▪️ Kaelis' Pov▪️

"Tonight has to be perfect," I murmured, adjusting the last silver cup on the table.

"Yes, milady," my omega replied with a bright smile, her hands busy smoothing the table cloth we had spent hours fussing over.

The room glowed with candlelight,  and the scent of roasted steak and spiced wine filled the air. Every detail had been chosen carefully- his favourite meal, his favourite wine, even the crimson flowers arranged at the centre of the table. 

Five years of marriage deserved nothing less.

My chest swelled with anticipation, a rare fluttering warmth. I could already imagine the look on Valrik's face when he walked in: the surprise, the pride, maybe even that boyish smile he tried so hard to hide from others but always gave to me.

It had not been easy, being his Luna. I had stood at his side through whispers, doubts, the endless judgement of the council, but together, we had silenced them. Together, we had made the Ashfang Pack stronger than it had been in years.

I touched the edge of the wine glass, steadying the tremor in my fingers.

He was my anchor and my choice.

And tonight, I wanted to remind him of that.

"Do you think he'll like it?" I asked softly, almost like a girl again.

The omega's smile widened. "Milady, it would be a mistake if he doesn't besides you two are practically a role model to all of us who are yet to have a mate."

Mate?

Was I lucky to have chosen the best man of the pack?

He was my Lieutenant and we had fought beside each other for years on end but that night when he saved me from almost being mauled by rogues was what cemented our bond.

The first time I had noticed him-- I didn't just see the mask people saw when they looked at him rather I saw beneath the warrior and armour. I saw a man and damn.... He was breath taking.

I had been cornered and for a moment I had needed my bodyguard but he was fighting to save his life. Just as all hope was lost and then  Valrik leapt beside me without hesitation.

"Keep your head down, Milady!" He shouted as he deflected a blow that could have ended me.

I had shouted at him. "I can handle myself!"

"You didn't look like you could earlier besides it is my job to make sure you are okay and alive," he said, flashing a grin that made my chest warm despite the chill of the night.

Later, by the fire while we bandaged the wounded and shared rations, he had leaned close as his hand brushed mine when he passed a flask. 

"You could go head to head with the male alphas, do you fear anything at all?" He murmured as I was taken aback by his abrupt words.

"What do you mean?"

"You fight like you are invincible," he added and I could see the genuine curiousity in his eyes.

"I have had good teachers and protectors," I replied, my eyes flickering to my bodyguard who was a few steps away from me and I brought my gaze back to Valrik, teasing.

"Your bodyguard couldn't help me today," he teased.

"Minor mishaps," I replied.

He took in a deep breath and leaned closer that he was before. "What can I do to steal you from him, just for tonight?" He whispered in my ears, his hot breath on my skin sent shivers down my spine.

That night, under the blanket of the stars, we had talked for hours about everything from the burdens of leadership and quiet things we had never shared with anyone else. 

I had never felt more alive than I had ever done since my father had died and it brought me great ease.

Months had passed and our bond had grown into something I couldn't describe. He had become my confidant, my shield and the only person whose opinion could make me falter and melt at the same time.

Even now, years later the memory still filled me with warmth and showed me that he was my anchor-- and all the more reason why after all this time, I wanted to show him just how much he meant to me.

A soft laugh escaped me as I brushed my hair from my hair from my face, this was perfect.

The omega excused herself quietly, leaving me alone with the table, the wine, and my expectations.

I found myself staring at the door with the eagerness of a young bride again.

Minutes slipped into hours.

The candles had burned lower, their wax dripping steadily, mocking my patience. I kept smoothing the tablecloth, readjusting the flowers, sipping the wine just to quiet the  unease in my chest.

He might have been delayed. 

A meeting or patrol. 

Something important.

A soft rap at the door, almost hesitant. I straightened, hope sparking- finally.

"The door's opened," I beckoned.

As the door creaked opened-- It wasn't Valrik rather it was a servant who stood there, her eyes darting nervously, holding out a folded letter. 

"This was left for you, my lady."

I took the letter, my fingers trembling. The seal was unfamiliar and this made my  pulse to quickened, and a strange cold dread threading through me. 

My hands shook as I broke the seal and the words on the page bled into my chest like poison.

I should have burnt the letter or at least I should have laughed it off.

Instead, I found myself moving.

Through the dark corridors, past the echo of my own footsteps, climbing higher and higher until the air grew cold against my skin.

The door to a chamber stood slightly ajar,  light spilling through the crack. A sound slipped out- a hushed laugh, followed by a low murmur that twisted in my gut.

