Chapter 5 Whispers and Warnings

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Blackfen Fortress, Moonrise

Elara had never known silence could be so loud.

As she wandered the cold stone halls of Blackfen Fortress, every footstep echoed back at her like a question. She had slept only a few hours, her dreams riddled with fragments-howling wolves, burning eyes, Kael's bloodstained hands reaching for hers.

Now, dressed in a modest black cloak that Amira had provided, Elara made her way through the winding passageways. She kept her head low, but her senses were sharp. Alert.

Every pair of eyes that met hers lingered too long. Every whisper stopped when she passed.

It was subtle at first-just a glance here, a murmured name there.

"That's her."

"The girl from Crimson Hollow..."

"A servant? No... she's his mate?"

But then she caught one that chilled her blood.

"She's going to ruin everything."

---

She found herself standing before an arched corridor lit by pale blue torches. The smell of parchment and aged wood drifted through the air.

The library.

Elara stepped inside slowly.

It was vast-taller than she expected, with spiral staircases that climbed to domed balconies and shelves that reached the ceiling. Moonlight filtered through a stained glass window of a howling wolf.

She ran her fingers along the bindings of a nearby shelf.

Ancient texts. Spellbooks. Journals. Maps.

Her eyes caught something:

"The Moonbound: A Forbidden Legacy."

Heart pounding, she pulled it free. Dust flew from the cover, and the moment her fingers touched the page, a strange pulse radiated up her arm.

She sat near a hearth and opened the book, flipping through aged parchment until a line stopped her cold.

> "The Moonbound are not born of ordinary blood. They are the key. The gate. The storm. Their awakening means more than union-it means war."

Elara's breath caught.

War?

She flipped to another section.

> "Marked with the crescent moon, bound to the Alpha of their destined cycle, the Moonbound possess power neither wolf nor witch can comprehend. It is said that the mate of the Moonbound must either rise... or be destroyed."

Her hands trembled.

A sudden noise broke the silence.

A soft scuff.

She turned quickly, slamming the book shut.

A tall, elegant woman stepped into view-long raven hair, violet eyes, and an expression of cool superiority.

"I wondered when I'd find you alone," she said, voice like silk pulled over blades.

Elara rose to her feet. "Can I help you?"

The woman stepped closer, her heels clicking softly on the marble. "You're Elara."

"I am."

"I'm Lady Veyra," the woman replied. "Advisor to King Kael. His... long-standing confidant."

Elara didn't miss the deliberate pause. Or the emphasis on long-standing.

"I've heard of you," Veyra continued. "The little wolf with the cursed mark. They said your own pack tried to kill you."

Elara held her chin up. "They failed."

Veyra's smile was sharp. "Yes, and now you're here. In his fortress. Wearing his protection. Bearing his cloak."

Her eyes darkened. "But protection is not permanence, girl. The King is a powerful man, but not known for... loyalty to distractions."

"I'm not a distraction," Elara said coldly.

"Oh no? Then what are you?" Veyra stepped even closer. "You walk these halls like you belong, but you don't understand the politics here. The bloodline wars. The clans still loyal to the old Queen. You are a threat to balance. And threats are handled quickly."

Elara's heart thundered, but she refused to look away. "I didn't ask for any of this."

"But now you wear the mark. And power doesn't care if you asked."

Veyra leaned in. "My advice? Keep your head down. Stay quiet. And don't confuse Kael's protection for affection. The last girl who did... hasn't been seen since the last blood moon."

Then she turned, cloak swirling, and vanished into the shadows of the hall.

---

Elara sat back down, gripping the armrest to steady her hands.

She had expected suspicion. Even hatred.

But that?

That had been a warning.

---

Later that night, Kael entered her chamber without knocking.

She looked up from the fire, startled.

His face was unreadable, but tension coiled beneath his movements.

"You left your wing," he said.

"I needed air."

"Veyra found you."

It wasn't a question.

Elara nodded slowly.

Kael exhaled, running a hand through his hair.

"I told her to stay away."

"She didn't listen."

"She never does."

Silence stretched between them.

"You knew she would come to me," Elara said finally.

"I hoped she wouldn't."

"But you didn't stop her."

His jaw tightened.

"She's dangerous."

"So am I," Elara whispered.

Kael's eyes locked on hers.

Then, without warning, he crossed the room and knelt before her, taking her wrist gently in his hand. He unwrapped the bandage.

The mark pulsed-brighter now. Almost glowing.

He didn't look surprised.

"The bond is accelerating," he said quietly. "Soon, everyone will see it."

Elara swallowed. "And then?"

"And then you will no longer be the orphaned girl from Crimson Hollow." He looked up at her. "You'll be the Moonbound Mate of the Lycan King. And that comes with power... and enemies."

"Was she right?" Elara asked. "About the last girl?"

Kael's jaw clenched. "She was nothing like you."

"Still. She's gone."

"She wanted the crown," he said. "Not the man. Not the pack. Just the title."

"And me?"

He lifted her hand, placing it against his chest where his heartbeat thrummed strong and steady.

"You never asked for any of this," Kael said. "But you're still standing."

Elara's eyes shimmered.

For the first time, she wasn't sure if she was afraid of her mark... or what she might become because of it.

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