The Hunt Begins
1003 Words
Kaelis POV
By the time the palace servants realized Blake was missing, I already knew.
Dragons were creatures of instinct, and mine sharpened the moment the sun set and he did not appear for the mandated court meeting. The king roared orders, guards ran in confused circles, advisors whispered theories…
But I stood still.
Watching.
Listening.
Calculating.
Because Blake’s absence wasn’t rebellion.
It was protection.
And I needed to know who—or what—he was protecting.
---
The King Summons Me
“Kaelis!” the king barked, voice echoing through the hall, still strapped into half of his ceremonial armor. “The prince’s chambers are empty. His doll is gone. Find him.”
“I already know where he went,” I said, bowing with the bare minimum respect.
He froze. “Explain.”
“Blake is predictable when it concerns what he values,” I replied. “What he fears losing.”
The king’s eyes narrowed. “A cursed prince doesn’t value anything. He survives.”
“That is untrue,” I said smoothly. “He values control. And whoever that wolf girl is… she gives him something no other doll ever has.”
The king flinched—only slightly. A secret reaction. One he didn’t like me seeing.
Interesting.
“Bring her back to the palace,” he commanded.
I nodded once, hiding the spark of triumph that flared beneath my breastbone.
Because I didn’t want to bring her back.
I wanted to study her.
---
My Suspicion
From the moment I saw Blake’s scent change after he acquired the wolf…
something was wrong.
Not wrong.
Different.
The curse eased faster than usual.
His pupils were sharper, more focused.
His temper—deadlier, but contained.
And his aura—
the unstable dragon magic that refused to stay still—
had stabilized.
Dragons only stabilized for three reasons:
1. They bonded with a mate.
2. They consumed powerful magic.
3. They killed something ancient enough to alter their destiny.
Blake had done none of those.
Except…
the girl.
The wolfless wolf.
The so-called “rogue.”
No wolf is wolfless without cause.
No rogue travels with that scent unless she’s hiding something.
No woman draws a cursed prince without powerful blood.
There was only one explanation:
She wasn’t wolfless.
She was rare.
Old blood.
Ancient blood.
Mixed-blood.
The kind of wolf that hadn’t existed in centuries.
The kind of wolf whose physiology alone could stabilize a dragon prince’s curse.
The kind of wolf that could turn a cursed heir into an unstoppable king.
And the kind of wolf who, if mated to Blake, would cement his claim to the throne…
…and destroy my family’s plans entirely.
No.
I would not allow that.
My family had spent decades planting roots in the court, climbing to power, crafting alliances. I was meant to be Blake’s bride because politically, it united two dynasties.
A rare-blood wolf would topple everything.
And Blake, foolish as he was, wouldn’t even realize what she truly was until his dragon claimed her irreversibly.
I would not let him discover it.
I would find her first.
---
The King Does Not See the Threat
“She poses no danger,” the king barked dismissively. “Just a wolf. A girl. A tool.”
I smiled politely, masking my disgust.
Fool.
“If she is what I believe she is,” I said, bowing my head in feigned humility, “she is the greatest threat your throne has seen in a century.”
The king’s eyes narrowed. “Explain.”
I didn’t.
I wouldn’t.
Not yet.
Knowledge was power.
And power held too loosely slipped away.
But one thing was clear:
If the king believed she was harmless, he wouldn’t be prepared.
If Blake believed she belonged to him, he would protect her foolishly.
If the court believed she was just a doll, no one would guard her against me.
Perfect.
---
The Realization
Blake had fled.
He wouldn’t flee for a doll.
He wouldn’t defy the king for property.
He wouldn’t risk war for a convenience.
Unless she wasn’t a doll.
Unless she wasn’t property.
Unless she wasn’t convenient.
Unless she was…
His mate.
A revelation hit me with the force of a dragon’s wingbeat.
Blake didn’t know.
But his dragon did.
And if a dragon believed a rare-blood wolf was its mate…
He would burn kingdoms to protect her.
Unless I got to her first.
---
The Chase Begins
I turned to the king.
“Give me a squadron,” I said. “Not palace guards. Warriors.”
“No,” the king snapped. “Blake must not feel hunted. He’ll lose control.”
“Exactly,” I replied.
He blinked.
“Send guards, he’ll sense them. He’ll burn them,” I continued. “Send civilians, he’ll slaughter them.”
“And you?” the king asked quietly.
“My presence,” I said smoothly, “he will tolerate.”
He won’t.
But that didn’t matter.
I only needed to follow him.
Track his trail.
Discover where he hid her.
Then…
I would take her.
Examine her.
Confirm what she was.
And if she had rare blood…
I would strip it from her myself.
The king hesitated. “Fine. Take a small unit. And Kaelis—”
“Yes, my king?”
“Do not harm the girl unless absolutely necessary. Blake must return whole.”
“Of course,” I said with a perfect bow.
A lie.
---
The Promise
As I walked toward the armory, gathering the best warriors under my command, one thought pulsed under my skin like fire:
A rare wolf cannot remain with a cursed prince.
Not with a throne at stake.
Not with war brewing.
Not when she could change everything.
I would find her.
I would uncover the truth.
And if she truly was the ancient blood I feared…
I would ensure Blake never touched her again.
Even if that meant killing the girl before he ever knew what she was.
- Writer
