The Lycan King Rejected My Fated Mate

Chapter 009: The Hidden Truth

The clearing remained deathly silent.

Lyra couldn't take her eyes off the strange black symbol carved into the rogue's neck.

A false mate bond?

The words echoed relentlessly in her mind.

She looked at Draven, hoping he would tell her this was all a mistake.

Instead, his expression grew darker.

Lucian stood and dusted off his hands.

"Your Majesty, if the Shadow Order is truly involved, then this is much bigger than we feared."

Draven nodded.

"They don't kill without a reason."

Lyra frowned.

"Who are they?"

Lucian sighed.

"The Shadow Order was once a secret group of powerful sorcerers and rogue wolves."

"They believed the Moon Goddess made the werewolf world weak."

"So they created forbidden magic to control fate."

"They experimented on children."

"They stole wolf abilities."

"They destroyed entire packs looking for ancient bloodlines."

Lyra felt her stomach twist.

"Ancient bloodlines?"

Draven looked directly at her.

"Like yours."

Her eyes widened.

"My bloodline?"

"I don't even know who my father was."

Draven remained silent.

It was obvious he knew more than he was willing to say.

Before Lyra could press him further, one of the warriors approached at a run.

"My King!"

Draven turned.

"What is it?"

"We found footprints."

"They don't belong to the rogues."

Lucian immediately drew his sword.

"Show us."

---

The warriors followed the trail through the dense forest.

The footprints were fresh.

Whoever had made them couldn't have been far away.

After several minutes, the trail ended beside a large oak tree.

One of the warriors frowned.

"They disappeared."

"No..."

Draven crouched beside the tree.

"They climbed."

Everyone looked up.

The branches stretched high into the sky.

Draven's silver eyes narrowed.

"Our visitor was watching us."

He reached into a hollow in the trunk.

Hidden inside was a small silver pendant shaped like a serpent biting its own tail.

Lucian's face turned pale.

"The Shadow Order."

"They left their symbol behind."

Draven crushed the pendant in his fist.

"A warning."

"No."

Lucian swallowed.

"A message."

"What message?"

"They know we've started looking."

---

Miles away...

Inside the Silver Moon Pack...

Kael stood on the training grounds, attacking a wooden practice dummy with relentless force.

Each strike was harder than the last.

Crack!

The dummy split down the middle.

His Beta hurried toward him.

"Alpha."

Kael didn't stop.

"What?"

"We've received reports from the border."

He lowered his sword.

"Go on."

"Several scouts sensed a powerful Lycan aura."

Kael's eyes darkened.

"The Black Fang Kingdom?"

"We believe so."

Kael's wolf growled uneasily.

"Why would the Lycan King come this close to our territory?"

Ronan hesitated.

"There is another rumor."

"What rumor?"

"The Lycan King is searching for someone."

Kael frowned.

"For who?"

"No one knows."

But for some reason...

Kael's chest tightened.

An uneasy feeling settled over him.

---

That evening...

The Lycan camp prepared to move north.

Lucian spread a map across a large wooden table.

"Our safest route is through the Moonshadow Pass."

Draven shook his head.

"They'll expect that."

"We'll take the Raven Valley instead."

Lucian looked surprised.

"But Raven Valley is dangerous."

"So are our enemies."

Draven rolled up the map.

"They're watching our movements."

"We'll give them something unexpected."

Lyra stepped closer.

"Can I ask you something?"

Draven turned toward her.

"You may ask anything."

She hesitated.

"Why are you helping me?"

"You barely know me."

The camp grew quiet.

Every warrior secretly waited for the King's answer.

Draven walked closer until only a few feet separated them.

"I know enough."

"You heal instead of harming."

"You forgive when others seek revenge."

"You protect strangers."

His silver eyes softened.

"And despite everything you've lost..."

"You still choose kindness."

Lyra felt her cheeks grow warm.

No one had ever described her that way before.

Not even Kael.

Draven continued quietly.

"My wolf chose you."

"Now..."

He placed a hand over his heart.

"So have I."

Before Lyra could respond...

A loud explosion echoed through the valley.

Boom!

The ground shook violently.

Smoke rose from the western edge of the camp.

A terrified warrior came running.

"Your Majesty!"

"We're under attack!"

Draven immediately drew his sword.

"Protect Lyra!"

Dark figures emerged from the trees, their faces hidden beneath black cloaks marked with the same serpent symbol.

One of them stepped forward and laughed.

"The Lycan King..."

"Our Master sends his regards."

The battle had begun.