I pressed my hand against the wall, forcing myself to breathe as my  fingers curled into a fist, and with a shove, I pushed the door wide open.

The sight that greeted me burned itself into my soul.

Valrik!

My husband!

He stood at the end of Elara's bed, his shirt hanging open, the strings loose like he hadn't bothered to tie them. His chest rose and fell  and his lips...lips that used to be mine were red and swollen from her kisses. 

He didn't look ashamed. 

Not even guilty. 

He looked at ease, as if this was exactly where he was meant to be.

Elara lay back against the pillows, her  gown had slipped low, showing the smooth line of her shoulder, and she didn't even try to fix it. Instead, she tilted her head and stared at me with a slow, lazy smile. 

It wasn't soft or kind. 

It was sharp, like a wolf baring its teeth. Her eyes glowed with pride and with triumph.

I let out a breath, I didn't know I was holding. "Valrik?" His name mouthed out, my voice barely a whisper.

"Well, thank the goddess," she  brushed her hair from her face with mocking irritation. "It took you long enough to come. Do you know how exhausting it's been, hiding this from you? Honestly, Kaelis, I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever notice."

My chest constricted as though her words had wrapped chains around my ribs. My eyes darted to Valrik, begging him silently to deny it, to shove her aside, to say this was some vile trick.

But he only smirked.

I staggered back. "No..." My voice broke. "No... you told me you rejected her bond. You swore-"

Valrik's gaze slid lazily over me, sharp with contempt. "I lied."

The words slammed into my chest like a sledgehammer and I felt it hard to breath. 

"You-" my voice cracked as tears ran hot down my face, "you swore to me, Valrik! Every night in my bed, every time you looked at me and called me yours! Were those lies too? Was it all just some cruel game to you?"

Valrik's smile widened, cruel and pitiless. "Finally, she asks the right question." He let out a mocking chuckle. "I never broke the bond, Kaelis. Why would I? You never once gave me an heir, Kaelis. And without an heir, you're useless to me."

Rage broke through my grief. "Don't you dare twist this, Valrik! You would be nothing without me. It was my counsel, my strategies that won us the council's respect. I strengthened the pack while you swung your sword like a brute. I carved your path to Alpha!"

For a moment, I thought the truth might sting him-- that somewhere inside, he might flinch.

But Valrik only laughed.

A cruel, echoing laugh that swallowed  me whole. "And what of it? Does a hammer thank the hand that wields it? You were a tool, Kaelis. A convenient Luna desperate to be loved. You built the throne- and now I sit on it. Alone."

Ellara's laughter chimed, sharp and cruel.

His words sliced deeper than any blade, leaving me raw and trembling as my chest heaved as if my very lungs rejected the truth he had just spat into my face.

Something in me snapped. I lunged at him, my nails lengthening into claws, my wolf spilling into my rage. I struck him across the chest, fury tearing through my grief.

He caught my wrist mid-swing, twisting until pain shot up my arm. His other hand gripped my throat and slammed me back against the cold stone wall. My vision flashed white as the air was crushed from me.

Elara's laughter rang behind him, sharp and mocking. "Don't be too harsh, Valrik. She did try her best."

"Her best," he snarled, tightening his grip until my feet barely touched the floor, "was never enough."

Behind him, Elara laughed softly and victorious. "Now Kaelis, be a good little dog and step aside. Your part in this story is over." Her hands cradling her stomach.

My chest caved inward, a sob strangled in my throat. "If you do this," I choked, my voice hoarse, "you'll regret it. The Goddess sees. She will-"

He leaned close, his breath hot and merciless against my ear. "This is actually good because you don't care about the goddess and she doesn't care about you, Kaelis and neither do I."

With one hard push, he threw me out of the tower window, straight into the dark night.

▪️Kaelis' Pov▪️

The stench of rot hit me first before I could open my eyes to the  thick darkness as the only source of light came from a little crack in the door.

I tried to move my hand but it burned and was stretched above me. The ache spread down to my spine and my throat felt torn.

I tried to swallow but the effort only scraped the inside of my throat. My tongue was dry and heavy as I parted my lips, hoping some sound would come but nothing left me.

A groan escaped my throat-- coarse and broken like I had been screaming.

 Had I?

I pulled once and hard but the chains did not budge instead the iron cut deeper into my skin until I had to stop. 

Where was I?

How long had I been here?

The question hit hard.

I tried to search my mind, but when I reached for answers-- all I could find was emptiness-- a blank slate that should have harboured my memories but still nothing. I pressed harder as I tried to drag something or anything from the shadows.

