THE ALPHA WHO BURIED ME

CHAPTER 19: THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT

The first thing Selene noticed was the silence.

Not peaceful silence.

The kind that came after something terrible had happened.

Smoke drifted through the corridors of the pack house. The smell of ash and blood hung heavily in the air, mixing with the scent of rain that had begun falling outside.

Selene stood in the middle of the ruined hall with Elias pressed against her side.

Around them, injured warriors were being carried away. Healers rushed between them, shouting instructions. Broken furniture littered the floor, and several windows had been shattered.

But Selene couldn't look away from Morwen.

"The throne," she said.

Her voice was quiet.

"Explain."

Morwen swallowed.

"The Moon Throne is not simply a throne."

"I know that."

"No," he said. "You don't."

He looked toward Elias.

"It is a source of power. The first Moon Queen created it when she defeated Valerian. She divided her power between the throne and her bloodline."

Selene's eyes narrowed.

"So?"

"The throne can only awaken when the rightful heir reaches it."

Kael stepped forward.

"And Elias is that heir."

Morwen nodded.

"Yes."

Lucien folded his arms.

"Then why does Valerian need him?"

Morwen looked toward the destroyed doors.

"Because Valerian wants the throne."

Selene shook her head.

"He can't use it."

"Not by himself."

The room fell quiet.

Morwen continued.

"He needs the heir to awaken it."

Selene's heart tightened.

"And then?"

Morwen hesitated.

"Once the throne awakens, Valerian intends to take control of it."

Kael's expression hardened.

"He wants to use my son."

"He wants to use everyone."

Morwen looked directly at Selene.

"But there is something you don't understand."

Selene's eyes narrowed.

"What now?"

"The throne doesn't recognize blood alone."

Morwen pointed toward her.

"It recognizes the Queen."

Selene stared at him.

"So it needs me too."

"Yes."

Lucien stepped forward.

"Then Valerian needs both of them."

Morwen nodded.

"Exactly."

Selene looked down at Elias.

Her son was staring at the floor, unusually quiet.

She crouched in front of him.

"Are you scared?"

Elias nodded.

"A little."

Selene pulled him into a hug.

"You don't have to be."

"But the red-eyed man wants me."

Selene's heart broke.

She held him tighter.

"He won't get you."

Elias looked at her.

"Promise?"

Selene hesitated.

Then she kissed his forehead.

"Promise."

Kael watched them.

Something painful moved across his face.

He stepped closer.

"Elias."

The little boy looked at him.

"Yes?"

Kael crouched.

"I know you don't know me very well."

Elias nodded.

"But I am your father."

Another nod.

"And I won't let anyone hurt you."

Elias studied his face.

"Even the red-eyed man?"

Kael's eyes hardened.

"Especially him."

Elias seemed satisfied.

He reached out and took Kael's hand.

The Alpha froze.

It was such a small gesture.

But to Kael, it felt like being handed the world.

He gently squeezed the little boy's fingers.

Selene watched silently.

For the first time, she wondered what it would have been like if Kael had known about Elias from the beginning.

If the elders had never interfered.

If she had never been forced to leave.

If their family had been allowed to exist.

The thought hurt.

She pushed it away.

That life was gone.

They couldn't live inside possibilities.

A sudden scream came from outside.

Everyone turned.

A warrior stumbled into the hall.

"Alpha!"

Kael stood immediately.

"What happened?"

The warrior was covered in blood.

"The northern wall..."

He struggled to breathe.

"The Bloodborn are gone."

Kael frowned.

"We know."

"No."

The warrior shook his head.

"They didn't retreat."

Lucien's expression changed.

"What do you mean?"

The warrior looked terrified.

"They disappeared."

Silence.

"What?"

"They were there one moment."

He swallowed.

"Then they vanished."

Morwen's face went pale.

"Teleportation."

Lucien's gaze sharpened.

"They're learning to control their power again."

Kael looked at Selene.

"What does that mean?"

She didn't know.

But something inside her did.

She could feel it.

A faint pull.

A direction.

North.

Her eyes closed.

