Chapter 4: The Lost Princess
1180 Words
Elena POV
The forest became deathly silent.
“The Shadow Pack is here.”
Every Lycan warrior immediately moved into formation. Some shifted into their enormous wolf forms while others drew silver weapons from their backs. The atmosphere changed instantly, and the fear that spread through the clearing was impossible to ignore.
My heart hammered inside my chest.
The Shadow Pack.
Even I had heard stories about them. They were ruthless rogues who attacked both wolves and humans. Entire villages had disappeared because of them.
But why were they searching for me?
Kael’s face became unreadable.
“When did they cross the border?” he asked.
“Less than an hour ago, my King.”
“How many?”
“At least fifty.”
Adrian cursed quietly. Sophia had turned pale, and even the future Alpha of Silver Moon Pack looked uneasy.
Kael turned toward Adrian.
“Take your people and leave.”
Adrian frowned.
“We can help fight.”
Kael’s silver eyes narrowed.
“This battle is not yours.”
“I won’t leave Elena here.”
The words surprised me.
For the first time since the rejection ceremony, Adrian looked genuinely worried. The concern in his eyes appeared real.
Kael stepped closer.
“You lost the right to protect her when you rejected her.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“I made a mistake.”
The confession hung heavily in the air.
My heart twisted painfully.
For years, those were the words I had wanted to hear. But now they came too late.
Sophia stared at him.
“What did you just say?”
Adrian ignored her. His eyes remained fixed on me.
“Elena, come back with me. We can fix this.”
My wolf whimpered.
Part of me still loved him.
But another part remembered the rejection, the humiliation, and the pain.
“You rejected me,” I whispered.
His face fell.
“I know.”
“You told everyone I wasn’t worthy.”
The rain continued falling around us.
“I was wrong.”
Kael remained silent beside me. For some reason, he allowed me to answer for myself. He wasn’t forcing me to stay, nor was he speaking on my behalf.
I looked at Adrian.
The boy I had loved for eight years.
The boy who had shattered my heart.
And suddenly I realized something.
I was no longer waiting for him to choose me.
“I can’t go back.”
Pain flashed across his face.
Sophia grabbed his arm.
“Adrian, enough. She’s nobody.”
The moment the words left her mouth, every Lycan warrior growled.
The mark on my wrist suddenly burned.
Sophia stepped backward.
“What is that?”
Kael finally answered.
“The mark of the Lycan royal family.”
Adrian stared at me.
“She’s a princess?”
“I don’t know.”
I shook my head.
“This is impossible.”
Kael’s voice softened.
“Sometimes the truth waits many years to reveal itself.”
Before I could respond, a terrible howl echoed through the forest.
One.
Then another.
The Lycan warriors immediately became alert.
The warrior beside Kael looked terrified.
“They’ve found us.”
Kael’s expression hardened.
“Protect her.”
Several warriors moved around me.
“What is happening?” I asked.
Kael looked toward the darkness.
“The Shadow Pack does not hunt people.”
His silver eyes met mine.
“They hunt bloodlines.”
Cold fear crawled through me.
Suddenly, black wolves emerged from between the trees. Their eyes glowed red, and strange symbols covered their dark fur. There were dozens of them.
A tall man stepped forward.
He had long black hair, scars covering his face, and a smile that sent chills down my spine.
“Well, well.”
His eyes landed on me.
“The lost princess.”
Kael’s voice became deadly.
“Malrik.”
The man laughed.
“The immortal king still lives.”
The two men stared at one another.
Enemies.
Ancient enemies.
Malrik looked back at me.
“For twenty years, we’ve searched for you.”
My knees weakened.
“Why?”
His smile widened.
“Because your blood opens the Moon Gate.”
I blinked.
“The what?”
Kael suddenly stepped in front of me.
“You will say nothing.”
Malrik laughed again.
“You still protect her.”
His eyes darkened.
“You protected her mother too.”
Everything stopped.
Mother?
My breathing caught.
“You knew my mother?”
Kael remained silent.
Malrik smiled cruelly.
“Of course he did.”
I looked at Kael.
His expression had changed.
Pain.
Regret.
Loss.
“What is he talking about?”
Kael said nothing.
The silence answered my question.
My heart pounded.
“You knew her?”
The Lycan King finally spoke.
“Yes.”
My mind spun.
“Who was she?”
Before he could answer, Malrik laughed.
“Tell her the truth, Kael.”
The rain continued to fall.
“Tell her how the queen died.”
Kael’s eyes flashed silver.
“Enough.”
The ground trembled beneath our feet.
Power exploded around him, forcing several Shadow wolves backward.
But Malrik only smiled.
“She deserves to know.”
I looked between them.
“What happened to my mother?”
Kael’s voice became quiet.
“She was my sister.”
The world stopped.
His sister.
My mother had been his sister.
I stared at him.
“No.”
Kael looked directly at me.
“You are my niece.”
Shock crashed through me.
The Lycan King was my uncle.
The man who claimed I was his mate.
Nothing made sense.
“But the mate bond—”
“I don’t understand it either.”
Fear spread through me.
How could he be my uncle if he was truly my mate?
Malrik laughed.
“The Moon Goddess has quite the sense of humor.”
Kael’s expression darkened.
“You’re lying.”
The Shadow Alpha shrugged.
“Perhaps.”
My wolf suddenly stirred violently.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
The bond between Kael and me still existed.
Strong.
Real.
Impossible.
Kael looked at me.
His eyes held the same confusion.
Before anyone could speak again, an arrow flew from the darkness.
It struck one of the Lycan warriors.
Chaos exploded.
The Shadow wolves attacked.
Growls filled the forest.
The warriors shifted.
Blood sprayed across the battlefield.
Adrian transformed into his wolf and joined the fight.
Sophia screamed.
I stumbled backward.
Someone grabbed my arm.
Malrik.
He had moved impossibly fast.
His fingers wrapped around my wrist.
“The princess belongs to us.”
Kael roared.
The sound shook the entire forest.
His body began changing.
Bones cracked.
Silver light exploded around him.
I watched in horror and amazement.
He wasn’t shifting into a wolf.
He was becoming something else.
Something larger.
Something ancient.
The first Lycan.
Malrik’s grip tightened.
“Too late.”
Kael’s glowing silver eyes locked onto us.
His voice no longer sounded human.
“Release her.”
The Shadow Alpha smiled.
“Come and take her.”
And the Lycan King charged.
- Writer
