Blood Of The Forbidden

Chapter Three: The Price of Loyalty

The forest closed around Lucian like a trap, the wolves’ glowing eyes forming a deadly ring.

Their snarls vibrated through the trees, promising blood. Marcus stood at the center of the

chaos, his smile cold and predatory, his words still burning in Lucian’s mind: *“Angel’s promised

to another—a prince of the demon clans. You’re just a pawn in her game.”* The fated mate

bond screamed that Angel was his, but doubt gnawed at him, sharp as the wolf's teeth. Was

their connection real, or had she played him to save herself?

His wrist throbbed where the crescent mark pulsed, grounding him in the chaos. The vial Angel

had given him lay shattered at his feet, its contents useless. He was cornered, his newly

awakened strength no match for a pack this size. But running wasn’t an option—not when Angel

was out there, drawing the pack’s attention to protect him. He clenched the stone Marcus had

given him, its weight both a lifeline and a curse.

“Choose, Lucian,” Marcus said, his voice cutting through the growls. “Fight for a mate who’s

betrayed you, or surrender and live a little longer. The alpha’s ritual awaits.”

Lucian’s gaze darted to the wolves, their silver and black fur bristling with hunger. His blood

sang with power—wolf and demon, Angel had said—urging him to fight. But for what? A bond

that might be a lie? His heart pounded, torn between loyalty and survival. Then he remembered

her kiss, fierce and desperate, and the vision of her under a moonlit sky. Fated or not, he

couldn’t abandon her.

“I choose her,” Lucian growled, his voice deeper, edged with something feral. The mark flared,

and his senses sharpened—every scent, every sound amplified. He didn’t know how to fight as

a wolf, but he’d learn fast.

Marcus’s smile faltered, replaced by a flicker of surprise. “Brave. Foolish. The pack will tear you

apart.”

The wolves lunged, a blur of claws and fangs. Lucian dodged the first, instinct guiding him as he

swung the stone like a weapon, cracking it against a wolf’s skull. The beast yelped, collapsing,

but another took its place, its jaws snapping inches from his throat. Pain seared his arm as

claws raked his flesh, but he didn’t falter. He fought with raw, desperate strength, each blow

fueled by the bond pulling him toward Angel.

A piercing howl cut through the fray, and the wolves froze, ears twitching. Lucian staggered

back, blood dripping from his arm, his chest heaving. The pack parted, and a new figure

emerged—a woman, tall and regal, her silver hair braided with bones. Her eyes, cold as winter,

fixed on Lucian, and the air grew heavy with her presence.

“Enough,” she said, her voice commanding obedience. The wolves bowed their heads, and

even Marcus tensed, his blade lowering. “You’re the forbidden child. The one who dares defy

the law.”

Lucian wiped blood from his lip, standing taller despite the pain. “And you’re the alpha’s mate.

Angel’s mother, I’m guessing.”

Her lips curved, but there was no warmth in them. “Selene, queen of the werewolf kingdom. And

You, Lucian Evans, are a mistake that should never have been born.”

“Then why am I still alive?” he shot back, gripping the stone. “If the pack wants me dead, why

the games? Why not kill me now?”

Selene’s eyes narrowed, assessing him. “Because your blood is the key to a ritual—one that will

secure our dominance over the demon clans. Your parents’ union broke our laws, but their

sacrifice will serve us. And you…” She stepped closer, her presence suffocating. “You’ll be the

final offering.”

Lucian’s stomach twisted. Sacrifice. Ritual. The words echoed Angel’s warning, but Marcus’s

accusation lingered—Angel’s arranged marriage to a demon prince. Was she part of this? He

pushed the doubt aside, focusing on Selene. “And Angel? Where does she fit in your plan?”

Selene’s expression darkened. “My daughter is a fool, chasing a bond that can never be. She’s

promised to Prince Kael of the demon clans, a union to seal peace between our realms. Her

loyalty to you is a betrayal of her blood. But she’ll learn her place—after you’re gone.”

The fated mate bond roared in Lucian’s chest, confirming what he’d felt all along: Angel was his,

no matter what Selene or Marcus claimed. But the queen’s words planted a seed of fear. If

Angel was fighting her own family for him, what would it cost her?

Before he could respond, the ground shook, and a blast of heat tore through the forest. Flames

erupted, scattering the wolves. From the inferno stepped Angel, her eyes glowing with fury, a

silver dagger in each hand. She moved like a storm, cutting down two wolves before they could

react. Blood sprayed, and the pack howled, torn between attacking and fleeing.

“Lucian!” she shouted, her voice raw. “Get to the river!”

Selene snarled, shifting into a massive silver wolf in an instant. She lunged at Angel, but Angel

was faster, rolling aside and slashing Selene’s flank. The queen’s howl of pain shook the trees,

but she didn’t slow, her claws raking the earth as she charged again.

Lucian ran toward Angel, dodging a wolf that snapped at his heels. He reached her side, the

bond flaring as their hands brushed. “You came back,” he said, breathless.

“Always,” she replied, her eyes meeting his. But there was no time for more—Selene’s pack

regrouped, and Marcus was advancing, his blade gleaming.

“We can’t fight them all,” Angel said, grabbing Lucian’s arm. “The safehouse is close. Run!”

They sprinted through the burning forest, the heat licking at their backs. Lucian’s wounds

throbbed, but the bond gave him strength, tying him to Angel even as doubt lingered. Was she

risking everything for him, or leading him into a trap?

They reached the river, its waters glinting under the blood-red moon. A small cabin stood on the

bank, its windows dark. Angel shoved Lucian toward it, her dagger raised as she scanned the

trees. “Inside, now!”

But before they could move, Marcus appeared, blocking their path. His suit was singed, but his

smile was intact. “You can’t run from fate, Angel,” he said, his voice dripping with menace. “The

demon prince is waiting. And he doesn’t share.”

Angel’s grip on her dagger tightened, but Lucian stepped forward, the stone pulsing in his hand.

“She’s not yours to control,” he said, his voice steady. “Or his.”

Marcus laughed, but his eyes flicked to the stone, a flicker of unease crossing his face. “You

don’t even know what that is, do you? Ask your mate. She’s been lying to you from the start.”

Lucian’s heart stuttered, but before he could demand answers, the river exploded. A figure rose

from the water, tall and cloaked in shadows, his eyes burning red. Power radiated from him,

bending the air itself. The wolves cowered, and even Selene, limping from her wounds, bowed

her head.

“Kael,” Angel whispered, her voice trembling—not with fear, but with something worse:

recognition.

Lucian’s blood ran cold. The demon prince. Angel’s betrothed. The bond between them pulsed,

but Kael’s gaze locked onto Lucian, and a cruel smile spread across his face.

“You’re the one she chose over me,” Kael said, his voice like a blade. “Pity. I was hoping for a

challenge.”

He raised a hand, and the world turned to fire. Lucian’s scream was cut off as the flames

engulfed him, the stone slipping from his grasp. The last thing he saw was Angel lunging at

Kael, her dagger aimed for his heart—and Kael’s hand closing around her throat, lifting her like

a rag doll.

As darkness claimed him, one thought burned through the pain: Angel had fought for him, but at

what cost? And what secret was she still hiding about the stone?