chapter thirteen

Ralph's POV

Lysara's golden eyes locked onto Liam like she was looking through him, not at him.

Something about the way she smiled made my wolf restless, his instincts flaring in warning.

"I take it you already know why we're here," I said, keeping my voice even.

Lysara's gaze flicked to me, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Of course. The moment his blood was spilled, the magic in the air shifted." She turned back to Liam, her expression unreadable. "And now, every creature who felt it wants to know why."

Liam stiffened beside me. I could feel his frustration, his anger at being kept in the dark.

"You're saying my blood is the reason vampires attacked me?" he asked.

Lysara hummed. "Not just vampires. You should prepare for worse."

Liam cursed under his breath, running a hand through his hair. "Great. Just great."

I stepped forward, crossing my arms. "Enough riddles. Tell us what the hell is going on."

Lysara sighed dramatically, as if we were boring her. Then, without warning, she moved.

One second she was standing in the doorway, the next she was in front of Liam, faster than either of us could react.

She lifted her hand, her fingers brushing over the dried blood on his arm. Liam flinched, but her grip was firm.

Then—her eyes darkened.

The air in the cabin shifted, thickening with something ancient.

Lysara inhaled deeply, and for the first time since we arrived—she looked shocked.

Slowly, she exhaled, letting Liam go as she took a step back.

"Well," she murmured. "That's... unexpected."

Liam's fists clenched. "What the hell does that mean?"

Lysara's golden eyes met mine. And for the first time, I saw something there that sent a chill down my spine.

Fear.

"Your Beta isn't just a wolf," she said softly. "He's something much, much more."

Liam tensed beside me, his breathing sharp. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Lysara didn't answer right away. Instead, she moved gracefully to a nearby shelf, her fingers trailing over ancient-looking scrolls and glass vials filled with dark liquids. She finally plucked a small, silver dagger from the shelf and turned back to us.

"You want answers?" she said, twirling the blade between her fingers. "Then let's test something."

Liam scowled. "I'm not in the mood for your games, witch."

She smirked. "Oh, trust me, pup. This is no game."

Before either of us could react, she moved.

The dagger flashed—quick, precise—and sliced across Liam's palm.

Liam growled, jerking his hand back. "What the fuck!"

I snarled, stepping between them, my wolf pushing forward. "You have five seconds to explain why I shouldn't rip your throat out."

Lysara ignored me, her eyes locked onto Liam's hand.

And that's when I saw it.

His blood—dark crimson—was glowing.

A faint, golden shimmer pulsed beneath the surface of his wound, like something alive was trying to break free.

Liam went still, his eyes wide with horror. "What the—"

"Fascinating," Lysara murmured. She stepped closer, her gaze flickering between Liam's wound and his face. "You've been living your whole life thinking you were just a Beta, haven't you?"

Liam's jaw tightened. "Because I am a Beta."

Lysara tilted her head, smiling like she knew a secret we didn't. "No, pup," she whispered. "You're not."

Silence hung heavy between us.

Liam looked at me, his breathing unsteady.

I held his stare, my own mind racing.

Lysara let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "Oh, this is going to be fun."

I clenched my fists, forcing my wolf down. "Enough. Just tell us what the hell he is."

Lysara twirled the dagger once more before sheathing it.

Then, in a voice that sent a chill down my spine, she said—

"A legend."

Liam scoffed, his face twisted in disbelief. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

Lysara simply smiled, her golden eyes gleaming in the dim candlelight. "It means, pup, that you're not just some ordinary Beta. You're something… more."

Liam let out a sharp laugh, shaking his head. "Yeah? And what exactly is this legend bullshit supposed to mean? Because last I checked, I don't feel very legendary."

Lysara sighed, as if dealing with an impatient child. "Do you know how rare it is for vampires to hesitate in battle? To look at someone's blood and pause?"

I frowned, remembering how the leeches had reacted. How they'd frozen when Liam started bleeding.

Liam crossed his arms. "So what? Maybe they just weren't expecting me to put up a fight."

Lysara's smirk widened. "Oh, you are dense, aren't you?"

I growled, stepping forward. "Enough with the riddles, Lysara. If you know something, spill it."

She twirled a strand of her silvery hair around her finger, watching Liam like he was some puzzle she was piecing together. "Your blood glows, pup. That's not normal. It means you're connected to something ancient. Something powerful."

Liam snorted. "And what? That makes me special?"

Lysara leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. "It makes you hunted."

Liam stiffened.

I clenched my fists, every instinct screaming to protect. "By who?"

Lysara's gaze darkened. "Vampires, for one. But there will be others. Because whatever runs through your veins? It's not just wolf blood."

Liam's breath hitched. I could practically see the war in his eyes. The denial. The fear.

I reached out, gripping his shoulder, grounding him. "We'll figure this out."

He swallowed hard, jaw tight. "Yeah," he muttered. "We better."

Lysara chuckled. "Oh, you will—one way or another."

