The Corvius command network had already fully awakened.
Across the human realm, unseen forces moved in silence—tracking grids expanded, surveillance threads embedded deeper into cities, and elite Lycan operatives dispersed like shadows through crowded streets.
But the Kings no longer waited for confirmation.
They had already felt her.
---
Corvius Domain
Fenrir Corvius stood unmoving, but everything around him carried tension like a drawn blade.
"I still can't feel her wolf," he repeated again, voice lower now—no longer just frustration, but something sharper underneath it.
Cernunnos Corvius turned slightly. "Not even a dormant trace?"
Fenrir's jaw clenched. "Nothing. It's like it's been buried."
That silence hit harder than words.
Erebos Corvius's expression darkened. "Then something is actively suppressing her existence."
Theron Corvius's gaze narrowed slightly, voice calm but heavier. "Her signal continues to fluctuate. Present… then nearly gone."
Fenrir's hands tightened at his sides.
"That shouldn't happen unless she is being drained."
Cernunnos's tone dropped. "Or deliberately weakened."
A pause.
Then Fenrir spoke quietly, dangerously calm now.
"…We finally found her."
Cernunnos nodded once. "Our queen."
Erebos added coldly, "And she is suffering."
Theron's voice followed—low, precise.
"…Severely."
A heavier silence settled.
Fenrir's eyes darkened further. "After a hundred years of searching…"
His voice dropped.
"…we find her like this?"
No one answered.
Because no answer was acceptable.
---
Human Realm — Hospital Corridor
Lili Vale stood outside Selene's hospital room, her phone trembling in her hand.
She tried again.
Amara.
Ring.
Pick up.
A sharp, irritated voice answered. "What now?"
Lili's voice was tight. "Selene is still unconscious. The doctors need family authorization for treatment decisions."
A pause.
Then a scoff.
"Oh, that again?"
Lysandra's voice cut in from the background. "Is she not dead yet?"
Lili froze. "What…?"
Amara sighed loudly. "Listen, we're not coming to the hospital for her drama. She always does this."
Lili's voice rose slightly. "This is not drama—this is medical emergency!"
A pause.
Then Lysandra laughed lightly.
"If she dies, it saves us the trouble."
Silence.
Lili's grip on the phone tightened.
"…She's your sister," she said slowly.
Amara's tone turned cold. "Barely."
Then, sharper—
"And stop calling us. If she dies, it's not our problem."
The line disconnected.
---
Lili stood completely still.
For a moment, she couldn't process what she had heard.
Then her breathing turned uneven.
She called again.
Blocked.
She tried again.
No response.
Her hands shook harder now.
"This can't be real…" she whispered.
---
She didn't stop.
She called Selene's stepmother next.
After a few rings, a cold voice answered.
"What?"
Lili swallowed. "Selene is in the hospital. She fainted. They need family authorization—"
The stepmother interrupted immediately. "That girl again?"
Lili's voice tightened. "She might not wake up properly without medical approval."
A pause.
Then a cold laugh.
"If she doesn't wake up, then maybe the house will finally be peaceful."
Lili went still.
"…You don't care if she dies?"
The response was instant.
"She should have died the moment her mother did."
Click.
Line ended.
---
Lili's phone slipped slightly in her hand before she caught it.
Her face had gone pale.
"No one…" she whispered.
"No one cares if she lives."
---
She hesitated.
Then made one last call.
Selene's father.
The line picked up after a few seconds.
A tired male voice. "What is it now?"
Lili's voice broke slightly. "Sir… Selene is unconscious. She's in the hospital. They need you here."
A long pause.
Then a sigh.
"She's always causing problems."
Lili froze. "Excuse me?"
He continued flatly. "She'll be fine. She always is."
"She might not be—"
"I'm busy," he interrupted coldly.
A pause.
Then softer—but worse:
"Stop involving me in her issues."
The line cut.
---
Lili lowered her phone slowly.
Her hands were shaking now.
Not from sadness anymore.
From disbelief.
"They don't even see her as human," she whispered.
Inside the hospital room, machines beeped steadily.
Selene lay motionless.
Still unconscious.
Completely unclaimed.
---
Global Realm — Political Escalation
Far away, in sealed government chambers, emergency meetings were underway.
The sudden Lycan activity had not gone unnoticed.
But communication was fragmented.
Reports from surveillance divisions confirmed:
Multi-city Lycan tracking expansion
Untraceable network interference
Coordinated movement across continents
Director Alistair Horne stood over a classified table.
"This is not random," he said sharply. "They're searching for something specific."
Analyst Mira Kessler shook her head. "We still cannot establish target identity."
Jonah Pierce frowned. "We've attempted contact with Wolf Clan leadership."
Elena Markov looked up. "We only reached one."
Alistair turned sharply. "Who?"
A pause.
Then—
"The Beta."
Silence fell.
---
Wolf Clan Response Channel
A secure transmission opened.
A calm, controlled male voice appeared on screen.
Beta Aurelius Veylan.
His posture was composed, his expression unreadable but steady.
"I have received your inquiry regarding Corvius activity," he said calmly.
Alistair leaned forward. "Do you know what they are searching for?"
Aurelius paused briefly.
Then—
"There is no confirmed threat."
Mira frowned. "Then why is Corvius mobilizing entire continents?"
Aurelius's gaze did not shift.
"I have received no orders indicating danger to the human realm," he replied evenly.
Jonah Pierce narrowed his eyes. "That doesn't answer the question."
Aurelius continued calmly.
"If Corvius Kings were preparing war, you would not be asking me this question."
A pause.
Then final:
"At present, there is no declared threat from Lycan Corvius authority."
Silence.
Alistair exhaled slowly.
"So they're searching… but not attacking."
Aurelius nodded once.
"Then it is not war."
A pause.
"It is retrieval."
The line ended.