Nothing came.

Still nothing came.

The blankness scared me more than the chains.

My heart kicked against my ribs, wild and desperate. I searched the darkness for answers, but all I found was the taste of fear in my mouth.

A rat ran near the corner, its squeaks drowned out by the sound of multiple boots in the corridor.

"Spy!"

"Trespasser!"

"Enemy wolf!"

The voices sounded way too loud to not be close as I searched to find where they came from and I heard loud laughter just outside the door and I could not see who spoke.

Enemy wolf?

What were they talking about?

Who are they talking about?

I searched myself over and over again, way too desperate to understand whatever was going on but my thoughts still could not align until panic washed over me. 

I heard keys clanking as the door slammed open as two men walked in. Their rough hands grabbed me as they dragged me forward. The chains rattled as I stumbled and my knees crashing against the hard floor. 

Pain hit me hard as my legs scraped the floor and my hands hurt badly when they were dropped to the ground and the chains were removed. 

Voices barked questions at me, each one louder than the former 

"Who sent you?"

"What do you want in Silvermaw territory?"

"Why are you here?"

The names and places struck my ears like foreign sounds. I tried to open my mouth, searching for the truth or the right answers but nothing came up, yet again.

I lifted my head, but my vision was blurred. "I... I don't know," my voice croaked as the words scraped out of my broken throat. "I... I don't remember." My voice sounding weak.

The men looked at each other-- disgust twisted their faces.

"Lies!" One of them spat.

The first blow landed across my cheek causing my head to snap to the side-- the taste of blood flooding my mouth. Before I could recover another fist drive into my stomach-- my breath ceased. 

I fell over gagging and gasping for breath that would not come.

Cold water poured down on me into my mouth, my nose and filling every space. I choked, desperate for air with my chest heaving and my lungs burning as I coughed but it only forced more water down my throat.

Right there-- I thought I would die... Without a name or a reason.

When it stopped, I collapsed forward,  gagging and coughing out water until my throat burned-- my body trembling from the cold. My hair clung to my face and dripping against my skin.

Why was this happening?

Why could I not answer them?

Why did my mind feel like it had been locked away?

Why was I alone?

The guards lifted their fists again, ready to continue as my body flinched even before the next hit came. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for it. I hated myself for the way my body cowered.

The sound of the door slamming open froze the room.

The air around was charged with an aura I could not explain. Even before I lifted my head, I had felt it-- the pressure, the power that  rolled in like a storm.

The guards dropped their hands at once as the silence was deafening.

A tall figure with broad shoulders walked in-- his steps slow but heavy, his presence thick with power and the air seemed to bend around him.

The guards' heads bowed low as the air pressed down on me until I felt small and fragile.

The man's voice rolled through the silence-- deep and sharp. 

"Release her."

Without hesitation, the chains that once held me were snapped free and my hands dropped-- too numb to catch myself. I stumbled forward coughing.

Who was he?

Why was he releasing me?

Before I could gather my thoughts, I was being dragged again across the ground-- I had barely lifted my head. My eyes blurred from tears but the lights ahead grew bright with every step and the light burnt my eyes after being in the dark for too long.

They dragged me into a vast hall that was lit with fire. Torches burned high, their flames casting long shadows across the walls, the air smelled of smoke and steel. Silver banners hung down and shining against the stones-- each one marked with a snarling wolf's head.

Rows of men and women stood on both side of the walls, their eyes watching me with open hatred and suspicion.

At the end of the hall sat a throne, and on it the same man who had spoken earlier. In the light, he was more massive than I had thought and his eyes were golden but cold-- his hair was dark with a silver streak at the tip. His jaw was chiseled and power clung to him in every breath and in every glance.

I knew without asking.

He must be their leader.

My chest tightened as his gaze locked onto mine.

"The Kaelis Dreadmoor," he said. His voice echoing in the hall. "Enemy to Silvermaw."

Kaelis?

"Kaelis," I whispered but the name struck me like a knife. It sounded all too strange and foreign like it did not belong to me.

"I don't... I don't know that name."

The hall erupted at once-- voices screamed over one another.

"Liar!"

"Spy!"

"Burn her!"

Their fury shook me to my bones as I wrapped my arms around myself, pressing my nails into my palms to keep myself from falling apart.

"You dare play with my intelligence?" He roared.

"No!" I retorted.

"You walk into my land, you carry Ashfang blood and now you kneel before me..."

Ashfang?

I swallowed hard, forcing my voice out though it shook. "I don't... I don't understand. I don't know who I am and I have no idea why I am here."

