He arrived at sunset.
Not with an army, as we'd expected. Not with hundreds of warriors and abominations and weapons of war.
He came with twelve.
Twelve elite guards, all enhanced, all radiating power that made my Lycan senses scream *danger*.
And Alpha Aldric Blackwood himself.
I'd never seen him in person—only descriptions, rumors, stories whispered around pack fires. He was a legend. A nightmare. The kind of monster parents threatened their children with.
*Behave, or Alpha Blackwood will get you.*
He stood in the center of our pack grounds, flanked by his guards, and he looked... normal.
Disappointingly normal.
Middle-aged. Graying hair. A face that might have been handsome once, before years of cruelty had etched lines into it. Eyes that were a flat, unremarkable brown.
But the power radiating from him—the wrongness, the corruption, the sense of something ancient and foul—that wasn't normal at all.
*I'm here for my daughter,* he announced, his voice carrying effortlessly to every corner of the pack grounds. *And I'm here for the Lycan Queen.*
*Your daughter,* Kael stepped forward, still in human form but ready to shift in an instant, *was exiled. For treason. For attempted murder of children.*
*Treason?* Blackwood laughed. *That's a rich accusation, coming from the Alpha who betrayed his own ally. Who broke off an engagement without cause. Who—*
*Cause?* I stepped up beside Kael. *She tried to kill my children. That seems like cause to me.*
Blackwood's eyes fixed on me.
*So you're the infamous Lycan Queen.*
*Infamous?* I challenged him. *I haven't done anything to be infamous for.*
*You exist.* His lip curled. *That's enough.*
*Charming.*
*I don't need to be charming.* Blackwood stepped closer, and his guards moved with him. *I need to be obeyed.*
*You're not my Alpha,* I said coldly. *And you're not welcome here.*
*Am I not?* He looked around. *Because from where I'm standing, I'm the only thing standing between you and total destruction.*
*Is that a threat?*
*A promise.* Blackwood's eyes flicked to Kael. *Do you know why I really wanted this alliance, boy? Do you know why I pushed for the marriage?*
*Kael didn't answer.
*It wasn't for territory,* Blackwood continued. *It wasn't for resources. It wasn't even for power.*
*Then why?* Kael demanded.
*Because of the prophecy.* Blackwood smiled, and it was a terrible thing to see. *The prophecy that said a Lycan Queen would rise. That she would destroy everyone who wronged her. That she would bring about a new age—*
*New age of what?* I cut in.
*Of Lycan dominance.* Blackwood's voice dropped. *Of wolves bowing to Lycan royalty once more. Of the old ways returning. The ways of kings and queens. Of rulers and servants.*
*I don't want to rule,* I said firmly. *I just want to protect my children.*
*Liar.* Blackwood spat the word. *All Lycans want to rule. It's in your blood. In your genetics. In the very fabric of your being.*
*I'm not like that.*
*You will be.* Blackwood stepped closer. *You will be. Because the hunger never really goes away, does it? The urge to dominate. To command. To—*
*I control it,* I cut him off. *Through training. Through discipline. Through—*
*Through sheer willpower?* Blackwood laughed. *How long do you think that will last? How long before the hunger wins? Before you stop controlling it and start enjoying it?*
*I will never become you.*
*No?* Blackwood challenged me. *Then why did you enjoy killing those abominations? Why did it feel good? Why did part of you want more?*
*I—* I faltered.
*You can't lie to me, Lycan Queen.* Blackwood's mental voice pressed against my mind—corrupted, oily, invasive. *I feel it too. The hunger. The urge. The desire to just... let go. To stop fighting. To become what we were born to be.*
*I will never—**
*You already are.* He smiled. *You just don't know it yet.*
*Get out of my head.*
*Make me.*
I shifted.
Lycan form exploding outward, claws extended, teeth bared, and I slammed my mental barriers into place—shoving him out of my mind with such force that he actually staggered.
*Impressive,* he said aloud, shaking it off. *But not enough.*
He gestured to the figure standing behind him.
A figure I'd barely noticed until now.
Small. Hooded. Carrying something wrapped in cloth.
*This,* Blackwood said, *is what I came for. Well. One of the things.*
*What is it?* Kael demanded.
Blackwood pulled back the cloth.
And I froze.
A child.
