Elis
I stood at the head of the grand council chamber, my gaze sweeping over the gathered Alphas like a silent commander. The flames in the hearth behind me cast restless shadows across the cold stone walls of Marlick's fortress, my fortress. I was no longer just a pack leader. I was king. And this kingdom, my kingdom demanded more than brute strength. It needed vision. Unity. And control. The kind that couldn't be questioned or overthrown.
"Family," I began, letting my voice carry on with deliberate weight, "is the foundation of our kingdom. Without it, we are nothing more than lone wolves, scattered and weak. Blood binds us. But loyalty… loyalty defines us."
Silence settled over the room. Heavy, measured and calculating. They were listening, truly listening but not all were convinced. I saw it in their posture and in the guarded looks exchanged between elders. I stepped forward, my boots echoing sharply against the marble floor. "We cannot afford complacency. Our enemies are growing bolder. Rogues are gathering at our borders. Our strength lies not just in our warriors, but in our unity."
I paused, letting the weight of my next words hit before I spoke. "That's why we must fortify our defenses, expand training across all packs and hold each other accountable. No more divisions and no more doubt."
Murmurs stirred. Some nodded. Others shifted in their seats. Suspicion lingered like a fog unwilling to lift. "I propose a new system," I continued, my tone unwavering. "The strongest packs will support those in need. No pack should be left vulnerable. In return, every pack contributes warriors to the royal guard. Every clan earns a stake in our kingdom's defense."
Another silence, sharper this time. Then came the gravel-thick voice of Alpha Gregor. "Bold words, King Elis. But unity is easier said than done. Some packs have more to lose than others."
I met his eyes without hesitation. "And we all have everything to lose if we remain divided. Strength shared is strength doubled."
A ripple of murmured agreement spread through the room. Gregor didn't speak again, not a yes nor a no. But silence from him was enough for now. When the meeting was. finally adjourned, the Alphas broke off into cautious conversations. I left them to it, the tension still coiled beneath my skin. Douglas, ever loyal, fell into step beside me. "They listened," he said neutrally.
"Listening and acting aren't the same," I muttered.
"They'll act."
"They have to," I replied, more to myself than to him.
***
I stepped out onto the balcony. The night was sharp and cold. Below, torches lined the fortress walls. Warriors trained in perfect rhythm. My kingdom pulsed with life and yet something deeper clawed beneath the surface. A curse.
Whispers drifted up from the training yard. I stepped into the shadow of the archway and listened. "Have you noticed king Elis lately?" someone said. "He's changed. He's more decisive and more... controlled."
"Power does that," another voice replied. "But it feels like something else. He used to be uncertain, then suddenly, he commands like he was born for it."
A third voice scoffed. "He has no mate and no heir. How does he expect to secure the future of Marlick?"
I clenched my jaw. I'd expected the whispers. But hearing them out loud struck a nerve. I turned away and headed inside, the sharp sting of memory already rising. That night… in the woods...That damned night. Lily. Her breath, soft against my skin. Her touch, warm, hesitant and trusting. The way her eyes looked at me like I wasn't cursed... like I was still worth saving.
And I'd left her, disappeared at dawn while she slept, still at the clearing where I'd taken her innocence. I stared into the tall mirror in my chamber. The man staring back was carved from something colder now. Harder. No trace of the boy who wandered into her woods, aching and lost under the pull of the full moon.
They wanted heirs. Lineage. Future. They didn't know I was cursed. That it had taken everything; my parents, my siblings and my peace. That the darkness is still whispering in the quietest hours. I'd hidden it. Fought it. Denied it. But time was slipping and I had to find her. Before I lost everything again.
The next evening, I walked into my private lounge, my mind thick with calculations; timelines, alliances and contingency plans. Princess Zeena's visits had become expected. Political and not personal. She was a leverage. A distraction. A shield against the rumors and nothing more. The engagement? Inevitable but temporary.
I adjusted my robe and braced myself. Then the door opened. And everything inside me stopped. Zeena stepped in with her usual air of confidence but I barely saw her. Because someone followed her in. A maid. Head bowed. Small, quiet... and different. Then came the scent. Wildflowers. Lavender and honey.
I froze. She lifted her gaze just for a second but it was enough. Those eyes. Those impossible and unforgettable eyes. It hit me like a tidal wave and my chest locked. My blood turned to ice.
Zeena, unaware, smiled lightly. "Alpha king, I employed someone new. She'll be tending to my personal needs."
But I wasn't listening. I couldn't. I was staring at the one person I thought I'd never see again. Lily. She's alive.