Pain.
The very first sensation Ava experienced as she awakened was that. Her body throbbed as if she'd been stomped by a pack of wolves. Every muscle yelled in protest when she attempted to shift.
Where am I?
She opened her eyes, blinking in reaction to the soft golden light. Above, a lofty ceiling shimmered with chandeliers shaped like crescent moons. Smooth drapes flowed down from stone pillars. The scent in the atmosphere was of sandalwood and wild roses.
This wasn't the Ironclaw Pack. This wasn't any pack.
She lay on a large bed, enveloped in velvet sheets of a rich scarlet hue. A fire sizzled in an elaborate fireplace. It was warm. Too warm.
She sat up fast, heart thudding.
The last thing she remembered… rogues. Blood. A man with golden eyes.
Her breath caught.
"Easy," came a voice from the corner. "You're safe."
She whipped around.
The man from the forest stood in the shadows.
King Cassius Nightborne.
Taller than any man she'd encountered, wearing black with a silver emblem on his chest; the symbol of the Lycan King.
His golden gaze examined her as if she were both perilous and fragile. Her wolf whimpered in recognition.
Ava's lips trembled. "You… saved me."
His voice was tranquil, resonant. "Furthermore, I would repeat it."
She recoiled as her recollection surged back intensely. Lucien's sneer. The laughter. The rejection. Then the rogues…
Tears threatened, but she blinked them back. She wouldn't cry in front of a king.
"Why?" she asked. "Why would you help someone like me?"
Cassius stepped closer. "Because you're not what they made you believe."
Ava frowned. "I'm just a Beta—"
"No," he interrupted. "You're not. Not even close."
Her breathing faltered.
"What are you implying?"
Cassius's eyes stayed fixed on hers. "Are you aware of how uncommon it is for a Lycan to find a true mate?"
She slowly shook her head.
"It's nearly unprecedented." Most Lycans marry for alliance, not love. But when the Moon Goddess chooses… it's undeniable. Unbreakable." He paused. "And I felt it the moment I saw you."
Ava stared at him.
"No," she said quietly. "You're mistaken."
"I'm not."
"I already had a mate. Lucien, he..." Her voice cracked. "He rejected me."
Cassius's jaw clenched at the mention.
"That kid," he snarled, "made the greatest error of his existence." The connection you experienced wasn't genuine. It was shallow. Surface-level. An illusion created by proximity and desperation."
Ava blinked. "That's not possible. I felt it. My wolf felt it."
"Your wolf was suppressed. Caged by years of mistreatment. "You haven't even realized your complete power yet."
She shook her head, feeling overwhelmed.
This could not be genuine.
Ava pushed off the bed and tried to stand. Her knees trembled.
Cassius arrived instantly, grabbing her just before she could tumble. His hands felt warm against her arms. She flinched away. "Don't touch me."
He released her immediately. "You're not held captive, Ava." But you are in danger."
Her eyes snapped to his. "From what?"
"From Lucien. And others like him. "He might have turned you down, but that doesn't imply he's finished with you."
A frigid shiver ran along her back.
"What is it that you seek from me?" she murmured.
Cassius's voice softened. "Nothing. Only to show you who you truly are."
"And who is that?"
His golden eyes seemed to glow brighter. "The future of our kind."
Ava laughed bitterly. "You've got the wrong girl. I'm no future. I'm the reject. The weak one."
Cassius stepped closer, lowering his voice. "You are not weak. You survived what would have broken others. That takes strength."
She gazed at him, feeling unsure.
He extended a hand. "Approach." Allow me to present the palace to you. "You'll feel improved after you've been active."
Following an extended silence, she agreed with a nod.
Cassius led her through spacious corridors with shiny floors and high windows. All around her, sentinels were positioned stiffly, their armor shining, their eyes showing deference yet cautiousness.
"They have no faith in me," she whispered.
"They are not familiar with you," Cassius amended. "They will acquire knowledge."
They walked out onto a balcony that faced the Lycan territory. The sight left Ava astounded. Distant mountains. Woodlands that extended without end. A silver stream meandering through the valley like a ribbon.
"This is… lovely," she murmured.
"Here, it belongs to you," he said softly.
She glanced at him, taken aback.
"What did you say?"
"You are more than just a wolf." You were born a Lycan, Ava. "The royal blood flows within you."
She looked at him as if he had lost his mind.
"My parents were unknowns." My mother died when I was little. My father vanished. I was raised by a healer"
"Lies," he said gently. "To protect you."
Her head spun.
"Are you saying that I'm a royal?"
"Certainly." Concealed in obvious view.The daughter of the last Lycan heir, killed in a coup. You were taken to the Ironclaw Pack to be kept hidden until the time was right."
Ava stumbled back. "No. That can't be."
"It is."
"Then why didn't anyone inform me?" "Why didn't you inform me?" Cassius's eyes darkened. "Because I had to wait. You had to grow. Discover your strength. You're not ready to wield that truth until you believe in yourself."
Ava shook her head, tears burning her eyes. "This is crazy."
"I understand it's quite a bit." "However, you are no longer by yourself." A knock echoed behind them.
Cassius turned. "Enter."
A tall man in armor stepped in, bowing. "Your Majesty. We have a problem."
Cassius's expression hardened. "Speak."
"There was a breach. A message was delivered to the gates… from Alpha Lucien."
Ava went still.
Cassius's voice dropped. "What message?"
The guard hesitated. "He demands the return of the girl. Claims she is pack property. Says the bond is still his."
Ava's blood turned cold.
"No," she whispered. "He rejected me."
"Exactly," Cassius growled. "She belongs to no one."
The guard nodded. "He's gathering allies. We believe he's preparing for war."
Cassius turned to her. "You see? He never valued you until someone else did. He will try to reclaim what he threw away."
Ava gazed at the horizon, her thoughts swirling.
"I prefer not to return," she stated. "Not ever."
"You won't," he said firmly.
She met his gaze. "Then teach me. Train me. If I'm truly meant to fight, I need to learn how."
A gradual, dignified smile shaped his mouth. "Great."
However, before either of them could speak further, the balcony doors flew open.
A woman stood there in a figure-hugging red dress, her dark hair beautifully curled around her face. Eyes sharp. Dangerous.
Serena Voss.
Ava's heart dropped.
"How sweet," Serena purred. "The king and his stray."
Cassius snarled. "You're trespassing."
Serena laughed. "Relax, Your Highness. I came with a message." Her gaze turned to Ava, dripping with venom. "Lucien wants his mate back. And if you don't return her…" She stepped closer, smiling cruelly. "He'll burn this palace to the ground."