And for the first time in a long time, I felt something dangerous slither down my spine.

Because I had a feeling this was just the beginning.

Liam was still standing stiffly beside me, his jaw clenched so tight I thought he might crack a tooth. I could feel his frustration, his confusion, and most of all—his denial.

Lysara, however, looked amused. Like she was watching two fools stumble around in the dark while she held the only lantern.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Enough with the cryptic shit, Lysara. If you know something, say it plainly."

She exhaled dramatically, rolling her golden eyes. "Fine. I'll spell it out for you."

Turning to Liam, she pointed at his wounded arm. "That blood of yours? It's not just werewolf blood. It carries traces of something else—something old, something powerful. And the moment those vampires smelled it, they knew."

Liam scoffed. "Knew what? That I taste good?"

Lysara grinned. "That you're valuable. That killing you wouldn't be nearly as useful as taking you."

Liam's face darkened, and I stepped slightly in front of him, my instincts flaring to protect what was mine.

Lysara tilted her head at me, eyes glittering. "How interesting."

I stiffened. "What?"

"You're being possessive," she purred. "Like an Alpha protecting his mate."

Liam let out a noise between a snarl and a groan. "For fuck's sake, I am not his mate."

Lysara just smirked. "Maybe not yet."

"Enough," I snapped, forcing the conversation back on track. "If Liam's blood is different, why? What the hell is inside him?"

Lysara tapped her chin, feigning deep thought. "I have theories. But I'd need more than just a single drop of blood to confirm it."

Liam tensed. "You're not taking my blood."

Lysara arched a brow. "Then you'll stay in the dark."

I could feel Liam vibrating with anger beside me, his fists curling. I knew how much he hated feeling out of control, how much he despised the idea that something inside him was different.

But we couldn't ignore this.

I looked at him, meeting his stormy gaze. "Liam," I said evenly. "We need answers."

He exhaled through his nose, glaring at both me and Lysara before finally—finally—gritting out, "Fine."

Lysara beamed. "Excellent choice, pup."

I had a feeling we weren't going to like what she found

Lysara's smirk didn't fade as she stepped closer to Liam, eyes gleaming with intrigue. She reached into the folds of her cloak, pulling out a small dagger with a blade made of dark crystal.

Liam tensed. "You're not stabbing me."

Lysara rolled her eyes. "Relax, pup. It's just a small cut. You'll survive."

Before he could argue, she grabbed his wrist with surprising strength and slashed the blade across his palm.

Liam hissed but didn't flinch, glaring at her. "You enjoy this, don't you?"

"Immensely," she grinned.

I folded my arms, watching as his blood dripped into a silver bowl she produced from thin air. The moment his blood touched the surface, the liquid inside flared gold.

Lysara's expression changed.

Her amusement vanished, replaced by something unreadable."

Lysara lifted the bowl toward the candlelight, watching the way the golden hues swirled.

Liam scoffed. "what am I?"

Lysara set the bowl down and leveled him with a serious stare.

"Your blood carries the mark of the Legends."

Lysara continued, her voice quieter now. "Long before werewolves ruled the land, there were the Legend Wolves—beings created by the gods themselves, stronger than any Alpha, faster than any hunter, their blood holding magic beyond comprehension. They weren't just warriors. They were forces of nature. But their power was coveted, hunted. Wars broke out, and one by one, they were slaughtered, their blood spilled until none remained. Or so we thought."

She tapped the bowl. "And yet, here you are."

Liam shook his head. "That's impossible. My parents are just—"

"Just what?" Lysara cut in. "Normal? If that were true, do you really think vampires would be so desperate to get their hands on you?"

Liam's jaw clenched.

I could see it the way his mind raced, trying to reject it, trying to make sense of something that had no logical explanation.

Lysara sighed dramatically. "Think of it this way. Your blood isn't just rare—it's powerful. If a vampire drinks from a strong werewolf, they gain temporary strength. But if they drink from you? Someone with Legend Blood?"

She let the sentence hang, but we both knew the answer.

Liam's blood wouldn't just make them stronger.

It could make them unstoppable.

I exhaled, running a hand through my hair. "So that's why they're after him."

Lysara nodded. "Not just any vampires either. The ones who came for you? They were scouting. Testing. I'd wager a far more dangerous force is already planning their next move."

Liam let out a harsh breath, dragging a hand down his face. "This is fucking insane."

Lysara just grinned. "Welcome to the fun part, pup."

I stepped forward, placing a firm hand on Liam's shoulder, grounding him. He was tense beneath my grip, his mind likely spiraling with the weight of what we'd just learned.

"You're not alone in this," I told him quietly.

He didn't look at me, but he didn't pull away either.

Lysara stretched, yawning. "Now, if you want to keep that pretty little head of yours attached to your body, you should probably figure out how to fight back before they come for you again."

Liam finally looked at her, eyes sharp. "How?"

Lysara's smile widened. "Ah. Now that's the right question."