đ Chapter 5: The Rogue Prince
Part 1: Eyes That Shouldnât Exist
The man in the woods didnât flinch.
Even as Axel shiftedâhis muscles coiled, teeth bared, claws itching to rip fleshâthis stranger just stood there. Calm. Cold. Confident.
âI donât want to hurt the boy,â he said again. âI only want whatâs owed to me.â
Axel snarled. âHeâs not yours. Heâs mine.â
The stranger raised a brow. âOh? You think bloodlines obey paperwork? You think the mark appeared by accident?â
I clutched Liam tighter, stepping back.
âWho are you?â I asked.
The man slowly removed his hood.
Silver hair. Crimson eyes. A scar across his throat that pulsed faintlyâlike a second heartbeat.
âMy name is Kael. Son of the fallen Crimson King. Last heir to the rogue throne.â
Axelâs voice dropped to a growl. âThe Rogue Prince.â
Kael nodded.
âAnd Iâve come to claim what my blood demands. The child is mineâby right of legacy.â
---
đ Chapter 5: The Rogue Prince
Part 2: The Fight That Shouldnât Be Won
âYou donât get to claim my son!â Axel roared, shifting midair.
Bones snapped. Fur erupted. He hit the ground in wolf formâblack and massiveâsnarling with every ounce of rage heâd buried over the years.
Kael sighed, then moved.
Fast.
Faster than any rogue should move.
He met Axelâs charge with terrifying ease, sidestepping the lunge and slamming a knee into the wolfâs ribs. Axel yelped, crashing into a tree.
âAxel!â I screamed.
Kael glanced at me, disappointed. âYou should have kept him hidden, girl. Now everyone knows. The boy's power is echoing across the packs.â
I backed away, heart racing, Liam stirring in my arms.
âI won't let you take him,â I whispered.
âYou donât have a choice. He carries both your strength and mine.â
I blinked. âYours? What the hell are you talking about?â
Kael smirked. âI told you. By blood and bond. You and Axel werenât the only ones tied by fate.â
Thatâs when I understood.
This wasnât just about a bloodline.
This was about a prophecy.
And Liam was the weapon.
---
đ Chapter 5: The Rogue Prince
Part 3: Bondlines and Betrayal
Axel rose slowly, limping, blood staining his fur. He shifted back, panting, chest heaving.
âYou wonât take him,â he growled. âEven if it kills me.â
Kael narrowed his eyes. âIt might.â
Then he vanished.
Literally vanishedâlike smoke. And appeared behind me.
I spun, clawing at him, but he was already reaching for Liam.
My son screamed.
But before Kaelâs fingers could touch him, Liamâs eyes shot openâblazing gold. The mark on his shoulder pulsed.
And then⌠Kael was on fire.
Real fire. Blue and silent. His skin blistered where it touched Liamâs aura.
He stumbled back, hissing. âSo the awakening has started. Faster than expected.â
Axel charged again. This time, his claws met flesh.
Kael bled. Not muchâbut enough to pull back.
He held up his hands. âYouâve made your stand. But youâve only delayed the inevitable.â
âTry again,â Axel spat, blood dripping from his mouth. âAnd next time, you donât walk away.â
Kael grinned. âOh, I wonât be walking.â
Then he vanished againâgone.
---
đ Chapter 5: The Rogue Prince
Part 4: Unseen Wounds
Silence returned, but it didnât bring peace.
Axel collapsed against a tree, holding his side.
I laid Liam down gently, checking him for burns, bruisesâanything. But he was still. Almost too still.
âIs he okay?â I asked.
Axel nodded slowly. âHeâs unconscious, but stable. His wolf protected him.â
I looked at the spiral mark again. It was brighter now.
Almost⌠breathing.
âDid you know about the prophecy?â I whispered.
Axel didnât answer.
âA prophecy that links rogues, bloodlines, and a child that could either destroy or unify the kingdoms?â
âI knew pieces,â he admitted. âBut I never thought it would be us.â
Tears stung my eyes. âTheyâre going to keep coming.â
âYes,â Axel said. âThey are. Until either Liam bends⌠or breaks.â
I curled around my son, heart thudding.
Weâd survived the prince.
But war was now a matter of when, not if.
---
Up Next
Chapter 6: The Forbidden Letter
Back in the Crimson lands, an ancient letter is openedâsealed by fire, written in blood. A warning⌠and a promise.
Meanwhile, Liam wakesâbut heâs not the same child who fell asleep.
His voice carries new weight. His eyes see more than they should.
And in his sleep, he whispered a name Aurora hasnât spoken in yearsâher dead sisterâs.
Is Liam seeing the past? Or is something darker borrowing his mind?
As the mark pulses and the prophecy unravels, one thing becomes clear:
No one close to them is safe.
Chapter 6: The Forbidden Letter
Every secret comes with a cost. Some⌠come with a body count.