Chapter 3: The Prophecy Returns

Leon

You should kill me.

The words echoed through my mind long after Raven stopped speaking.

The temple had fallen silent.

Not the respectful silence of a sacred ceremony.

The terrified silence before a storm.

Every noble.

Every Alpha.

Every guard.

Every priest.

They were all staring at Raven Nightshade.

And for the first time in years, I had absolutely no idea what to do.

"What did you just say?" Kael asked.

Unlike everyone else, my brother sounded more curious than frightened.

Raven didn't look at him.

Her crimson eyes remained fixed on me.

"You heard me."

I clenched my jaw.

"Explain."

A bitter laugh escaped her.

"That's the problem."

The chains around her wrists rattled as she shifted her weight.

"If I explain, things become worse."

The High Priest stepped forward.

"What do you know about the prophecy?"

Raven's expression hardened immediately.

"No."

The answer came instantly.

Too quickly.

A lie.

She knew something.

Everyone in the room could tell.

The old priest narrowed his eyes.

"Girl—"

"I said no."

The temperature inside the temple seemed to drop.

Even the guards exchanged uneasy glances.

Because Raven wasn't acting like a prisoner.

She was acting like someone standing beside a grave.

A grave only she could see.

Elder Orion suddenly spoke.

"Release her chains."

The entire temple gasped.

"What?"

Several council members stood immediately.

"Have you lost your mind?"

"She's dangerous!"

"She's a rogue!"

Orion ignored them.

His gaze remained locked on Raven.

Then on me.

"The mate bond has already formed."

Murmurs spread through the crowd.

I felt dozens of eyes turning toward me.

Many of them fearful.

Others suspicious.

And a few...

Angry.

The political consequences were already beginning.

I could see it.

The Alpha Council had spent years preparing for a marriage alliance between me and Celestia.

Now a rogue had appeared and shattered everything.

One woman represented stability.

The other represented chaos.

And somehow fate had given me both.

I hated destiny.

The thought surprised even me.

But it was true.

For years I had trusted the Moon Goddess.

Trusted the mate bond.

Trusted fate.

Tonight that faith was beginning to crack.

Because none of this made sense.

Not a single part of it.

My gaze shifted toward Celestia.

She stood silently among the nobles.

Perfect posture.

Perfect expression.

Perfect composure.

But her hands were trembling.

Barely.

Enough for me to notice.

The realization twisted something inside my chest.

Because despite everything, she didn't deserve this.

Nobody did.

Then something strange happened.

Our eyes met.

For a moment I expected sadness.

Shock.

Perhaps betrayal.

Instead I saw something else.

Fear.

Not for herself.

For me.

Then she quickly looked away.

The feeling vanished.

Strange.

Very strange.

Before I could think further, a guard rushed into the temple.

Again.

His breathing was ragged.

Blood covered his armor.

My instincts immediately sharpened.

"Your Majesty!"

The crowd erupted into nervous whispers.

The guard collapsed onto one knee.

"They've breached the outer gates."

Every muscle in my body tensed.

"What?"

"The northern rogues."

The room exploded.

People were shouting.

Arguing.

Panicking.

The northern rogues were infamous.

Thousands strong.

Brutal.

Merciless.

For years they had stayed hidden beyond the kingdom's borders.

Now they were here.

At my capital.

During the Moon Blessing Ceremony.

Impossible.

Unless...

Someone had planned this.

My eyes immediately found Raven.

She looked furious.

Not surprised.

Not shocked.

Furious.

As if she had expected this.

My stomach dropped.

"You knew."

Her head snapped toward me.

"I suspected."

The answer came reluctantly.

"Suspected what?"

Her jaw tightened.

"They've been looking for me."

Silence.

The words landed like a blade.

Every noble stared at her.

The guards instinctively stepped back.

Not because she threatened them.

Because they suddenly understood.

The rogues weren't attacking the capital.

They were attacking for her.

One woman.

One rogue.

And somehow thousands of wolves were willing to start a war to find her.

Who exactly are you?

The question echoed through my mind.

Raven seemed to hear it.

For a brief moment, sadness flashed across her face.

Then disappeared.

The temple doors burst open again.

A second guard stumbled inside.

Unlike the first, this one looked terrified.

Absolutely terrified.

"Your Majesty."

His voice shook.

"The rogue army has stopped."

The room froze.

"What?"

The guard swallowed.

"They're not attacking."

Confusion spread through the chamber.

That made no sense.

Why breach the kingdom only to stop?

The guard looked directly at me.

Then at Raven.

And suddenly I knew I wasn't going to like what came next.

The man's face had turned pale.

"Asher is here."

Raven's eyes widened.

For the first time since I met her...

She looked afraid.

Truly afraid.

A cold feeling settled in my chest.

"Who's Asher?" I demanded.

Nobody answered.

The guard couldn't.

The nobles didn't know.

But Raven did.

And judging by the look on her face...

Asher was the last person she wanted to see.

Slowly, she lowered her head.

A whisper escaped her lips.

"No."

The word carried genuine fear.

My wolf growled instantly.

Protect her.

I ignored him.

Mostly because I couldn't stop staring at her.

Whatever confidence she carried moments ago was gone.

Whatever mask she wore had shattered.

For the first time, Raven looked vulnerable.

The sight unsettled me more than I wanted to admit.

Then Elder Orion whispered something that made my blood run cold.

"He's arrived sooner than expected."

I turned sharply.

"What do you mean?"

The old seer's face was pale.

Ancient fear filled his eyes.

Fear I had never seen before.

He looked toward the temple entrance.

Then toward the moonlit sky.

"The prophecy is moving faster."

The crowd collectively inhaled.

Orion swallowed hard.

"And if Asher truly stands outside these gates..."

His voice trembled.

"...then the first death has already been chosen."

A chill raced down my spine.

Outside the temple, somewhere beyond the palace walls, a wolf howled.

Long.

Cold.

Haunting.

Raven closed her eyes.

As if she already knew who that death belonged to.

And for the first time in my life...

I feared destiny.

To be continued...

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