"She mocks us!"

"Kill her now!"

The man on the throne raised his hand and silence fell again. His eyes never left mine. "You dare claim you know nothing?"

My hands trembled against my knees. "I swear I don't know anything. Not my name or this place. Nothing! Please, I beg you."

His eyes narrowed as anger sparked through them. The air in the hall grew heavy, pressing down on me until my breath came in short gasps.

"You stand before me and expect mercy with lies?" He said.

Panic surged through me as my pulse thudded in my ears. I shook my head fast and desperate. "No... No. I swear, I don't know. I don't know who you are and I don't know what you want from me."

He rose from the throne and stepped down, each footstep echoing against the floor. I shrank back, my hands shaking against the floor and my body was too weak to stand. Every instinct screamed to bow lower, to hide but I forced myself to look up at him through the blurred vision. 

He grabbed me by the neck and raised me up as tears spilled down my cheeks. "Please... I beg... of you," my voice breaking with every word.

His grip got tighter suffocating me when a voice came from the shadows, cutting through the heat of his rage.

"She is not lying."

The hall froze.

A figure stepped forward, hood drawn low and face hidden. The voice was calm and certain, carrying a strange weight that made even the golden eyed man pause.

"She doesn't remember and she speaks the truth," the figure said.

He slowly left me and I fell to the ground gasping for air as the doors were opened with a loud bang.

A small body was carried in side-- a pup. His fur clung to his frame, his chest rising in short gasps. His cries were faint and full of pain.

They laid him down before the throne and seeing him led to something inside me to crack-- wide open.

Before I realised what I was doing, I was on my knees beside him as my trembling hands reached for him, afraid I would hurt him more but I couldn't stop myself.

A warmth stirred inside me-- at first it was faint, like a breath but it grew stronger, pulsing through my hands. 

A soft glow shimmered against his fur and my breath caught. 

The pup calmed and his gasps became even, body relaxed and pain eased.

I looked up slowly.

The man had risen from his throne, his expression have nothing away.

"You may stay," he said, his voice calm but edged with danger. "For now."

He stepped closer, every movement was controlled and his eyes were locked on mine.

"But know this," his voice dropped, sharp enough to cut steel. "Silvermaw devors liars."

Kaelis' pov

I could not sleep all through the night I had spent here- I had spent it staring at the empty walls that surrounded me.

I was moved into a chamber that was bare- the walls were cold and damp. A cot stood in the corner and the mattress had a hole in the middle. 

The blanket was rough and itchy against my skin and a small hole- wouldn't be caught dead calling it a window. It wasn't for ventilation... that was for sure. 

The room had no table or chair or anything that would have served as comfort.

This was what they called a room for me but it felt not so different from the prison I had woken up in.

I sucked my teeth when the thought of the king saying this was how they treated their guest rushed into me. 

"Guest, my ass," I murmured, barely audible.

I pressed my hand against my chest, trying to calm the wild thudding of my heart. I told myself to breathe slow, to stay calm, but it did not help as my body got tensed and restless, my hands shaking when I brought them together.

At sunrise, a noise broke the silence as the clashing of metal against metal, sharp enough to make me flinch. I turned my head just in time to see a tray shoved through the gap at the bottom of the door. The food clattered as it scraped across the s floor. The sound echoed in the bare chamber, louder than it should have been.

"Eat, Ashfang spy," a guard spat, his voice thick with disgust. He made the word spy sound like filth, like it was something rotten in his mouth.

The door slammed shut again with a force that made the walls to quake and the lock scraped into place. The footsteps faded, leaving me alone again with the tray of food and the silence.

The smell of the food overwhelmed my senses- salty and sour. My hands shook when I reached for it, I wanted to throw it back at the door, scream that I wasn't who they thought I was but the hunger clawing inside me won. 

I pulled the tray closer, eating with slow bites, each swallow burning down my throat.

I had been called Ashfang... the word sounded familiar but I still couldn't place it.

Was it a place?

Was it mine?

The questions circled my thoughts until my head hurt.

When dawn came, I had not closed my eyes once.

The door slammed open. Two soldiers stepped inside, silver chains hanging at their belts. Their eyes gleamed with open hate.

"On your feet," one barked.

I rose, legs stiff and my body aching. They flanked me and marched me like a cow to the slaughter through narrow halls until the air grew heavier. I could already hear voices ahead, low growls of anticipation.

At the center of the hall, a circle had been drawn with silver dust. Its edges glimmered in the light. 

