Chapter 70 Who are you?

Chapter 70 Who are you?
~Kael~
Morning sunlight poured through the tall windows of my chambers, but it did nothing to warm the cold sitting inside my chest.
The fireplace beside me remained unlit, though I had been sitting before it for what felt like hours. The only thing occupying my thoughts was the weapon resting in my hand.
I turned it over slowly. Even now, the strange blade unsettled me.
It was forged from a black metal unlike anything I had seen before. Jagged hooks curved backward along both edges and thin channels ran through the center, channels that had clearly been designed for poison or some other substance. Every part of the weapon screamed purpose.
This thing had not been made for ordinary wolves. It had been made for one. My Luna.
Someone had known Elira was traveling, where she was going and someone had wanted her dead.
My fingers tightened around the weapon. ‘Who? Who was stupid enough to try? Who was bold enough?’ 
I was still studying the blade when movement behind me pulled me from my thoughts.
I turned sharply and saw Elira tossing violently beneath the blankets.
Her face twisted in distress. "No…" she whispered.
My brows furrowed. Then she shook her head frantically. "No!"
Tears slipped down her face and my heart clenched. "No! I killed them!"
I rushed beside her immediately. "Elira."
She kept shaking. "No!"
I wrapped my arms around her. "Hey. Elira, wake up."
Her breathing became uneven. "No…"
"Wake up, sweetheart."
Her eyes snapped open. For a second, panic filled them before they landed on me. And she broke.
"I killed them," she sobbed, throwing herself into my arms. "I killed all of them."
I held her against my chest and simply let her cry. She cried so hard her body shivered violently. I kept quiet, letting her cry it out as I rubbed her back. 
Eventually, her sobs weakened and I brushed the tears from her face.
"Don't punish yourself for surviving," I said softly. "You were protecting yourself and Drex."
I walked over to the table and brought her water. The moment she accepted it, her eyes widened. 
"Drex." She sat upright. "How is he?"
"Alive."
Relief flooded her face immediately. I smiled faintly.
"He wanted to report for duty this morning. I gave him the day off." That almost made her smile. "He argued, of course."
"That sounds like him." She answered. 
"He was completely out of it yesterday. I practically ordered him to rest."
She lowered her eyes. "I did that."
My expression softened. "Elira."
"I couldn't control myself, Kael." She looked devastated. "I tried. I really tried. They all submitted to me and…" Her voice cracked. "I killed them. I could have just ordered them to tell me who sent them and send them on their way. But I didn’t do that.” 
I sat beside her. "After you got back last night, I sent men to investigate. They recovered the bodies and every weapon. We’d get information from them too.” 
She exhaled heavily. "They must have been horrified."
Against my will, the image from earlier flashed through my mind. One of the men had his throat cut so deep, he was almost decapitated. His head was hanging on by a thread of his flesh.  One of the physicians had almost fainted.
I immediately pushed the memory away. "You defended yourself."
She shook her head. "That doesn't make it easier."
I sighed. "Your wolf recognized danger. That's why Drex is alive. She didn’t attack Drex because he’s not a threat.” 
She stared at me. "You think that's a good thing?"
"I think your wolf protected the people she loves."
Her eyes drifted to my table. Particularly, to the strange weapon laying on it.  She climbed out of bed and approached it slowly. I  followed behind her. 
"There were so many of them."
I nodded. "There was one weapon for every body." I responded and her eyes widened.
"My blacksmiths are studying them. We need to know what they are made from and where they came from."
"And the bodies?" She asked. 
"Morwen and the physicians are examining them."
She frowned. "I already told you what happened."
"Morwen wants to understand it better."
Elira scoffed bitterly. "A massacre. That's what they're studying."
I grabbed her hands. "Hey." She lowered her head.
"People won't see the reason, Kael. They'll see the horror." She swallowed. "Silvercrest happened and now this. I practically declared war."
I frowned. "Maybe they should be afraid."
Her head snapped toward me. "What?"
I nodded. "If they know what you can do, maybe they'll think twice before attacking."
She stared at me in disbelief. "You think this is good?"
"No." I moved closer. "I think enemies should know better than to touch you."
"Kael, I killed over a dozen men!"
"And they came to kill you!"
She stepped away. "I don't want violence." Her voice trembled. "I don't want to become a weapon."
My expression softened and I touched her face gently.
"Elira, that choice was stolen from you the moment you were born a Dire Wolf." She shut her eyes. "People will test you. They'll attack you. They'll keep coming."
"And they'll come back stronger. They will reinforce.”  Her answer was immediate and silence settled between us.
Then she spoke again.  "I want to see them."
"No." I shook my head firmly. 
She looked at me. "I want to see the bodies."
"No. That’s not a good idea.” I insisted. 
"If this is my life now, then I should get used to seeing the consequences." She argued. 
"Elira."
"I need to."
I sighed heavily. I hated this idea, but I knew that look she gave me. There was no changing her mind.
 
The palace morgue was colder than usual. Several physicians bowed as we entered. Morwen stood silently beside one of the tables, completely lost in thought.
She looked very troubled.
The physicians resumed their work after greeting us. This time, the masks had been removed and the attackers had a face to them. They were just… men.
Elira stiffened beside me. I knew she regretted coming, but she didn't turn away.
Morwen finally looked up. "Your Majesties."
I nodded. "Tell me what you found."
Morwen remained quiet for several seconds. Long enough for my patience to thin. "Morwen."
She looked disturbed. "These men didn't kneel because they were afraid."
I frowned. "What do you mean?"
She touched one of the bodies thoughtfully.
"Animal Magnetism forces submission." She paused. "But this…"
Everyone waited and her voice lowered. "This is different."
I exchanged looks with Elira. "What are you saying?"
Morwen's eyes slowly rose. "They worshipped her."
The entire room went silent. One of the physicians stopped working altogether.
Elira's breathing hitched. "What are you saying?"
Morwen stepped back. "I've studied Dire Wolf history for decades." She looked genuinely shaken. "And no Dire Wolf should possess this much power."
My heart sank. Elira stared at her fearfully. "What does that mean?"
Morwen shook her head. "I don't know."
"You don't know?" I asked in surprise. 
"This has never been recorded." Her voice was quiet. "Not once." She looked back at the bodies. "Everything about this is wrong."
Elira's fingers found mine and I squeezed her hand.
Morwen continued. "Animal Magnetism causes submission. But these men looked upon you with reverence. Like you’re something sacred.” 
Elira stepped closer to me and fear filled her eyes. "What am I?"
Morwen shook her head again. "I wish I knew."
I stared at my Elira. At the woman I had married. And for the first time since meeting her, a terrifying thought crossed my mind.
‘What exactly are you, Elira?’
‘Who is the woman I married?’