Chapter 6- The Enemy in the Shadows
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The mark burned.
Alina pressed her hand against her neck as heat spread beneath her skin. The glowing symbol the Lycan King had left there still pulsed faintly, as if it had a life of its own.
“What did you do to me?” she demanded again.
The great hall was silent. Every pair of golden eyes stared at her with shock… and something else.
Fear.
King Kael stood beside her like an immovable wall. His expression was calm, but the power rolling off him was impossible to ignore.
“I told you already,” he said coldly. “It is a bond that cannot be undone.”
Alina frowned.
“You had no right!”
A dangerous murmur spread through the hall. No one spoke to the Lycan King like that.
But Kael didn’t react the way she expected.
Instead, a faint smirk touched his lips.
“You are standing in a hall full of wolves,” he said quietly. “You may want to choose your words carefully.”
Alina lifted her chin stubbornly.
“I don’t care if they’re wolves.”
A few Lycans growled.
Kael raised a single hand.
Instant silence.
That simple gesture reminded everyone in the room who truly held the power.
The older Alpha who had spoken earlier slowly stepped forward. His long gray hair rested over his shoulders, and wisdom filled his ancient eyes.
“The bond has already started,” he said carefully.
Kael nodded once.
Alina looked between them, confused.
“Someone explain what that means.”
The Alpha studied her for a moment before speaking.
“It means your fate is now tied to the Lycan King.”
Her stomach dropped.
“No.”
“Yes,” the Alpha replied calmly.
“If the King dies, the bond will harm you. If you die… it will weaken him.”
Alina’s breath caught.
She slowly turned toward Kael.
“You bound my life to yours without asking?”
Kael’s gaze remained steady.
“You were already sold to me.”
“That doesn’t make it right!”
For a moment, something flashed in his golden eyes.
Regret?
But it disappeared quickly.
“This was necessary.”
Before Alina could argue again, the massive doors of the hall suddenly burst open.
A guard rushed inside, breathing heavily.
“Your Majesty!”
Kael turned sharply.
“What is it?”
The guard bowed deeply.
“A messenger from the northern packs has arrived.”
The council immediately began whispering.
One of the Alphas leaned forward.
“The northern packs rarely send messengers.”
Kael’s expression darkened.
“Bring him in.”
Moments later, a tall Lycan warrior walked into the hall. His armor was scratched, and dried blood covered his clothes.
He dropped to one knee.
“Your Majesty…”
Kael stepped forward.
“Speak.”
The warrior hesitated before saying the words that made the entire hall freeze.
“Alpha Magnus has declared rebellion.”
Gasps spread across the chamber.
Alina could feel the tension rising like a storm about to explode.
“Magnus?” one of the Alphas shouted. “That is impossible!”
But the messenger continued.
“He claims the throne has grown weak.”
His eyes briefly shifted toward Alina.
“He says the King has dishonored the Lycan bloodline… by bonding with a human.”
The hall erupted into chaos.
Growls echoed through the chamber.
Kael’s aura suddenly filled the entire room like a dark wave.
Silence fell again.
His voice was deadly calm.
“Magnus always did enjoy playing with fire.”
The messenger swallowed nervously.
“He has already gathered three packs under his command.”
The council looked horrified.
“That’s nearly half the northern territory!”
Kael slowly turned his gaze toward Alina.
She felt a strange chill run through her body.
“You see now,” he said quietly,
“why the bond was necessary.”
Alina frowned.
“What does that have to do with—”
Kael stepped closer to her.
“Because the prophecy Magnus fears…”
His fingers gently lifted her chin.
“…is about you.”
Her heart skipped.
“What prophecy?”
Kael’s golden eyes darkened.
“The one that says a human mate will decide the future of the Lycan throne.”
Alina’s pulse pounded in her ears.
“I didn’t ask for any of this.”
Kael’s voice softened slightly.
“No.”
“But fate rarely asks permission.”
Across the hall, the older Alpha suddenly spoke again.
“Your Majesty… if Magnus is truly rebelling…”
His voice lowered.
“Then the girl is now the most dangerous person in the kingdom.”
Alina swallowed.
“Dangerous?”
The Alpha nodded slowly.
“To the wrong people…”
His eyes turned toward the dark corners of the hall.
“…she is a target.”
And somewhere in the shadows, someone was already watching her.
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