Horrified by the sight of her resurrected son, the Queen rounds on me, San and Yeosang.
"You have committed a sin against our laws and our very nature by bringing Yeosang back to life using traitor's magic. You will die for this."
"No."
"Mother…"
Her words stun me, worse than any blow I've ever received. Yeosang and San are frozen by my side.
"Roslyn, you have just been looking for a reason."
"I needed to look no further than this. Offending my son's great sacrifice by parading this deformed corpse before me?"
Her words sting Yeosang.
"How dare you—"
I step forward and a throng of guards slam me to the ground.
"(Y/N)!"
Still weak from my fight, I cannot break free of their hold. The Queen walks up to me, holding her chin high.
"How dare I? No. How dare you, (Y/N). You brought war to our doorstep."
"And she ended the war." San adds.
"Did she? All I'm hearing is that she wasted precious minutes playing around with forbidden magic. And now she brings this monster before me and dares to call him my son?"
"I am your son."
She raises her hand at Yeosang and he flinches, stumbling back. Rather than following through with the strike, she lowers her hand, a dark smile forming on her face.
"Maybe you are him, after all."
"You have forgotten your place."
"No. You have forgotten yours. I am Queen here, even without Yeosang by my side."
She snaps her fingers and I am hauled to my feet alongside San and Yeosang.
"Take these traitors to the dungeons. We'll execute them at dawn."
Yeosang rears at his mother, but he is still weak from his struggle. It doesn't take much for them to haul us all away. When they throw us into the cell, Yeosang is boiling with rage. He rips his arm from one of the guards' holds.
"Get off me."
"Is that any way to talk, you fucking corpse?"
"What did you call him?" I grit my teeth.
"I had the same fucking question."
"You heard the lady." San growls
"We don't owe you any explanation, filthy silver-eyed saekki."
"You fucking—!"
"It's okay, San."
Yeosang steps between San and the guard, clapping his brother on the shoulder. But he brushes against the guard.
"You dare touch me?"
"What?"
The guard doesn't hesitate. He swings the blunt end of his gun hard at Yeosang's jaw, knocking him clear across the floor.
"Stop!" I yell.
But the guard doesn't listen. While one holds San back, the other beats Yeosang ruthlessly.
"You're just a corpse. Right? I doubt you can even feel this!"
Yeosang strains against the heavy blows, his weakened body trembling against the force of the attack.
"Yeosang!!!"
I've never seen Yeosang quite like this in a fight. So weak and defeated. Like a wounded animal that has given up.
"I said STOP IT!"
I throw myself at the guard, landing a satisfying blow against his jaw. He staggers back, away from Yeosang.
"Gah!"
"You think you can treat any of us like trash just because we're different?"
The guard tries to get up, but I kick him in the ribs. He wretches.
"You think Yeosang giving his life for yours gives you the right to abuse the new one he has?!"
"(Y/N)…"
Yeosang and San both stare at me, wide eyed, as I throw punch after punch.
"Enough."
The clipped command echoes through the prison's damp, dank walls. My fist freezes right before it breaks the guard's nose. I.N comes into a view, alongside the older man who helped me.
"You're both okay, thank God."
I.N doesn't react. Instead, his steely expression narrows on me.
"I could have your tongue for even speaking to me, you filthy girl."
His words hit harder than any blow the guards in front of I could have promised.
"Don't you fucking speak to her—"
The older man unsheathes his sword, aiming it at San's mouth.
"Would you like to take her place, bastard?"
San growls, the fire in his eyes blazing as he stares down the stranger I once considered an ally.
"You two. Go. We'll take it from here."
The first guards snicker and leave the room, whispering about getting good seats at our execution. I yell after them.
"You should be ashamed of yourselves!"
"I said enough!"
I.N bangs on the wall of the prison, the loud clang cutting me off. I snarl at him.
"What is your problem?"
I.N holds up his hand to silence me, and he listens. As soon as the other two guards' footsteps have truly faded, he drops his act.
"(Y/N), are you all right?"
The sudden shift in I.N's demeanor gives me whiplash. He presses himself against the bars, worry reflected in his gaze.
"We thought you were dead when we woke up from that battle and found you missing."
