CHAPTER 17: THE BLOODBORN KING
1697 Words
“He’s coming for us.”
Selene’s words settled over the room like a death sentence.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Even Elias remained asleep, unaware that an army was marching toward the place where he lay.
Kael’s expression hardened.
“How long?”
Selene shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
“How close?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then what exactly do you know?”
Selene looked at him.
And Kael immediately regretted his tone.
Because she looked terrified.
Not frightened in the way she had been when she returned to the pack.
Not shaken by the elders or the prophecy.
This was different.
This fear belonged to something buried deep inside her blood.
Something ancient.
Something that even the Moon Queen had feared.
Selene lowered her voice.
“He called me Moon Queen.”
Lucien’s eyes narrowed.
“Did he say his name?”
“No.”
“Did you see his face?”
“No.”
“Then how do you know it was him?”
Selene looked toward Elias.
“Because the Moon Queen recognized his voice.”
Silence.
Kael’s fists clenched.
“Who is he?”
Lucien answered before Selene could.
“Valerian.”
The name seemed to drain the warmth from the room.
Kael looked at him.
“You know him?”
“No.”
Lucien's gaze remained fixed on the window.
“But my ancestors did.”
He paused.
“And they were terrified of him.”
The First War
Lucien walked toward the window.
Outside, the pack was beginning to prepare for battle.
Warriors moved through the courtyard, carrying weapons and armor. Guards took positions along the walls. Wolves patrolled the forest.
But none of it felt sufficient.
Not anymore.
“The Bloodborn weren't created like wolves,” Lucien said.
“They were born from the first shadows of the Moon Goddess.”
Selene listened carefully.
“Why?”
Lucien turned.
“To rule.”
Kael scoffed.
“That's it?”
“No.”
Lucien's eyes darkened.
“They believed the world was divided incorrectly. Wolves had packs. Lycans had kingdoms. Humans had their own lands.”
He paused.
“The Bloodborn believed everything should belong to one ruler.”
Selene's stomach tightened.
“Valerian.”
Lucien nodded.
“He was their first king.”
Kael stepped forward.
“And what happened to him?”
Lucien's expression became grim.
“He was defeated.”
“By whom?”
“The first Moon Queen.”
Selene froze.
Her heartbeat quickened.
“She fought him?”
“She didn't just fight him.”
Lucien looked directly at her.
“She sealed him.”
A chill ran through Selene.
“Where?”
“The Blackfang Mountains.”
Selene remembered the vision.
The mountains.
The red eyes.
The throne.
Everything suddenly connected.
“But if he was sealed centuries ago…”
Lucien's voice lowered.
“Then someone released him.”
Nobody spoke.
Kael looked toward the door.
“Morwen.”
Selene shook her head.
“No.”
Both men looked at her.
“I don't think Morwen released him.”
“Why?”
“Because he was afraid of the Bloodborn too.”
Selene remembered the elder's expression when she mentioned the prophecy.
Not guilt.
Not only guilt.
Fear.
Real fear.
“He knows something,” she continued. “Something he hasn't told us.”
Kael's eyes hardened.
“Then we'll make him talk.”
The Hidden Chamber
They found Morwen in the oldest part of the pack house.
The elder stood before a massive stone door covered in ancient symbols.
He didn't turn when Selene entered.
“You heard the name.”
Selene stopped.
“How did you know?”
Morwen sighed.
“Because the moment Valerian awakened, I felt it.”
Kael's voice became dangerous.
“You knew he was alive?”
Morwen finally turned.
“I knew he could return.”
Lucien stepped forward.
“You should have told us.”
Morwen looked at him.
“You wouldn't have believed me.”
Kael grabbed the front of his robe.
“Try me.”
Morwen stared into his eyes.
Then quietly said:
“Valerian isn't coming for the heir.”
Kael's grip tightened.
“Then who is he coming for?”
Morwen looked at Selene.
“You.”
The room went silent.
Selene's heart sank.
“Why?”
Morwen's expression was grim.
“Because you are the only person who can destroy him.”
Selene stared at him.
“And you thought keeping me powerless was the solution?”
Morwen shook his head.
“We thought sealing your power was the only way to prevent him from finding you.”
Selene's laugh was bitter.
“And how did that work?”
Morwen didn't answer.
Because the answer stood outside the walls.
An army.
Ten thousand strong.
Morwen touched the stone door.
The symbols began glowing.
A hidden passage opened.
Cold air rushed through the room.
Kael immediately stepped closer to Selene.
“What is this?”
“The Moon Archive.”
Lucien's expression changed.
“I thought it was destroyed.”
“It was.”
Morwen entered.
“The part you heard about was destroyed.”
