The morning sun rose like spilled gold over the royal pack lands, brushing its warmth across Nyx's pale skin as she sat by the window of her small chamber. The birds sang, the scent of wet earth drifted in, but her heart beat too loud to hear any of it.
She hadn't slept.
Not after him.
Not after those piercing silver eyes that saw right through her when he'd said, "Be ready by dawn. You're coming with me."
The Alpha King of all clans, Kael Draven, had chosen her.
But why?
She looked down at her trembling hands, gripping the edge of her tattered cloak. She was nothing but the unwanted daughter of a dead queen. The castle's shadow. The servant everyone ignored. Her father hadn't even asked if she wanted to go; he'd only nodded when the Alpha King made his demand.
A knock sounded,.hard, commanding.
Her heart leapt. "Enter," she whispered.
The door opened, and there he was.
Kael stood in the doorway like a living storm. His dark cloak framed his tall, broad shoulders, and his silver eyes, cold as winter moons, locked on her. Behind him stood two guards, armored in black and crimson, the sigil of the Five Clans burning faintly across their chestplates.
"You're ready," he said. It wasn't a question.
"Yes… my lord," she managed, trying not to sound as nervous as she felt.
Kael's gaze swept over her, quiet, assessing. "You'll need warmer clothes where we're going." His tone was low, steady, yet something beneath it carried heat. "Pack only what you need. My kingdom isn't far, but it's not kind to the unprepared."
Nyx nodded, clutching the worn leather bag that held her few belongings: a faded journal, her mother's pendant, and a single ribbon, her only comfort.
From the hallway came a soft laugh. Cassandra.
"My dear sister," she purred, stepping into view in a glittering silk gown that caught every ray of light. "You're really leaving? How brave of you to run off with the most feared man in the realms."
Nyx bit her tongue, refusing to rise to the bait.
Kael's eyes flicked to Cassandra, sharp, unamused. "Watch your tongue, girl."
Cassandra froze, her lips parting. "I-I meant no disrespect, my king."
He turned away, disinterested. "Good. Keep it that way."
Nyx hid a smirk as she followed him down the grand staircase. The guards opened the gates, and sunlight spilled over the stone courtyard. Waiting outside was a sleek, midnight-black carriage drawn by massive shadow steeds whose eyes glowed faintly crimson. Power thrummed in the air.
Kael motioned for her to enter first. She hesitated, glancing back at the castle, the only home she'd ever known, no matter how cruel. Alpha Gabriel stood at the balcony, silent, unreadable. Morgana watched from beside him, a faint snare curving her lips.
It felt like being exiled.
But it also felt like freedom.
As the carriage door shut, Nyx turned to Kael. "Why me?" she whispered.
His eyes met hers. "Because," he said quietly, "there's something about you the others don't see yet."
"What do you mean?"
He looked away, gaze fixed out the window as the horses began to move.
"You'll find out soon enough."
The rhythm of hooves echoed through the woods. Nyx watched the forest blur past, unaware that deep beneath her skin, her power, the power of every bloodline, was beginning to stir.
And beside her, the most feared king in all realms fought the strange pull of a bond he couldn't ignore.
This was only the beginning.
*
*
*
The journey to Kael's kingdom was long and silent. The forest thinned into mist-shrouded plains, where the sky hung low and gray like an omen. The carriage wheels rolled over the cobblestones, steady and unhurried, while Nyx sat across from Kael, trying to still the trembling in her hands.
He hadn't spoken since they left the castle.
His presence filled the carriage, silent, heavy, electric. The air itself seemed to bend around him. Nyx couldn't tell if it was fear or fascination that made her heart race.
Finally, she gathered the courage to speak.
"Your Majesty," she began softly, "why did you ask for me to come with you? Surely there are others more…"
"Qualified?" he finished, voice smooth but sharp.
She hesitated. "I only meant.."
Kael's gaze lifted to hers, silver and piercing. "You're not like the others."
Nyx frowned. "I'm not special either."
A faint, almost imperceptible smirk touched his lips. "That's what makes you interesting."
Her pulse stumbled. She looked away, her fingers tightening around the pendant at her neck, her mother's. The crystal shimmered faintly, reacting to something unseen. Kael's eyes flickered toward it for a heartbeat, but he said nothing.
Outside, the mist grew thicker, swirling like living smoke.
"The border," Kael murmured.
Nyx peeked out the window, and gasped.
