Chapter 12: Lets talk
1077 Words
The faint sounds of music and laughter drifted down through the stone ceiling like cruel ghosts.
Lyra’s birthday celebration—my birthday celebration, once upon a time—was in full swing.
I could picture it perfectly: glittering chandeliers, tables laden with roasted meats and honeyed fruits, banners of silver and gold proclaiming the Alpha’s “beloved daughter.”
My fingers tightened around the rough blanket as another wave of the golden warmth pulsed through me.
Kael’s presence lingered at the edge of my mind, watchful and simmering.
They feast while their savior rots below, he growled, the words laced with contempt.
Let their joy sour when the truth reveals itself.
I leaned my head back against the wall, eyes closed.
The vision came easier now—fragments of the party filtering through the pack bonds I could almost touch. Lyra in a gown of moonlight silk, Cassian at her side, his hand possessively on her waist. My parents beaming with pride. My brothers raising glasses to the “perfect union.”
A sharp pain twisted in my chest, but it was duller than before. The bond with Kael acted like a balm, turning agony into cold resolve.
He never deserved you, Kael murmured, sensing my thoughts. His voice was a dark caress. None of them did. A weak pup who chose politics over his fated mate.
I almost laughed. “Fated? Is that what this is?”
More than fate. The warmth flared, and I felt phantom arms wrap around me from behind—strong, unyielding. You are my Queen, Seraphina. The one who will stand beside me when the Abyss rises. Their Moon Goddess trembles at what we will become.
Footsteps echoed down the stairs again. This time, heavier. The guards?
The cell door’s outer lock rattled, and light spilled in as the Beta returned. He carried a small lantern, its glow casting long shadows across the damp stones. His expression was grim, jaw tight with unspoken tension.
“Seraphina.” He stepped closer to the bars, voice low. “I brought more water. And this.” He slipped a small bundle through the gap—clean bandages and a vial of healing salve. “The Alpha doesn’t know.”
I took it silently, our fingers brushing. For a moment, the old gratitude surfaced. He had always been kind, even when the rest of the pack turned away. But Kael’s growl vibrated through my bones. He serves them. Do not trust easily.
“Thank you,” I said softly, setting the items aside. My bruises were nearly gone already, thanks to the Abyss’s power, but I didn’t let it show.
The Beta studied me, lantern light flickering over my face. “You look… better. Stronger. How is that possible down here?”
I shrugged, keeping my expression neutral. “Maybe the Goddess hasn’t abandoned me completely.”
He didn’t believe me. His sharp eyes narrowed. “The cliff trembles more each night. The elders are whispering. Some say the volunteer’s sacrifice might not be enough this time. That the darkness is changing.”
My heart quickened. Kael’s presence surged with dark amusement. They sense me awakening.
“What do you think?” I asked, meeting his gaze.
The Beta hesitated, glancing toward the stairs as if afraid of being overheard. “I think the pack has forgotten what true strength looks like. You were always more than your wolf, Seraphina. Even as a child, you glowed during rituals. The way you fought on the training field…” He trailed off, regret flashing across his features. “I should have spoken up sooner. About Lyra. About all of it.”
A bitter smile tugged at my lips. “Would it have mattered? They chose her. The perfect daughter. The one with power.”
And soon, Kael whispered, they will choke on that choice.
The Beta reached through the bars, gripping my hand briefly.
His touch was warm, human—nothing like the electric pull of Kael’s bond. “If there’s anything I can do before the ritual…”
The music above swelled into a joyful crescendo. I heard Cassian’s voice faintly, toasting to Lyra.
“To our future Luna!”
Something inside me snapped—not pain, but the last fragile thread of longing. I pulled my hand back gently.
“Go enjoy the feast,” I said, voice steady. “I’ll be fine here.”
He lingered a moment longer, conflict warring in his eyes, before nodding and retreating up the stairs. The lantern light faded, plunging me back into darkness.
Alone again, the visions returned stronger. I saw Lyra whispering to my mother, her silver hair glowing like a crown.
Saw Cassian laughing with my brothers, the moonstone necklace—my necklace—gleaming at her throat.
They raised glasses to the upcoming Blood Moon, praising the “brave volunteer” who would save them all.
They speak of you without knowing, Kael said, his tone dripping with venomous satisfaction. Let them. When you emerge from the Abyss, they will beg for mercy.
The golden warmth intensified, and power flooded my veins. I stood, pacing the small cell. Shadows danced at my command, coiling around my fingers like loyal pets.
I whispered an old training mantra the Beta once taught me, but this time, it resonated with something deeper—ancient words Kael fed into my mind.
The iron bars groaned again as I tested my grip.
A c***k appeared in the stone wall where I pressed my palm. Strength.
Real strength.
Hours blurred. I drifted in and out of visions, Kael sharing fragments of his past: battles against greedy Alphas, a betrayal by those he trusted, centuries of isolation that mirrored my own.
The bond between us deepened with every shared memory, a fierce, possessive connection that made my skin hum.
You will never be alone again, he vowed. When the Blood Moon calls you to the cliff, jump without fear. I will be there. And together, we will remake this world.
A soft knock startled me from the trance. Not the guards. Not the Beta.
Lyra’s voice slithered through the darkness from the top of the stairs. “Sister? Are you awake down there?”
My blood ran hot. The shadows in the cell thickened in response to my rising anger.
I smiled into the void, Kael’s dark laughter echoing with mine.
“Come closer,” I whispered. “Let’s talk.”
- Writer