The man on the throne sat waiting, his golden gaze fixed on me from the moment I entered. He didn't waste time with questions as his voice rolled through the hall, calm but sharp.

"You stand here not to speak," he said, "but to prove. Words are nothing and the truth is what matters."

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. My stomach twisted with the fear and anticipation curling inside me like a living thing. 

He gestured, and the silver dust flared in the light. "This is the Trial of Truth. Only one who is sincere will leave this circle alive. Those who lie... will die. Choose your actions wisely, Kaelis Dreadmoor. The people of Silvermaw will watch and they will cheer your fall if you fail. They will honor your strength if you survive."

A voice in the crowd hissed, sharp, cruel: "Burn the spy! Burn her alive!"

My throat tightened as the sound swallowed me. I felt small, trapped, their hatred pressing in from every side.

The man on the throne  raised his hand and the chamber fell silent, his eyes stayed locked on me.

"If you are sincere, you will survive," he said. "If not, your body will break before us. Either way, the truth will be known."

The hall erupted in cheers. I could taste their desire for my death in the air.

I wanted to speak. To tell him again I didn't remember, that I wasn't lying but his gaze told me it no longer mattered- the  time for words was gone.

From the far side of the circle, a heavy figure was dragged into the middle. Another prisoner. Broad, tall, muscles tensed like coiled steel. He sneered, showing teeth white against his scarred face. 

My stomach flipped. 

The king stepped back, his hands folding behind his back. "Begin."

The guards shoved me forward into the center of the arena. My legs trembled, my arms ached, my breathing came in shallow gasps. Sweat dripped down my skin despite the cold as I I lifted my fists instinctively, feeling the familiar weight of my body against gravity, the instinct to defend myself rising.

The man lifted his sword and advanced. The first strike came fast, slicing through the air where I had been standing a few seconds before. I twisted, narrowly avoiding it, and causing me to stumble, catching myself just in time. 

He swung again, slower this time, calculating. I blocked instinctively, pushing with all my strength. The force knocked me back two steps. 

"You are fast," he growled, wiping blood from his mouth. "But not fast enough."

My chest burned, ribs screaming, but I rolled forward, using momentum to pivot behind him.

My mind flared with surprise... I... I knew where to move before he struck. How? My thoughts were blank, but my body moved like it remembered every battle I had never consciously learned.

He turned, raised his sword, and struck again. I ducked, my knees scraping the floor, twisting low to strike at his legs. He staggered slightly, but he was fast way too fast.

Pain exploded in my shoulder as he backhanded me. I stumbled backward, tasting blood. My vision blurred, sweat and blood dripping into my eyes. I wanted to scream, to give up, to collapse-but something inside me refused.

I ducked another strike, moved and grabbed the hilt of his sword as it passed, twisting with all my strength. He roared behind his helm, and for a moment, his balance faltered. I drove him back, forcing him to step aside.

"How am I doing this?" My chest heaved, each breath burning.

Another swing. I ducked low, and struck. His sword clanged against the stone, sparks flying. My muscles screamed, my body trembling, but I kept moving, dodging, striking, pushing him to his limits.

The crowd roared. Some cheered, some jeered, others whispered among themselves. I didn't hear them- all I could hear was the pounding of my heart and the sound of my own breaths ripping through my chest.

I twisted again, narrowly avoiding a blow to my head. Pain flared down my side as he kicked, sending me stumbling. 

My knees bled and my vision blurred- I gasped, tasting blood in my mouth.

I pushed forward, kicked, twisted and rolled again. Each strike I made, each block, each dodge was precise, instinctive. My mind raced, heart hammering, chest heaving, and yet part of me was calm. 

My body knew. 

My body moved before I thought about it.

His armor left a gap at the side- finally an opening. I struck, knocking him to the ground. 

He hit hard, the breath forced from his lungs, but I did not bring my blade down to finish him. My chest heaved, sweat and blood dripping from my hair and arms. I looked down at him as he struggled beneath me, eyes wide, breathing hard.

I stepped back, shaking and exhausted. My muscles screamed, every joint aching, but I had held back. I would not be the killer they expected. 

The crowd gasped, murmuring in disbelief. Shock rippled through the hall; the murmurs became whispers of awe and anger.

The man stepped forward from the throne, his expression unreadable, cold and calculating.

"You survived," he said finally. His voice echoed in the hall, carrying weight. "Few do. That makes you... dangerous."

I staggered slightly, knees trembling, and my eyes found the hooded figure again. His gaze met mine across the hall. Lips moving silently. One word formed in my mind, striking deep: 

Mate.