Maybe eight years old. Small, thin, with matted hair and eyes that—
*Violet-gold.*
*Impossible,* I whispered.
*Not impossible,* Blackwood corrected. *Just unexpected. Another Lycan heir. Another royal bloodline.*
*Where did you—*
*I found him.* Blackwood rested his hand on the child's shoulder. *In the ruins of the old Lycan territories. Alone. Starving. Feral.*
*You found him?* I was horrified. *Or did you steal him?*
*Does it matter?* Blackwood challenged. *He's mine now. I've trained him. Shaped him. Made him into—*
*Into a weapon,* I realized. *Like the abominations.*
*Better.* Blackwood's pride was evident. *Because he's not a mindless monster. He's intelligent. Controlled. Powerful.* He leaned closer. *And he's been trained for one purpose: to kill you.*
The child looked at me.
And for a split second, behind the violet-gold eyes, I saw something else.
Fear.
*Help me,* a mental voice whispered. *Please help me.*
*I'm going to,* I sent back privately. *I promise.*
*He can hear us,* the child warned. *Everything. He—**
*Then don't say anything else,* I cut him off. *Just wait. I'm coming for you.*
*I don't know if I can—*
*Trust me.*
*I don't trust anyone,* the child said. *But I don't have a choice.*
*No,* I agreed. *You don't. But I do.*
*You'll save me?*
*I'll save you.*
*Even if you have to kill him?* The child nodded toward Blackwood.
*Even if I have to kill him.*
*Good.* The child's mental voice firmed. *Because I really, really hate him.*
*I can tell.*
Blackwood was still talking, still monologuing, but I'd tuned him out. Was focused entirely on the child—on the wrongness radiating from him, on the corruption Blackwood had forced into his mind, on the pain he'd endured—
*—pain like fire, like needles, like being torn apart and put back together wrong, over and over and over—*
I gasped as flashes of the child's memories hit me.
*Torture.*
*He tortured you.*
*Every day.* The child's mental voice was flat. *For years. Since he found me. He wants to make me stronger. Wants to make me—*
*Into a killer.*
*Yes.*
*I won't let him,* I promised. *I'm going to end this.*
*How?*
*I don't know yet.* I looked at Blackwood, who was finally finishing his speech. *But I'll figure it out.*
*—so you see,* Blackwood was saying, *I hold all the cards. I have another Lycan heir. One trained to obey me. One who will kill you on command.*
*He won't,* I said aloud.
*Excuse me?*
*He won't kill me.* I stepped forward. *Because I'm going to free him.*
*Free him?* Blackwood laughed. *He's not a prisoner. He's my son. My creation. My—*
*He's a slave,* I cut him off. *And I'm going to liberate him.*
*You think you can just—*
*I know I can.* I looked at the child. *What's your name?*
*The child hesitated.
*Tell her,* Blackwood ordered.
*Lucian,* the child whispered.
*Lucian,* I repeated. *I'm Elena. And I'm going to get you out of this.*
*No you're not.* Blackwood's voice hardened. *You're going to die. All of you. Lucian, kill her.*
*Lucian didn't move.
*I said kill her.*
*No.*
The single word hung in the air.
*What did you say to me?*
*No.* Lucian looked up, violet-gold eyes burning, and I felt power radiating from him—power Blackwood had trained, cultivated, forced into being. *I won't kill her. I won't kill any of them.*
*You'll do as you're told—*
*I'm done being told what to do.* Lucian's mental voice carried to everyone in the pack grounds, amplified by rage and pain and three years of torture. *I'm done being your weapon. Your experiment. Your—*
*You are MINE,* Blackwood snarled. *I made you. I shaped you. I—*
*You broke me,* Lucian corrected. *You tortured me. You tried to turn me into a monster.*
*And I succeeded,* Blackwood said coldly. *Look at you. A killer. A weapon. A—*
*I'm a child,* Lucian said quietly. *I'm eight years old. And I'm done.*
*Done with what?*
*Done with you.*
Lucian shifted.
I'd never seen anything like it.
Not a normal wolf shift. Not even a Lycan shift.
This was something else.
Something wrong.
Something Blackwood had created through years of torture and experimentation.
