Be prepared

Damon's POV

Even though the morning air was chilly, it was nothing compared to the chill that crept into my veins when Garrick barged into my office. He had a pale face and a rapidly rising and falling chest. The guy who had fought next to me in innumerable conflicts now stood in front of me, trembling, waves of anxiousness washing over him. 

 Without any niceties, he said, "My Alpha, have you heard?" His tone was piercing, tinged with something that caused my muscles to tense up in expectation.

 With my fingertips tapping the gleaming wood of my desk, I reclined in my chair. "And what exactly should I have heard, Garrick?" Even though I spoke in a measured tone, I felt tense because of the discomfort in his eyes.

Garrick paused, looking at Luna Ria, who was standing at the window, glowing in the golden sunlight. Her auburn hair shone, and even though she maintained her composure, I could see that her head was tilted slightly—she was paying close attention. 

 "With all due respect, Alpha, I must ask Luna Ria to excuse us."

 My forehead furrowed. Even when it came to war, my most trusted fighter was rarely this careful. I felt uneasy because of the secrecy in his tone. 

 "Ria, leave us," I ordered. She did not protest, but her lips formed a thin line. She closed the door behind her and nodded as she slid out of the room. When she was gone, Garrick let out a quick breath.

"His voice dipped to almost a whisper as he replied, "I have confirmation from my sources in the Blue Storm Kingdom." "Rhea is there."

 I felt everything in my body stop. 

 He went on, "But that's not all," as though the words were too heavy to be spoken all at once. "She is the fated mate of Lycan King Kael."

 The room's air grew heavier. There was a chilly stillness as I processed the significance of what he had spoken. 

 I didn't say anything. "And I should care because?"

 Garrick gulped hard, like he was about to deliver the last blow. "She carries the blood of the *Lunar Queen*, the first to do so since Mistress Elizabeth's reign centuries ago."

I clenched my fingers uncontrollably. It was not doable. A falsehood. 

 I answered, "You're mistaken," but my voice lacked the assurance it usually had. 

 "I wish I were, Alpha." Garrick spoke in a serious, unflinching tone. "But the truth remains."

My chest began to heat up slowly and fiercely. In the shadow of larger realms, my pack had been reduced to merely surviving. However, this? This was a chance. Rhea was more than a lost omega if she was indeed descended from the Lunar Queen. She embodied power. *My* secret to power.

 "Leave," I said in a stern tone.

 After hesitating, Garrick bowed and walked away. I let out a breath and combed through my hair as soon as the door closed behind him. The weight of the information pushing down on me caused my pulse to thunder in my ears.

"Darling, what is it?" Ria's voice was soft, sudden. I hadn't noticed her return. 

I forced a smile, though it felt like a foreign thing on my lips. "Nothing of importance."

But it was everything.

That night, cloaked in darkness, I set out for the Blue Storm Kingdom. Reaching for a mindlink I once severed, I sent a whisper into the void.

*Rhea.*

Silence.

I pushed harder. *Rhea, answer me.*

Still nothing.

Then, I caught a scent—one I knew far too well. Following it, I found her hunched over, retching into the undergrowth, her body trembling. But this wasn't ordinary sickness.

I knew the signs.

She was pregnant.

Kael had already claimed her. Marked her. Bound her to him in the most primal way.

But none of that mattered.

All that mattered was how I could use this to my advantage.

---

Rhea's POV

I wasn't even looking when I smelled it. Known. Not wanted. 

 *No.*

After straightening up and using the back of my hand to wipe my lips, I pivoted on my heel. As I looked into his eyes, my heart pounded against my ribs.

"What are you doing here?" Anger made my voice waver. "You are unable to be present. Go."

Damon moved forward with an inscrutable look. "Rhea, I—"

"No!" I interrupted him, my words laced with hatred. "You don't get to say my name, not after what you did."

He gave a quick breath. "I regret my actions."

A sour chuckle tore from my throat. "Damon, which ones? The manner in which you degraded me? I was sent to the dungeon? I married my own blood? Or the manner in which you—"My voice cracked, but I forced myself to continue. "What exactly are you sorry for?"

He paused. But before he could say anything, the air was filled with a low, deadly growl.

"What are you doing in my kingdom, Damon?" 

Despite being quiet, Kael's voice had a weight that broke the silence of the night. In a flash, he was at my side, his golden eyes blazing with rage.

Damon tensed. And I saw it for the first time in my life—a flash of terror on his face.

Damon whispered, "I just came for forgiveness,"

Kael stepped forward, his face unreadable. "Pardon? We both understand your true purpose for being here.

Damon's mouth clenched. "It's not—"

Kael sprang forward. He quickly reached out and wrapped his fingers around Damon's throat, raising him off the ground. With a gasp, Damon's feet kicked futilely as he clawed at Kael's wrist.

 Kael snarled, "No one enters my kingdom without my permission," "And no one touches what belongs to me."

 My breath caught. *What is his property?*

 Something twisted within me.

 "Kael, stop!" I sprinted ahead and grabbed his arm.

 I was pushed back when his hand suddenly snapped out. My spine ached as I struck the ground with force.

 Kael's eyes became gloomy. "Stay down, weakling."

 Colder than the night air, the words cut right through me.

 Then all of a sudden—

In my thoughts, a jarring sound burst forth. I gripped my ears, but the agony just got worse as a vicious, clawing force dug into my head. Blood dripping from my ears, I yelled.

 Something murmured into my bones. old. Horrible.

 * "The divine flame within you is a beacon, and now the wrath

of those who lurk beyond mortal sight shall descend upon you." *

 The earth shuddered. The air grew heavier.

 * "You can't run. You can't hide. The time of reckoning is approaching.

 A pause—so oppressive that it made my

breath catch.

 Then, one last murmur:

 * "They are already watching." *