tapped her chest. “And I’ll find you. I’ll come back. But you have to live.”
My wolf roared.
“You think I’d let you walk into that cage alone?”
“You don’t have a choice,” she said, stepping back. “Because I love you. And loving you means letting you go.”
The bond flared—hot, electric, unbearable.
And then—
She turned.
Not to the Council.
Not to Silas.
To me.
One hand rose, pressing to my chest, her fingers brushing the scar on my heart. “You’re not what I expected,” she whispered, her voice breaking.
“Neither are you,” I said, my voice raw.
And then—
She kissed me.
Not slow. Not soft.
Hard.
Deep.
Farewell.
Her mouth crashed into mine, hungry, furious, a war cry. I groaned, my hands flying to her waist, pulling her against me, my body screaming with the need to hold her, to keep her, to claim her. But she broke it—fast, desperate—stepping back, her storm-gray eyes burning.
“Now go,” she said, her voice low. “Before I change my mind.”
I didn’t move.
Just stared at her—really stared—and for the first time, I saw it.
Not the avenger.
Not the hybrid.
Not the queen.
My mate.
And I would burn the world down before I let them take her.
But I didn’t.
Because she was right.
The pack needed me.
The hybrids needed me.
And if I died here—
Everything we’d built would die with me.
So I turned.
Not away from her.
Toward Silas.
One hand gripped his arm, pulling him close. “You’d better be worth this,” I growled.
He didn’t smile. Just nodded. “She is.”
And then—
We ran.
Not from the fight.
From the loss.
From the betrayal.
From the woman who had come to destroy me—
And stayed to save us all.
Outside, the horns still sounded.
But inside—
There was only silence.
And the fire that would burn the world down.