Chapter 4 #3
“No.” The word is flat, final. Astra stands up from the bench, her hands curling into fists. “I’m not handing over my friend without a proper explanation, Kieran. What aren’t you telling me?”
I rise to face her, keeping my voice calm even as urgency claws at my chest. “Daciana has been attacked multiple times since I arrived in your capital. Each time more dangerous than the last.”
“I know she was injured in the woods…”
“Injured?” The word sounds harsher than I intend. “She was poisoned, Astra. She nearly died in my arms while I tried to heal her.”
Astra’s face pales, but she doesn’t back down. “That still doesn’t explain why you need her as your liaison.”
I step closer, letting the Queen see the wolf in my eyes. “If you value your own life, and the life of your child, you’ll agree to my request.”
“Is that a threat?” The voice comes from behind me, harsh and dangerous.
I turn to find Lucian emerging from between the herb beds, his eyes blazing. He must have been here the entire time, hidden among the greenery. No wonder there were no guards at the garden entrance. Astra’s mate was her protection.
“Not a threat,” I say, holding his stare. “A reality.”
Lucian moves to stand behind Astra, one hand resting protectively on her shoulder, the other moving instinctively to her rounded belly. She’s seven months along now, the swell of her pregnancy clearly visible beneath her simple dress.
I look between them, these two powerful people who rule the Wolf Kingdom, who have no idea what’s coming for them. What’s already here.
“The threats to Daciana will not disappear,” I say quietly. “And when they come for her again, the Queen may be hurt in the process.”
“Why do you believe Daciana is in such danger?” Astra asks, her voice sharp with concern.
I take a breath, preparing to disclose what I’ve kept hidden for so long. “Because Daciana is not the person you think she is. She’s special, even if she doesn’t know it herself.”
“Special how?” Lucian demands.
“I can’t reveal that,” I say firmly. “But I am the only one who can protect her properly.”
Astra’s eyes widen, understanding dawning there. “You came to the castle after years of solitude in your pack in the mountains. You never leave your territory. Ever.” She pauses, her voice dropping. “Did you come here for Daciana?”
“I didn’t know about Daciana when I made the decision to come,” I admit. “I came for you, Your Majesty.”
Lucian bristles, and then his body goes rigid. A low growl rumbles in his chest. His hand tightens possessively over Astra’s swollen belly.
I hold up a finger. “Not like that. I came to make sure you don’t die.”
Astra swallows hard. She doesn’t sway or grab for support; instead, her spine straightens, and her hand moves to cover Lucian’s where it rests on her stomach. “Explain.”
My wolf stirs uneasily. This is it. The moment everything changes.
“There are witches who often seek sanctuary with my pack,” I begin, my voice low and measured. “We’re isolated in the mountains. Private. We offer protection to those who need it, and in return, they share their knowledge with us.”
“Get to the point,” Lucian says, his voice controlled but edged with steel.
“Years ago, when I had just become alpha, a prophecy was revealed.” I look directly at Astra, then deliberately let my gaze drop to her pregnant belly before meeting her eyes again.
“A prophecy about a war that would break out when the true queen of the wolves was slaughtered. Murdered along with her unborn child.”
Astra’s hand presses firmer against Lucian’s, but her expression remains steady. Calculating. “The prophecy referred to me.”
“Yes. You’re the one with the ability to control a shifter’s wolf. The true queen.” I pause, choosing my next words carefully. “According to the prophecy, your murder, and the murder of your unborn child, would trigger a war that would tear the Wolf Kingdom apart.”
Silence falls over the garden for a moment.
“Why?” Lucian asks in a low voice. “Why would her death start a war?”
I meet his eyes. “Because her blood, hers and her unborn child’s, would be enough to facilitate a transfer of her abilities to another person.”
Astra and Lucian exchange a look. Something passes between them, something dark and knowing.
“Has it been attempted before?” I ask sharply, reading their expressions.
Astra’s jaw tightens. “Once. But we stopped it. Obviously.”
“The threat is not gone,” I say, my tone harsh.
“Whoever tried once will try again. They know it’s possible.
They know what they need.” I gesture to her rounded belly.
“And they’re running out of time. In two months, your child will be born, and the window will close.
The prophecy specifies an unborn child. Once the baby is born, the ritual won’t work the same way. ”
“So, they’ll be desperate,” Lucian says, his mind already racing through the implications.
“Exactly. More desperate. More reckless. More willing to take risks.” I step even closer. “And if Daciana is standing between them and you when they make their move—”
“She’ll be killed, too,” Astra finishes quietly.
“Or you’ll be killed while they’re targeting her.
” I let that sink in. “I didn’t come here for politics.
I didn’t come here for alliances or trade agreements or diplomatic favor.
I came to warn you because a prophecy revealed that the true queen would be murdered. That’s it. That was my only purpose.”