Before them, rising from the earth like the spine of a great beast, was Draven Keep, Kael's stronghold. A fortress carved from black stone, its towers kissed the clouds, surrounded by rivers of molten silver that glowed in the dim light. The air thrummed with ancient magic, wild, dangerous, intoxicating.
Her breath caught. "It's beautiful."
Kael's gaze softened for the first time. "It's alive."
The carriage halted before the grand gates. Soldiers bowed as Kael stepped out, his cloak sweeping the ground like shadowed flame. He offered his hand to her, and though her body resisted, her hand found his. His skin was warm, too warm.
As soon as she stepped down, an energy rippled through the ground, faint but unmistakable. Kael's head turned sharply. He'd felt it too.
"Welcome to my kingdom, Nyx," he said quietly. "Where nothing stays hidden for long."
The massive gates groaned open. Inside, the courtyard was filled with banners representing the five clans, vampires, werewolves, fairies, witches, and. Dragons, each shimmering with its own elemental energy. Figures watched from balconies and walkways, dragons in human form, pale vampires with gleaming eyes, witches and fairies cloaked in moonlight.
Whispers spread fast.
Who is she?
The mortal girl?
The one the king brought himself?
Nyx felt their stares burn her skin. Her instincts screamed to run, but Kael's steady presence beside her kept her grounded.
A tall woman approached, raven-haired, elegant, with silver markings down her arms.
"Welcome back, my king," she said with a small bow. "We weren't expecting… company."
Kael's tone brooked no argument. "Prepare her chambers in the west wing."
The woman's eyes flicked to Nyx, curiosity glinting behind politeness. "Of course. Shall I inform the council?"
"Not yet." His voice dropped. "Let them wonder."
The woman nodded and disappeared into the corridors.
Nyx turned to him, uncertain. "I don't understand what's happening."
Kael met her gaze again, closer now, intense. "You will. Soon." His eyes softened just slightly, the faintest trace of warmth slipping through his icy mask. "Rest for now. The real world begins tomorrow."
Before she could respond, he stepped back, his cloak sweeping like smoke as he turned toward the main hall, leaving her in the care of the palace attendants.
As they led her inside, Nyx looked up at the carved ceilings, the ancient runes, the faint glow that danced in the air. Everything here was alive, humming, calling to her.
Her fingers brushed her pendant again, and this time, it pulsed.
Something deep within her stirred in answer, something old, something powerful.
And somewhere in the shadows above, unseen eyes watched her every move.
The whispers of prophecy had begun to awaken.
*
Nyx's new chamber was unlike anything she had ever seen.
High arched windows overlooked the glowing rivers below, and walls carved with silver runes shimmered faintly in the dim light. The bed was soft enough to swallow her whole, but sleep wouldn't come.
Her thoughts kept returning to him.
The way his voice wrapped around her name.
The weight of his gaze.
And that strange, unexplainable pull that made her chest ache when he was near.
She was still turning the pendant over in her hand when the door opened without warning.
Her heart leapt.
Kael stood in the doorway, shadows curling around him like they belonged there.
"Your Majesty." she started, quickly rising to her feet.
"Kael," he corrected quietly, stepping inside. "When we're alone, call me Kael."
The way he said it made her stomach flip. "I...I can't. You're.."
"Your king?" His lips curved faintly. "Perhaps. But there's something more between us, Nyx. Something you can feel just as much as I do."
Her breath hitched. "What are you talking about?"
He took another step forward, closing the distance between them. The air seemed to grow heavier, warmer. His silver eyes burned brighter in the low light, catching every flicker of her unease.
"When I first saw you," he said, voice low and rough, "I thought it was my mind playing tricks. But when you looked at me… it wasn't a coincidence."
She swallowed hard, backing up until her legs brushed the edge of the bed.
"Kael…"
He stopped just before her, close enough for her to feel his heat.
"There's no mistake," he murmured. "You're my mate, Nyx."
The words hit like thunder.
She froze, shaking her head slowly. "That's not possible. I'm... I'm not even.."
"A wolf?" he finished. His voice was soft but unrelenting. "And yet, my bond recognizes you. Every instinct in me calls your name."
She stared at him, wide-eyed. "But that doesn't make sense.."
"It doesn't have to," he said. "Fate doesn't care for logic."
He lifted a hand, brushing a strand of hair from her face. His touch sent a shiver racing down her spine. "The moment I saw you, my wolf went silent. That only happens once in a lifetime."
Her heart pounded in her chest, too loud, too wild. "Kael, please… I don't even know who I am."
His gaze softened at her words, a rare hint of pain flickering across his features. "Then we'll find out together."
