CHAPTER 4 THE ALPHA KING’S REGRET
485 Words
Kael stood on the highest tower of Mooncrest.
Elara was gone.
Again.
Ronan, his Beta, approached.
“You need sleep.”
“I don’t.”
“You haven’t slept properly in three days.”
Kael stared toward the forest.
“She’s out there.”
“Yes.”
“And they’re hunting her.”
“Yes.”
Ronan sighed.
“You love her.”
Kael said nothing.
“That wasn’t a question.”
Kael closed his eyes.
“I know.”
“Then why did you reject her?”
Kael’s voice was barely audible.
“Because I saw her death.”
Ronan froze.
“What?”
“The Council showed me a vision.”
Kael remembered it.
Elara lying in the snow.
Blood covering her dress.
Her eyes lifeless.
The Lunar Mark burning on her chest.
“They told me that if I accepted her, she would die.”
Ronan shook his head.
“And you believed them?”
“I was terrified.”
The Alpha King looked toward the forest.
“I chose the wrong way to protect her.”
A messenger entered.
“Your Majesty.”
“What?”
“The Shadowfang Alpha has crossed our border.”
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
“Ryder Ashford.”
“Yes.”
Kael already knew why.
“Elara.”
Meanwhile, Elara reached Shadowfang territory.
Ryder Ashford was waiting.
He was nothing like Kael.
His eyes were dark blue.
His hair silver.
His expression calm.
“You are Elara.”
“Yes.”
“I’ve heard about you.”
“Good things?”
He smiled.
“Mostly interesting things.”
Mira laughed.
Elara rolled her eyes.
Ryder looked at the Lunar Mark.
“You need protection.”
“We need somewhere safe.”
“You’ve found it.”
For the first time since leaving Mooncrest, Elara felt she could breathe.
That night, Ryder found her on the balcony.
“Can’t sleep?”
“No.”
He stood beside her.
“You don’t have to tell me everything.”
“I don’t know everything myself.”
“Then start with what you do know.”
She looked at the moon.
“I’m the daughter of a dead king.”
“Maybe.”
“My mother may be alive.”
“Probably.”
“I was rejected by the Alpha King.”
Ryder smiled.
“That part I know.”
She laughed.
It was the first genuine laugh she’d had in days.
Then her Lunar Mark began glowing.
Ryder’s smile disappeared.
“What is happening?”
“I don’t know.”
Silver light surrounded them.
A vision appeared.
A woman holding a baby.
Elara.
Then a younger Kael appeared.
He stood before Elara’s father.
The vision disappeared.
Elara gasped.
“Kael knew my father.”
Ryder’s face became serious.
“Then we need to find out why.”
A howl echoed from the forest.
Ryder turned.
“They found us.”
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