Elis
I clenched my jaw. "It's not official," I said, firm and unyielding. "The engagement hasn't taken place."
Lily didn't respond. She just kept her hands moving, tending to my wounds with deliberate focus. But I knew her mind wasn't here. She was trying to make sense of what I'd just said, trying to rebuild the walls I was tearing down.
I pushed myself up slightly, ignoring the dull ache in my side. "I need to say this, Lily." She turned from me, reaching for a clean cloth, but I caught her wrist, gently. She froze, and I used that pause to make her look at me. "I'm sorry," I said, my voice low and raw. "For the pain I caused you. For making you feel… abandoned."
She swallowed, and for a moment, her eyes gave her away. "I accept your apology, Elis." Her tone was soft, yet guarded. "But I want to be careful this time."
I nodded. I understood what she meant. I'd shattered her once. She wouldn't give me the power to do it again so easily. Her eyes flicked toward the torchlight on the wall. "There's danger around here, " she whispered. "I can feel it. Something is haunting us both."
She wasn't wrong. "I've noticed it too," I said. My voice darkened. "And I won't ignore it."
She pulled her wrist from my grasp and took a step back. "You need to rest," she said, trying to sound composed. "I'll check on you tomorrow." A beat passed. "Thank you for the promotion."
Before she could turn away, I reached out and took her hand. She stilled. And then I brought her hand to my lips and kissed it, slowly, and deliberately. Her skin was warm against mine. I felt her breath hitch. She didn't pull away. Not immediately. And neither did I. But she was stronger than me at that moment. She took a careful step back, severing the connection between us. And without another word, she left. I watched her go, her scent lingering, stirring the beast in me…the wolf that clawed restlessly beneath my skin.
***
The palace walls couldn't contain the rumours. No surprise there. Yes, the war had been won but I hadn't shifted. Not once. And that didn't go unnoticed. The murmurs started in the training grounds. Then moved to the taverns and to the council chambers. Everywhere. Always the same question. Why didn't the Alpha King shift? Or worse…Could he still shift?
They met on the outskirts of the kingdom…Alphas I once fought beside. Eunice filled me in. I knew what they would say. Knew the ones who'd lead the whispers.
Cliran, ever the loudest when doubt needed a voice, spoke first. "We fought like mortals when we should have been wolves. Is this what we've been reduced to?"
Murmurs followed. Then came another voice…deep, grizzled, shaped by battle. "He didn't shift. Not once. This isn't the first time. Tell me, does he even have the power anymore?"
Silence. And then…Jose. Of course it would be him. "Perhaps our Alpha King isn't as strong as he claims to be."
The air in that hall would've crackled with the energy that followed. They were already sharpening their claws.
***
Lily…I learnt from Eunice who always kept an eye on her. She sat in the courtyard, surrounded by her herbs and peace but she was never one to ignore the shadows crawling beneath beauty. She'd heard the whispers too. And unlike the others, she understood the danger didn't lie outside the walls. It was within them. Among my own.
When Douglas stepped into my chamber, I didn't need his words. I saw it in his eyes. "You've heard it, haven't you?" I said before he could even open his mouth.
He gave a slow nod. "It's more than just whispers now, my king."
I sat upright, ignoring the way my ribs protested. "Who's leading the talks?"
He hesitated. "Alpha Jose."
I exhaled sharply. "Of course it's him."
Douglas came closer. "They're planning something. If they believe you're weak, they'll challenge you. They'll demand a public shift."
I clenched my fists. "They doubt me because I didn't shift. They don't understand. They don't know what I…" I stopped.
Douglas's eyes narrowed. "What aren't you telling me?"
I didn't answer. Instead, I stood and moved to the window, letting the moonlight wash over me. I used to love the moon as a kid. Now, it only reminded me of everything I'd lost. "Let them come," I said quietly. "Let them doubt. I will remind them who their king is." But even as I said it, I felt it again. That weight. That shadow. A secret I wasn't ready to speak aloud…not even to Douglas. And I didn't need to say it. Because outside my chamber, just beyond the stone wall, I felt her presence. Lily. And I knew… she felt the shadow too.