KIERAN'S POV
My instincts have never failed me. They've carried me through bloodied fields, ambushes, even the feeling of betrayal from those I once trusted. My instincts get better due to years of leading, fighting, surviving. And yet tonight, they turn in my gut.
I feel uneasy. Something is wrong. More wrong than I've felt in years.
I think back to Ronan earlier in the day. Ronan has been working in this palace for years. He's the kind of person nobody ever notices. But not me. I notice everything.
While training, I noticed how he scanned the grounds. I remembered the way he stammered through excuses when a guard asked him something as simple as why he was near the east wing. The cryptic glances, the vanishing acts with no explanation. I told myself I was imagining it, but the unease never left.
Now, it's late and I can't ignore it any longer.
I spot him in the distance, moving down the corridor silently. He looks over his shoulder once, twice, but he never sees me. I'm already in the shadows. My steps are silent. I keep my breathing controlled. My wolf is awake. He urges me to follow.
Ronan slips through the halls. I can feel it. He's hiding something.
Then, he stops. My eyes narrow. He glances around one last time before tugging at a tapestry near the stairwell. To my shock, the fabric swings aside and it reveals a door carved into the stone wall.
I never knew it existed.
How the hell did that get there>
Ronan unlocks it with a small iron key. The door opens just enough for him to slip inside. I move forward and catch it with my hand before it can close fully. I slip through, barely managing to squeeze in before it seals shut behind me.
It's a narrow passage. I follow him. My wolf is tense. He's preparing for anything.
I hear voices as I walk closer. Ronan's voice. At first, I think he's talking to himself, but then I hear the rhythm. What he's saying sounds like an incantation.
My jaw tightens as I realize what it is. Dark magic.
I press myself to the wall as the passage opens into a cavern-like chamber beneath the keep. There are torches on the walls. Ronan is in the center. He's standing next to a figure who's wearing a cloak. I can't see the person's face.
I hold my breath, straining to hear.
"You're running out of time," the hooded figure hisses "The triplets draw closer to her truth with every passing day."
My blood runs cold. Triplets. Layla. They're talking about us?
Ronan shifts uneasily. "I've done what I can. It's not easy, keeping suspicion away. If anyone finds out—"
"Hesitation will ruin everything," the cloaked stranger snaps. "Do not let doubt cloud you. The prophecy must not be fulfilled."
Ronan swallows hard. I can feel the fear through his aura. "But… she's not what I expected. She's—"
"Silence." The figure cuts him off, lifting a hand. Sparks ignite in the air. My wolf growls "The bloodline must be severed before it awakens. Do you understand me?"
Ronan bows his head. "Yes."
The cloaked stranger draws a symbol in the air. The symbol includes lines of shadow and fire twisting together. The ground hums beneath my feet. A light wave forms around them.
And then, in an instant, they vanish. They're both gone in the blink of an eye.
I step into the circle. I can feel the dark magic they left behind. My wolf snarls again. He feels uneasy. My instincts scream at me to tell my brothers now, to bring this into the open.
But I hesitate.
If I go to them with half-truths, they might panic and act in a way they shouldn't. they're not as careful and observant as I am. I can't. Not yet. I have to uncover the truth myself. I have to protect her… Layla… without drawing more danger to her.
I go back to castle halls.
Hours later, I try to sleep but I can't. My body is ready for a fight. My mind keeps replaying the words over and over. The bloodline… the prophecy… her power.
I make my way to Layla's room. Guards patrol the hallway, but none of them see me. No one ever does when I choose not to be seen.
The corridor is quiet, but every sound sets me on edge. I watch her door like it holds the answers to all my questions.
I don't know why I feel this pull, this strong need to guard her. It's more than duty. More than instinct. The thought of her in danger twists something deep inside me, something I don't want to name.
I can't deny how much I care about her.
My wolf lies low but he's alert. His eyes are fixed on that door. His message is clear. Protect her. At all costs.
I grip the hilt of my silver blade.
If Ronan—or anyone else—dares to harm her, they'll meet my wrath first.
No hesitation. No mercy.