Chapter 5 - Someone in the Palace Wanted the Queen DeadThe assassin survived.
Unfortunately for him.
Kyle wanted answers.
Sarah wanted Kyle not to murder the man before he could provide them.
This became their first official disagreement after the attack.
“He shot at you twice.”
“He missed.”
“That is not a defense.”
“He also shot at you.”
“That part is less relevant.”
Sarah stared.
Kyle stared back.
Bren muttered,
“I miss when you two weren't talking.”
Both turned.
Bren immediately became interested in a wall.
The prisoner carried a council ring belonging to House Vael.
Councillor Vael denied everything.
The ring, he claimed, had been stolen.
Kyle believed him exactly zero percent.
But proof mattered.
Especially now.
Sarah had become more politically important overnight.
Rumors spread through the packs.
Mooncrest lives.
White wolf returned.
Alpha King's mate.
Some wolves celebrated.
Others panicked.
Mooncrest power threatened centuries of hierarchy.
An Alpha could force pack members to kneel.
Sarah might be able to make them stand.
That terrified certain leaders.
The prisoner finally spoke after two days.
Not because Kyle threatened him.
Because Sarah entered the cell.
The assassin looked at her.
“You're supposed to be dead.”
Sarah sat opposite.
“People keep being disappointed by that.”
He laughed.
Young man.
Maybe twenty-four.
Scared.
Not fanatical.
Sarah saw it immediately.
“Who ordered you?”
“I can't say.”
“You can.”
“He'll kill my family.”
“Who?”
Silence.
Sarah leaned forward.
“Listen carefully.”
The prisoner swallowed.
“If Kyle wanted your family dead, would they still be alive?”
His face paled.
“Probably not.”
“So the King isn't your problem.”
She touched the glowing crescent beneath her collar.
“Whoever sent you is.”
The man's eyes dropped.
Sarah continued.
“They told you I was dangerous.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“You'll destroy the packs.”
“How?”
“You'll take away Alpha authority.”
“I stopped you from killing me.”
“You used Mooncrest power.”
“To defend myself.”
He hesitated.
Sarah realized the truth.
“Have you ever seen me command anyone?”
“No.”
“Have I demanded a throne?”
“No.”
“Then maybe you should ask why your employer is so desperate to make you afraid of me.”
The assassin broke.
“Vael.”
Sarah's stomach sank.
“Councillor Vael?”
“Yes.”
“Anyone else?”
He hesitated.
Then whispered,
“Your mother.”
Sarah stopped breathing.
“No.”
“He said the Ashfall woman helped arrange your return.”
Sarah stood too quickly.
“That doesn't mean she ordered this.”
The assassin looked away.
Sarah left.
Kyle waited outside.
One look at her face and his changed.
“What?”
She told him.
Kyle became cold.
“No.”
“You don't know.”
“I know Vael lies.”
“My mother lied for twenty years.”
“That doesn't make her a murderer.”
“You defended her?”
“I'm defending evidence.”
Sarah almost smiled despite the panic.
“You've changed.”
“Don't distract me.”
They confronted Mara.
She cried immediately.
Not guilt.
Fear.
“Yes,” she said.
“I contacted Vael.”
Sarah's heart cracked.
Kyle stepped forward.
Mara raised both hands.
“I didn't know he would attack her.”
“What did you tell him?” Sarah asked.
“That your wolf might awaken.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted help.”
“Help with what?”
“Stopping it.”
Kyle's growl filled the room.
Mara flinched.
Sarah did not.
“You were trying to suppress me again.”
“I was trying to save you.”
Sarah closed her eyes.
Always that sentence.
“I begged Vael for another suppression formula.”
Kyle looked ready to tear the council apart stone by stone.
Mara continued.
“He said the old medicine would no longer work.”
“So?”
“He said there was a ritual.”
Sarah's skin chilled.
“What ritual?”
Mara looked at Kyle.
“To sever the mate bond before it fully forms.”
Kyle went utterly still.
Sarah whispered,
“You were going to separate us.”
“I was afraid the bond would trigger the wolf.”
“It has.”
“And now people are trying to kill you!”
“Because you told them what I was!”
Mara covered her face.
“I thought if Vael helped suppress Mooncrest power, you could disappear.”
Sarah stared.
“Disappear?”
“Live normally.”
“You mean small.”
Mara looked up.
“What?”
“You've spent my entire life trying to make me small enough that dangerous people won't notice me.”
Tears ran down Sarah's face.
“You poisoned my wolf.”
“Sarah—”
“You let my pack abuse me.”
