Chapter 5 — My Enemy's Father
1374 Words
“Bring me my son's rejected mate.”
Richard Blackwood's voice echoed across the mountain.
My entire body went cold.
Romeo stared at the man standing on the ridge.
His father.
The man Romeo had spent years believing was dead.
“Father?”
Richard smiled.
“You look surprised.”
Romeo took a step forward.
“You're alive.”
“Obviously.”
“What happened to you?”
Richard's eyes shifted toward me.
“That doesn't matter anymore.”
My mother grabbed my arm.
“We have to go.”
Richard laughed.
“You've been running for eighteen years, Elena.”
His voice became colder.
“Do you really think you can run forever?”
My mother pulled me behind her.
“You won't touch her.”
Richard's gaze hardened.
“I don't need to.”
He looked at Romeo.
“My son will bring her to me.”
Romeo didn't move.
Richard's expression changed.
“Romeo.”
The Alpha command in his voice was unmistakable.
“Bring her.”
Romeo's fists tightened.
“No.”
The single word stunned everyone.
Richard's eyes narrowed.
“You dare disobey me?”
“I said no.”
Something inside me shifted.
For the first time since the rejection, I looked at Romeo differently.
He wasn't defending his title.
He wasn't protecting his reputation.
He was standing against his own father.
Richard laughed softly.
“You have always been weak.”
Romeo's jaw tightened.
“Maybe.”
Then he looked at me.
“But I'm not giving her to you.”
Richard's smile disappeared.
“Then you will die with her.”
He lifted his hand.
The mountain shook.
A wave of force swept across the forest.
The wolves cried out.
My mother fell to one knee.
I grabbed her.
“Mom!”
“I’m fine.”
She wasn't.
Blood was running from her nose.
I looked toward Richard.
Something inside me burned.
Luna growled.
*He is using Alpha blood.*
“What does that mean?”
*His blood carries an ancient command.*
I felt anger rising.
“Can I stop it?”
*You already are.*
I looked around.
Every wolf had collapsed.
Every wolf except me.
And Romeo.
Richard noticed.
His eyes narrowed.
“Interesting.”
I didn't understand what he meant.
Then he looked at Romeo.
“She is already stronger than you.”
Romeo didn't answer.
Richard smiled.
“Do you know what she will become?”
Romeo glanced at me.
“No.”
“The Queen.”
My heart stopped.
Richard continued.
“The last Blood Moon Queen.”
The words echoed through my mind.
Queen.
That was what my mother had called me.
That was why the wolves bowed.
That was why the hunters wanted me.
But there was still one question.
“Why?”
Richard looked at me.
“Because the Blood Moon Queen doesn't simply rule wolves.”
He paused.
“She can destroy Alpha bloodlines.”
Silence.
My stomach twisted.
“You're afraid of me.”
Richard smiled.
“I am afraid of what you might become.”
I stepped forward.
“Then why didn't you kill me eighteen years ago?”
His expression darkened.
“Because your father hid something.”
“What?”
“The Crown.”
My mother's face changed.
Richard saw it.
“There.”
He smiled.
“She still hasn't told you.”
I turned toward my mother.
“What crown?”
“Daniella…”
“What crown?”
She looked away.
Richard laughed.
“The Crown of Night.”
The name sent a strange vibration through my body.
Luna suddenly went silent.
I felt something ancient stir beneath my skin.
Richard continued.
“Your father hid the Crown before we captured him.”
“Where?”
“If I knew, your mother would already be dead.”
My mother grabbed my hand.
“Don't listen to him.”
“Why?”
“Because he wants you to find it.”
Richard smiled.
“Exactly.”
I looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because only you can open it.”
My heart pounded.
“And if I don't?”
Richard's eyes became cold.
“Then I will kill everyone you love until you do.”
My mother stepped forward.
“You won't touch her father.”
Richard laughed.
“Her father?”
He looked at me.
“You still believe he is alive?”
I froze.
“What?”
My mother went pale.
Richard smiled.
“He was alive.”
Past tense.
“No.”
My mother shook her head.
“Don't listen to him.”
I looked at her.
“Is my father alive?”
She didn't answer.
“Mom.”
Silence.
“Is he?”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I don't know.”
My heart broke.
“You said he was alive.”
“I believed he was.”
Richard laughed.
“He stopped being useful years ago.”
I turned toward him.
“What did you do to him?”
Richard's expression became almost amused.
“I didn't do anything.”
“Then who did?”
“The Council.”
I stared at him.
“You're lying.”
“Ask your mother.”
I looked at Elena.
She was crying.
That was enough.
My legs felt weak.
My father wasn't some distant story anymore.
He was a man who had fought to protect me.
A man who had hidden me.
A man who had lost everything because of my existence.
And now he might be dead.
Something inside me broke.
The ground beneath my feet cracked.
A red glow spread through the clearing.
Everyone stepped backward.
My mother whispered,
“Daniella, calm down.”
“I can't.”
The red glow grew brighter.
Luna's voice filled my mind.
*Let me out.*
“What?”
*Stop hiding me.*
I closed my eyes.
For eighteen years, I had believed I was broken.
Wolfless.
Weak.
Unwanted.
Romeo had confirmed it in front of everyone.
But now I understood.
I wasn't broken.
I had been restrained.
I opened my eyes.
They were no longer their normal color.
They were glowing crimson.
Richard stopped smiling.
“Impossible.”
I looked at him.
“What?”
His face had gone pale.
“You shouldn't be able to awaken this quickly.”
I raised my hand.
The wolves around me stood.
One by one.
Then hundreds of howls filled the forest.
Richard took a step backward.
For the first time, he looked afraid.
I smiled.
It wasn't the smile of the girl who had cried after being rejected.
That girl was gone.
“Come down here,” I said.
Richard stared at me.
“You think you can command me?”
“No.”
I felt Luna rise inside me.
“I know I can.”
The wolves growled.
Richard's warriors immediately surrounded him.
Then Romeo stepped beside me.
“I'll fight with you.”
I looked at him.
“You don't have to.”
“I know.”
He met my eyes.
“But I want to.”
I almost believed him.
Then Selena's voice came from behind us.
“Don't.”
I turned.
She was standing alone.
Her face was pale.
“You can't trust him.”
I frowned.
“Who?”
She pointed at Romeo.
“He didn't tell you everything.”
Romeo's expression changed.
“Selena, stop.”
She shook her head.
“You deserve to know.”
“What?”
Selena looked directly at me.
“The reason Romeo rejected you wasn't only because I told him you were wolfless.”
I stared at her.
“Then why?”
She took a shaky breath.
“Because his father ordered him to.”
Romeo went still.
“That isn't true.”
Selena looked at him.
“You were given a choice.”
She turned back to me.
“Accept Daniella as your mate…”
Her voice dropped.
“…or your father would kill her.”
My blood froze.
I looked at Romeo.
He didn't deny it.
He simply closed his eyes.
And that was when I realized something even worse than the rejection.
Romeo hadn't rejected me because he didn't want me.
He had rejected me because someone had threatened my life.
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