67

67
Nova's POV
Emotions overwhelmed Daniel. His eyes reddened, his body began to tremble, signaling an unstoppable transformation.
"Fine," he hissed. "If that's what you want..."
In an instant, Daniel's body transformed. His bones cracked, his skin shifted, and the human figure vanished, replaced by a massive pitch-black wolf with glowing red eyes. He growled, clawing the marble floor until it cracked.
Diego glanced at me for a moment. His gaze... there was something he wanted to convey. He took a deep breath, then closed his eyes. The next moment, his body expanded, forming a dark gray wolf with gleaming golden eyes.

Two wolves. One throne.
I stepped back, holding my breath. Then, they charged.
Their bodies collided, creating a tremendous thud. Claws and fangs clashed, roars filled the hall. An intense battle was unavoidable; Diego fought with control, Daniel was consumed by rage.
Diego was thrown back but quickly got up. Daniel attacked blindly, leaping to tear at Diego's neck. But Diego skillfully dodged, then clawed and knocked him to the floor. Daniel tried to rise, but Diego was faster, pinning his neck down, fangs touching his skin.
Silence. Everyone held their breath.
Daniel reverted to human form, his body covered in blood. "Kill me," he hissed, full of vengeance.
But before Diego could transform back, Daniel snatched a dagger that had fallen nearby. He swung it at Diego.
Too late.
Diego dodged, then charged. Daniel's body slammed against the hard wall. The dagger slipped from his grasp, blood flowed from his mouth. He fell to the floor.
Dead, with open eyes filled with emptiness. Everyone was silent.
Diego slowly transformed back into his human form, his body bloodied and breathing heavily. He stood there, staring at his brother's lifeless body. There were no cheers of victory. Only silence. Only tragedy.
Emily screamed her son's name, running with tears streaming, embracing Daniel's lifeless body.
Diego said nothing. But from the look on his face, I knew this was not the victory he wanted. This was a fate he was forced to accept.
Diego walked with heavy steps, blood staining his skin and torn clothes after the fierce battle. The battle roars had ceased, and silence hung in the air, heavy and cutting. In the corner of the hall, the Alpha, his father, lay bleeding, his body nearly motionless. Several gaping wounds marked his chest and side, the result of Daniel's attack.
Without saying a word, Diego knelt beside his father. The old man's breath was labored, his eyes, now dimming, slowly moved to look at his son.
"Diego..." he whispered, his voice weak, almost inaudible.
"Father..." Diego grasped his father's hand, trying to press on the wounds with his palm. "Don't talk. You will heal. I will call a doctor—"
"It's... too late," his father interrupted softly, his eyes still fixed on his son without blinking. "This wound... is deep. I can feel it..."
Diego clenched his jaw, holding back emotions that were about to explode. "Why... why didn't you believe in me from the start? Why did you wait until I killed my own brother before you acknowledged me?"
The Alpha smiled weakly, faintly. "I... was too blind... by legacy... by blood... I thought... only Daniel deserved it. Because... he was not part of my past pain."
Diego bowed his head. “I didn’t want this. I didn’t want to have to prove myself like this…”
"I know... I know you don’t want power, Diego. But you protect. You fight for this pack. And... that’s what makes you worthy."
Diego grasped his father's hand tighter, tears finally falling from the corners of his eyes. "You can’t die, Father. I just made you see me… Don’t go now."
The Alpha took a long, painful breath. "Watch over them... Watch over Nova. Watch over your child... Be an Alpha... better... than I was."
And with that last breath, the old man's head tilted to the side, his grip loosened, and his eyes slowly closed. Silent. Empty.
Diego remained still for a moment. The world seemed to stop spinning. Anger, loss, and regret merged into a lump in his chest.
He slowly bowed his head, resting his forehead against his father's hand, then whispered softly, "Goodbye… Father. I will protect everything… for this legacy."

A year has passed.
I stood on the balcony, letting the spring wind caress my face, bringing the scent of wildflowers blooming all around the castle grounds. A place that once felt cold and full of shadows now felt warm. Alive. Happy. Even the sound of children laughing from behind me was the sweetest melody I had ever heard.
I looked at the two figures who had become the center of my world. Diego stood tall, wearing a black and silver Alpha cloak. His face looked different. More mature, calmer. No longer the man filled with anger and hatred. And in his arms, our seven-month-old baby, Lioran, squirmed playfully, his eyes looking up at Diego with innocent curiosity.
I walked slowly closer and wrapped my arms around Diego's waist. "He looks like you," I whispered with a smile, letting my fingers gently touch his cloak.
Diego looked down at our baby, then at me. His gaze was warm, far from the coldness I used to feel. "I hope he inherits your kindness, not my stubbornness," he said softly.
I chuckled lightly. "If he's stubborn... at least he knows how to stand his ground."
We laughed together, a genuine and lighthearted laughter. A laughter I never imagined we would share a year ago.
In the distance, I saw Marian sitting on a park bench. Her eyes glistened as she watched us. The woman who had once been my only protector when everyone else had shunned me now smiled as if the burdens of her life had been lifted. I knew she saw that it was not just Diego who had changed. But also me.
I looked at Lioran, our child. His name means light born from darkness. And he truly was. Born from a tale filled with wounds, betrayal, and tears. But also from two people who ultimately chose to believe, to open their hearts, and to heal each other.
Night began to creep down. The moon slowly rose in the sky. I leaned my head on Diego's shoulder, feeling his calm heartbeat.
"Thank you…," I whispered.
Diego grasped my hand. Tight. Warm.
"I should be the one thanking you… for never giving up on me," he replied.
We were silent. But in that silence, there was so much that was spoken. About the bitter past. About the painful wounds. But also about hope. About the love that finally grew, after all we had been through.
And under the light of that moonlit night, I felt truly whole.
The end.