Chapter 12 Marked by fire
632 Words
Chapter Two: Marked by the Moon
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Chapter Three: Shadows of the Crown
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Chapter Four: The Council Floor
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Chapter Five: [Reserved for future update]
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Chapter Six: The Wolf Remembers
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Chapter Seven: Between Land and Legacy
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Chapter Eight: The Heir Within
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Chapter Nine: Reflected in Blood
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Chapter Ten: Unspoken and Unbroken
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Chapter Eleven: The Hunger Within
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Chapter Twelve: Marked by Fire
The evening air was cool, but Araya’s skin burned.
Not from fever, not from the cold mountain winds that swept through the palace walls—but from hunger.
A hollow ache had taken root inside her chest, pulsing low and slow. At first, she thought it was exhaustion. Then a sharper pull gripped her ribs, twisting until she could hardly breathe.
The twins were stirring.
Feeding.
Draining.
She hadn’t eaten in hours, yet the ache went deeper than food. It coiled through her like a shadow, ancient and waiting.
Downstairs, in the grand sitting chamber, Queen Syreena and King Theron entered just as Mira finished her consultation.
The Queen’s gaze was firm but not unkind. “We need to talk.”
Vaelen stepped beside Araya, his presence anchoring her as she sank slowly into the velvet-cushioned chair.
Theron folded his arms. “You carry royal heirs. That places you in direct danger.”
“I’m not afraid,” Araya said, though her voice trembled slightly.
“You should be,” Syreena said gently. “Unmarked wolves—especially Lunas—can be sensed by others. Rouges. Assassins. Rivals.”
She looked between them. “You are bonded by fate, yes. But not yet marked. Without the mark, your connection is vulnerable. Any Alpha or rogue with enough power can attempt to break it.”
Vaelen’s jaw tightened.
“And the twins?” he asked.
“They draw strength from you both,” Mira explained. “But if your bond remains open, they’ll grow unstable—sensitive to external energy. They’ll feel every threat. Every hunger.”
Syreena nodded. “You must mark each other. Secure the link. Anchor the bloodline.”
The silence that followed was thick.
Then Araya, pale but strong, stood.
“I understand,” she said. “We’ll do it.”
Theron gave a slow nod. “Then the bond will be safe. But hurry. Time is short.”
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That night, back in her room, the hunger returned stronger. It was no longer a whisper. It was a scream.
Her hands shook as she clutched the windowsill, trying to draw breath, sweat dampening her collar.
The children inside her moved like shadows beneath her skin—restless, needing. Her heartbeat pounded louder in her ears.
The door opened. Vaelen.
He paused when he saw her trembling, eyes wide.
“They’re… hungry,” she rasped. “I can’t hold it much longer.”
He crossed the room in two strides, gathering her gently into his arms. Her face pressed against his neck, her lips close to his skin.
“Then take what you need,” he whispered. “You don’t have to ask.”
She hesitated, her instincts at war.
But the twins were pulling—harder now. Her throat burned.
Her fangs dropped.
And slowly, with trembling control, she bit.
Not to harm. Not to kill.
But to survive.
Vaelen held her tightly as her hunger was sated, and deep beneath their skin, a glow awakened. A connection.
A mark.
And the bond began to seal.
- Writer