“I was afraid.”
“You let them sell me.”
“I thought—”
“And now you betrayed my secret again.”
Mara sobbed.
Sarah's voice became quiet.
“You weren't protecting me.”
Mara froze.
“You were teaching me to be afraid of myself.”
Silence.
Sarah walked away.
Kyle followed only after several minutes.
He found her at Doran's grave.
Snow had begun melting.
Small green shoots pushed through earth.
Sarah sat.
Kyle remained several feet away.
“You can come closer.”
He did.
Sarah leaned against him.
No words for a while.
Then she said,
“I hate that I still love her.”
Kyle understood.
“I hated my father for years after he died.”
“Why?”
“He prepared me to inherit a throne and never taught me how to want anything else.”
Sarah looked at him.
“Did you love him?”
“Yes.”
“That must have been confusing.”
“It still is.”
Sarah rested her head on his shoulder.
“I don't want to become cruel because she hurt me.”
“You won't.”
“How do you know?”
“Cruel people rarely worry about becoming cruel.”
She smiled weakly.
Then footsteps approached.
Bren.
He carried documents.
“Vael disappeared.”
Kyle stood.
“When?”
“Before dawn.”
“Where?”
“We found his carriage near the southern pass.”
“Empty?”
“Yes.”
Sarah looked up.
“He's running.”
Bren's face remained serious.
“Or joining someone.”
“Who?” Kyle asked.
Bren handed him the papers.
Trade records.
Secret payments.
Messages.
All connected to a name Sarah did not recognize.
Queen Elara of Westmoor.
Kyle did.
His expression hardened.
Sarah noticed.
“Who is she?”
Bren looked uncomfortable.
Kyle said nothing.
Sarah narrowed her eyes.
“Kyle.”
“She was…”
Bren found the ceiling fascinating.
Sarah folded her arms.
“She was what?”
Kyle sighed.
“My intended bride.”
Sarah became very still.
“Your what?”
“Before you.”
“Before your wolf chose me?”
“Yes.”
“How far before?”
“Six months.”
“Were you engaged?”
“Politically.”
“That is not an answer.”
“Yes.”
Sarah stared.
Kyle continued quickly,
“The arrangement ended.”
“Why?”
“My wolf rejected her.”
Sarah blinked.
Bren quietly left.
Wise man.
“Did she know?”
“Yes.”
“Was she humiliated?”
“Yes.”
“Does she hate me?”
Kyle paused.
“Probably.”
Sarah laughed without humor.
“And now Vael is connected to her.”
“Yes.”
Westmoor bordered the Northern Reach.
Powerful.
Rich.
And led by a queen famous for never forgetting insult.
Sarah looked toward Doran's grave.
“So this isn't only about Mooncrest power.”
“No.”
Kyle's jaw tightened.
“It may also be about the crown.”
Three nights later, Westmoor soldiers crossed the border.
Not openly.
Small groups.
No banners.
Sabotage teams.
A northern watchtower burned.
Then another.
Kyle prepared for war.
Sarah returned to the Grey Den.
Metha paced.
The old wolves sensed it.
War smelled different.
Kyle came after midnight.
Human.
No disguise.
He sat beside Sarah.
“I have to leave tomorrow.”
“For the border?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“I don't know.”
Her wolf surged.
Mate.
Fear tightened Sarah's throat.
“What if you don't come back?”
“I will.”
“Don't make promises you can't control.”
Kyle looked at her.
“Then I'll promise something else.”
“What?”
“I will do everything in my power to return to you.”
Better.
Truth.
Sarah touched his face.
“Kyle.”
“Yes?”
“If my wolf wakes while you're gone…”
His expression tightened.
“Wait for Seraphine.”
“I will.”
“Don't shift alone.”
“I won't.”
“Don't let Vael—”
“Kyle.”
He stopped.
Sarah smiled.
“You're brooding.”
“I am giving instructions.”
“You're terrified.”
“Yes.”
The honesty softened her.
Sarah kissed him.
It was their first real kiss.
Not desperate.
Not stolen.
Chosen.
Kyle froze for half a second.
Then held her.
The mate bond flared.
Heat.
Silver light.
Sarah gasped.
Her wolf howled inside.
Kyle's eyes turned black with his own wolf.
When they separated, both were breathing hard.
Sarah whispered,
“That seems important.”
Kyle laughed.
“It is.”
The next morning he left for war.
By sunset, Sarah developed a fever.
By midnight, her bones began breaking.
May you like
The white wolf was coming.
And Kyle was fifty miles away.
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