For a moment, the world disappeared.

She saw a forest.

Black trees.

Snow.

A ruined castle.

And a throne.

A red hand resting on its arm.

Valerian.

Then the vision changed.

Elias stood alone in the throne room.

Older.

Much older.

Blood covered his clothes.

Selene screamed.

The vision vanished.

She opened her eyes.

Kael caught her shoulders.

"Selene!"

She stared at him.

"Elias."

He looked toward the child.

"What about him?"

Selene shook her head.

"I saw him."

Lucien's expression became serious.

"Where?"

"The Blackfang Mountains."

Morwen closed his eyes.

"The old throne room."

Selene turned toward him.

"How do we get there?"

Morwen looked surprised.

"You don't."

"I wasn't asking."

He sighed.

"The mountain is protected by ancient wards."

"Then break them."

"Only the Queen can."

Selene stared at him.

"Fine."

Kael stepped forward.

"I'm coming."

Lucien immediately said, "So am I."

Selene looked at both men.

"No."

Kael frowned.

"No?"

"I need to go alone."

"Absolutely not."

Selene's eyes flashed.

"You don't understand."

Kael moved closer.

"I understand perfectly. You saw our son in danger."

"Not our son."

Kael paused.

Selene's expression softened slightly.

"My son."

The words hurt him.

She could see it.

But she continued.

"I have spent three years protecting him. I won't suddenly stop because you discovered you were his father."

Kael's jaw tightened.

"Then let me protect him too."

Lucien stepped forward.

"You're both missing the point."

They turned.

Lucien's expression was grim.

"Valerian wants Selene and Elias separated."

Selene went still.

"Why?"

"Because together, they're powerful."

He looked at Kael.

"But separated, they are vulnerable."

A pause.

"He's trying to make us divide ourselves."

Morwen nodded slowly.

"He's right."

Kael looked toward Selene.

"So we stay together."

Selene didn't answer.

Lucien continued.

"That's why he attacked the pack."

Kael's eyes narrowed.

"He wasn't trying to kill us."

"No."

"He wanted us to react."

"Yes."

Selene's stomach tightened.

"And now he knows exactly what we'll do."

Nobody spoke.

Because the answer was obvious.

They would go after him.

Straight into his territory.

Exactly as he wanted.

Selene walked toward the window.

Outside, the rain had become heavier.

The moon was barely visible through the clouds.

She stared at the northern horizon.

"Then we don't play his game."

Kael looked at her.

"What do you suggest?"

Selene turned.

"We make him come to us."

Lucien's eyes narrowed.

"How?"

She looked down at Elias.

Then at the moon.

"We awaken the throne first."

Morwen's face went white.

"No."

Selene looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because if you awaken it without proper preparation, every Bloodborn in the realm will feel it."

"Good."

Kael frowned.

"Selene..."

She looked at him.

"If Valerian wants the throne, let him come for it."

Her eyes began glowing silver.

"We'll be waiting."

Morwen shook his head.

"You don't understand what you're proposing."

Selene's expression remained calm.

"Then explain."

"The moment you awaken the throne, you will become visible to every ancient creature connected to the Moon Goddess."

Lucien's eyes narrowed.

"Every creature?"

Morwen nodded.

"And not all of them are friendly."

Selene smiled faintly.

"Neither am I."

Kael stared at her.

Something about her had changed.

The woman who had returned three years later seeking revenge was gone.

The frightened girl who had once stood before the pack and been rejected was gone too.

What stood before them now was something else.

Something powerful.

Something the elders had spent years trying to suppress.

Selene looked at Elias.

Then she took his hand.

"Let's wake the throne."

The lights in the room flickered.

Every wolf outside suddenly howled.

The moon broke through the clouds.

And far away, in the Blackfang Mountains, Valerian opened his eyes.

For the first time that night, his expression changed.

He had expected fear.

He had expected Selene to run.

Instead...

She had chosen to fight.

Valerian smiled.

"Good."

His fingers tightened around the arm of his throne.

"Come to me, Moon Queen."

And beneath the mountains, something ancient began to wake.