He looked back.
“This part survived.”
They followed him.
The passage descended beneath the pack house.
Lower.
Lower.
Until they reached a huge underground chamber.
Thousands of books lined the walls.
Ancient weapons rested inside glass cases.
Paintings covered the stone.
And in the center stood a massive mural.
Selene stopped.
Her breath caught.
It showed a woman wearing a silver crown.
The Moon Queen.
Beside her stood a man with red eyes.
Valerian.
They weren't fighting.
They were standing together.
Selene stared.
“They knew each other.”
Morwen nodded.
“They were bonded.”
Kael's head snapped toward him.
“What?”
Morwen continued.
“The first Moon Queen and Valerian were mates.”
Selene felt something inside her crack.
“That's impossible.”
“It happened.”
“Then why did she seal him?”
Morwen's gaze lowered.
“Because Valerian wanted to rule the world.”
Selene looked at the mural again.
The woman looked devastated.
The man looked furious.
There was something tragic in the painting.
Something that felt painfully familiar.
“What happened between them?”
Morwen hesitated.
“He asked her to rule beside him.”
Selene swallowed.
“And she refused.”
“No.”
Morwen looked at her.
“She accepted.”
Kael frowned.
“Then why did they fight?”
Morwen's answer was quiet.
“Because he wanted her to become like him.”
Selene understood immediately.
Power.
Control.
Possession.
The same darkness that had nearly consumed every ruler before him.
“The Moon Queen chose freedom,” Morwen continued.
“Valerian chose control.”
Selene looked at the mural.
“And he couldn't accept losing her.”
Morwen nodded.
“So he started the First War.”
The Warning
A deafening horn sounded above them.
Everyone froze.
Another horn.
Then another.
Kael turned sharply.
“The northern wall.”
Lucien's eyes flashed silver.
“They've arrived.”
Selene's blood ran cold.
That was impossible.
They had barely had time to prepare.
Kael drew his sword.
“How?”
Morwen looked toward the ceiling.
“They weren't marching.”
Everyone stared.
“They were waiting.”
A terrible realization hit Selene.
“They were already here.”
The ground shook.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Then came the sound.
A roar.
Not one wolf.
Not hundreds.
Thousands.
Kael immediately moved toward the stairs.
“Get Elias.”
Selene grabbed his arm.
“No.”
He looked at her.
“Selene—”
“They're not after him.”
Her eyes had begun glowing again.
“They're after me.”
Lucien stepped closer.
“Which means you're not going anywhere alone.”
Kael looked at him.
For once, there was no argument.
No jealousy.
No rivalry.
Only understanding.
They both knew what was coming.
Selene looked between them.
“I don't need protecting.”
Lucien smiled faintly.
“We know.”
Kael nodded.
“But we're still doing it.”
Before Selene could respond—
A voice echoed through the underground chamber.
Deep.
Cold.
Ancient.
“Selene.”
Her entire body froze.
The voice wasn't in her head this time.
It was everywhere.
The walls trembled.
The candles went out.
One by one.
Morwen stepped backward.
“No…”
The voice came again.
“Moon Queen.”
A red glow appeared at the end of the passage.
Two eyes.
Then a figure stepped from the darkness.
Tall.
Pale.
Silver hair.
A scar across his face.
Red eyes that seemed to burn through the shadows.
Selene knew him instantly.
Valerian.
The Bloodborn King smiled.
“I have been looking for you for a very long time.”
Kael moved in front of Selene.
Valerian laughed softly.
“You still protect her.”
Kael froze.
“How do you know me?”
Valerian's gaze shifted toward him.
“I know everyone who has ever touched her fate.”
Then his eyes moved to Lucien.
“And you…”
Lucien's expression hardened.
Valerian smiled.
“The Lycan King.”
A pause.
“How interesting.”
Selene stepped forward.
“Why are you here?”
Valerian's smile disappeared.
“For the same reason I was imprisoned.”
His gaze locked onto hers.
“You.”
Selene's hands curled into fists.
“I am not your queen.”
Valerian's eyes darkened.
“No.”
He took one step closer.
“You are hers.”
He pointed toward Selene.
“The first Queen.”
Selene's heart stopped.
Valerian continued.
“And I have spent centuries waiting for her blood to return.”
The chamber shook violently.
Then he whispered:
“Now that you have awakened…”
His red eyes burned brighter.
“…I can finally finish the war.”
Selene's power exploded outward.
Kael and Lucien braced themselves.
Morwen dropped to his knees.
And somewhere upstairs, Elias woke from his sleep.
His golden eyes opened.
Silver light filled the room.
Then the little boy whispered one word:
“Valerian.”
And the entire pack went dark.
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