Jace Moonville stared at the massive wolf lying on the floor, looking strangely calm despite being trapped. It was unsettling to see how the wolf seed completely unbothered by his own captivity.
Jace, on the other hand, was still trembling from the wolf’s overwhelming power, even though he stood safely outside the fiercely glowing cage. His hand shook so badly that the water the witch had given him nearly slipped from his grip.
He clutched the vial tighter, trying to steady himself, afraid the liquid might spill over his fingers and burn him.
Just then, a low, deep voice rolled through the room, echoing off the walls and he froze.
"What is your na?"
Jace flinched violently. His whole body jerked as his ears rang with disbelief. For a mont, he could only stare, wide-eyed. Wolves didn’t speak when in their true form. It wasn’t possible. But he was sure-absolutely sure-that the voice had co from the beast inside the cage.
"H-how... how did you-" he began but then veered off. No. He must be imaging things...
The wolf didn’t move. He simply stared back at Jace, unblinking, dark eyes gleaming through the haze of light.
It was the fear and exhaustion. It had to be. But before he could convince himself it was nothing, the wolf spoke again in a low voice, "Aren’t you going to answer with your na? Fine," the voice rumbled. "Then tell —where is Emira?"
Jace stared at the wolf. Even though his mouth had not moved, he was sure that it was him who had spoken... Hurriedly, he stood up. He needed to leave. He didn’t want to stay here, waiting...
Jace took a shaky step backwards, clutching the vial so tightly his knuckles turned white. He didn’t care if the witch punished him later. He couldn’t stay here another second. Just as he was about to reach the door, a single word cracked through the air like a whip, "Stop."
Jace froze. His heart pounded in his chest as he tried to take another step, but his body refused to obey. His muscles locked. His legs wouldn’t move.
He tried again, gasping even as his fingers trembled around the vial. But his legs refused to move, try as he might. Then the voice ca again as if laughing at him," Do you really think you can defy the Alpha Prince’s order?"
Alpha Prince.
The words hit like a strike to his gut. His throat went dry as the truth sank in. Alpha Prince. Crown Prince Lance Stormhold.
The sa wolf whose na carried through every pack, whispered in both awe and fear. He wasn’t just any royal- he was the Supre Alpha. A wolf with power said to rival the moon itself.
And Jace had... There was only one thought in his head at the mont... He was dead. For sure.
He tried to turn around-to bow, to beg, to throw himself at the prince’s rcy-but his body still refused to move. He couldn’t even lower his head. He could only stand there, shaking.
Then the prince’s voice filled the room again "Where is Emira?"
Jace’s lips parted before his mind could even catch up as the truth poured out of him in a rush."She’s in the room next door. She was here just now. The witch took her away once she was sure you were lured.
"And what do they plan to do with her?" the wolf asked, still unbothered by his own captivity.
Jace swallowed hard. "A few Ogas... they’re going to prepare her for the ritual."
A pause. Then, "What ritual?"
"I—I don’t know," Jace stamred. His voice shook. "I swear I don’t!"
"Trying to lie?" The prince’s tone was sohow softer and lower now as if he were having a generic conversation, but that made it worse.
"No! No-I dare not lie! I know nothing! Our Alpha... he commanded us to take her and bring her here. We obeyed, that’s all! We only heard the witch talking about so ritual-sothing about ’Master’ claiming her rightfully-"
The word "Master" hung heavy in the air. Lance’s eyes narrowed inside the cage. There it was... "Who is Master? And why does he want her specifically?"
Jace’s lips trembled. He tried to answer, but his throat tightened painfully. His entire body began to shake as an invisible force pressed against his chest. "C-can’t speak..." he choked out. "If I do... I’ll die..."
"Who is Master?" Lance repeated, this ti with a growl that would have made the strongest of wolves tremble.
Jace’s eyes went wide. His mouth opened, blood pooling suddenly at the corner of his lips. "Master is... dar—"
The rest never ca. His body convulsed once, violently, and he collapsed to the ground as the vial slipped from his fingers and fell to the ground, spilling over his hand...
Smoke rose where the drops touched his skin and his body twitched once before going completely still.
The sll of burning flesh filled the air. The wolf stared at the dead man and closed its eyes. It seed whatever this master was, they had cast a powerful spell that might cause the death of anyone who spoke to him.
Just then, the door opened and in walked Owen Moonville. Perfect timing... He looked at his dead friend’s body, lying there half burnt and let out a small choked scream. Before the man could run away from fear, Lance muttered," Stop."
The man froze and Lance continued," Go bring Emira to . She should be unhard. You have five minutes. Don’t make a sound."
Owen Moonville shook his head violently, trying to fight the invisible pull that dragged him forward. His teeth clenched as he tried to stop his own legs from moving, but it was useless. Every muscle in his body obeyed the large wolf’s command.
He approached the two guards outside Emira’s room and as the witches tried to stop him, he shoved them aside. Inside, two others were forcing Emira into a dress as she struggled weakly to get away from them.
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