Chapter 55
My heart throbs against my ribcage, and I swallow hard. The mere mention of Eris sends a chill down my spine—not from fear, but because of her connection to the man I love.
She’s no longer abstract, either. Not when she threatens what I hold most dear.
I look into Alara’s piercing eyes, so full of trust and faith in me. “I will fight. Not just for Rogan, but also for our child.”
Rogan strokes my cheek tenderly. “And I’ll fight for you both,” he says, his tone fierce with determination.
Alara shakes her head. “This is Princess Hannah’s fight. And Hannah, you are fighting for more than your child and your lover. You’re fighting for your way of life. For your people. For your child’s people.”
“For humanity? Vampires. Lycans?” I say.
“Yes. We’ve talked about this. Your child must be born, and if Eris has her way, he won’t be. This is your battle, Hannah. A prophecy made this clear.”
“Prophecy?” Rogan’s face tightens, his scowl returning.
“Indeed.” Alara nods. “An ancient prophecy speaks of a fierce battle that will determine the course of the future. Hannah, you—and your child—are at the center of it.”
Fear and uncertainty dance like shadows in Rogan’s gaze, but beneath them is determination. Determination and love.
“What does this prophecy say?” I ask.
Alara closes her eyes and recites from memory.
“The one of royal blood shall rise,
To challenge fate with love’s sweet cries,
She’ll face the serpent in her lair,
And bear a child, her heart’s own heir.
The serpent’s venom seeks to sear,
But love unyielding conquers fear.
She casts her lot, her choice to fate,
And will, through love, unlatch the gate.”
My chest tightens. I glance at Rogan. His gaze is intense, his jaw clenched tight.
“The serpent… Eris,” I murmur.
Alara opens her eyes and nods.
“But Eris isn’t a serpent,” I say, more to myself than to either Alara or Rogan. “She’s a wolf.”
“So it appears,” Alara replies.
“So it appears?” I run my fingers over my abdomen, my child.
And then it hits me—hard—like a bolt of lightning searing through my skull. It slams into me with the force of a wrecking ball and knocks the breath from my lungs. My vision tunnels, my pulse roaring in my ears as the pieces snap together with terrifying clarity.
Eris was never just a wolf. Eris was never just Rogan’s fated mate.
This is all so much more than that.
There’s a reason Alara pushed me to awaken the power buried deep inside me.
I don’t need raw, earth-shattering power to rip a she-wolf apart for daring to challenge me, for daring to threaten my child. I only need the ruthless fury burning in my veins—because when it comes to my child and my mate, I won’t just win.
I’ll obliterate.
Which means…
“I see your thoughts churning, Hannah.” Alara closes her eyes once more. “Get dressed, both of you. And Hannah, it’s time to prepare for your battle.” She leaves the room, closing the door.
“What kind of doubletalk was that?” Rogan demands as he dresses.
The clothes I wore while training with Eris are dirty and sweaty, and I don’t exactly have chainmail lying around my place.
I walk to my closet and eye my wardrobe. I select a pair of thick leggings and a long-sleeved tunic that won’t hinder my movements. As I dress, Rogan watches me, his gaze intense.
“That’s a far cry from your usual tight tank and thigh-high boots, princess.”
I shrug as I pull my hair into a tight ponytail. “I’m not going for sexy. I’m going for functional.”
“Good.” He nods and pulls his shirt over his muscled torso. “Any plan on how you’re going to fight a serpent?”
“I’m not fighting a serpent,” I say. “We both know that.”
He nods solemnly. “Eris is strong. She-wolves always are. They have to be to protect their cubs.”
I clear my throat as I pull the laces of my military boots and fasten them securely. “I’m not fighting a she-wolf either, Rogan.”
He raises his eyebrows. “Hannah…”
My name.
It’s always serious when he uses my name.
“She’s not what she appears to be,” I say. “That’s what Alara meant. That’s what the prophecy says. It’s all making sense now. Everything Alara has said, everything she’s taught me. Everything my father did to bring you and me together.”
“Your father’s involved with Eris?”
“Yes and no. There’s no love lost between my father and me, Rogan. You know that. But I am his daughter, his heir. We’re connected by blood, and blood protects blood.”
“What the fuck are you getting at?”
I draw in a breath. “A serpent is a symbol of evil. It goes back to the bible, to the actual dawn of time.”
“So if Eris is the serpent in this so-called prophecy…” Rogan paces across my bedroom.
“She’s evil, Rogan.” I stand tall, meet his gaze. “And she’s not a wolf. She’s a fucking demon. Sent by my stepfather.”