Chapter 3 The Devil's Threshold.

Dawn had barely touched the sky when the carriage left the Silvermist Pack. Elian Silvermist sat on the edge of the worn velvet seat with each turn carrying him farther away from home, his slender fingers folded together in his lap, knuckles whitening under the strain. His mother had clung to him until the royal guards pried her away, her sobs tearing the morning stillness. Behind her, Selene stood, her golden eyes-sharp as forged gold-locked on Elian's face, blazing with a fury she dared not unleash against the kingdom's decree.

Those eyes, so like their father's in life, now mirrored a silent vow of vengeance. Elian forced himself to turn forward as the carriage door slammed shut, the crack of the whip urging the horses onward. One backward glance, and the fragile thread of his resolve might snap, unraveling him before he even reached his fate. The journey lasted for hours, and as they moved deeper the trees grew denser, the forest turns darker.Even the air felt different here-colder, heavier, as if the land itself feared the ruler who lived ahead. When the carriage finally comes to a halt, Elian's pulse thrummed in his throat like a trapped bird. A guard's voice cut through the door, rough and final: "We've arrived at Moonveil Citadel." The door swung open, admitting a gust of wind that bit like frostbitten claws. Elian descended the steps on legs that felt leaden, his boots sinking slightly into the gravel. He froze mid-step, breath clouding in the frigid air. The citadel rose like a dark mountain against the sky, its black stone towers cutting into the clouds. Massive walls surrounded it, and high above, silver banners bearing the crest of a wolf fluttered in the wind. This was no mere fortress; it was a lair, forged in the heart of nightmares, where the boundary between man and monster blurred into oblivion. Elian swallowed the dryness in his throat. "So this is it," he murmured, voice barely audible. A guard grunted, motioning him forward with a gauntleted hand. "Keep moving. His Majesty awaits." They led him through towering gates and across a massive courtyard. Knights trained in silence, servants hurried along stone paths, and everywhere Elian walked he felt curious eyes following him. "The new bride... from Silvermist." "A male? An omega, no less?" "Pity the fool. The king's tastes run darker than that." Heat flooded Elian's cheeks, but he kept his chin dipped, gaze fixed on the ground. Let them talk; their words were mere words compared to the abyss awaiting him. At the courtyard's far end stood the throne hall's massive doors, Two guards positioned them apart, the hinges screaming in protest, releasing a rush of cool, incense-laden air that smelled of smoldering myrrh and something feral-blood and earth mingled. "Enter," one guard barked, his tone brooking no delay. Elian paused on the threshold, the vastness beyond pulling at him like a void. Then, calming his nerves, he crossed into the hall. Tall pillars stretched toward the ceiling, and moonlight spilled through towering windows, bathing the stone floor in pale silver. At the far end of the hall stood a massive throne carved from black stone. And seated upon it...Was the man who ruled the Moonfang Kingdom. King Kael Draven. Elian's breath caught in his chest, a sharp inhale that echoed too loudly in the silence. The king commanded the room without effort, his form radiating an aura that pressed against Elian's senses like a gathering tempest-dark, electric, laced with the promise of ruin. Long, dark hair falls over broad shoulders clothed in a tunic of midnight velvet, edged with silver thread that gleamed like fangs. A black silk blindfold covers his eyes, tied behind his head, rendering his gaze a mystery,The rumors were true. The king truly never showed his eyes. The guards halted abruptly, dropping to one knee. "Your Majesty," the lead one announced, voice steady but laced with deference. "The bride from Silvermist has arrived." A heavy quiet descended, broken only by the distant howl of wind against the walls. Silence followed. For a moment, nothing happened. Elian's heart hammered, each beat a thunder in his ears. Then, the king spoke. "Leave us." The guards rose swiftly, bowing once more before retreating. The doors closed shut behind them, sealing Elian in solitude with the monster. Alone now, Elian fought the urge to run, his body screaming flight while his mind chained him in place. He lifted his eyes slowly, tracing the king's unmoving silhouette. The air thickened, charged with an unseen force that prickled Elian's skin, raising the fine hairs on his arms. Within the king's mind, a primal rumble stirred, deep and possessive. Mine. Kael's fingers tightened slightly against the armrest.The voice-Aries, his wolf spirit-surged again, insistent, alive after years of dormant slumber. Mate. Kael remained perfectly still, But inside his chest, something powerful stirred. Slowly, his head tilted toward the omega standing in the center of the hall. The omega's scent pierced the herbal veil masking it: a delicate bloom of jasmine and warm honey, undercut by the sharp edge of fear-sweat. It invaded his senses, intoxicating, stirring something ancient and ravenous within. Aries snarled, approval vibrating through Kael's veins. Strong scent. Ours. Kael's jaw clenched, skepticism warring with the bond's pull. This slight omega, sent as tribute? Destined to be his fated one? Absurd. Yet undeniable. The silence stretched. At last, Kael broke it, "Approach, little omega." The words wrapped around Elian like chains, compelling obedience. He took a step, then another, the marble echoing his footsteps. His pulse raced, vision narrowing to the figure before him. Closer now, the king's aura crashed over him fully-oppressive, supernatural, tasting of smoke and shadowed power. It made Elian's knees weaken, his omega instincts warring between terror and an inexplicable draw. He halted a respectful distance away, bowing low, hair falling forward to curtain his flushed face. "I am Elian Silvermist, Your Majesty," he said, voice soft but steady, though it trembled at the edges. Kael leaned forward, the movement sending a ripple through the air. "You mask your fear well," he observed, his blindfolded gaze seeming to pierce straight through. "But I sense it. Every bride before you has crumbled at this threshold, knees buckling, pleas spilling like blood. You stand. Why?" Elian straightened slightly, meeting the void of the blindfold. "I... I am afraid, sire. Deeply so. But fear alone does not define me. I came of my own will, to honor the pact between our packs." A low chuckle escaped Kael, dark and resonant. Inside, Aries paced, intrigued. Brave mate. Worthy. "Honor," Kael echoed, the word dripping with mockery. He rose then towering over Elian, close enough for the omega to feel the heat radiating from his body. Kael circled him slowly, a predator assessing prey, his blindfold no hindrance to the intensity of his focus. Elian stood still, breath shallow, as the king paused behind him. "You know the tales of those who came before?" Kael murmured, voice a silken threat. "How they entered as offerings and left as echoes-broken, claimed, or worse?" Elian nodded, throat tight. "I know." "And still, you stepped through those doors." Kael completed his circuit, stopping mere inches away, his presence a wall of unyielding dominance. He reached out, gloved fingers brushing Elian's chin, tilting it up with deceptive gentleness. The touch burned, electric, sending a jolt through Elian's veins. "Yes," Elian whispered, golden eyes-mirrors of his sister's-meeting the blindfold unflinchingly. Kael's lips curved into a devilish smile, fangs peeking slightly. Aries purred within, satisfaction blooming. He stays. With us. "How very unfortunate for you, Elian Silvermist," the king breathed. "Why?" Kael's voice dropped to a whisper, "The full moon rises in three nights. And when it does... bonds like ours do not yield." Inside him, Aries purred , Mate will stay. Kael straightened again. And for the first time in years... The Devil King felt something dangerously close to anticipation.