The older man swallows hard, looking at the floor to cover the swell of emotions in him.
"I might as well be dead. I will be soon."
"Not if we have anything to say about it."
I.N opens the cell door.
"Let's go. We're getting you out."
Relief floods me at the sight of the open door. I look at San and Yeosang.
"I don't know what this is about, but let's go."
"Hang on. I won't just blindly follow these assholes." Yeosang says.
"It's okay. We can trust them."
I walk to I.N, stepping out of the cell. But the minute my feet pass the threshold, the older man slams the cell door shut.
"What?"
Yeosang and San press themselves against the bars, separated from me.
"What the hell is this?!"
"It's necessary."
"…Please. They're important to me."
"Even so. It's too reckless to bring them with us."
"No. Let them out, or no deal."
"We don't have time for this."
The older man grabs my arm, pulling me towards the exit.
"(Y/N)!"
"Let me go!"
I try to pull my hand from his grasp. What would normally be an easy task seems entirely impossible. The man's iron grip is like nothing I've felt before. His strange power like that of a raging fire. San and Yeosang both fight, trying to pull the metal bars apart bare-handed. But it's no use.
"(Y/N)!!!" Yeosang yells.
I fight with all my might to get out of the man's grasp.
"Damn it, I said let me go! Who do you think you are!"
The man rounds on you, his eyes suddenly flashing a shock of pure, shimmering gold.
"I'm your father."
The prison goes perfectly still. All I can hear is the blood pounding in my ears as I stare up at this man.
"You're…what?"
His grip on me loosens to something more tender, the gold in his eyes churning like melted ore.
"I'm your father. My name is Bang Chan."
"This is a cruel joke."
"It's not a joke."
The man takes me by both arms looking me dead in the eye.
"My name is Bang Chan. I am Alpha of the Far West pack, alongside your mother Morgan. How I met her and how we fell in love is a very long story. One I'm happy to tell you in time. But all you need to know now is that she is my True Mate, and you were born a year after our bonding."
I stare at the man, unable to move, unable to breathe.
"This is something you'd have to prove."
"What do you mean?"
"All of that is information available to the public. How do I know you're not just manipulating me? Maybe you work for Hyunjin or—"
"If I ever see that man again I'll drown him in his own blood."
The man fumes, his eyes flashing gold. His anger, his power, everything about him suddenly does feel familiar. It feels very much like your own.
Is this man really…?
"It's true, (Y/N). You were born on a beautiful spring day 21 years ago tomorrow."
He knows my birthday?
The man turns away, gripping an iron bar with white knuckles. I hear his voice tremor.
"And in your fifth spring, you snuck out of the house to chase a bird while I helped your mother with dinner. That was the day—"
"The day Hyunjin took me."
He turns back to me, his eyes bright with unmistakable tears. Eyes that look so much like mine.
"We got your message from I.N. And your mother and I decided we couldn't wait. We couldn't—"
His words catch in his throat.
"We couldn't wait one more second to get you."
Suddenly, I allow myself to believe this is real.
My father. My real father. Bang Chan.
I take a small step towards Bang Chan, and he searches your eyes.
This is…my father.
Sensing my change, he allows himself to give in. His arms stretch out wide.
"My girl. My little girl."
He comes close, wrapping his arms around me in the first real hug I've ever experienced born of pure, fatherly love. I wrap my arms around Bang Chan's broad, protective body, and I feel him break down.
"My girl. My (Y/N)."
His words are racked with sobs as he buries his face in my shoulder.
"We missed you so much. Every day and every night. We have worked tirelessly to find you."
His arms feel so steady and warm, pulling me into a safe seclusion I've never before known.
"I missed you too."
"I wish he had found you sooner. We had so many leads go cold over the years. But that's no excuse. No excuse for our failure."
"Failure?"
Bang Chan wets my shoulder with his tears, pulling me closer.
"We tried to find you. We really did. But we failed, (Y/N). We…we should have done more. We should have taken more risks to get you out. Seeing you here, like this, having to fight so hard…"
Bang Chan shakes his head, clutching my shirt.
"I should have given up everything—my very life—to free you sooner. I'm so sorry, my girl. I'm so sorry it took this long."