For a long moment, silence filled the room..heavy, electric.
She could feel it, that magnetic pull drawing her closer, even when her mind screamed to step back.
He exhaled slowly, breaking the spell.
"You don't have to accept it now," he said, voice quieter. "But don't deny what you feel. It will only get stronger."
He turned toward the door, but paused, glancing back. "There's a gathering tonight. The council will want to meet you. Rest until then."
And just like that, he was gone, leaving her heart racing, her mind in chaos.
Nyx sank onto the bed, clutching her pendant, her thoughts spinning.
His mate? The Alpha King's mate?
It couldn't be true.
And yet… something inside her whispered otherwise.
Her pulse still thrummed with the echo of his touch, and deep beneath her skin, the ancient power she didn't yet understand stirred, restless, awakening.
This was only the beginning of the bond that would change the fate of every clan.
---
Night fell fast over Draven Keep. The silver rivers glowed brighter under the twin moons, casting rippling light across the courtyard.
Nyx stood before the mirror, her reflection almost unrecognizable. The servants had dressed her in a gown of deep midnight silk, its fabric flowing like liquid shadow. A single crystal pin, her mother's pendant, rested over her heart.
Her palms were damp. She had no idea what to expect.
A knock came. Before she could answer, the door opened and Kael stepped inside.
He wasn't wearing armor this time, but a dark regal coat lined in silver and black. His hair, jet black with faint streaks of midnight blue, shimmered faintly under the torchlight. And his eyes… they glowed, that haunting blend of wolf-gold and vampire-crimson.
He looked like sin wrapped in royalty.
"Ready?" he asked, voice smooth, deep.
"As I'll ever be," she murmured.
"Stay close," he said, his tone carrying quiet command. "The council can be… overwhelming."
When they entered the grand hall, the sound of voices ceased instantly. All eyes turned to them.
The chamber was filled with the representatives of every clan, werewolves, vampires, witches, fairies, and dragons. Magic shimmered in the air, thick enough to taste.
Whispers rippled like waves.
That's her.
The mortal girl he brought.
Why would the Alpha King escort her himself?
Kael's hand found the small of her back, guiding her toward the dais at the center. The touch was brief, but enough to steady her trembling heart.
The murmurs died when Kael raised his hand. "You all wonder who she is." His voice carried effortlessly through the chamber, calm, yet thunderous. "You will have your answer now."
He turned slightly, his gaze falling on her. The look in his eyes made her forget to breathe.
"This is Nyx," he said. "From this moment forward, she is under my protection."
The room erupted.
"What?" a witch with silver eyes hissed.
"She's a human!" a vampire snarled.
"This is madness," a dragon representative growled.
Kael's gaze snapped to them, and in a blink, the temperature dropped. His aura flared, sharp and deadly, a perfect blend of wolf dominance and vampire allure. His voice cut through the noise like a blade.
"Silence."
The word carried power, primal, undeniable. Every creature in the room bowed instinctively.
"She is mine," Kael continued, stepping forward. "Fate has chosen her as my mate, and by that bond, she is queen to this realm."
Gasps filled the air.
Nyx froze. Her heart thundered, every instinct screaming that this couldn't be happening.
Her mate? Queen? She barely understood herself, her life, and now she stood in front of the most feared leaders in all realms as their ruler's chosen.
The crowd murmured again, disbelief and shock rippling like wildfire.
"She's mortal.."
"She'll doom us.."
"This is a joke.."
Before anyone could finish, Kael's eyes flashed crimson-gold, his fangs glinting as his voice thundered through the hall:
"Anyone who questions my choice…" He paused, his gaze sweeping over them like frost. "…questions me."
Silence. Cold and absolute.
Nyx stood rooted to the spot, unable to move.
Then, unexpectedly, he turned to her, softer now. "You don't have to say anything tonight," he murmured so only she could hear. "Just stand beside me. That's all."
Her breath trembled. "Kael, I'm not ready for this."
His eyes softened. "Neither was I when fate chose me." He offered his hand. "Trust me, Nyx."
Something inside her shifted, a spark she couldn't name. Against her better judgment, she placed her hand in his.
A faint golden light flared between their palms, wild, ancient, binding. Gasps rippled through the hall. The runes on the walls pulsed in answer, reacting to a power no one had felt in centuries.
Kael's expression changed, part awe, part hunger.
The mate bond wasn't just real. It was ancient.
And everyone in that room could feel it.
From the shadows, the witch councilor Myra whispered to herself, her eyes wide.
"The prophecy…" she breathed. "It's beginning."