Chapter 15 - The King Who Chose LoveOne final choice would determine the fate of every wolf alive.Damian stared at the visions.
Wren.
Finn.
His kingdom.
His people.
Then Alora.
His true mate.
The woman who had entered his life when everything was falling apart.
The woman who had saved his children.
The woman who had never asked for a crown.
Never asked for power.
Never asked to be loved.
And yet somehow she had become the only thing that made the word "home" mean anything.
The First Alpha waited.
"Choose."
Damian closed his eyes.
Then laughed.
It was quiet.
Almost peaceful.
"You made one mistake."
The First Alpha frowned.
"You gave me a choice."
Damian opened his eyes.
"I choose neither."
The entire Moon Realm shook.
The First Alpha stepped back.
"What?"
Damian held Alora's hand.
"I choose her."
"You condemn your kingdom."
"No."
He looked toward Wren and Finn.
"They will choose their own future."
Then toward the black moon.
"And the kingdom will survive without me."
Alora's eyes filled with tears.
"Damian..."
He kissed her forehead.
"I promised you that a mate is not a prison."
His voice cracked.
"So I won't ask you to die for my crown."
The First Alpha roared.
"Then die together!"
Darkness exploded.
Damian shifted.
Alora shifted beside him.
Her wolf was magnificent.
Silver fur.
Golden eyes.
The Moon Queen.
Damian's wolf was larger than any wolf alive.
King and Queen.
Mate and mate.
They attacked together.
But they did not attack the First Alpha.
They attacked the curse.
Alora drove her claws into the black moon.
Damian bit through the chain wrapped around the First Alpha's chest.
The ancient seal shattered.
The mountain screamed.
The Moonbound began disappearing.
The First Alpha fell to his knees.
For the first time, he looked like an old wolf.
Tired.
Broken.
Free.
He looked at Alora.
"Thank you."
Then his body dissolved into silver dust.
The curse vanished.
The Moon Realm began collapsing.
Damian grabbed Alora.
"RUN!"
They raced toward the doorway.
The path closed behind them.
They jumped through.
And landed in the castle courtyard.
Wren screamed.
Finn laughed.
The Moonbound were gone.
The war was over.
But not every secret had died.
Serafina stood near the gate.
She had tears in her eyes.
Damian walked toward her.
"You saved Finn."
She nodded.
"Not enough."
"No."
He looked at her.
"But you tried."
Serafina handed him the silver pendant.
"I was never worthy of being your Luna."
Damian answered:
"Neither of us was the person we were when we married."
She smiled sadly.
"Will you hate me forever?"
Damian shook his head.
"No."
Then he looked toward Alora.
"I have someone else to love."
Serafina nodded.
She turned.
And walked away.
Months passed.
The kingdom healed.
Wren grew stronger.
Finn learned to control his silver eyes.
And Alora's pregnancy advanced.
The day her child was born, the entire castle fell silent.
The baby did not cry.
Instead, every wolf in the kingdom knelt.
Damian stood beside Alora.
Their newborn daughter opened her eyes.
One was silver.
The other gold.
Finn whispered:
"She's different."
Wren smiled.
"She's ours."
Damian lifted the baby.
The moon appeared above the castle.
But before anyone could celebrate, a messenger burst through the doors.
His face was pale.
"Alpha King."
Damian turned.
"What is it?"
The messenger fell to his knees.
"We found a body near the southern border."
"Whose?"
The man swallowed.
"Kael."
Damian's face hardened.
"We buried him."
"I know."
"Then whose body?"
The messenger slowly looked up.
"The body beside his."
Alora's heart stopped.
"Who?"
The messenger whispered:
"Lord Varek."
Impossible.
Varek had been dead.
But there was more.
The messenger held out a black envelope.
A thorn was carved across the front.
Damian opened it.
Only one sentence had been written inside.
You defeated the first Alpha.
His eyes moved to the final line.
Now meet the last one.
A howl sounded beyond the castle.
Not from the forest.
Not from the mountains.
From inside the kingdom.
Every wolf froze.
Finn's silver eyes turned black.
He grabbed Damian's hand.
"Father."
Damian looked down.
"What is it?"
Finn began trembling.
Then he whispered the words that would destroy the peace they had just won.
"He's already here."
The castle doors slammed shut by themselves.
Every candle went out.
And from the darkness behind the throne...
a voice laughed.
May you like
"You should never have chosen love."
TO BE CONTINUED...
