The moon hung low over Lycanthra, veiled in a thin mist that made the towers of the Citadel seem like phantoms.
Ryan had been gone for ten nights.
In that time, the rhythm of the kingdom had begun to change — subtly at first, like the shifting of wind before a storm. Orders that once came from the Alpha King now flowed through others. And where his presence had once silenced a room, now whispers bloomed in his absence.
They spoke of her.
Of the vampire princess who walked freely through the wolf kingdom, who smiled at soldiers, helped healers, and spoke softly yet was obeyed without question. Some called her dangerous. Others called her blessed.
But more and more began to call her Queen.
The Council of the Silver Moon
The throne room was half-lit that morning, its air thick with incense and tension. The council had gathered — Ryan's brothers seated in their usual order.
Kael, sharp-eyed and steady as a blade, sat at the Alpha's right hand, though the throne itself remained empty. Thane, ever the irreverent one, leaned lazily against a pillar, grinning as if the court were a tavern. Lucien whispered something under his breath that made Kael sigh.
"Don't say it," Kael warned.
Lucien smirked. "What? That the Alpha's gone feral because of his little moon-born mate? I'd call that progress."
Thane snorted. "Progress? He's probably tearing up trees somewhere just to keep from tearing off his own skin."
Laughter rippled through the younger brothers seated farther down — Daren and Irik, the twin troublemakers, who never could stay quiet when serious matters arose.
"Imagine," Daren said, his tone mockingly regal, "the mighty Alpha King running from a woman."
"Not just any woman," Irik added with a grin. "A vampire woman. With fangs sharper than his pride."
A few council members choked on their breaths trying not to laugh.
Kael pinched the bridge of his nose. "You two will be the death of me."
At the far end of the hall, Isabella entered.
The moment her steps echoed across the marble floor, the laughter died.
She was dressed not as a guest, nor as a captive — but as someone who belonged. A dark gown of silk and shadow, her hair pinned with silver, and around her neck the faintest trace of moonstone — a color that glowed softly in the light filtering through the stained glass.
"Continue," she said calmly, her voice neither sharp nor soft, but commanding enough to make even the twins straighten in their seats.
Kael rose politely. "Your Majesty. We were discussing the border disputes with the Southern Clans. Alpha Ryan—"
"—is not here," Isabella interrupted. "So the matter falls to us."
The murmurs began again, softer this time.
She walked toward the center of the hall, her eyes sweeping across the assembled wolves. "Lycanthra does not stop because its king wanders. Its people do not sleep because their ruler dreams. Until he returns, we act. We protect. We lead."
Thane muttered, half to himself, "Remind me again who's running this place?"
Lucien elbowed him. "Apparently, we are — under royal supervision."
A faint smile tugged at Isabella's lips. "Under partnership, Commander Thane. Let's not forget who healed your captain's leg two nights ago."
Thane raised his hands in mock surrender. "Touché, Your Majesty."
Kael, ever composed, inclined his head. "Then we proceed under your guidance, Princess. The council is yours."
Allies in Shadow
After the meeting, Isabella lingered by the western balcony, the night breeze playing with her hair. Below her, Lycanthra's lights flickered like stars scattered across the valley.
Lyra appeared beside her, holding a stack of scrolls. "Your Majesty, the healers from the Southern Barracks have returned. They brought notes about the wolves you asked after — the ones with corrupted bloodlines."
"Good," Isabella said softly. "And the witches?"
Lyra hesitated. "Still silent. They don't trust us, not yet. But I think that may change soon."
"Why?"
"Because one of them — the oldest — asked about the Book of the Eclipse Pact."
That drew Isabella's attention. "She knows of it?"
Lyra nodded. "She called it Seraphine's Last Mirror. Said that no one should have been able to open it. And yet…"
Her gaze flicked meaningfully toward Isabella.
Isabella turned her face toward the horizon, her expression unreadable. "Then perhaps fate has decided we don't need permission."
The Pull Grows Stronger
That night, when the moon reached its peak, Isabella could not sleep.
She wandered the silent halls, her bare feet whispering against the marble. Somewhere, far beyond the city, she could feel the bond again — pulsing stronger than before.
Ryan.
It was as though the distance between them had folded, and his presence brushed against her mind. A single heartbeat — fierce, wild, longing.
She pressed a hand against her chest. "What are you doing to me?" she whispered.
And though no one answered, the bond flared — a sudden, warm pulse that sent a shiver through her.
Far away, in the northern wilds, the Alpha King froze mid-step. His breath hitched, eyes darkening to molten gold.
He could smell her.He could feel her.And the hunger returned tenfold.
She's calling you, his wolf whispered. And you're too weak to resist.
Ryan growled low, his claws flexing. "Not yet."
But even as he said it, his body turned south — toward Lycanthra. Toward her.