CHAPTER FOUR: The Beginning of War
1444 Words
The Beginning of War
Lucien moved first.
The force of his Alpha aura crashed through the gardens like a storm, violent enough to shake frost from the marble statues surrounding them.
Several guards near the entrance immediately dropped to one knee.
Seraphina’s pulse quickened.
She remembered this power.
Remembered how easily Lucien could dominate weaker wolves with nothing but his presence.
In her previous life, she once admired that strength.
Now she only saw the danger in it.
Kael remained completely still.
Unaffected.
If anything, amusement flickered briefly across his face.
“I suggest,” Lucien said coldly, “that you choose your next words carefully.”
Kael finally looked toward him.
Silver eyes.
Calm expression.
Absolute menace.
“Why?” he asked softly. “Does the truth upset you?”
The temperature seemed to drop further.
Lucien stepped closer.
“You stand in my kingdom speaking to my future Luna.”
Seraphina nearly laughed at the words.
Future Luna.
Not partner.
Not equal.
Possession.
Kael’s gaze shifted briefly toward her before returning to Lucien.
“Interesting,” he murmured. “She doesn’t look like she belongs to you.”
The tension became unbearable.
Even the guards looked terrified now.
Lucien’s wolf pushed against the surface visibly, golden eyes flashing brighter with fury.
“You test me too far.”
“And yet,” Kael replied lazily, “you still haven’t attacked.”
Seraphina realized then that Kael was provoking him intentionally.
Testing him.
Pushing every weakness Lucien possessed.
And Lucien was falling directly into the trap.
Just like always.
Lucien’s greatest flaw was pride.
The need to dominate.
To win.
To prove himself stronger.
Seraphina saw it clearly now in ways she never allowed herself to before.
Kael suddenly turned toward her.
“Tell me, Seraphina,” he said calmly, “are you happy here?”
Lucien’s head snapped toward her instantly.
The question struck harder than expected.
Because no one had ever asked her that before.
Not truly.
Not without expecting a carefully polite answer.
Seraphina opened her mouth,
Then stopped.
Was she happy?
No.
Even before the betrayal…
Even before Evelina…
Even before death…
She had been lonely.
The realization hurt.
Lucien’s voice cut sharply through the silence.
“You will not answer ridiculous questions.”
Seraphina slowly looked toward him.
And something inside her hardened further.
“There was a time,” she said quietly, “when you would have cared about my answer.”
Lucien froze.
The words clearly caught him off guard.
A flicker of confusion crossed his expression.
“You’re acting strangely tonight.”
Because she remembered.
Because she knew exactly what kind of man he would become.
Kael watched the interaction carefully.
Too carefully.
As if memorizing every expression crossing her face.
The palace doors suddenly opened again.
“Your Highness,” a servant said nervously, “the council elders are requesting your presence inside.”
Lucien didn’t move.
His eyes remained fixed on Kael.
“I’ll return shortly,” he told Seraphina.
The statement sounded more like a warning.
Then he turned sharply and disappeared back into the palace.
The moment he left, the gardens became strangely quiet.
Snow drifted softly around them.
Kael exhaled slowly.
“You still care about him.”
The observation irritated her instantly.
“You know nothing about what I feel.”
“I know enough.”
Seraphina crossed her arms.
“And what exactly do you think you know?”
Kael stepped closer beneath the moonlight.
“That you hate him,” he said quietly. “But not enough yet.”
Her chest tightened painfully.
Because he was right.
Part of her still mourned Lucien.
Not the man he truly was—
but the man she believed he could be.
Kael studied her expression.
“He will destroy you again if you let him.”
The certainty in his voice sent unease crawling through her.
“You speak as if you’ve seen it happen.”
For a moment, something dark flickered behind Kael’s eyes.
“I have.”
Seraphina’s breath caught.
“What does that mean?”
Kael was silent for several seconds.
Then:
“There are things you are not ready to understand.”
“I’m tired of riddles.”
“So am I.”
The answer came softer than expected.
Almost weary.
Seraphina stared at him carefully.
This man terrified kingdoms.
Entire armies feared his name.
