The Alpha's Ruined Mate

Chapter 15: The Traitor's Oath

The word echoed through the chamber.

Traitor.

Lucien didn't move.

I did.

I stepped around him.

"Why did it call you that?"

"Seraphina, get behind me."

"No."

"Please."

The word stopped me.

Not because of what he said.

Because of how he said it.

Lucien didn't sound commanding.

He sounded terrified.

I looked at him carefully.

His shoulders were tense. His hands were clenched at his sides. His golden eyes were fixed on the creature beyond the gate.

For once, he wasn't hiding his fear.

"Tell me the truth."

"I will."

"Now."

His eyes finally met mine.

"I swore an oath to your family."

My heart sank.

"What kind of oath?"

"To protect the royal bloodline."

"You already told me that."

"Not all of it."

Of course.

There was always another piece.

I crossed my arms.

"Then tell me."

Lucien looked toward the gate.

"When Elaria fell, I was ordered to get you out."

"You were there?"

"Yes."

"With my mother?"

"Yes."

"With my father?"

"Yes."

I swallowed.

"And you failed."

His expression tightened.

"I failed to protect the king."

The words were quiet.

"But I did not fail to protect you."

I stared at him.

"You gave me to the Valerians."

"Your mother did."

"Then why did you say you protected me?"

"Because I followed you."

My breath caught.

"For how long?"

"Your entire life."

I stared at him.

Twenty years.

He had watched me grow up.

He had seen my first steps.

My first shift.

My first heartbreak.

Every stupid mistake.

Every smile.

Every lonely night.

And I had never known he existed.

"Why didn't you ever come to me?"

"Because your mother ordered me not to."

"Why?"

"Because if you knew who you were, you would have been easier to find."

I shook my head.

"That doesn't explain the gate."

"No."

He looked at me.

"It doesn't."

A growl rolled through the darkness.

The creature shifted.

I finally saw part of its body.

Black fur.

Massive claws.

A head large enough to crush a man between its jaws.

But it didn't step through.

It simply watched us.

Waiting.

My wolf whispered inside me.

It knows us.

I swallowed.

"What is it?"

Lucien answered.

"We don't know."

Adrian stepped forward.

"My father called it the Guardian."

Lucien turned sharply.

"Your father was wrong."

Adrian's expression hardened.

"He had records."

"Records written by people who never survived meeting it."

"Then what is it?"

Lucien's eyes returned to the creature.

"A prisoner."

The creature growled.

The entire chamber shook.

I stared at Lucien.

"A prisoner?"

"Something was sealed here long before Elaria existed."

"Then why does it call me queen?"

"I don't know."

"Why does it know you?"

"I don't know."

"Why does it call you a traitor?"

He hesitated.

"Because I broke my oath."

My stomach tightened.

"What did you do?"

Lucien looked at me.

"I tried to bring you back."

"You said that already."

"No."

He took a slow breath.

"I didn't just use your blood."

My blood went cold.

"What else did you do?"

"I made a bargain."

The chamber went silent.

Even Adrian looked startled.

"A bargain with what?"

Lucien didn't answer.

I already knew.

"The thing behind the gate."

He nodded.

My heart sank.

"What did you promise?"

His jaw tightened.

"My life."

I stared at him.

"For mine?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I couldn't accept losing you."

My eyes burned.

"You gave your life for me?"

"I was supposed to."

"What does that mean?"

Lucien looked toward the creature.

"It didn't want my life."

A horrible silence followed.

"It wanted something else."

"What?"

His eyes met mine.

"You."

I stepped backward.

"No."

"It wanted your blood."

"But it already had it."

"Not enough."

The creature's golden eye narrowed.

A voice rolled through the chamber.

Not enough.

I froze.

Lucien immediately stepped in front of me.

The creature continued.

The heir must open the gate willingly.

Adrian raised his sword.

"What happens if she refuses?"

The creature's gaze shifted toward him.

The kingdom remains dead.

Adrian frowned.

"And if she opens it?"

The creature smiled.

I don't know how I knew it was smiling.

But I did.

The kingdom wakes.

My heart pounded.

"What kingdom?"

The creature didn't answer.

Instead, King Alaric's spirit appeared again behind the gate.

His expression was grim.

"Seraphina."

I turned toward him.

"Father."

"You must leave."

"Why?"

"Because it is not asking for the gate to be opened."

My blood ran cold.

"Then what does it want?"

Alaric looked at the creature.

"It wants the throne."

The creature growled.

The stones beneath our feet cracked.

Alaric continued.

"It cannot take the throne while you live."

I stared at him.

"So it wants me dead."

"No."

His eyes met mine.

