Chapter 4: The Rogue Prince
1309 Words
"Betrayal is a burden that only the betrayed can truly understand, yet it is in forgiveness that one finds their freedom."
I watched Lucian from the corner of my eye, my breath steady despite the chaos of emotions swirling beneath my skin. He stood there, his presence almost suffocating, like a dark shadow looming over me. Despite everything that had happened, there was no denying the connection that still thrummed between us. His golden eyes, filled with regret, held mine as if he wanted to say something—anything—to bridge the chasm that had opened between us.
But what could he say?
I wasn’t the same Celeste who had fallen to pieces years ago. I had built myself up from the ashes of that broken woman, forged in the fire of rejection and betrayal. I didn’t need his pity. I didn’t need anyone. But that didn't mean I could ignore the ache in my chest, a strange mix of longing and anger.
"Celeste," he finally whispered, his voice rough.
I didn’t flinch. Didn’t allow myself to feel.
"What do you want, Lucian?" I didn’t look at him, kept my eyes fixed on the horizon where the dark night and the red moon collided. The moon had always been my guide, but tonight, it seemed just as cursed as everything else in my life.
"I..." He paused, swallowing hard. "I’m not here to hurt you. I swear it."
"You’ve already hurt me," I said, voice sharp. "You, Kael, and the rest of your damn family." The words were bitter in my mouth, but they were true. I had lost so much because of their arrogance, their decisions, their lies.
Lucian stepped closer, but I didn’t step back. He was a prince, banished, but still, he had a dangerous aura about him. His power wasn’t just in his bloodline. It was in his resolve. "I know," he said quietly. "I know I failed you. But I—"
"Save it," I cut him off. I wasn’t ready to hear his excuses. The past couldn’t be undone. "You weren’t the only one to fail me. So did your brother."
The mention of Kael’s name made him flinch, but he didn’t deny it. He couldn’t.
"Celeste," Lucian’s voice softened, and I felt a pang in my chest. "I never wanted this to happen. I never wanted you to suffer. But you have to know—I wasn’t the only one who betrayed you. Kael… he has his reasons, but they’re twisted. He’s convinced he’s doing what’s best for the packs, even if it means sacrificing the lives of others."
"I don’t need your sympathy," I snapped, but the words felt hollow. The truth was, I was tired. Tired of the fight. Tired of the lies. But I would never give up the fight. Not now. Not when there was still something to gain.
Lucian’s eyes dropped to the ground for a moment, and when he looked up, the shadows in his gaze had deepened. "You don’t have to fight alone anymore. Let me help you."
I didn’t say anything. My eyes narrowed. I had no trust left in the world, not for men like him, not for anyone who had ever stood beside Kael. But then he spoke the words that cut through my doubt.
"Your parents are alive, Celeste," he said softly.
I froze, every muscle in my body locking up. I turned to him, disbelief etched across my face.
"What?" I breathed.
Lucian’s eyes met mine, his expression grim. "They were taken, Celeste. Sold into servitude. A rival pack controls them now, in a distant kingdom. The one Kael was always in talks with, the one his advisors were planning an alliance with."
I felt the ground shift beneath me. My heart hammered in my chest as the weight of his words settled in.
"You’re lying," I whispered, unable to believe what I was hearing. My parents… alive?
"I swear to you," Lucian said, his voice steady. "I’ve been tracking them for years, ever since Kael’s advisors made the deal. I didn’t know how to tell you… how could I? I couldn’t even tell myself I knew what had happened to them."
A cold shiver ran through me as his words sank in. I had spent years believing them dead, fighting for justice, clawing my way through the darkness. And now, Lucian was telling me they were alive, somewhere out there. A distant kingdom, controlled by the very wolves who had betrayed me.
I closed my eyes, inhaling sharply. "Why didn’t you tell me sooner? You’ve known this whole time and you didn’t tell me?"
Lucian’s jaw clenched. "I couldn’t. I couldn’t risk you getting caught in the crossfire. If Kael had found out that I knew—"
"Enough!" I interrupted, my voice louder than I intended. "I don’t care about your reasons. I just want them back."
He nodded, taking a step toward me. "I’ll help you get them. I swear it, Celeste. I’ll do whatever it takes to bring them back."
For a moment, a flicker of hope lit in my chest. But it was fleeting, easily snuffed out by the weight of everything I’d lost. Still, there was something in his words. Something in the way he looked at me that made me believe he could help.
I took a slow breath, steadying myself. "How? How do we even begin to get them back? They’re trapped in a kingdom of wolves that want them as pawns, and we don’t have the power to fight them."
Lucian’s gaze darkened. "I’ve been exiled, yes. But I still have allies. There are wolves who owe me. And there are ways to get past the kingdom’s defenses, ways to bring them to safety."
I shook my head, a bitter smile curling on my lips. "And you expect me to trust you after everything?"
"I don’t expect anything from you," he said, his voice low. "But you can trust that I will not let anything happen to them—or to you."
I met his gaze, the weight of his words sinking in. And for the first time in years, I allowed myself to feel something other than anger and hurt. I felt a flicker of… trust. Not fully, not yet. But it was there, hiding in the depths of my heart.
"I’ll help you," Lucian continued, his voice steady with resolve. "Together, we can bring your parents back and end this."
I didn’t say anything. I didn’t need to. The decision had already been made.
But as we turned to form a plan, something caught my eye. A shadow moving in the distance. I turned sharply, instinctively reaching for my weapon.
Lucian stiffened, his eyes narrowing. "We’re not alone," he murmured, a hint of tension creeping into his voice.
I scanned the area, my pulse quickening. There was someone out there. And the cold gleam of silver in the distance told me everything I needed to know.
"Beta Olivia," Lucian growled under his breath.
Before I could react, the wolves closed in. They were too many. My heart raced as the realization hit me.
We were surrounded.
"Lucian—" I started, but he was already moving, positioning himself between me and the advancing wolves.
"Stay behind me," he commanded, his voice hard.
I couldn’t. I wouldn’t.
But as the wolves closed in, I felt my world shift.
The trap had been set. And we were the prey.
"Run," Lucian hissed, his eyes burning with urgency.
But I didn’t move. Instead, I raised my weapon, prepared for the fight.
And then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw it. The flash of silver.
I didn’t have time to react.
And then, everything exploded into chaos.
"Get ready," Lucian said, his voice low, "It’s now or never.”
- Writer
