Ezaar walked into his study and sank into the large leather chair. A long, tired sigh escaped his mouth. He leaned back and closed his eyes, letting the dimly lit room and the peaceful silence help him calm down.
The bleeding in his nostril had stopped, but his nose ached with a dull throb, though he wasn't the one to get punched out.
Another sigh left his mouth. Nothing made sense. Not the bond. Not her. Not even the goddess's damned plan.
Even that night, a few days ago, when his wolf felt her, when he was drawn to her like a madman, he couldn't understand it. They turned out to be fated fucking mates again… The broken bond seemed to come alive again, deeper and more intoxicating, but that was impossible.
He'd dropped her off in her room before barging straight into the council chambers, demanding answers. He had scoured the secret archives, pulled every scroll, overturned every theory. But nothing. There was no record of fated mates ever being… fated again. Once the rejection, especially after the bond was completely severed, it was over. Irreversible. So what the hell was this twisted prank?
Before his thoughts could spiral further, he sensed it. One pair of footsteps. Then another. He didn't even need to look. He could tell who it was just from the sound.
Ezaar groaned in frustration. He wasn't ready to be interrogated when he didn't have a damn clue.
"Argh, turn off the lights," he grumbled at his sister, squinting as the ceiling bulbs flicked on in full brightness.
Celestia stood before, arms crossed, expression unimpressed. And next to her, Beta Devlin, already glaring like he'd loaded an entire pistol of questions.
"Why did you fall?" Devlin asked bluntly, his tone dead serious.
No one knew why he'd collapsed earlier beside Evangeline. And though he was up and moving now, the entire pack had gone into panic mode.
"I already told you—I was exhausted," Ezaar muttered, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Things have been a mess these last few days, and I—"
"You can fool everyone else, Ezaar. Not me." Devlin cut him off, switching from Beta mode to best friend real quick. Exhausted? Oh, please! This man could fight with a hundred arrows stuck in him and still wouldn't flinch.
With an annoyed sigh, Devlin pressed further, "Even the elders are starting to think you've got some illness. Talk to me. What's going on?"
"I feel like it's because of your bond…" Celestia answered instead. When both men turned to her, she continued, "It feels different. Like you're not just fated mates… There's something more."
"Maybe…" she continued slowly, "maybe you like her? And that's why the bond is acting up so violently?"
Ezaar growled, eyes narrowing. "She is nothing more than my enemy's daughter, Celestia. Stop cooking up your lovetales."
"Oh really?" Celestia scoffed, her hands on her hips. "Then why did you spend 800 million on her?"
The moment the words left her mouth, she bit her tongue, realizing she had said something they'd promised to take to their graves.
"What?!" Devlin's reaction was obvious. 800 Million? No, they'd only shown 8 million in the audits.
"Don't tell me…" His eyes widened in realization. Glaring at the two, he whispered, "Don't you dare tell me you used the slush funds!"
Ezaar sighed heavily, massaging his temple. When he didn't respond, Devlin turned to Celestia, who merely gave him a casual shrug.
"Are you both fucking insane?" Devlin exploded, throwing his arms up. "Eight hundred million? For her? A weak girl who literally had to be carried out like a potato sack?!"
"She's his mate," Celestia snapped, scowling. "He had to save her!"
"She's also our enemy's daughter!" Devlin roared, his face darkening. "That bastard slaughtered half our pack, or did you forget?"
"Exactly," Celestia hissed. "Her father. Not her. Why should she pay for his sins? She's innocent!"
Devlin stared at her like she had grown two heads. "So you're okay if he accepts her?" he asked.
Celestia nodded coolly. "I'd be happy for him."
Devlin gasped in disbelief. "And you'd accept her as Luna?!" he questioned.
"Sure, why not?" Celestia replied like she was being asked what she wanted for lunch.
"Celestia, use your brain for once and not your damn heart!" Devlin barked, practically shaking. "She doesn't even have a wolf!"
"Why does that matter?" Celestia shot back. "Why is that such a big deal for you, Dev?"
"Because she's weaker than omegas!" Devlin shouted. "I'm pretty sure even humans could beat her in a fight! We cannot have someone like that as Luna!"
"Well, they're already chosen by the Moon Goddess," Celestia's voice was cold now. "What, you want to go against her plans?"
"No! But—"
Ezaar groaned at their catfight. They were worsening his headache. "She has the Queen Wolf!" He cut in, voice sharp as a blade.
Both of them snapped toward him in shock.
"What wolf?" Celestia asked again, blinking rapidly like she had misheard.
"She has the Queen Wolf," Ezaar repeated, letting out a long breath. "That's why I wasted 800 million on her."
Celestia looked like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water on her, meanwhile, Devlin looked like his soul had just exited his body.
With a sigh, Ezaar explained, "Graham's been hiding it. Training it secretly for years. Everyone thought she didn't have a wolf, and he let it stay that way—kept her hidden, protected from the world."
Celestia's jaw dropped, her eyes sparkling like she had seen the Goddess herself. The Queen Wolf. A legendary force of nature. Stronger than Alpha wolves. Rare. Untamed. Unmatched. It hadn't appeared in decades. And now, her brother's mate had it?
But as exhilarating as it sounded, it was hard to believe. Evangeline looked… too weak. Too broken to be hiding something so ethereal. Maybe that was the disguise all along?
Devlin, still dazed, turned to Ezaar. "But… how are you so sure?" he asked.
"We are mates, Dev. My wolf felt it when we first met." Ezaar said slowly. "And when I rescued her from the rogues a few days ago… my wolf could feel it. Dormant, hiding beneath her. And that's what made me save her." He added, trusting his wolf's words too blindly.
But Devlin looked troubled, he wasn't convinced. "But why would Graham sell her if she had a Queen Wolf? He's not stupid enough to give up a weapon like that."
His words hit home. Right? Ezaar hadn't thought of that. Before he could even begin processing it, a knock came at the door. The butler stepped in, her face pale with worry.
"What's wrong?" Celestia asked with a frown.
"Miss Evangeline," the butler said nervously. "She's… not in her room. I believe she's escaped."
Ezaar's eyes twinkled at the news. Great! She had fallen right into his trap. He turned to Devlin with a smirk. "Let's watch her shift."
Celestia dismissed the butler and turned to her brother. "How?" she asked curiously.
Ezaar leaned back, expression smug. "Send Darkin out," He ordered.
Celestia gasped. "No. Not him!" She shook her head, eyes wide.
Darkin. Their secret weapon. A rogue turned monster—modified beyond limits, made to destroy anything that didn't carry the Solamire bloodline. Designed for war, engineered to be a beast. If Evangeline truly had no wolf… one swipe from Darkin, and she'd be a memory.
Ezaar sighed, knowing this would be a fight. "Haven't you heard the tales of Queen Wolf, Cel?" His eyes gleamed with something dangerous. "She can tame any wolf. If she can tame Darkin… then no one will question her again."
With a smile, he tried to lure her, "Not even Devlin or any of the pack."
Before Celestia could argue again—
"I'll release it," Devlin interrupted, almost too eagerly. He bowed to Ezaar and left swiftly.
Celestia cursed under her breath and chased after him. "Devlin!" she hissed, storming behind him.
If she had the Queen Wolf, then she was their greatest weapon. If she didn't... Darkin would finish her for good. Either way, it was a perfect win.