Rejected, Then Crowned Queen

Chapter eight

The torches appeared.

They glowed in the forest as if there were a river of fire, and Lyra could see the figures from the highest tower on Luna.

There were hundreds of soldiers.

Maybe thousands.

In the middle of them was a black carriage with the silver wolf crest on it, and Lyra knew that Kael had come for her.

Her fingers tightened around her mother's pendant.

"He actually followed me," she whispered.

Fenrir watched the approaching army from beside her.

"He didn't follow you."

Lyra frowned at him.

"But why is he here?"

"That is what we are about to find out."

A horn sounded from the valley, once, twice, and the gates of Lune remained firmly shut.

Below them, the royal guard took their places on the walls, and Emma appeared beside Lyra, breathing hard.

"They want to see you," she said.

Lyra turned to her.

"Who?"

"Their commander," said Emma.

She gestured toward the main gates.

"He says he wishes to speak with the queen."

Lyra almost laughed.

This morning, she hadn't thought herself fit to be Kael's mate, but now his army was surrounding her kingdom, demanding to speak with her.

How times had changed.

Darian stood nearby, leaning against one of the thick pillars.

"You shouldn't meet with him."

Lyra gave him a sidelong glance.

"Why not?"

"Because you still care what he thinks."

She frowned at him.

"I don't."

Darian arched an eyebrow.

"You looked at the gates the moment you heard his name."

Lyra said nothing in reply.

He was right, and that was infuriating.

Fenrir turned to her, his expression unreadable.

"The decision is yours."

"You're the queen."

Lyra stared at the ancient city before them, a place she had unwittingly inherited.

A throne she had never wanted, an enemy she knew nothing about, and Kael, whose reasons for pursuing her still eluded her.

She exhaled sharply and met Fenrir's gaze.

"Open the gates."

Fenrir's expression darkened.

"Lyra—"

"I will not hide from him."

She turned to him.

"If he came all this way to see me, I will hear what he has to say."

Darian stepped forward.

"Then I'm coming with you."

Fenrir nodded.

"I'll be there as well."

Lyra gave a short nod in reply.

"Good."

---The gates opened, and Kael stepped inside, at least, that is what it seemed.

Actually, his Beta, Ethan, walked a few paces ahead of him, and two royal guards remained at the entrance with the other soldiers.

Kael wore black armor with silver trimming, and the look on his face was grim—less arrogant than the man she had seen at her coronation.

His gaze locked onto hers for a long moment, and he seemed to have forgotten how to breathe.

Then he gave a short, bitter laugh.

"Lyra."

She felt nothing—that was what she told herself.

"Alpha Kael."

His expression tightened at her words.

"You don't have to call me that."

"You're not my mate."

The words came out softly, but they struck him like a slap.

"I know."

Lyra crossed her arms over her chest.

"Why did you come here?"

His gaze swept up and down the ancient courtyard.

"We came because the Moon Stone was destroyed."

"It wasn't destroyed," said Lyra.

She gestured at the city around them.

"It was awakened."

Kael's gaze snapped back to her face.

"So the legends were true."

"They were."

His eyes narrowed at her.

"And you're really the Lunar Queen."

Lyra said nothing.

Kael took a step closer.

"I came to warn you."

"Then it's too late," said Darian, who stood just behind Lyra.

Kael's eyes snapped to him, and the two men glared at each other for a long moment.

"You must be Darian Vale," said Kael.

Darian smirked.

"My father told me your family was wiped out centuries ago."

"Your father was wrong," said Kael.

His jaw tightened.

"And your family has been wrong about quite a few things," said Darian.

Before Kael could retort, Fenrir cleared his throat.

"Enough."

The word rang in the courtyard, sending silence through the soldiers.

"Why did you come?" asked the ancient guardian.

"The Silver Moon Kingdom is under attack," said Kael.

Lyra frowned.

"By whom?"

Kael's dark gaze met hers.

"We don't know."

"That's not an answer," said Lyra.

"There have been sightings," said Kael.

"Entire villages have vanished," said Darian.

"Wolves have seen things that weren't supposed to exist," said Fenrir.

His golden eyes narrowed at Kael.

"When did this happen?"

"Three days ago."

Darian's smirk disappeared.

"Three days."

Kael gave a slow nod.

"Why is that important?"

Darian turned to Lyra.

"Because that's the time it takes for a seal to begin to weaken."

A chill ran down Lyra's spine.

"The seal?"

Fenrir's expression was grim.

"The one holding back the enemy."

Kael turned to him, surprise flashing across his face.

"You know what is happening?"

"I know enough," said Fenrir.

He turned his gaze to the distant mountains.

"The awakening of Luna was not the only thing set off by Lyra's return."

Suddenly, a great roar echoed through the valley, and the courtyard grew deathly silent.

Another roar answered it, one much closer, and the palace guards raised their weapons.

Kael turned toward the forest.

"What was that?"

"The beginning," said Fenrir.

A scout came flying through the gates, his heart pounding.

"Guardian!"

The young soldier dropped to one knee.

"Creatures are coming from the eastern forest!"

"How many?"

The scout's face was pale as he looked up at the gate.

"There are too many to count."

Lyra turned toward the mountains, her stomach twisting with dread.

Black figures were walking through the forest—dozens, hundreds, maybe even thousands.

They were not wolves; they were taller, their eyes glowing a deep red in the darkness.

Kael raised his sword, his expression grim.

"I'll cut them down."

"No," said Fenrir quietly.

Kael turned to him.

"What?"

Fenrir turned to Lyra.

"This battle isn't about the Silver Moon Kingdom."

His dark gaze lowered to the pendant at her throat.

"It's about her."

Lyra's pendant began to glow with a silver light, and a strange warmth spread through her veins.

She gasped as a voice whispered at the back of her mind—the same voice that had been speaking to her in her mother's vision.

"When the darkness comes..."

"Do not run... remember who you are."

Lyra looked toward the approaching army, her fear melting away.

It wasn't gone, but something stronger had taken its place: resolve.

The silver light from her pendant grew brighter, spreading to her arms, and then her hands, until the whole courtyard seemed to glow.

Kael stared at her, his mouth open in shock.

"What is happening to her?"

"The queen is waking," said Fenrir.

A great shadow moved at the edge of the courtyard as the first of the creatures arrived, and the others followed close behind.

It was impossibly tall, its body covered in glowing script, and when it turned its head toward Lyra, its mouth opened in a wide grin.

"Finally," said the creature.

Lyra's blood ran cold.

Its red eyes narrowed at her.

"After a thousand years..."

The creature's grin widened.

"...the Lunar Queen has returned."

Then the next wave of monsters surged forward, right at the gates.