The voice echoed through the pack house halls.
Cold. Calm. Unnervingly patient.
"The priestess is closer than I expected."
Elara felt her stomach drop.
"That voice," she whispered. "That is not a monster."
Kael's eyes remained fixed on the staircase.
"No," he said quietly.
"It is not."
Another sound followed.
Footsteps.
Slow. Measured. Human.
Every wolf in the room went completely still.
A tall figure appeared at the bottom of the staircase.
He stepped into the faint light of the hall as if he owned the place.
Elara stared.
He looked… ordinary.
Tall and lean with dark hair that fell loosely around his face. His coat was black and dusted with snow. There was no weapon in his hands.
But his eyes were wrong.
They glowed silver.
Not wolf gold.
Not human brown.
Silver like cold moonlight.
The stranger stopped halfway up the stairs and looked directly at Elara.
"Well," he said softly. "There you are."
Rowan stepped forward immediately.
"Take one more step and you die."
The stranger barely glanced at him.
"You must be the Beta."
Rowan's eyes flared gold.
"How do you know that."
The man smiled faintly.
"I know many things about this pack."
Kael stepped forward now, placing himself slightly in front of Elara.
His voice carried the weight of an Alpha command.
"State your name."
The stranger looked at him with quiet curiosity.
"So this is the Alpha."
The air in the room tightened.
"You have grown stronger than the stories described."
Kael's patience was gone.
"You are trespassing in my territory."
The stranger tilted his head slightly.
"And yet I am still alive."
Rowan growled.
"That can change."
The stranger ignored him.
His silver gaze returned to Elara.
"I came for her."
Kael's wolf surged violently beneath his skin.
"You will not touch her."
The stranger studied him more closely now.
"That reaction is fascinating."
"What reaction."
"You are already protecting her like she belongs to you."
Elara blinked.
"I have known him for about twelve hours."
The stranger smiled slightly.
"Yes."
His eyes flicked between them.
"But something else knows her."
Rowan had heard enough.
His claws extended as he lunged forward.
The movement was impossibly fast.
Fast enough to tear a human apart.
But the stranger simply raised one hand.
The air snapped.
An invisible force exploded outward.
Rowan's body flew across the room and crashed violently into the stone wall.
Elara gasped.
"That is not possible."
Rowan groaned but pushed himself up again, furious.
Mira stepped forward instantly, blade drawn.
"What are you."
The stranger sighed softly.
"You are asking the wrong question."
"Then answer the right one," Mira replied coldly.
He nodded once.
"My name is Lucien."
The elder inhaled sharply.
Kael noticed immediately.
"You recognize that name."
The elder's voice had gone pale.
"Yes."
Lucien smiled faintly.
"I wondered if anyone here would remember."
Rowan wiped blood from his lip.
"Start explaining."
Lucien's gaze drifted back to Elara.
"I came to confirm something."
Elara frowned.
"Everyone keeps saying that."
Lucien studied her face carefully.
"Because the rumors sounded impossible."
"What rumors."
"That the priestess bloodline survived the purge."
Silence fell again.
Elara crossed her arms.
"And you decided to break into a werewolf fortress to check."
Lucien shrugged lightly.
"It seemed efficient."
Kael's patience snapped.
"Enough games."
His claws extended slightly.
"You will leave this territory now."
Lucien did not move.
"Or what."
Kael's voice dropped into a dangerous growl.
"Or I remove you."
For the first time Lucien looked slightly amused.
"I would enjoy seeing you try."
Before Kael could move, Lucien stepped forward suddenly.
Faster than any human should be capable of moving.
He stopped directly in front of Elara.
Kael reacted instantly, stepping between them.
Lucien paused.
His silver eyes dropped briefly toward Kael's chest.
Then he smiled.
"There it is."
Kael's voice sharpened.
"What."
"The mark."
Elara frowned.
"What mark."
Lucien looked almost entertained now.
"You have not told her."
Kael's jaw tightened.
"Explain yourself."
Lucien gestured toward Kael.
"The Alpha carries the beginning of the bond."
Rowan frowned.
"What bond."
Lucien turned toward Elara again.
"The mating bond."
The words struck the room like thunder.
Elara blinked.
"I am sorry."
She pointed at Kael.
"You are saying this giant angry wolf man is my what."
Lucien answered calmly.
"Your destined mate."
Elara stared at Kael.
Kael stared back.
Neither of them spoke.
Then Elara shook her head slowly.
"No."
Lucien raised an eyebrow.
"No?"
"No."
She pointed between them.
"This cannot possibly be how that works."
Lucien looked thoughtful.
"Fate rarely asks permission."
Kael finally spoke.
"That is not confirmed."
Lucien's eyes flickered with quiet amusement.
"Oh it is."
Mira stepped forward.
"How can you be so sure."
Lucien answered simply.
"Because I can feel the bond."
The elder suddenly spoke.
"That is impossible."
Lucien looked at him.
"You still believe I am human."
A heavy silence followed.
Kael's voice lowered.
"What are you."
Lucien's silver eyes glowed faintly.
"I am something older than the Lycans."
Elara muttered quietly.
"Of course you are."
Lucien continued.
"And something Aldric fears."
That got everyone's attention.
Rowan frowned.
"You serve Aldric."
Lucien shook his head.
"I do not serve him."
"Then why are you here."
Lucien's gaze returned to Elara.
"Because Aldric is coming."
Elara sighed.
"Yes we established that."
Lucien's expression darkened slightly.
"No."
His voice lowered.
"You misunderstand."
The room grew very still.
"He is not sending monsters anymore."
Kael's instincts sharpened.
"What are you saying."
Lucien's silver eyes glowed brighter.
"I am saying Aldric himself has entered your territory."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
Elara's heart pounded.
"You are telling me the ancient monster king is already here."
Lucien nodded once.
"Yes."
Rowan growled.
"Then why warn us."
Lucien looked directly at Elara.
"I am not warning the wolves."
A strange tension filled the air.
"I am warning her."
Elara frowned.
"Why."
Lucien's answer came quietly.
"Because Aldric does not want to sacrifice the priestess."
The room froze.
Kael's voice dropped.
"Then what does he want."
Lucien's silver eyes gleamed.
"He wants to turn her."
Elara felt her blood run cold.
"Into what."
Lucien's voice was barely above a whisper.
"Into the queen of the Lycans."