"It wants you to surrender."

I frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"The crown recognizes blood."

He looked at my ring.

"But the throne recognizes choice."

My wolf stirred.

Choice.

Alaric nodded as if he could hear her.

"Your ancestors built the gate to imprison what lived beneath Elaria."

"Why?"

"Because it could not be killed."

The creature's golden eye glowed brighter.

"It feeds on power. On blood. On loyalty. Every king before me strengthened the seal."

I looked at the gate.

"Then why is it awake?"

Alaric's gaze shifted toward Lucien.

"Because someone broke the seal."

I turned.

Lucien didn't deny it.

"How?"

Alaric's voice became quieter.

"Through grief."

I stared at Lucien.

"You opened it because of me."

"Yes."

"And now it wants me."

"Yes."

I laughed softly.

It was almost hysterical.

"So everything comes back to me."

Lucien stepped closer.

"No."

"Don't."

"This isn't your fault."

"It woke because of my blood."

"It woke because I was foolish enough to bargain with it."

I looked at him.

"Then why are you still here?"

"Because I'm not leaving you."

"Even if it kills you?"

His expression softened.

"I already died the day you did."

My throat tightened.

"Don't say things like that."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know what to do with them."

For the first time, Lucien smiled.

Not his usual restrained smile.

Something sad.

Something painfully human.

"You don't have to do anything."

I looked away.

Then Adrian spoke.

"We're wasting time."

I glared at him.

"Do you ever know when to stop talking?"

"No."

At least he was honest.

He stepped toward the gate.

"The creature said the kingdom remains dead if she refuses."

"Yes."

"And wakes if she opens it."

"Yes."

Adrian looked at me.

"Then there must be something on the other side that your family wants."

I frowned.

"What?"

"Power."

I shook my head.

"No."

"Knowledge, then."

"No."

"An army."

"No."

He studied me.

"Then what?"

I looked at my father's spirit.

He wouldn't meet my eyes.

My stomach tightened.

"Father."

He remained silent.

"What's behind the gate?"

Nothing.

"Father."

Finally, he whispered:

"Elaria."

I froze.

"What?"

"The kingdom isn't gone."

My breath caught.

"What do you mean?"

"Elaria was not destroyed."

I stared at him.

"The city was."

He looked toward the darkness.

"But the kingdom survived."

"Where?"

His gaze moved to the gate.

"Below."

The word barely left his mouth before the chamber erupted.

The gate cracked open completely.

Wind exploded through the room.

Adrian was thrown backward.

I stumbled.

Lucien caught me.

Then I heard it.

Hundreds of voices.

Thousands.

Whispering.

Crying.

Calling.

Not in fear.

In recognition.

Queen.

Queen.

Queen.

The sound grew louder.

My wolf rose inside me.

Her voice was no longer a whisper.

They remember.

The creature stepped forward.

One enormous paw crossed the threshold.

The stone beneath it shattered.

Lucien drew his sword.

Adrian raised his.

I tightened my grip around the royal dagger.

"Can it cross?"

Lucien shook his head.

"Not completely."

"Why?"

"The blood seal."

I looked down.

My blood was still glowing beneath my feet.

The creature's eyes fixed on it.

Then it spoke.

Give me the blood.

I raised my dagger.

"No."

Its growl shook the chamber.

You will.

"No."

The creature moved closer.

The gate screamed.

My aura exploded outward.

Lucien stumbled.

Adrian dropped to one knee.

The creature recoiled.

I stared at my hands.

Silver light crawled beneath my skin.

My wolf stood beside me.

Not inside me.

Beside me.

For the first time, I could actually see her.

She was enormous.

Silver-white.

Her eyes were the same silver as mine.

She looked at the creature.

Then at me.

We are not its queen.

My heart pounded.

"Then what are we?"

She looked toward the gate.

Its jailer.

I froze.

The creature roared.

My wolf bared her teeth.

And suddenly I understood.

The royal bloodline had never existed to rule what was beneath Elaria.

It had existed to keep it imprisoned.

I looked at Lucien.

He was staring at me.

He knew.

"You knew."

His expression broke.

"Not all of it."

"But enough."

"Yes."

I turned toward the gate.

The creature was no longer watching Lucien.

It was watching my wolf.

And for the first time—

it looked afraid.

My wolf stepped forward.

The chamber fell silent.

Then she spoke.

Not to me.

To the creature.

You remember the last queen.

The creature lowered its head.

And whispered:

I remember the one who killed her.

My blood froze.

I looked at Lucien.

Then Adrian.

Neither man moved.

The creature's golden eye shifted between them.

And then it said the name.

Darius.