Chapter 5: Midnight Deadline

Leon

Nobody spoke for several seconds after Asher's threat.

The silence felt suffocating.

Heavy.

Dangerous.

Like the entire kingdom was holding its breath.

Then the council erupted.

"Hand her over!"

The shout came from Alpha Victor.

Several nobles immediately agreed.

"We can't risk the capital!"

"Thousands of innocent wolves live here!"

"She's one rogue!"

I watched the fear spreading across the room.

Fear always made people selfish.

Cowardly.

Predictable.

Raven stood silently in the middle of it all.

Listening.

Enduring.

Not defending herself.

Not begging for help.

Not even angry.

As if she had heard these arguments her entire life.

As if she expected them.

That bothered me more than it should have.

"Your Majesty," Alpha Victor continued, "the logical choice is obvious."

I slowly turned toward him.

"Is it?"

His confidence faltered.

Slightly.

"One life for thousands."

The room grew quiet again.

Everyone waited for my response.

For my decision.

For my judgment.

I looked toward Raven.

She wasn't looking at me.

Instead, her gaze remained fixed on the temple floor.

Almost detached.

Almost resigned.

As if she had already accepted the outcome.

Something inside me snapped.

"No."

The single word echoed throughout the chamber.

Victor frowned.

"What?"

"I said no."

The Alpha Council stared at me in disbelief.

I stepped forward.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

Every eye followed me.

Until I stopped beside Raven.

My mate.

The realization still felt surreal.

Impossible.

Dangerous.

Yet undeniably true.

"No wolf under my protection will be handed over."

The room exploded.

"She's a rogue!"

"She's a criminal!"

"She's the reason we're under attack!"

I ignored them.

Because something far more important had my attention.

Raven was staring at me.

Genuinely staring.

For the first time since we'd met.

Confusion filled her crimson eyes.

Confusion.

As if she couldn't understand why I was defending her.

The thought irritated me.

Did she truly think I would sacrifice her?

Because it was convenient?

Because she was unwanted?

Because she was different?

I had buried enough innocent people to know exactly where that road ended.

"No."

Her voice was barely above a whisper.

I frowned.

"What?"

"You shouldn't have done that."

Something about her expression unsettled me.

She didn't look grateful.

She looked terrified.

As if my decision had made everything worse.

Before I could question her further, Elder Orion suddenly spoke.

"We need to talk."

His tone immediately silenced everyone.

The old seer looked exhausted.

Older than he had a few hours ago.

As though the prophecy itself had drained years from his life.

"Privately."

I nodded.

Marcus stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, that's dangerous."

"I know."

"The city is on high alert."

"I know."

"Asher could attack at any moment."

"I know."

Marcus sighed heavily.

Then nodded.

Because he knew arguing wouldn't change my mind.

Five minutes later, I found myself inside the royal council chamber.

Only four people remained.

Me.

Kael.

Elder Orion.

And Raven.

The moment the doors closed, silence settled over the room.

A large map of the kingdom covered the central table.

Moonlight streamed through tall windows.

Outside, distant alarm bells echoed throughout the city.

Preparing for war.

Preparing for midnight.

Preparing for bloodshed.

I leaned against the table.

"Start talking."

Nobody answered immediately.

My patience was rapidly disappearing.

I looked at Orion.

The old seer swallowed.

Then looked toward Raven.

She immediately shook her head.

"No."

"Raven."

"No."

The argument repeated itself.

Again.

And again.

Until finally I slammed my hand onto the table.

The wood cracked.

Everyone jumped.

Including Raven.

"Enough."

Silence.

I looked directly at her.

"People are going to die tonight."

She looked away.

"Maybe."

The casual answer nearly made me lose my temper.

"Maybe?"

Her eyes snapped back to mine.

Pain flashed through them.

Raw.

Unfiltered.

"Do you think I wanted this?"

The question stunned me.

Because for the first time, she sounded vulnerable.

Not dangerous.

Not sarcastic.

Not guarded.

Just tired.

Very tired.

"I've spent years running."

Her voice shook.

"Years hiding."

She laughed bitterly.

"And now the prophecy finally caught me."

The room froze.

The prophecy.

Not Asher.

Not the rogue army.

The prophecy.

That was what truly frightened her.

I suddenly understood.

Asher wasn't the problem.

He was a symptom.

A piece of something much bigger.

Much older.

And far more dangerous.

"What prophecy?" Kael asked quietly.

Raven closed her eyes.

Then whispered:

"The Blood Moon Prophecy."

The name hit Orion like a physical blow.

The old seer stumbled backward.

"No."

His face had gone white.

"No, no, no..."

A cold sensation spread through my chest.

I'd never seen Orion react like this.

Ever.

"What is it?" I demanded.

The old seer looked at me.

Fear filled every line of his face.

"The original prophecy."

The room went silent.

My heartbeat quickened.

"What do you mean original?"

Orion hesitated.

Then finally spoke.

"The prophecy you've all heard..."

His voice trembled.

"...is incomplete."

I stared at him.

"What?"

For centuries every wolf knew the legend.

The Alpha with two mates.

One would save the world.

One would destroy it.

That prophecy.

The prophecy.

The one everyone feared.

The one that had just become my reality.

Yet Orion was saying it wasn't complete.

"There was more," he whispered.

"Much more."

The air seemed to leave the room.

Kael leaned forward.

"What does it say?"

Orion looked toward Raven.

Then toward me.

Finally, he spoke.

"When the Alpha King finds two mates..."

His voice cracked.

"The Blood Moon shall rise."

A chill swept through me.

Outside the window, clouds slowly moved away from the moon.

Silver light flooded the room.

For one terrifying moment, I thought I saw Raven trembling.

Not visibly.

But enough.

Enough to tell me she knew what came next.

And she didn't want to hear it.

Neither did Orion.

That alone was enough to make my stomach turn.

The old seer's hands shook.

Then he spoke the final line.

"And the daughter of the First Luna shall awaken."

The room fell silent.

I stared at him.

Confused.

Uneasy.

Because I had no idea what that meant.

But judging by Raven's expression...

She did.

And whatever secret she was hiding...

It was far worse than a rogue army at our gates.

To be continued...

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