CHAPTER 49 : Bound by Fate, Marked by Lies.

CHAPTER 49 : Bound by Fate, Marked by Lies.


Maybe not with the speed of a wolf-man, but it was still far beyond human capability.

Jade and her mother lunged at him, ripping him away with brutal force. He slammed into the cell gate with a heavy thud before collapsing to the floor.

Cedric groaned, pushing himself up, his instincts flaring as he shifted into his wolf to fight—

"Halt."

Craven’s voice sliced through the tension like a blade.

Everything stilled.

"Sit."

The raging wolf obeyed without question, dropping to the ground like a hound heeding its master’s call.

Craven let out a slow sigh. "I don’t want you killing these two. Vargr would never forgive me in this life. Go on—hunt. Run until your rage is calmed."

The wolf whined but obeyed, trotting out of the cell without another glance.

Miriam and Jade stood frozen in place, disbelief painted across their faces.

Jade was the first to speak, voice edged with astonishment. "That’s a new one. He controlled a raging wolf with just words?"

His mother exhaled. "No wonder wolves feel insecure around them. I'm leaving—I won’t be long. There's something Aurora  and I need to discuss."

Jade stiffened at the mention of Aurora . He watched as his mother turned and walked away.

A snort from Craven pulled his gaze back.

"She’s your mate, isn’t she?"

Jade’s eyes widened in shock. “How did you—” He stopped, realization dawning. “You read thoughts too?”

Craven smirked. “I wish. I can only feel your rage—and your concern for her.”

Jade stood there, gaping.

The beast added with a grin, “I know, I’m that amazing.”

Craven’s expression darkened slightly as he leaned back. “There’s nothing wrong with cherishing a mate, no matter how… difficult she is.”

Jade let out a bitter chuckle. “She wouldn’t accept me. I’m just a Gamma—not even the best Gamma. And you know what she’s like.”

Craven scoffed. “And that’s why you won’t grow up and tell her you’re mates?”

Jade’s jaw clenched. “I can’t.”

“Then you lack courage. What is it with wolves and lacking courage?”

Jade scoffed. “You’re starting to sound real annoying now.”

He turned to leave, but Craven’s voice stopped him.

"Hey, Gamma."

Jade glanced over his shoulder.

"Your mate... I don’t like her. Make sure you keep her away from me. The stench of her depravity suffocates me. I can barely breath."

\---

Lydia Fang returned to her home in the Crimson Moon Pack and gathered her belongings. Before leaving, she paid a visit to the Alpha’s house, only to find Selena awaiting her.

The sight of the girl made Lydia’s blood boil. This was the life her daughter was meant to have, stolen by a scheming impostor. She could hardly stomach the arrogance in Selena’s  bearing, nor the slight swell of her stomach as she carried the heir that should have been her daughter’s. Seeing her give orders so effortlessly made Lydia's fingers twitch with the urge to strike her.

“Welcome, Lady Fang,” Selena greeted with an insincere smile. Once, Lydia had been a Beta that commanded respect, feared by all. Now, she was a mockery, stripped of her former power.

“What brings you to my home?” Selena inquired coolly.

Lydia lifted her chin. “Do I need a reason to visit my daughter’s home?”

Selena smile did not waver.

“Well, the one you seek is not here. You may leave.” Her tone was dismissive, a deliberate insult.

Lydia’s temper flared. She stepped forward, voice sharp. “What insolence! How dare you address me in such a manner?”

“You forget yourself, Lydia,” Selena replied, lifting her head proudly. “You speak to a Luna now. Show the respect I am due.”

The courtyard fell silent. Onlookers turned to watch. The guards, once hers to command, now stood in protective formation around Selena. Lydia clenched her fists, but before she could speak, Selena waved them away with a flick of her hand. The men obeyed without question.

Selena ran a hand over her stomach, her smirk deepening. “I am the Alpha’s Luna and soon to be the mother of the future Alpha. You stand on my territory now.”

Lydia ground her teeth, barely restraining her fury. “Do you truly believe the Alpha will honor you as his Luna when his heart belongs to another? Do you think he loves you?” She took a step closer and whispered, “He has a lover. He will bring her here soon, just as he cast aside my daughter, and you will suffer the same fate. The night you were in danger—he knew. Yet he still chose her over you. That, my dear, is only the beginning.”

A heavy silence followed.

Then, to Lydia’s astonishment, Selena laughed. It was not a mere chuckle, but a full-bodied, mocking laughter that shook her shoulders and brought tears to her eyes.

“Oh, Lydia,” she sighed, wiping the corner of her eye as the laughter subsided. “I must have truly gotten under your skin for you to act like this. Look at yourself—the once-mighty Beta Fang, reduced to childish outbursts.” Then she met Lydia’s gaze, her expression turning cold, unwavering.

“I am not like your daughter,” Selena said, voice firm. “I know the Alpha’s heart belongs to another, but unlike her, I do not care. I am his Luna—the only Luna the pack recognizes. I carry his child, the future Alpha. The Moon Goddess has already blessed me beyond measure. So now…” She smirked. “Shall I tell the Alpha that you murdered his mate and let him deal with you as he sees fit? Or will you leave my sight and never return?”

Lydia had never suffered such humiliation. Rage burned in her chest, but beneath it, something more painful—a flicker of regret. If only her daughter had been as cunning, as ruthless, she would not have been cast aside so easily.

She turned to leave.

“Wait.”

Lydia paused and turned back to find Selena holding out a sealed letter.

“A message arrived from the witches’ clan,” Selena said with a taunting smile. “I believe it concerns your precious, untouchable daughter.”

With a last mocking laugh, Selena walked away, leaving Lydia frozen in place.

Slowly, Lydia broke the wax seal and unfolded the letter. Her eyes scanned the words, and her grip tightened until the parchment crumpled in her fist.

Her expression darkened. Without another word, she turned on her heel and left, fury burning in every step.

\---
Ravenwood Pack 

Blackthorn Hold.

Aria paused, gazing up at the imposing structure before her.

It was exactly as she had seen in her dream. Every detail—the towering stone walls, the iron-bound door—unchanged, as though time itself had folded to bring her here.

The moment she crossed the threshold, the beast within inhaled sharply, catching her scent.

“There you are, my beloved,” he murmured to himself. “Come to me.”

She moved forward, treading the narrow passage with an eerie familiarity. She had walked this path before—not in waking life, but in a dream so vivid it felt like memory. Her steps quickened as an invisible force pulled her onward.

Then she stopped.

A cell. Someone was inside.

Aria edged closer, peering through the dim light. A woman sat hunched, her long hair veiling her face.

Then, suddenly, the woman lifted her head.

Lena's breath caught.

Aurora ?

A slow, knowing smile curved the woman’s lips. “Came to see me too soon?” she mused.

Aria did not reply. She took a step back, then turned away, pressing deeper into the corridor.

Yet her mind lingered.

What is happening?

Why is Aurora  here—bound in chains?

Questions without answers.

She hardly noticed how far she had gone until a faint glow emerged from another cell ahead. The tunnel's end.

Aria halted.

There, waiting, was Alpha Demetrius His expression unreadable behind his usual mask, but his golden eyes gleamed like molten fire.

“It was true,” she whispered. “This is exactly as I saw it in my dream.”

A low scoff echoed in her mind.

“That was no dream, beloved,” Craven murmured. “Merely an extension of our connection.”

Aria pulse quickened. “Then everything you told me… it was all true?”

“Yes.”

She took a measured step inside. “Then tell me, to be certain—what am I?”

Craven’s voice was steady.

“A Dragon”