Yet standing here beneath the snow, he looked less like a monster…
And more like someone carrying unbearable grief.
The realization unsettled her deeply.
Kael suddenly reached toward her.
Seraphina stiffened instinctively.
But he only brushed his fingers lightly against a snowflake melting in her hair.
The tiny touch sent heat racing unexpectedly through her body.
Their eyes locked.
Dangerous.
That was the only word for whatever existed between them.
Dangerous and growing stronger by the second.
Kael’s voice lowered.
“Your wolf recognizes me already.”
Seraphina swallowed hard.
She hated that he was right.
Since the moment he entered the ballroom, her wolf had been restless.
Drawn toward him.
Trusting him far too quickly.
And that frightened her.
“I don’t trust bonds anymore,” she admitted quietly.
Something sharp crossed Kael’s expression.
“As you shouldn’t.”
The answer surprised her.
Most wolves worshipped the Moon Bond completely.
Destined mates were considered sacred.
Yet Kael sounded almost bitter.
“You speak as though the bond itself betrayed you.”
His silver eyes darkened slightly.
“Perhaps it did.”
Before Seraphina could question him further, voices echoed from inside the palace.
Nobles approaching.
Kael stepped back slightly, the moment between them breaking.
A group of court ladies entered the gardens laughing softly before immediately freezing at the sight of the Lycan King standing alone with Seraphina.
Whispers spread instantly.
Seraphina could practically see tomorrow’s rumors forming already.
Kael seemed entirely unconcerned.
One of the noblewomen curtsied nervously.
“Your Majesty.”
Kael gave a lazy nod.
The women hurried away quickly after that.
Cowards.
Seraphina almost envied them.
At least they could still run from dangerous men.
Kael looked toward the palace.
“You should return before Lucien sends half the royal guard searching for you.”
“Would that bother you?”
A faint smile appeared on his face.
“I’d survive.”
The image of Kael slaughtering palace guards should have alarmed her.
Instead, absurdly, she almost smiled.
Gods.
She really had changed.
Kael noticed the tiny shift in her expression immediately.
And something warm flickered briefly in his silver eyes.
The softness vanished almost instantly.
But Seraphina saw it.
“You should be careful,” she said quietly.
“Of Lucien?”
“Of me.”
That finally earned a real reaction.
Kael tilted his head slightly.
Seraphina met his gaze steadily.
“You don’t know what I will become in the future.”
“No,” he murmured. “I think I do.”
The answer unsettled her again.
Before she could respond, footsteps approached rapidly through the snow.
Lina appeared breathless near the garden entrance.
“My lady!”
Seraphina turned immediately.
“What happened?”
“The Queen Mother is asking for you,” Lina said nervously. “And…” She hesitated before glancing fearfully at Kael. “The council chambers are in chaos.”
Kael’s expression sharpened slightly.
“What happened inside?”
Lina swallowed.
“There was an attack at the northern border.”
Silence fell instantly.
Seraphina’s stomach twisted.
No.
This wasn’t supposed to happen yet.
“The Blackridge fortress was destroyed,” Lina continued shakily. “Survivors claim rogue Lycans crossed the border.”
Every guard nearby immediately looked toward Kael.
Tension exploded again.
But Kael’s face turned dangerously calm.
“Rogue Lycans?” he repeated softly.
Lina nodded quickly.
“They say hundreds are dead.”
Seraphina’s mind raced.
In her previous life, the Blackridge m******e happened nearly a year later.
Not now.
Never this early.
Which meant the timeline was already changing.
Kael’s silver eyes darkened with something lethal.
“That wasn’t my army.”
The certainty in his voice chilled her.
Because he sounded furious.
Not defensive.
Furious.
As though someone had just crossed a line they should never have touched.
The palace bells suddenly began ringing violently across the kingdom.
War bells.
Every noble inside the palace erupted into chaos.
Kael looked toward the distant northern mountains beyond the kingdom walls.
Then quietly said:
“They’ve started already.”
Seraphina’s pulse quickened.
“Started what?”
Kael looked at her.
And for the first time since meeting him—
She saw genuine fear in his eyes.
“The war that kills us all.”
- Writer
