Chapter 7

Lucien’s POV

Pain. A raw, searing ache burned through my body like wildfire, spreading from the deep gash in my side. I was barely clinging to consciousness, my breathing shallow, my vision blurred. But no matter how much my body screamed for rest, I had to stay awake.

I was the King of Alphas. I would not be seen as weak.

I forced myself to sit up despite the sharp stab of pain that shot through me. My muscles locked, sweat slicked my skin, and the overwhelming nausea made my stomach churn. I gritted my teeth, swallowing down the discomfort.

Then the door slammed open.

“My son!”

Luna Celestine’s voice pierced through the agony, sharp with fear and fury. Her presence filled the room before she even reached me, her long black gown billowing around her like a storm cloud.

Her emerald eyes scanned my injuries, her expression turning from worry to something much darker.

“They said it was a poisoned dagger,” she said, her voice tight with restraint. “That traitor Darren tried to kill you.”

I exhaled slowly, forcing my voice to stay steady. “It wasn’t Darren, Luna.”

Her eyes snapped to mine, narrowing with suspicion. “What do you mean?”

A deep silence stretched between us.

Darren had fought me, yes. But he hadn’t been the only one.

There was another. Someone faster. Someone lethal.

I dragged a shaky hand through my damp hair, recalling the fight in flashes of steel and shadow. Darren had been reckless, all brute strength and arrogance. But the second attacker? He had moved like a phantom—silent, scentless, deadly.

“He wasn’t alone.” My voice was hoarse, the weight of the admission pressing against my ribs.

Luna Celestine stiffened.

“Another assassin?” she asked, her tone dangerously calm.

I nodded once. “Yes. And he was… different.”

Her gaze sharpened. “How so?”

I clenched my fists, fighting against the wave of exhaustion threatening to pull me under. “I couldn’t scent him.”

That got her attention.

Her lips parted slightly, disbelief flickering across her expression. “That’s impossible.”

I shook my head. “It happened. He was fast, precise. I barely saw his face. But the worst part?” I looked down at the deep wound on my side. “His blade… It wasn’t just poisoned. It felt like fire. Like it was eating through my flesh.”

Her hands curled into fists at her sides. “Magic.”

The word lingered in the air, heavy with meaning.

Magic had been outlawed from our lands centuries ago. Witches, warlocks, and all those who practiced the forbidden arts had been hunted, executed, erased from existence.

Or so we thought.

If someone had magic—and they were bold enough to use it on me—this was no mere assassination attempt.

This was war.

Luna Celestine turned away, pacing the length of the room. The smooth control she always carried was cracking, rage and something deeper swirling beneath the surface.

Then, she stopped.

“Describe him.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing my mind to recall the blurred image. The assassin had been cloaked in black, his face obscured beneath a hood, his movements precise, inhumanly fast.

But there was one thing I remembered clearly.

“His eyes.” My voice was a low rasp. “They weren’t normal.”

Luna Celestine turned, her expression unreadable.

“What did you see?”

I exhaled sharply. “They glowed—like embers in a dying fire.”

A heavy silence followed.

Then she murmured, “Not a rogue.”

I shook my head. “No. Something worse.”

She studied me, her sharp mind already putting the pieces together. “And Darren? Did he know about this?”

I hesitated. “I don’t know.”

Darren was impulsive and arrogant, but he wasn’t stupid enough to align himself with something he didn’t understand. This was bigger than him. Someone else was pulling the strings.

“Someone wants you dead, Lucien.”

Her voice was calm, but the fury simmering beneath it was unmistakable.

I leaned back against the pillows, my body trembling with exhaustion. “And they almost succeeded.”

Her jaw clenched. “They failed.”

For the first time since the fight, I let my guard slip. “Not entirely.”

Her gaze darkened.

I gestured weakly to the wound. “My wolf should’ve started healing by now. But it’s not.”

Real fear flickered in her expression before she masked it. “You will not die.”

A command. A promise.

But we both knew I wasn’t healing. And that meant the magic in that blade was strong—dangerous.

She turned toward the door. “I’ll summon the elders. We need answers.”

“No.” My voice was firm despite my exhaustion.

She paused, surprised by my resistance.

“We don’t know who we can trust,” I said, forcing myself upright despite the agony. “If someone within our own ranks is feeding information to our enemies, we can’t risk exposing our weakness.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line. “Then we move in silence.”

I nodded. “We start with Darren.”

Her expression turned lethal.

“Leave him to me.”

The temperature in the room seemed to drop.

Luna Celestine was known for her strength, but her wrath was something far worse. If Darren was still alive, he would wish he wasn’t.

She reached for the door but stopped.

“Lucien.”

I looked up.

“You were supposed to be untouchable.”

A bitter smile tugged at my lips. “And yet, here I am.”

Her eyes darkened. “Then let’s make sure this never happens again.”

With that, she was gone.

And I was left alone with the weight of what had just happened.

Whoever sent that assassin didn’t just want me dead.

They wanted me to suffer.

And I had every intention of making them pay.