Aria pressed her hand against her chest, trying to steady the wild thrum of her heartbeat. The bond pulsed beneath her ribs like a second heart, pulling her toward the King with an urgency she didn't understand.
Whynow?
It had been quiet, dull even, since she left his chambers hours ago. But now, it burned bright and insistent, demanding her attention. Her wolf stirred uneasily, caught between curiosity and fear.
Kael wasn't nearby—she could feel the distance between them like a faint ache at the edge of her awareness. But wherever he was, something had changed.
Something'swrong.
She pushed off the bed and paced the tiny room, her bare feet brushing against the cold stone floor. Lila's words echoed in her mind, sharpening her unease:
There are forces in this palace that would see you destroyed, and not all of them are human.
The air felt heavier now, as though the very walls were holding their breath. Aria's instincts prickled, and her wolf growled softly in her chest.
A sudden knock at the door broke her thoughts.
She froze, her stomach twisting. She wasn't expecting anyone—not after Lila's abrupt departure.
The knock came again, sharper this time.
"Open up," a male voice barked.
It wasn't the King. The voice was rougher, harsher, and filled with impatience.
Her pulse quickened as she approached the door. "Who is it?"
"Your escort," the man replied. "The King has summoned you."
Her stomach sank. Summoned? Why now, in the middle of the night?
Aria hesitated, her fingers brushing against the doorknob. Something about this didn't feel right.
"I… I wasn't told—"
"The King doesn't wait for excuses," the man snapped. "Open the door."
Her wolf bristled, the bond sparking faintly as though in warning. But what choice did she have? Defying the King's summons would only make things worse.
Taking a deep breath, she opened the door.
A man in a palace guard's uniform stood on the other side, his face shadowed beneath the dim hallway lanterns. His features were sharp, his eyes dark and cold.
"Follow me," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Aria hesitated for a moment, then stepped into the hallway. The guard turned without another word, his boots echoing against the stone floor as he led her away from her quarters.
But as they moved deeper into the palace, unease coiled tighter in her chest. The halls grew darker, quieter, the faint hum of life from the main wings fading into silence.
"This… this isn't the way to the King's chambers," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
The guard didn't respond.
"Where are you taking me?" she pressed, her steps faltering.
The man stopped abruptly and turned to face her. His lips curled into a cold, humorless smile.
"You ask too many questions, Omega," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "You'll get your answers soon enough."
Before she could react, he grabbed her arm in a bruising grip and yanked her forward.
Aria's heart raced as he dragged her down a narrow, winding staircase, the air growing colder with every step. Panic clawed at her throat, but she forced herself to stay calm, to think.
Her wolf growled in warning, urging her to fight, but she was no match for a full-grown guard. She didn't have the strength—or the training—to defend herself.
The staircase opened into a dark corridor lined with flickering torches. The shadows danced across the stone walls, twisting and writhing like living things.
The guard pulled her toward a heavy iron door at the end of the hallway.
"Where are you taking me?" she demanded, her voice shaking.
He didn't answer, but his grip tightened, his nails digging into her skin.
"Let me go!" she shouted, struggling against him.
The guard's expression darkened, and he spun her around, slamming her back against the wall.
"You'd do well to shut up, Omega," he snarled, his face inches from hers. "No one's coming to save you."
Aria's breath hitched, her wolf snarling inside her chest. The bond flared again, sharp and urgent, as though trying to pull her away from the danger.
She clenched her fists, her nails biting into her palms. "What do you want from me?"
The guard smirked, his dark eyes gleaming with malice. "It's not what I want," he said, his voice low and taunting. "It's what the others want. And trust me, they've been waiting for this moment."
Before she could respond, the iron door creaked open, and another figure stepped into the corridor. A woman, tall and elegant, with silver hair that glinted in the torchlight. Her sharp, angular features were striking, and her eyes—piercing blue and cold as ice—locked onto Aria with a calculating gaze.
"Is this her?" the woman asked, her voice smooth and unhurried.
"Yes, Lady Dena," the guard replied, releasing Aria's arm and stepping back.
Dena.
Aria's blood ran cold. She'd only seen the noblewoman once before, at the Mating Ball. Her biting words still rang in Aria's ears: The King doesn't need an Omega's stench ruining the evening.
Dena's lips curled into a smile, though it held no warmth. "Good," she said, her gaze raking over Aria like a predator assessing its prey.
Aria swallowed hard, her heart pounding. "What do you want from me?"
Dena stepped closer, her heels clicking against the stone floor. "What I want, little Omega," she said softly, "is to remind you of your place."
"My place?" Aria echoed, her voice trembling.
"Yes," Dena said, her smile widening. "You've been granted an honor you don't deserve. The King's mate." She spat the word as though it left a bitter taste on her tongue. "But don't let that title fool you. You are still nothing."
Aria's chest tightened, her breath coming in shallow gasps. She wanted to fight back, to scream that none of this was her fault, but the weight of Dena's presence—and the guard's looming figure—left her frozen.
Dena leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "The King may tolerate your existence for now, but the court will not. The moment you slip up, the moment you show weakness…" Her smile turned sharp, cruel. "You'll be torn apart."
Aria's wolf growled, the bond flaring faintly, as though trying to shield her from Dena's words.
But Dena wasn't finished.
"Take her to the holding chamber," she said, stepping back.
The guard grabbed Aria's arm again, dragging her toward the open door.
Panic surged through her, her wolf thrashing in her chest. "Wait! Please, I—"
"Silence!" the guard barked, shoving her through the doorway.
The last thing she saw before the door slammed shut was Dena's cold, satisfied smile.
Aria stumbled into the dimly lit chamber, her knees hitting the cold stone floor. She scrambled to her feet, her heart pounding as she scanned the room.
It was empty—save for a single figure standing in the shadows.
"Who's there?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
The figure stepped forward, the dim light catching the sharp angles of his face.
"Did you really think you could survive here?" he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You're playing a game you don't understand, little Omega."
Aria's breath hitched, the bond humming faintly in her chest.
And then, in the faint torchlight, she recognized him.