Chapter 9 Reflected in Blood
562 Words
The moment the gates of the fortress opened, a hush swept through the courtyard.
Vaelen stood at the top of the stairs, still as stone, eyes locked on the cloaked figure riding through the cold morning fog. The world slowed, and for a heartbeat, he couldn’t breathe.
It was her.
Flesh. Blood. Real.
Not a dream. Not a scent. Not a memory lost to wine and heat.
Araya.
His wolf roared inside him.
She dismounted gracefully, flanked by guards who kept a respectful distance. Her eyes scanned the towering walls, the watchful sentries, and finally landed on him. There was no fear in her gaze.
Only fire.
He descended the steps as if pulled by instinct. Each step echoed, until he stood before her. He was tall—taller than she remembered—with grey-streaked hair and vivid green eyes that shimmered unnaturally. A power barely restrained.
Neither of them spoke.
But everything shifted.
Behind him, a woman gasped.
“Moon above,” came the voice of Queen Mother Syreena, as she stepped forward, hand clutched to her chest. Her crown tilted slightly, forgotten. “She’s—she’s…”
Vaelen’s father, King Theron, stood silently, brows furrowed. His sharp, calculating eyes moved from Araya to Vaelen and back again.
“She’s carrying your blood,” he said grimly.
Syreena moved forward, brushing past her son. “Bring her inside. Call the healer. Now.”
“No—” Araya tried, but the Queen Mother’s hand was already on her arm, surprisingly gentle.
“You traveled too far carrying a legacy this important. I will not have the future of this realm born in a hallway.”
---
Within the hour, Araya sat in a warm chamber surrounded by ancient tapestries and moonstone braziers. A white-robed healer moved skillfully about her, preparing tools and rune-carved crystals.
Vaelen stood at the doorway, arms crossed, saying nothing.
Syreena hovered nearby, watching like a hawk.
The healer, a calm-eyed wolf named Mira, placed one hand gently on Araya’s wrist, the other hovering above her belly. A soft blue glow lit the room.
Then Mira’s eyes widened.
“By the stars…”
“What is it?” Syreena demanded.
“She’s… she’s highly compatible. Alpha-level bonding strength. Almost unheard of.”
“How strong?” Vaelen’s voice cut through the air.
“Approximately ninety percent,” Mira said. “And their DNA… there’s a mirrored structure. Unusual, but not unnatural.”
“Mirrored?” Araya repeated.
“Yes. It means your bloodlines reflect each other in balance. Some markers are identical, though not by family… by fate.”
Syreena sat heavily in the nearest chair. “So the bond isn’t just instinct. It’s destiny.”
Theron finally entered the chamber then, his voice low and unreadable. “Then we must protect her.”
“I don’t need protection,” Araya said fiercely.
“You carry heirs with ancient power,” he replied. “You need more than protection. You need understanding.”
Vaelen stepped into the room fully now, his presence wrapping around her like storm wind.
“We have much to discuss,” he said.
Araya met his gaze. “Yes. We do.”
And somewhere inside her womb, the twins stirred—feeling their father near.
The bond had been confirmed.
The blood had spoken.
And fate had only just begun to reveal its hand.
- Writer