Lucian's form was massive—larger than mine, larger than any Lycan I'd ever heard of. Ten feet of corrupted power, violet-gold eyes burning with pain and rage, claws extended to impossible lengths, teeth like—
*Like daggers,* Astrid sent grimly. *He's a weapon. Just like Blackwood said.*
*He's also a child,* I sent back. *A victim.*
*Can we save him?*
*We have to.*
Lucian turned on Blackwood, and the Alpha actually stepped back.
*You made me into a monster,* Lucian growled, his voice distorted by the shifted form. *Now deal with your monster.*
*Lucian, stop,* I sent. *This isn't the way.*
*He tortured me.* Lucian's mental voice was raw. *For years. Every day. He—*
*I know.* I moved closer. *And he needs to pay for that. But not like this. Not by becoming what he made you. You're better than that.*
*I'm not better.* Lucian shook his massive head. *I'm exactly what he made me. A killer. A weapon. A—*
*You're a child,* I said again. *A victim. But you're also a Lycan royal. That means you have power. Choice. The ability to decide who you want to be.*
*Who I want to be?*
*Yes.* I stepped right up to him, ignoring his claws, his teeth, the power radiating from his corrupted form. *You can be a monster. Or you can be a king. It's your choice.*
*A king?*
*The Lycan King.* I rested my hand on his massive shoulder. *My counterpart. My equal. If you choose to be.*
*I... I don't know how.*
*Then I'll teach you.* I looked at Blackwood, who was watching with narrowed eyes. *We both will. Because you're not alone anymore, Lucian. You're not the only Lycan left.*
*I'm not?*
*No.* I gestured toward the nursery window, where Felix and Darius were watching, Astrid standing guard behind them. *My sons are Lycan heirs too. You're family, Lucian. Whether you want to be or not.*
*Family.* Lucian's mental voice was wistful. *I don't... I don't remember what that's like.*
*Then let us show you.*
Behind us, Kael stepped forward.
*Lucian,* he said aloud. *My name is Kael. Alpha of Silver Moon Pack. And if you'll stay—if you'll let us help you—we'll protect you. We'll teach you. We'll—*
*Why?* Lucian challenged. *I'm a monster. I'm dangerous. I'm—*
*You're a victim,* Kael corrected. *And you're a child. And in this pack, we protect children. Even the dangerous ones.*
*Even the broken ones,* I added.
Lucian was silent for a long moment.
Then, slowly, he shifted back.
Back to the small, thin eight-year-old boy with matted hair and violet-good eyes.
*Okay,* he whispered. *I'll stay.*
*Good.* I turned to Blackwood. *You've lost. You don't have any leverage anymore. You don't have a weapon. You don't—*
*Oh, I still have leverage.* Blackwood smiled. *I came with twelve elite guards. I came prepared for betrayal. And I came with...*
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device.
*A failsafe.* Blackwood's voice was cold. *In case Lucian ever turned on me. A little something I implanted in his brain. A trigger. And if I don't send the all-clear signal every hour...*
*What?* Lucian's eyes widened.
*Then the implant releases a toxin.* Blackwood smiled. *A neurotoxin. Fast-acting. Painful. And absolutely fatal.*
*You bastard,* Kael snarled.
*I am what I need to be.* Blackwood tapped the device. *I have twenty-three hours until the next signal is due. If I'm dead... or if I'm otherwise unable to send it...*
*Lucian dies,* I realized.
*Exactly.* Blackwood's smile widened. *So here's my proposal. A trade.*
*What kind of trade?*
*The children.* Blackwood gestured toward the nursery. *Your two brats for my one. You give me Felix and Darius. I give you Lucian. And I call off the kill switch.*
*Never,* I said instantly.
*Then Lucian dies.*
*Not on my watch.*
Blackwood laughed.
*And how exactly do you plan to stop me? I have twelve elite guards. I have a kill switch. I have—*
*You have me.*
I didn't shout. Didn't threaten.
Just stated a fact.
*You have me.* I stepped closer. *And I'm done playing games. I'm done being reasonable. I'm done trying to be the bigger person.*
*Elena?* Kael sent warily.
*I'm done,* I sent back. *He's threatening children. My children. And an innocent boy who's already suffered enough. I'm done.*
I shifted.
Lycan form exploding outward, and this time I didn't hold back.
Didn't hold back the hunger.
The power.
The urge to destroy.
*You want a monster?* I growled, my voice shaking the very air. *I'll give you a monster.*
And I launched myself at Alpha Aldric Blackwood.