chapter 3
1316 Words
Chapter 3 — The Queen Beneath the Castle
Aurelia couldn’t breathe.
The shattered mirror lay scattered across the floor like frozen shards of ice, reflecting pieces of her terrified face back at her.
The woman was gone.
But the darkness remained.
Cold black smoke curled through the room, slithering across the marble floor like living shadows. The air smelled rotten, ancient, wrong.
Aurelia stumbled backward until her spine hit the wall.
Her pulse thundered violently.
“The Alpha King belongs to me.”
The woman’s voice echoed endlessly inside her mind.
Suddenly, the protection mark on Aurelia’s cheek burned.
Silver light exploded through the darkness.
A deep growl shook the chamber.
Then the doors burst open.
Kael stormed into the room with two guards behind him, sword already drawn. His golden eyes scanned the room instantly before landing on Aurelia.
The moment he saw her trembling, something savage crossed his face.
“What happened?” he demanded.
Aurelia pointed shakily toward the broken mirror.
“There was a woman…”
The guards exchanged nervous glances.
Kael stepped toward the shattered glass slowly.
Dark energy pulsed from it.
His expression darkened dangerously.
“Leave us,” he ordered the guards.
“My King—”
“Now.”
The guards immediately obeyed.
The heavy doors slammed shut behind them.
Silence filled the room again.
Kael crouched near the broken mirror, studying the black smoke carefully.
Then he cursed softly under his breath.
“You know what this is,” Aurelia whispered.
Kael stood slowly.
“Yes.”
Fear tightened inside her chest.
“Then tell me.”
For a long moment, Kael said nothing.
His jaw was tense, his golden eyes unreadable.
Finally, he looked directly at her.
“The woman you saw was Queen Selene.”
Aurelia frowned. “The last Moon Blessed?”
Kael nodded once.
“She died over five hundred years ago.”
A chill crawled down Aurelia’s spine.
“That’s impossible.”
“In this kingdom,” Kael said quietly, “death does not always mean gone.”
Thunder shook the castle walls.
Outside, wolves howled violently.
Kael walked toward the balcony window, staring into the snowstorm beyond the mountains.
“She was the most powerful queen Velmoria ever had,” he continued. “Beautiful. Worshipped. Feared.”
“What happened to her?”
Kael’s eyes darkened.
“She fell in love.”
Aurelia blinked in surprise.
“That doesn’t sound dangerous.”
“You didn’t hear the rest.”
The firelight flickered across his face, making him look almost haunted.
“Selene fell in love with the Wolf King of her time. But the mating bond drove her magic unstable. The stronger their bond became… the more power she lost control over.”
Aurelia swallowed hard.
“What did she do?”
Kael turned toward her slowly.
“She burned entire kingdoms to ash.”
Silence crashed over the room.
Aurelia stared at him in horror.
“No…”
“She nearly destroyed the world.”
Her knees felt weak.
The visions.
The silver fire.
The bond.
Suddenly none of it felt romantic anymore.
It felt terrifying.
Kael stepped closer.
“That is why the Moon Blessed bloodline was hunted.”
Aurelia’s breath caught.
“Hunted?”
“Every child carrying Selene’s magic was executed before their powers awakened.”
The words hit her like a knife.
Aurelia stared at him.
“You knew.”
Kael didn’t deny it.
“You knew what I was from the beginning.”
“I suspected.”
“And you still brought me here?”
“You were safer beside me than anywhere else.”
Aurelia laughed bitterly.
“Safe? Your nobles looked ready to kill me.”
“They would,” Kael said coldly. “If I allowed it.”
Something dangerous flickered beneath his calm voice.
Possession.
Protection.
Aurelia hated how much comfort that gave her.
Kael moved closer until only inches separated them.
“The moment your power awakened, every enemy in this kingdom began hunting you.”
Aurelia’s throat tightened.
“Why?”
“Because whoever controls the Moon Blessed controls Velmoria.”
Another howl echoed outside.
Closer this time.
Kael suddenly went still.
Then his eyes narrowed toward the floor beneath them.
A low rumble shook the castle.
Dust drifted from the ceiling.
Aurelia’s heart pounded.
“What was that?”
Kael’s expression turned grim.
“He’s waking up faster than expected.”
“Who?”
Before Kael could answer, the castle shook violently again.
A scream echoed somewhere down the hallway.
Aurelia flinched.
Kael immediately grabbed her wrist.
“Stay behind me.”
The command in his voice sent heat through her despite the fear.
They rushed into the corridor together.
Servants ran in panic while guards shouted orders. The silver chandeliers above swung wildly as the castle trembled.
Then Aurelia saw it.
Black cracks spreading across the stone floor.
Dark smoke leaked through them.
And beneath the smoke…
Something moved.
A massive claw burst through the stone.
Women screamed.
The creature dragged itself upward from beneath the castle floor, shattering marble everywhere.
It looked almost wolf-like.
But horribly twisted.
Its skin was black as ash, covered in glowing red scars. Rows of jagged teeth dripped with venom while its eyes glowed pure white.
Aurelia froze.
The monster turned toward her instantly.
As if it recognized her.
Kael stepped protectively in front of her.
The beast snarled.
Then—to Aurelia’s horror—it bowed its head.
“My Queen,” it growled.
The entire hallway went silent.
Kael’s grip on his sword tightened.
Aurelia stared at the creature in disbelief.
“You… know me?”
The beast smiled horribly.
“We have waited centuries for your return.”
Suddenly, more cracks spread through the castle floor.
Growls echoed from beneath the stone.
There were more of them.
Kael’s expression became murderous.
“Get her out of here,” he ordered the guards.
But before anyone could move, the beast lunged straight toward Aurelia.
Everything happened too fast.
Kael shifted instantly.
Bones cracked violently.
Dark silver fur exploded across his skin as his body transformed into a massive wolf larger than any horse.
Aurelia gasped.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
Deadly.
The Alpha King slammed into the creature midair with a savage roar.
The hallway exploded into chaos.
Guards drew swords.
Servants fled screaming.
The beasts crawled from the floor one after another.
Kael tore through them mercilessly, golden eyes glowing with pure fury.
Blood stained the marble black.
But there were too many.
One creature broke past him and charged toward Aurelia.
Fear locked her body in place.
The beast raised its claws—
Then silver fire erupted from Aurelia’s hands.
The explosion blasted through the hallway like a storm.
Every creature screamed.
The walls cracked.
Magic surged wildly through the castle.
And suddenly everyone—including Kael—froze.
Because Aurelia was floating above the ground.
Silver light surrounded her body.
Her eyes glowed like moons.
The creatures immediately dropped to their knees.
“My Queen,” they whispered together.
Aurelia’s chest tightened painfully.
No.
This wasn’t right.
This wasn’t her.
But then another voice echoed inside her mind.
Soft.
Ancient.
Dangerous.
Accept the crown.
Visions flooded her again.
A black throne.
Kael kneeling before her.
The world burning beneath silver flames.
Then—
Kael’s voice cut through the darkness.
“Aurelia!”
She looked down.
The Alpha King had shifted back into human form. Blood dripped from a wound across his shoulder as he stared at her with something she had never seen in his eyes before.
Fear.
Not of her power.
But for her.
“Fight it,” he growled.
Aurelia’s body trembled violently.
The silver fire around her grew stronger.
The voice inside her head laughed softly.
Soon, little queen.
Then the castle shook one final time.
And deep beneath Blackthorn Castle…
Something ancient opened its eyes.
- Writer
