Chapter 3 - The Ring of BetrayalSerafina's secret threatened to tear the Voss kingdom apart.Damian locked Serafina inside the old council chamber.
No guards were allowed to speak to her.
No servants.
No exceptions.
Alora stayed beside the pups while Damian questioned his former Luna.
"You gave the assassin that ring."
Serafina shook her head.
"I didn't know he was an assassin."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"I was desperate."
"For what?"
She looked away.
Damian slammed his fist onto the table.
"Speak."
Serafina finally whispered.
"I wanted to leave you."
"You did."
"Before that."
Damian froze.
Serafina's hands trembled.
"I wanted protection."
"From whom?"
"The council."
She swallowed.
"They knew about the prophecy."
Damian's blood chilled.
"Which prophecy?"
"The true mate."
His eyes narrowed.
"They wanted to prevent Alora from taking the Luna position."
"Why?"
"Because the true mate changes succession."
Serafina stared at him.
"Your strongest heir would not necessarily be Wren or Finn."
Damian's expression hardened.
"What are you saying?"
"The next heir could be born with power greater than yours."
A long silence followed.
"Who wants that child dead?"
Serafina whispered the name.
"Lord Varek."
Damian's stomach tightened.
Varek was the oldest member of his council.
The wolf who had advised his father.
The wolf who had supported Damian's coronation.
And the man who had been present every time Serafina had asked for more guards.
Damian stood.
"Why did you leave the pups?"
Serafina began crying.
"Varek threatened them."
"So you abandoned them?"
"He said he would kill them if I told you."
"You should have told me."
"I was afraid."
"You were their mother."
Her sobbing became silent.
Damian walked to the door.
Then stopped.
"Why did you come back?"
Serafina wiped her face.
"Because Varek is preparing something worse."
Before Damian could answer, a horn sounded outside.
Emergency alarm.
Alora's scream followed.
Damian ran.
The courtyard was chaos.
Wolves were falling.
Not dead.
Unconscious.
A silver mist rolled between the buildings.
"POISON!" a healer shouted.
Damian covered his mouth.
"Take the pups underground!"
Alora grabbed Wren.
A guard carried Finn.
They rushed toward the hidden staircase.
Then Alora stopped.
Her face changed.
"What?"
She looked at Damian.
"The nursery."
He understood instantly.
The poison had been released inside the castle.
Someone wanted them underground.
A trap.
Damian shifted into wolf form.
He tore through the wall separating the castle courtyard from the old tunnel.
"Follow me!"
They descended.
The passage opened into an enormous underground chamber.
At the far end stood a sealed stone gate.
And carved across it was a single sentence.
ONLY THE TRUE MATE CAN OPEN THE BLOOD GATE.
Alora stared.
Damian looked at her.
"Try."
"I don't know how."
"Try."
She placed her palm against the stone.
Nothing happened.
Then Wren began crying.
Alora pressed the infant against her chest.
A drop of blood fell from her hand onto the gate.
The entire chamber shook.
Blue light erupted.
The gate opened.
And behind it stood hundreds of armed wolves.
Damian's eyes widened.
They wore Voss armor.
The insignia of his own royal guard.
At the front stood Lord Varek.
Smiling.
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"Thank you, Alpha King," Varek said.
"You've just opened the way for us."
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