Slowly, painfully, he releases me, not able to meet my eyes.
"I'll understand if you're not able to forgive me."
"Dad…there's nothing to forgive."
"What?"
"You heard me."
I walk up to my dad, this time turning him to face me.
"You moved heaven and earth to find me. I know you did. And if you'd died in the process, there's no promise I would have been rescued. And we wouldn't be meeting now. That's an impossible price. One I wouldn't have wanted you to make."
I feel my own tears rise, smiling through them as he stares at me, his mouth agape.
"So there's nothing to forgive. You did nothing wrong."
"(Y/N), I…thank you. That's more than I deserve."
"No. You did everything to get us to this day. Thank you."
I pull him into a final, long embrace. This time, he eases into my arms, heartened to the core by my words.
"How did you get so strong, huh?"
"I take after you."
He claps his hand on my shoulder, gazing at me as though I'm the sun itself.
"You have no idea what that means to me, my girl."
Then, footsteps echo overhead. I.N clears his throat.
"We have to move. Now."
"Right."
Bang Chan takes my hand, pulling me to the door. But my feet stay rooted to the spot.
"Wait. We need to take both brothers."
Yeosang and San catch my eye from their cell, equally shocked to be in Bang Chan's presence.
"I told you, we just don't have to time or room—"
"We all go or you leave me. Your choice."
"You're as stubborn as—"
"As you?"
We both glare at each other with fury in our wolf-like eyes. San and Yeosang exchange a look.
"Yeah." Yeosang says.
"They're related." San adds.
"Rrr…! Fine!"
Bang Chan storms over to San and Yeosang's cell and unlocks it, pulling them out roughly.
"We move fast. And if either of you touch my daughter, I take your hands."
"Dad!"
"You have our word, sir." San bows.
"Thank you." Yeosang bows as well.
Rolling my eyes, I follow Bang Chan and I.N to the exit. But before we make it out, a large shadow eclipses the door.
"I always thought there was something off about you, Riann."
The same guard from before walks into the room, pulling his sword free of its sheath.
"I see you fell right into the Queen's little test we set up. And you failed big time."
Several more hulking guards flank the first, all carrying grisly weapons. My father and I.N exchange a look, then, pull their own swords free.
"Yeosang, San, get her out of here."
"What? We won't leave you."
The guards charge me, and my father twists his hands over the hilt of his sword.
"I said GO!"
Yeosang and San grab my arms and haul me back right before a horrific blow from the first guard lands on my head. I struggle against my Alpha brothers as my father and I.N fight to hold back the tide, completely outnumbered.
"They'll never defeat them alone!"
"They told us to run, (Y/N). And they're right."
"NO!"
They get me to the far stairs. At the top of them is light. A way out. Just as my foot hits the first stair, however, I hear a terrible scream. My father's scream. I whip around to find both Bang Chan and I.N flat on the ground, their weapons tossed aside. And the guard has his blade dug deep into Bang Chan's shoulder.
"You really thought you two would get by with fake gruff orders? You can't hide the truth. That you are traitors."
The guard digs and twists his blade into Bang Chan's shoulder. He arches his back in agony.
No. I just got him back. I can't lose him like this.
He twists the knife again, torturing my newfound father. With my rising heartbeat comes the sudden, rising tide of my mysterious strength. The power that only comes to me rarely.
"DAD!"
With my rising strength, I easily rip out of San and Yeosang's grasp, sprinting for the guards torturing my father.
"(Y/N)—!"
"Wait!"
When I reach the guard holding my father, he rips the sword free from Bang Chan's shoulder and swings it at me.
"(Y/N)!"
My movements are as swift and as smooth as water. I easily bend back, avoiding the sword. Then, I grab the man's wrist and twist it so that he slices into the men holding I.N down.
"What?!"
"There's more where that came from."
Skidding on the floor like it's ice, I force his bloodied sword hand to aim his weapon at himself.
"Wait, wait, wait!"
"Sorry. You had your chance."
I drive his sword up into his stomach, holding it there while he screams…and dies.
"(Y/N). That was…"
As you help Bang Chan up, he looks me up and down, completely awestruck.