“Until you saw Daciana,” Astra says.
“Until I saw Daciana,” I confirm, my voice becoming rough. “Now, I have a stake in this. I cannot allow this prophecy to be fulfilled. At any cost.”
Lucian’s eyes narrow. “Can prophecies be changed?”
The question surprises me. Most people accept prophecies as immutable fate. But Lucian is asking if they can fight it.
“Yes,” I say carefully. “But it’s not easy. Prophecies are like rivers. They have a natural course they want to follow. You can build dams, redirect the flow, but the water still wants to go where it was meant to go. It takes tremendous effort and constant vigilance to change a prophecy’s outcome.”
“But it can be done,” Astra says firmly.
“It can be done.” I hold her gaze, letting the weight of my next words settle between us.
“And I will help you change it. I have resources you don’t.
Witches who understand prophecies, magic that can counter what’s coming, knowledge that has been passed down through generations in my pack.
” I pause deliberately. “But only if Daciana is under my protection. Only if you allow me to keep her safe while we work to prevent your death.”
The bargain hangs in the air, clear and unmistakable.
“You’re leveraging our lives for Daciana’s,” Lucian says, eyeing me suspiciously.
“I’m offering you a solution that protects everyone,” I counter. “Separate Daciana from Astra’s side so she’s not caught in the crossfire. Put her under my protection where my people can guard her properly. And in return, I’ll use every resource at my disposal to help you change this prophecy.”
“You still haven’t explained what makes her so special,” Lucian says. “Why her presence changes everything for you.”
“I won’t share that,” I repeat, my jaw tight.
“But know this. Whoever is trying to kill her won’t stop.
They’ve sent multiple attackers already, each one escalating in skill and violence.
They’re willing to murder their own people to cover their tracks.
” I gesture toward the forest. “Last night I found the corpse of the person who attacked her in the woods. Someone mutilated the body beyond recognition and left it for the scavengers.”
Astra’s expression hardens. “A conspiracy.”
“A well-organized one.” I fold my arms across my chest. “And as long as she’s serving as your personal guard, you’re in the line of fire. If they strike at her while she’s protecting you…” I let the implication hang in the air.
Understanding flashes across Astra’s face. Her hands spread wider over her stomach. “They could kill me and my baby while trying to kill her. Fulfill the prophecy by accident.”
“Or on purpose,” I say grimly. “Kill three targets with one strike. Daciana dies, you die, your child dies, they harvest your blood for the ritual, and the Kingdom descends into war. And with your due date approaching, whoever wants this prophecy fulfilled is running out of time.”
Lucian’s free arm wraps around Astra, but neither of them looks terrified. They look aggressive. Like wolves who are cornered but ready to fight back.
“If she serves as liaison to my delegation,” I press, “she’ll still be in the palace.
She’ll still be able to see you, Astra. But she’ll be under my protection.
My people will watch her constantly. No one will be able to get close to her without going through us first. And with Daciana safe, I can focus all my efforts on helping you prevent the prophecy from coming to pass. ”
“And what makes you think your protection is better than ours?” Lucian asks coldly.
I hold his gaze. “Because I found the body when your soldiers couldn’t even find a trail.
Because I used magic your people don’t possess to track what can’t otherwise be tracked.
Because I have resources and abilities that you don’t.
” My voice drops, becomes more intense. “And because I will burn this entire Kingdom to the ground before I let anyone hurt her.”
The admission is too much. Too revealing. Too raw.
Astra and Lucian exchange a long look, having one of those silent conversations that only mates can have. Astra’s hands haven’t left her belly, and Lucian’s remains in place there, too.
The bargain has been laid bare. The choice is clear.
I turn to leave, but Astra’s voice stops me.
“Kieran.”
I look back.
Her expression is guarded but cordial. “Thank you. For coming here. For warning us.” She pauses. “And for caring about Daciana, whatever your reasons may be.”
My shoulders loosen slightly. “She deserves to be cared for, Your Majesty. She deserves to be protected. That’s all I’m trying to do.”
I leave the herb garden, my mind churning. The prophecy is out now. The bargain is offered. No taking it back. No more pretending I came here simply out of diplomatic interest or idle curiosity.
Everything has changed.
And elsewhere in this palace, Daciana sleeps, still fragile and recovering, completely unaware of the forces moving around her.
Unaware that her life is tangled with a prophecy that threatens to destroy the Kingdom.
Unaware that I’ve just negotiated for her safety with the lives of the Queen and her unborn child hanging in the balance.
My wolf snarls his frustration, his need to go to her, to guard her personally. But I force myself to walk back to my chambers instead.
Soon, I promise both myself and the beast inside me. Soon, she’ll be under my protection properly.
And then let anyone try to hurt her.
Let them try.