Chapter 3

The air in the royal palace was thick with anticipation as Kael, entered the grand hall. His footsteps echoed with purpose as he approached the chamber where his children, Prince Ronan and Princess Selene, awaited him. The weight of the world seemed to hang over him, and he knew this conversation would alter the course of their lives.

Ronan stood near the hearth, his amber eyes glowing softly as he gazed into the flames. The firelight reflected off his tribal tattoos, his strong, lithe frame coiled with a silent power. Selene, ever the poised and regal princess, sat at the edge of the table, her expression calm yet unreadable. Her platinum blonde hair shimmered in the dim light, and her brown eyes focused on her father with a mixture of respect and quiet expectation.

Kael stood before them, his gaze sharp and direct. "Ronan, Selene," he began, his voice carrying the weight of his title, "there are matters of grave importance that must be addressed. Matters that concern not only our future but the future of all werewolves."

Ronan’s posture stiffened, his gaze narrowing in curiosity. "What is it, Father?"

Kael inhaled deeply, his voice lowering. "The humans are waging war against the vampires. Their kind is being hunted down, driven into extinction. And yet, I believe the worst is yet to come. Once the humans are finished with the vampires, they will turn their sights on us. We are not safe."

Selene's eyes narrowed. "What do you propose we do about it? The vampires have always been our enemies. They are bloodthirsty creatures with no loyalty to anyone but themselves."

Kael’s expression hardened, though he remained calm. "I understand your disdain, my daughter. But this is no longer about loyalty—it’s about survival. If we do not act now, if we do not ally ourselves with the vampires, we will fall as they will. The humans will hunt us down without hesitation once they know of our existence."

Ronan’s jaw clenched, his fists tightening at his sides. "You want us to ally with the vampires? To stand with the very monsters we have fought against for centuries? I will not bend to such an alliance."

Kael’s gaze turned towards his son, his voice steady yet insistent. "It is not a matter of bending, Ronan. It is a matter of survival. The humans are relentless, and they will not stop until they have wiped out every last supernatural creature. The vampires are our only chance. We must fight together, or we will fall one by one."

“You speak of survival, Father,” Ronan growled, his claws extending slightly as his rage simmered beneath the surface. “But what about dignity? Do we sacrifice our pride to crawl at the feet of our enemies?”

Kael’s voice remained calm, but there was steel behind it. “This is not about pride, Ronan. This is about ensuring our people live to see another generation. Pride will not protect us from the humans’ weapons.”

“Then let me lead our warriors!” Ronan snapped, stepping closer to his father. “Let us fight, tooth and claw, until our enemies fall before us. I will not bow to those leeches.”

“And how many of our people will you bury, my son?” Kael’s voice was low, sharp as a blade. “Will your pride be worth the graves of our kin?”

Ronan stared at his father, the tension in his face palpable. After a long silence, he spoke, his voice softer but filled with reluctant understanding. "What is the deal, Father? If we are to ally with them, what must we offer?"

Kael took a step forward, his gaze meeting both of their eyes with the full weight of his plan. "I propose a pact, one that will bind our fates together. To secure their trust, I intend to offer the hand of Selene, to Dimitri, the vampire prince. With that we can ensure that our pack survives this war."

Selene’s eyes widened, her expression flickering with shock and fury. "You want me to marry him?" Her voice was sharp, filled with disbelief. "A vampire? A creature of darkness? This is madness."

Ronan’s stance shifted as he stepped toward his sister, his voice calm but forceful. "It is not madness, Selene. It is a fact. Once the humans discover our kind, we will be hunted down without mercy. The vampires may be our enemies, but they are our only allies in this. If we do not join forces, we will all be wiped out."

Selene’s face twisted with frustration, her fists clenched. "I will not marry a vampire. I will not bind myself to a monster."

Ronan sighed, his amber eyes softening with a rare understanding. "I know you hate the idea, Selene. But think of our people, think of our pack. This is the only way. The humans will stop at nothing. We cannot face them alone. This pact, this union, may be our only hope."

