Chapter 3: The Secret Underneath

The night after the wedding, Liora found herself unable to sleep. The moonlight streaming through the tall windows of her chambers seemed to mock her, casting a silver glow that illuminated the emptiness she felt inside. The weight of the crown—metaphorical and literal—pressed on her shoulders, and every time she closed her eyes, her thoughts were filled with nothing but the cold, calculating eyes of Kasian.

She had tried to fight it, to convince herself that she wasn't going to be another trophy in the Lycan kingdom's political game. She had wanted to run, to scream, to defy the gods who had written her fate, but that was all she could do—want.

Liora sat on the edge of the bed, fingers tightening around the fabric of the silk sheets. Her reflection in the large mirror across the room was still unfamiliar to her, even though she had seen it every day for the last eighteen years. But now, it was different. There was a woman staring back at her, a woman whose destiny was no longer her own.

A knock on the door snapped her out of her thoughts.

Her heart skipped a beat, but she quickly composed herself. "Come in."

The door creaked open, and a figure stepped inside—a tall, slender woman dressed in the royal livery. It was Selene, one of Kasian's most trusted advisors. Liora had only met her briefly earlier in the day, but the woman's calculating gaze had already unsettled her.

"Your Majesty," Selene said, her tone as smooth as polished stone. "Forgive the intrusion. His Majesty, the King, requests your presence in the council room."

Liora blinked, trying to shake the fog from her mind. "Kasian?" she asked, the name leaving a strange taste on her tongue. Even after all this time, it still didn't feel real. She was married to him, but she was still getting used to the weight of the title that came with it.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Selene confirmed, giving a small bow. "He would like to discuss some matters with you. It is of great importance."

Liora hesitated, the uncertainty settling in her chest like a stone. But there was no point in refusing. She couldn't ignore him forever, and if anything, tonight might give her some answers—answers about this kingdom, about her role in it, and most importantly, about the bond that was slowly tethering her to Kasian.

"Lead the way," Liora said, standing up. Her voice was firm, but inside, she felt a storm of emotions she couldn't begin to untangle.

The walk to the council room was long, the palace halls stretching out like a maze. Torches lined the walls, casting flickering shadows that seemed to dance with the echoes of long-forgotten whispers. It felt like the very walls of the castle were holding secrets, ancient and dangerous ones.

When they finally reached the council room, Selene opened the heavy door, and Liora stepped inside.

Kasian stood by the long table, his back turned to her. His presence filled the room, heavy and commanding. He was speaking with several advisors, but the moment he saw her, the conversation stopped. The air shifted.

"Liora," he said, his voice low, as if testing the sound of her name in the quiet room. "Come. We have much to discuss."

Liora crossed the room slowly, her eyes wary as they scanned the faces around the table. Each one was familiar from the brief meetings of the past days—advisors, generals, and the occasional noble. But there was something unsettling about them, something in the way they observed her, as if she were a rare and dangerous creature they were studying.

She took her place beside Kasian, noting the way his eyes lingered on her with an intensity that made her skin prickle.

"We've gathered to discuss the recent developments," Kasian said, his gaze never leaving hers. "The kingdom is on the brink of war, and I need your support."

Liora frowned, her brow furrowing in confusion. "My support?" She almost laughed at the absurdity of it. "What could I possibly offer in a war?"

Kasian's lips curled into a small, almost imperceptible smile, but there was no humor in it. "You are not just my queen now, Liora," he said, his voice steady. "You are the key to the unification of this kingdom. Your bloodline holds the power to bind the fractured factions together. Your presence, your very existence, will tip the balance."

Liora blinked, feeling as though she had just been slapped across the face. "My bloodline?" She whispered. "What do you mean?"

Selene, who had been standing by the door, stepped forward. "Your father, Your Majesty, was not a mere nobleman," she said, her tone both respectful and authoritative. "He was a member of the ancient Lycans—one of the royal bloodlines that had been lost to time. You have the blood of the true Lycan kings flowing through your veins."

Liora recoiled slightly, her pulse quickening. "What? That's impossible…"

"It is not," Kasian interrupted, his voice clipped. "I had my doubts as well. But the more we learned about you, the clearer it became. You were hidden away—swapped with your twin sister—because of the danger your lineage posed. Your blood is the key to everything."

Liora shook her head in disbelief. Her heart raced, her thoughts spiraling out of control. "You're telling me… I was switched at birth? I don't… I don't understand."

"Your twin sister was meant to be the one who married me," Kasian said, his gaze softening ever so slightly. "But fate had other plans. The woman you've known as your mother, the family you grew up with—none of it was real. But now, it doesn't matter. You are the one who must step into the role you were always meant to play."

Liora staggered back slightly, her mind reeling. She wanted to scream, to tear everything down, but instead, she closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing. How had she not known? How had she lived eighteen years thinking she was someone she was not?

"You still don't understand, do you?" Kasian's voice was soft, almost too quiet, as if he were trying to get through to her. "The truth is, I need you. Not just as my queen, but as my partner. We need to unite the factions and strengthen our hold on this kingdom. Your blood can bind them all together. Without you, we will fall."

Liora opened her eyes and met his gaze, her breath caught in her throat. She didn't know what to feel—betrayal, confusion, rage, or something else entirely.

Kasian stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. "I'm not asking you to accept this willingly. I'm asking you to survive this world, to embrace what you are. Only then will you see the truth behind the bond we share."

The words hung in the air like a promise and a threat.

Liora swallowed, her voice trembling despite her attempts to stay calm. "What happens if I refuse?"

Kasian's eyes flashed. "You won't refuse. You can't. This bond—our fates—are intertwined. The longer you deny it, the more dangerous it becomes."

Liora felt the weight of his words settle over her, and with it, the heavy realization that there was no way out.

She was bound to him. And no matter how much she wanted to fight it, she couldn't escape the truth.

The kingdom, her destiny, and Kasian himself—they were all connected in a way she couldn't yet comprehend.

And that terrified her.