Chapter 9: When War Reaches the Gates
1084 Words
The palace shook.
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A deep, thunderous impact echoed through the walls.
Then another.
And another.
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Alina stood frozen in the center of her room.
Heart racing.
Breath uneven.
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“They’re here…”
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Outside, the night was no longer quiet.
It was alive.
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Howls tore through the darkness.
Loud.
Wild.
Endless.
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The sound of wolves.
Hundreds of them.
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Another impact slammed against the fortress walls.
The ground trembled beneath her feet.
Dust drifted from the ceiling.
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Alina stumbled slightly, grabbing onto the edge of the bed.
Fear clawed its way up her chest.
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“Stay in the room.”
Kael’s voice echoed in her mind.
A command.
A warning.
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She looked toward the door.
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Then toward the window.
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Then back to the door.
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“No.”
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The word slipped out before she could stop it.
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She couldn’t stay here.
Not while everything outside was falling apart.
Not while people were fighting… because of her.
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Another explosion echoed through the palace.
Closer this time.
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That was enough.
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Alina ran.
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She threw the door open and rushed into the corridor.
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Chaos.
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Guards were running past her.
Armor clashing.
Voices shouting orders.
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“To the gates!”
“Hold the eastern wall!”
“Protect the King!”
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No one stopped her.
No one even noticed her.
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Good.
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She followed the flow of movement, heart pounding with every step.
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The deeper she went—
The louder the war became.
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Until finally—
She reached the outer gates.
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And froze.
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The battlefield stretched out before her.
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Fire lit the night.
Torches.
Flames.
Burning arrows streaking across the sky.
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And wolves.
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Everywhere.
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Massive Lycans clashed in brutal combat.
Claws against claws.
Teeth against flesh.
The sound of growls, roars, and screams filled the air.
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It wasn’t a battle.
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It was a m******e.
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Alina’s breath caught.
“I… shouldn’t be here…”
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Too late.
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A Lycan was thrown across the ground just a few feet away from her.
Blood stained the stone.
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She stumbled back.
Horrified.
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Then—
A roar cut through everything.
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Familiar.
Powerful.
Dominant.
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Kael.
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Her eyes snapped toward the center of the battlefield.
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There—
He stood.
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Not human.
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A massive black wolf towered over the others.
Twice their size.
Muscles rippling with raw power.
Golden eyes blazing like fire in the darkness.
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Kael’s Lycan form.
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Terrifying.
Magnificent.
Unstoppable.
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He tore through enemies like they were nothing.
Claws slashing.
Fangs ripping.
No hesitation.
No mercy.
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Alina couldn’t look away.
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“This is… him…”
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The King.
The monster they feared.
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Then suddenly—
His head snapped up.
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Those glowing golden eyes—
Locked onto her.
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Even from across the battlefield—
She felt it.
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The bond.
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It pulsed.
Hard.
Sharp.
Angry.
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Kael let out a furious roar.
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And started running toward her.
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Alina’s heart dropped.
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Oh no.
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Before he could reach her—
Something else moved.
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Fast.
Silent.
Deadly.
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A rebel Lycan broke through the fight.
Charging straight toward her.
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His eyes burned with hatred.
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“The human!”
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Alina froze.
Fear locking her in place.
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He was too fast.
Too close.
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She couldn’t move.
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Couldn’t breathe.
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This is it—
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Then—
Something snapped.
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The mark on her neck burned.
Violently.
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Heat exploded through her body.
Stronger than anything before.
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Her vision blurred.
The world tilted—
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And then—
Light.
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Silver.
Blinding.
Radiant.
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It burst out from her body.
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A wave of energy exploded outward.
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BOOM.
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The attacking Lycan was thrown backward instantly.
Slamming into the ground with crushing force.
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The shockwave rippled across the battlefield.
Knocking warriors off their feet.
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Silence followed.
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Complete.
Unnatural.
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Everyone stopped.
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Every eye turned toward her.
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Alina stood there.
Frozen.
Breathing hard.
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Silver light flickered faintly around her body.
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“What… did I just do…?”
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No one answered.
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Because they were all staring.
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In shock.
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In fear.
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In disbelief.
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Across the battlefield—
Kael shifted back into human form.
His chest rising and falling heavily.
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His golden eyes locked onto her.
Dark.
Intense.
Unreadable.
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“…impossible,” someone whispered.
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Another voice trembled.
“That power…”
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A third voice—
Terrified.
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“It’s her…”
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The word spread like wildfire.
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“The Moon-Bound.”
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Alina’s heart skipped.
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Moon… what?
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The silver light flickered again.
Stronger this time.
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And for a brief moment—
The moon above them seemed to glow brighter.
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Responding.
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Watching.
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Choosing.
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Kael began walking toward her.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
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The battlefield parted for him.
No one dared stand in his way.
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When he finally reached her—
He stopped.
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Close.
Too close.
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“You disobeyed me,” he said.
His voice was low.
Dangerous.
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Alina swallowed.
“I—”
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But the words died in her throat.
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Because he wasn’t angry.
Not really.
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He was something else.
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Focused.
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“You shouldn’t be here,” he added.
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“I didn’t want to just hide,” she said softly.
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Silence stretched between them.
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Then—
His gaze shifted.
To the faint silver glow still surrounding her.
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“What you just did…”
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His voice dropped slightly.
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“…was not human.”
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A chill ran down her spine.
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“I didn’t mean to—”
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“I know.”
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His eyes darkened.
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“That’s what makes it dangerous.”
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Around them—
The war had paused.
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Not ended.
Not forgotten.
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Paused.
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Because something had just changed.
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Something bigger than the battle.
Bigger than the rebellion.
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Something ancient.
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Something powerful.
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And all of them felt it.
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Alina wasn’t just part of the war anymore.
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She was becoming the reason for it.
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And somewhere in the shadows of the battlefield—
Hidden among the enemy—
A pair of cold eyes watched her.
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Interested.
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Hungry.
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And waiting.
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