As her brother spoke, Selene’s chest tightened. The weight of his words pressed on her like a mountain, crushing her resolve. She wanted to scream, to hurl accusations at her father for even suggesting such a betrayal of their lineage. But deep down, images of their people… the pups playing in the fields, elders recounting ancient tales by the fire… flashed in her mind. They needed her.

Kael stood silently, watching the exchange between his children. His heart ached, knowing the price that would be paid. But his duty was clear, and sometimes, sacrifices were necessary for the greater good.

Selene stood still, her gaze drifting to the floor as she struggled with the decision. After a long pause, she finally spoke, her voice resigned. "I hate it. I hate the idea. But I understand the necessity. For the pack, I will do it."

Ronan gave his sister a solemn nod, his pride for her clear, even in the face of such an unimaginable decision. "You do what you must, Selene. I will stand with you, no matter what." Then, he smirked faintly, a rare glint of amusement breaking through his simmering anger. “At least Dimitri isn’t as ugly as some of the stories make vampires out to be,” he said, his voice low but laced with sardonic humor.

Selene shot him a glare, her fists still clenched at her sides. “Oh, wonderful, Ronan. Perhaps I should thank Father for arranging my marriage to the most presentable monster in the kingdom.”

“Just saying,” Ronan replied, a faint shrug of his shoulders. “You’ll manage.”

Kael’s sharp gaze silenced them both, though a flicker of annoyance crossed his face. “This is no time for jokes, Ronan.”

“Who’s joking?” Ronan muttered under his breath, his smirk lingering despite the tension in the room.

Kael sighed, feeling his shoulders relaxing slightly, though his eyes still bore the weight of what lay ahead. "Then it is settled. We will approach the Queen Serafina with this offer, and we will forge a pact that will ensure our survival."

As the room fell silent, Kael looked upon his children with a mixture of pride and sorrow. They had made a difficult decision, one that would shape the future of their people. In the face of war, they had chosen survival, even if it meant allying with their ancient enemies. His gaze lingered on Selene for a moment longer, and the weight of the situation settled deep in his bones. He knew, in time, they would come to understand the gravity of the choice they had made.

But as he left the room, his footsteps echoing through the halls, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the consequences of this pact would forever alter the course of their lives.

Selene, meanwhile, stormed into her chambers, her mind a tempest of conflicting emotions. The weight of her father's words still pressed heavily on her chest. ´Marry a vampire? ´ The very thought was a betrayal to everything she had been taught to believe. A union with Dimitri, the vampire prince, felt like chains binding her to a fate she had never chosen. She clenched her fists, fighting the urge to scream, to reject the path that was now laid out before her.

She moved to the window, her hands clenched into fists as she stared out at the vast, moonlit lands that had once represented freedom. `Could I leave? Could I run away? ´ The thought flickered, fleeting and foolish, but it still burned in her heart. She could disappear, vanish into the night... but where would she go? And would it be enough to escape the consequences of abandoning her people?

A knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts.

“Selene?” Ronan’s voice, strong and steady, echoed through the room. “May I enter?”

She didn’t answer immediately, but when the door creaked open, Ronan stepped inside. His tall, commanding figure filled the doorway, amber eyes soft with concern. He closed the door behind him, his presence a steadying force in the storm of her emotions.

“I know you are troubled,” he said, his voice low but reassuring. “But you are not alone in this.”

Selene turned to face him, her eyes filled with frustration. “I never asked for this, Ronan. I am to be bargained off like a mere piece in a game.”

Ronan, though older and wiser, did not scold her for her words. Instead, he approached her with a quiet strength, his tone gentle yet firm. “I understand your anger, sister. But we are all bound by duty. This marriage is not a betrayal; it is a necessity. For the survival of our people, we must unite with the vampires.”

She shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. “I fear I will lose myself in this union.”

Ronan’s gaze softened, his hand resting briefly on her shoulder. “You will not lose yourself, Selene. You are strong, and I will be by your side in this. We will endure together, as we always have.”

Her heart ached with the weight of his words, but she nodded in resignation. “I will do what is required of me. For the pack.”

Ronan gave a solemn nod in return, his pride in her silent but clear. “And I will stand with you, no matter what.”