The entire arena froze.
No one moved.
No one breathed.
From the shattered abyss below, a single hand gripped the broken stone.
Human.
Not clawed.
Not corrupted.
Human.
Then those silver eyes opened completely in the darkness.
Ancient power exploded through the mountain.
Every wolf in the arena felt it.
Ragnar dropped to one knee.
Several Council guards collapsed completely.
Even powerful Alphas staggered under the crushing pressure.
Only four people remained standing.
Kaiden.
Magnus.
Lucien.
And me.
The silver eyes slowly lifted.
Then a man emerged from the abyss.
He wasn't wearing armour.
He wore black clothing trimmed with faded silver markings that looked older than history itself. Long dark hair framed a face that was almost impossibly handsome.
And terrifying.
Not because he looked monstrous.
Because he looked calm.
Too calm.
Like someone who had witnessed centuries and no longer feared anything.
Silver chains hung broken around his wrists.
His glowing eyes swept across the arena.
And every creature beneath the mountain bowed.
Not one resisted.
The King had arrived.
The chained beast beneath the arena immediately lowered its head.
"My King."
The man ignored everything around him.
His eyes stopped on me.
The world seemed to disappear.
Those eyes.
I knew them.
Not from memory.
Not from dreams.
Something deeper.
Something inside my soul recognised him.
His expression softened.
"My Luna."
The words sent chills through my entire body.
"No," Kaiden growled instantly.
The King finally looked away from me.
His gaze landed on Kaiden.
And for the first time.
His expression changed.
Not anger.
Not hatred.
Curiosity.
"You are not him."
The statement confused everyone.
Kaiden stepped forward despite the overwhelming pressure.
"Stay away from Selene."
The King studied him quietly.
Then his eyes moved toward the bond mark glowing faintly between us.
His expression became unreadable.
"Interesting."
Magnus moved closer to.
"Identify yourself."
The King looked at him briefly.
"I have had many names."
His voice was calm.
Smooth.
Ancient.
"But once"
He looked back at me.
"They called me Aether."
The name meant nothing to me.
But the Elders looked horrified.
One collapsed backwards.
"No"
Another Elder turned pale.
"The Eternal King"
Lucien slowly exhaled.
"So the legends were true."
Aether's eyes moved across the ruined arena.
"I slept for a very long time."
The chained creature bowed deeper.
"We failed you, my King."
Aether barely acknowledged it.
Instead, he took a single step toward me.
Kaiden instantly moved in front of me.
"Don't."
Silence.
Then, to everyone's shock, Aether smiled.
Not mockingly.
Almost approvingly.
"You protect her."
Kaiden's eyes narrowed.
"I always will."
Something unreadable passed through Aether's silver eyes.
"Those words sound familiar."
My mark suddenly burned.
Aether stopped instantly.
His expression changed.
Not power.
Not dominance.
Pain.
For the first time since awakening.
The King looked vulnerable.
He stared at me.
"Your soul"
His voice weakened slightly.
"It truly isn't hers."
The entire arena fell silent.
"What?" I whispered.
Aether looked devastated.
Not angry.
Heartbroken.
"You're not my Luna."
Confusion exploded inside me.
Then why had he called me that?
Aether closed his eyes briefly.
When he opened them again, centuries of loneliness seemed to hide inside them.
"You only carry her blood."
The mountain shook again.
But this time.
The disturbance didn't come from below.
It came from outside.
A black spear crashed through the arena wall.
Stone exploded everywhere.
And a cold voice echoed through the dust.
"Found you."
Everyone turned.
Standing within the ruined entrance was a woman.
Beautiful.
Deadly.
Her eyes glowed red.
And behind her stood hundreds of corrupted beasts.
Aether's expression changed instantly.
For the first time, the Eternal King looked afraid.
He whispered only one name.
"Nyra"