Bound By fate
1065 Words
CHAPTER SIX
Bound by Fate
The rain poured relentlessly.
Thunder rolled across the night sky as emergency vehicles surrounded the ruins of the wedding venue.
Red and blue lights flashed through the darkness.
Reporters shouted questions.
Police officers struggled to control the crowd.
Yet none of it mattered to Aria.
She stood beneath a black umbrella, staring at the silver mark glowing faintly on her wrist.
Everything she thought she knew about the world had been destroyed in a single night.
Werewolves existed.
Magic existed.
Prophecies existed.
And somehow, she was at the center of it all.
The thought made her dizzy.
A black luxury SUV pulled to a stop beside her.
Lucien stepped out.
His suit was torn from the battle.
Blood stained one sleeve.
Yet he carried himself as though nothing had happened.
As though he hadn't fought monsters and survived a collapsing building.
Their eyes met.
For a moment neither spoke.
Then Lucien opened the car door.
"Get in."
Aria folded her arms.
"No."
One of his eyebrows lifted.
"No?"
"You lied to me."
Lucien sighed.
A dangerous billionaire.
A feared Alpha King.
And somehow, he looked tired.
"I never lied."
Aria laughed bitterly.
"You forgot to mention you're a werewolf."
Several nearby warriors immediately looked away.
Clearly trying not to laugh.
Lucien's jaw tightened.
"Fair point."
"That's a fair point?"
"You weren't supposed to find out like this."
Aria stared at him.
Then shook her head.
Nothing about her life made sense anymore.
"Where are we going?"
"My territory."
That answer somehow raised even more questions.
---
Three hours later, the SUV passed through massive iron gates.
Aria looked outside.
Her breath caught.
A castle.
An actual castle.
Hidden deep within a forest.
Moonlight reflected from stone towers.
Ancient walls stretched into the distance.
The structure looked like something from another century.
"What is this place?"
"The Blackthorne Citadel."
Aria blinked.
"Of course it is."
Lucien glanced at her.
The hint of a smile appeared.
The first she'd ever seen.
It transformed his entire face.
For a brief moment he looked younger.
Less intimidating.
Then the expression vanished.
The car stopped.
The enormous front doors opened immediately.
Rows of servants waited inside.
Along with dozens of warriors.
The moment Lucien stepped out, every person bowed.
Not politely.
Not respectfully.
Completely.
As though greeting a king.
Aria swallowed.
This wasn't a business empire.
This was a kingdom.
A hidden kingdom.
And Lucien ruled it.
---
Inside, the castle was breathtaking.
Crystal chandeliers.
Ancient paintings.
Massive fireplaces.
Marble staircases.
Everything radiated wealth and power.
Yet there was something else.
History.
The place felt old.
Much older than it appeared.
As if countless generations had lived and died within its walls.
Lucien led her through several hallways.
Eventually they entered a private study.
The room was lined with books.
Maps covered one wall.
A massive desk occupied the center.
Lucien closed the door behind them.
Silence filled the room.
Aria turned toward him.
"Start talking."
Lucien leaned against the desk.
His gray eyes studied her carefully.
"What do you want to know?"
"Everything."
A muscle twitched in his jaw.
"That's a very long story."
"I have time."
For several seconds, he remained silent.
Then he nodded.
"Fine."
He walked toward one of the maps.
"The world you know is only part of reality."
Aria resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
That sounded exactly like the beginning of a fantasy novel.
Unfortunately, it was also true.
"Werewolves have existed for thousands of years," Lucien continued.
"We lived openly once."
Aria frowned.
"What changed?"
"Humans."
The answer came immediately.
"When humans discovered us, fear followed."
He paused.
"So we disappeared."
His gaze darkened.
"We built our own societies."
"Our own laws."
"Our own kingdoms."
Aria slowly processed the information.
Kingdoms.
Plural.
Meaning there were more.
Far more.
"How many packs exist?"
"Hundreds."
Her eyes widened.
"Hundreds?"
Lucien nodded.
"Most answer to regional Alphas."
"And they answer to you?"
Silence.
The answer was obvious.
"Yes."
The realization settled heavily upon her shoulders.
She hadn't married a billionaire.
She had married the ruler of an entire hidden world.
---
A knock interrupted them.
Damien entered.
His expression was grim.
Lucien immediately noticed.
"What happened?"
"The Council moved."
The room instantly grew tense.
Aria had heard enough to recognize that name.
The Shadow Council.
The people who wanted her dead.
"What now?" Lucien asked.
Damien placed a folder on the desk.
"We lost contact with three northern packs."
Silence.
Lucien's eyes hardened.
"How many survivors?"
Damien looked away.
"None."
Aria's stomach dropped.
None.
Entire packs had been wiped out.
Because of her?
The possibility terrified her.
Lucien noticed the fear crossing her face.
"It's not your fault."
Aria wasn't convinced.
The Shadow Council had appeared because of the prophecy.
Because of the Moon Queen.
Because of her.
Damien opened the folder.
"There is more."
Lucien frowned.
The Beta rarely sounded nervous.
This time he did.
"The Elders are coming."
The reaction was immediate.
Even Lucien looked annoyed.
"Elders?"
Aria asked.
Damien nodded.
"The oldest leaders in the werewolf world."
"Why are they coming?"
Neither man answered immediately.
Which was never a good sign.
Finally Damien spoke.
"To judge you."
The words landed like a stone.
"Judge me?"
Lucien cursed under his breath.
Aria crossed her arms.
"What does that mean exactly?"
Damien exchanged a look with Lucien.
Then reluctantly answered.
"If they believe you're too dangerous..."
He stopped.
Aria's pulse quickened.
"Too dangerous for what?"
"For the werewolf world."
Silence.
Then realization hit.
"They'll kill me."
Nobody answered.
Which was answer enough.
A chill swept through the room.
The mark on her wrist suddenly pulsed.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The silver glow spread across her skin.
All three froze.
The room darkened.
A strange wind stirred the papers on Lucien's desk.
Then a voice echoed through the study.
Ancient.
Female.
Powerful.
"The throne awaits."
Aria's heart nearly stopped.
A vision flashed before her eyes.
A silver crown.
A moonlit kingdom.
Thousands of warriors kneeling.
And a shadow standing behind the throne.
Watching.
Waiting.
Smiling.
The vision vanished.
Aria gasped.
The mark faded.
Silence returned.
Lucien's expression had turned deadly serious.
Because he recognized the crown.
Every Alpha in history would recognize it.
The Crown of the Moon Queen.
A relic believed lost for over a thousand years.
And if the visions were true...
Someone had already found it.
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