Chapter 53: Having Visitors

Dominic’s POV.

The Lycan breeze was as cool as ever, the summer had gone and now replaced with the chills of the winter that was just by the corner.

Lycan winter were not exactly the best times especially since our territory was situated deep in the northern mountains. Winters were cruel and harsh, the time of harvest, cultivation and worst night crawlers.

“The Valerians are coming and you didn’t think to tell me about this?” I said to Marcus who stood right behind me.

I was outside the palace looking at the spot the creature had died when I noticed a figure walking behind me. I picked up his forest clouds scent and the hint of wet oak giving away his anonymity.

“You really didn’t think I, king of the Lycan’s didn’t deserve to know such? “

I still didn’t turn to him but I could feel he moving slightly and his eyes boring at my back.

“They came in when you went for war.”

That long ?

I turned to him, narrowing my eyes. “I went to war two weeks ago. When exactly had they come and why didn’t you tell me?”

He didn’t speak but kept his face straight at something above my shoulders.

I moved two steps closer, with calculated and deliberate steps. “Or were you not planing to? “

“During fall. They visited during early fall about three days after you left. They wanted to seal a truce for when winter comes.” He paused, his eyes returning his eyes back to me. “The rational thing to due when they threatened a kingdom at war was to accept and I did that, while making sure they come back to seek your permission in person.”

“For the winter huh?”

The Valerians were the beings of the south, one of the most powerful. Half of their colony were immortal while the other half beast so why did they need the Lycans help for the winter.

It was true we had more advantages being breeders of the snow but that wasn’t enough for the Lycans to seek our help was it ?

“You know Marcus, you can’t go ahead to make decisions on big matters like this. Must I remind you, I am the king of the Lycans. I say whether or not I want to seal a truce.”

I see a smirk tugging at his lip. “I did inform them to come back and to request for your permission so what’s the problem, your highness?” He says the last phase with pure sarcasm and I let a grunt followed by a low growl rumbled in my chest, and I took a step closer, my fists clenching at my sides. “The problem, Marcus, is that you made a reckless decision. We need every Lycan guarding our borders, not tied up in some diplomatic farce with the Valerians.”

Marcus raised an eyebrow, folding his arms over his chest. “Oh, but sending our best warriors to chase after your make-believe creature isn’t reckless at all, is it?”

The air between us grew colder, frost creeping along the edge of the palace wall. My control wavered as his words struck a nerve.

“It’s not make-believe,” I snapped, my voice low and dangerous. “I saw it with my own eyes. I fought it. And if we don’t act, more of them will come. Creatures like that don’t just vanish. They’re a sign of something bigger—something far worse.”

Marcus didn’t flinch, though the frost forming around his boots told me he felt the chill. Marcus was the next in command after me, my family’s illegitimate child and half brother or do they they were told. I couldn’t tell him anymore than that but the position seemed to be getting into his head way too much.

“ A sign of something bigger?” he echoed, mock disbelief lacing his words. “Or maybe just a convenient distraction from the fact that our lands are in chaos, and winter is closing in fast?”

I stepped closer, towering over him. “Do you think this is a game, Marcus? Do you think I’d waste resources on a ‘distraction’ when our people’s lives are at stake? New breeds of Lycans are maturing during this season, nee borns and even the old decaying and now winter, do you think I’d joke at a time like this?”

“And yet here you are,” Marcus countered, his voice rising. “Sending men to hunt shadows in the forest while the Valerians sit in their gilded halls, waiting for us to clean up their mess. Do you even hear yourself?”

I ignored him. “I’ll accept this me Valerians truce but only because Winters is coming and the hunters and night crawlers are many.

I heard Marcus chuckle under his breath and I exhaled sharply, my breath misting in the cold air. My patience was thinning.

“ I know what you’re thinking and I don’t think the Valerians summoned that creature. If anything, they’re running scared from whatever’s coming. You know as well as I do they wouldn’t seek a truce unless they were desperate.”

Marcus tilted his head, his smirk fading as he studied me. “And you think you can stop it, whatever ‘it’ is?”

I met his gaze, unyielding. “I don’t just think it—I know it. But not if you keep undermining me at every turn.”

The silence that followed was tense, the weight of my words hanging heavy between us.

Finally, Marcus sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Fine. Let’s say you’re right. Let’s say this creature is a harbinger of something worse. What exactly are you planning to do about it?”

My jaw tightened as I glanced back toward the forest, its dark expanse stretching endlessly into the horizon. “I’m going to do what I’ve always done—protect my people. But this time, I’ll need more than brute strength. I’ll need answers.”

Marcus frowned, his skepticism clear. “Answers? From where? From whom?”

“From the Valerians,” I said, turning back to him. “If they’re coming to negotiate, then they know something we don’t. And I’ll make sure they tell us everything.”

For once, Marcus looked genuinely surprised. “You’re going to press the Valerians? That’s bold, even for you.”

“I don’t have a choice,” I said simply. “These creatures, this storm—it’s all connected. I can feel it. And if we don’t act now, it’ll be too late.”

Marcus studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he nodded, though his reluctance was evident. “Alright, Dominic. I’ll stand by your decision. But don’t make me regret this.”

“You won’t,” I said, my voice steady.

He turned to leave, but before he could take a step, I added, “Marcus.”

He stopped, glancing over his shoulder.

“There’s a storm coming,” I said, my voice low and ominous. “Pray to the gods we’re strong enough to weather it.”

Marcus didn’t reply, but the flicker of unease in his eyes told me he understood.

As he walked away, I remained rooted to the spot, staring out at the forest. The faint howls of the night crawlers echoed in the distance, mingling with the cold wind.

The storm wasn’t just coming—it was already here.

I turned back toward the empty space where the creature had died, the memory of its grotesque form haunting me. Its claws, too sharp for something from this world. The way its body moved, as if it wasn’t entirely bound by physical laws. And the ash—it had scattered into the air like smoke, leaving no trace behind.

A voice echoed in my mind, unbidden and chilling. *What if this was only the beginning?*

The thought made my stomach twist, but I couldn’t afford to waver. I had seen too much in my time as king to let fear dictate my actions. This wasn’t the first time my people had faced an unknown threat, and it wouldn’t be the last.

But this time, something felt different. This wasn’t just about the Lycans or the Valerians. This was bigger than territory, bigger than politics.

The faint glow of the moonlight caught on something near the treeline, pulling me from my thoughts. I narrowed my eyes, stepping closer. The frost beneath my feet crackled with each step.

A shape moved in the shadows—a flash of something pale, almost translucent. It disappeared before I could fully make it out, but the feeling it left behind was unmistakable.

I wasn’t alone.

“Who’s there?” I called out, my voice firm but quiet.

The only response was the rustling of leaves and the faint whistle of the wind.

I stayed rooted for a moment longer, my senses heightened. Whatever it was, it wasn’t ready to reveal itself.

I turned back toward the palace, my mind racing. There was no time to waste. But even before I could welcome the Valerians I still needed to make things right here.

Punishment still needed to be passed to her.