"That was incredible. You looked exactly like your mother."
"We have to go. Now."
I put Bang Chan's arm over my shoulder and follow San, Yeosang and I.N up the stairs and through the labyrinthian halls.
"There. That loose tile leads to the catacombs."
San and Yeosang move the tile and we all drop down in the subterranean passageway.
"Ah. So nice of you to join us, (Y/N)."
As soon as my feet touch the ground, the Queen's voice echoes as though larger than the woman they come from. I look around in horror. Every corner of the passage is posted with a guard, their arrows trained on you all.
"What? How did you—"
"Oh, please. You both spent so much time down here. You're so predictable."
Motioning for everyone to follow, I put up my fists.
"Not so fast."
A spray of deadly, silver arrows slice into the earth right in front of my toes. I freeze. As if reading your mind, the Queen smirks.
"Yes. You are in quite deep, (Y/N)."
She waves at her guards.
"Bring them."
I am all dragged, kicking and thrashing, back to the throne room. The Queen stands beside Jongho, staring down at me. The room is packed with war-weary wolves, all glaring at me.
"Jongho…stop this madness. These are your brothers."
Jongho looks down at his shoes, unable to make eye contact with me. It's clear he won't speak on my behalf.
"(Y/N). You have been brought before this court to answer for reason."
"Court? So this is…a trial?"
"A trial? Hardly. We have enough evidence of your sick practices here."
The Queen's black stare falls on Yeosang. The color still hasn't returned to his face after his resurrection.
"Then…if this isn't a trial… "
"It's an execution. Your execution."
My heart sinks, the worst of my fears coming true. I barely hear the Queen snap her fingers. Barely feel the guards drag me forward.
"No!"
"Mother, please!"
B"You speak of treason? THIS is treason!!!"
But the Queen turns away from my father. Away from San and Yeosang.
"Let's not waste time with theatrics, boys. You'll all be much better behaved without this little slut stirring you up."
"That's my daughter, you bitch! The daughter of True Mates!"
"You think that matters to me after all she's done, Bang Chan?!"
Her words travel like a dark wave through the throne room, cutting into everyone. I am shoved down on my knees before the Queen. She saunters forward, her smile tight as she rakes her fingers through my hair.
"Any last words, (Y/N)?"
I look at everyone, all of the Queen's victims before me. Finally, my eyes meet San's.
Thanks to Roslyn, he was tortured and orphaned. And now he has to watch me die as well?
I look at my father, so recently reunited with me. His eyes burn as he fights his bindings. But there's no use.
"Don't worry, (Y/N)."
Roslyn tucks my hair behind my ear, whispering into it.
"I'll make sure we behead you. So there's no chance of you coming back."
I look up at this woman who has hurt everyone I love. The woman who relishes in my demise.
"My final words? Roslyn…you murdered the King."
A shocked gasp travels through the throne room. Roslyn's eyes go wide. She grabs me by the hair, wrenching me up.
"You're a filthy liar is what you are."
"I may be a lot of things but I am no liar. You killed the King. The father of your sons. So you could elevate your own position."
The court murmurs, every shifter shocked with the words coming from my mouth.
"You all know it's true. You know who she is."
I glare at Roslyn, unblinking in my ire.
"An old, murderous crone who wants nothing more than to crush you all beneath her heel."
"You bitch!"
The Queen throws me on the floor and points to her executioner.
"Do it. Now."
"No!!!"
The executioner comes forward, a mighty axe in his meaty hands. I'm thrown down on my knees, my neck bared before the man who will take my life.
This is it.
Everything in the room washes away. All of the fighting and screaming. It becomes serene in its calmness. And the only thing that exists before me is San, staring back at me with his sharp silver eyes.
I'm sorry, San. I'm sorry it wasn't enough.
I feel the axe rise up behind me. It sings as it slices through the air.
"YOU WILL NOT HURT HER."
The Alpha's command rocks even me to my core, sending every single shifter to their knees.
"What?"
"No!"
It's only when the axe falls in front of me that I realize I still alive. And out of the sea of crushed, submissive wolves, my Alpha rises.
San. You did it.
"You will not take her life. Now, or ever."
"And why is that?"
"Because I love her."