Chapter 27 Chapter 27
Leonidas' POV
The war began in a way I didn't expect.
"Well, Leonidas," Kael said.
His golden eyes locked onto mine as his wolf surged beneath his skin.
"Looks like the temple wants to see which one of us deserves her."
He was right, but what he didn't know was that I wasn't going down without a fight. My wolf howled inside me.
"Mine."
Yes, she is mine, and no one is taking her away.
The other Alphas stepped into the glowing circles surrounding the temple floor. Each and every one of them with a different thought in mind. Some out of greed, some out of the power and authority it holds.
The ancient stone groaned softly as the symbols beneath us brightened, showing each word clearly. The rings of the battleground pulsed with silver light, separating us from one another like invisible barriers waiting to fall.
Every Alpha present had shifted their attention to the same place.
Toward Sable.
She stood unmoving in the center of the temple, her body still glowing from the light surrounding her. Her eyes closed as if she was unconscious, completely unaware of what she had just started.
My wolf snarled inside me.
"Mine."
But this was not the time to claim anything. Not when there are six other Alphas watching her like predators who had just discovered the rarest prey in existence.
Kael stretched his neck slowly as if warming up.
"You know," he said casually. "I have always wondered what it would feel like to fight you."
I didn’t respond as I didn't see the need to.
My focus stayed on the temple itself. There was something wrong about this place; I could feel it.
The symbols on the ground weren’t just glowing anymore; they were moving slowly, shifting underneath our feet like they were living marks somehow responding to the power gathering around us.
Asher noticed it too.
"This temple is activating fully," he murmured.
Marcus frowned. "What does that mean?"
Asher looked toward the sky above us.
The moon had changed. It was larger now, brighter, and almost close enough to touch.
"It means," Asher said quietly, "the trial has already begun."
The moment the words left his mouth,
the rings of light exploded upward. A barrier of shimmering light energy surrounded each Alpha, separating us completely.
Kael blinked.
"Well, that’s new."
Marcus slammed his hand against the invisible wall of light,
trying to see if he could break through, but the barrier didn’t move.
"The temple is choosing the order," Asher said.
And then –
The symbols beneath my feet flared up, making the ground shake violently.
Two circles glowed brighter than the others.
Mine and Kael’s.
Kael laughed softly.
"Well."
His bones cracked loudly as his body began to shift. His wolf erupted from him in a violent transformation, fur bursting through the skin as his massive golden wolf dropped to the stone floor with a deep growl.
Huge.
Larger than most wolves.
His eyes burned bright amber as they locked onto me.
"Looks like we’re first," he said.
A ripple of excitement passed through the watching Alphas.
My wolf surged forward inside my chest, wanting to take control. I didn’t fight it.
Bones snapped as my body shifted. Pain shot through my limbs as muscle expanded and fur spread across my skin.
Then my wolf landed heavily on the stone floor. A dark gray beast with silver eyes.
Kael’s wolf circled slowly around me.
The barrier between our rings flickered lightly, then the ring vanished.
The fight began.
Kael lunged forward first.
Fast.
Too fast for a wolf his size.
I twisted sideways as his jaws snapped inches from my throat. His claws scraped across the stone beside me as he skidded past me.
I spun and slammed my shoulder into his side. The impact echoed through the temple.
Kael growled, shaking it off instantly. His wolf was powerful, very powerful, I could sense it. But he fought like someone who enjoyed it.
Like a hunter playing with prey. He came at me again.
This time I met him head-on because there was no need to keep avoiding each other.
Our bodies collided with brutal force.
Jaws snapping. Claws tearing.
Growls shaking the temple walls.
The watching Alphas didn’t interfere.
They couldn’t because the temple wouldn’t allow it.
Only two wolves could fight at a time while the rest were forced to watch. That was the rule of the temple.
Kael’s teeth grazed my shoulder while I retaliated instantly, slamming my jaws toward his neck.
He twisted away with surprising agility.
Then he laughed.
He actually laughed.
"You’ve gotten stronger," he said.
I answered with a snarl.
We circled again.
The ground beneath us trembled as the temple absorbed every ounce of power released during the fight.
Suddenly –
A scream cut through the air.
Everything stopped.
Every wolf turned toward the center of the temple where she stood.
Sable.
The silver light around her had intensified, her body was shaking with her hands clenched tightly at her sides as if she were fighting something inside herself.
The moonlight pouring down from the open sky above suddenly brightened.
The temple symbols flared violently.
Asher’s voice echoed sharply.
"This is wrong."
Marcus frowned. "What do you mean?"
Asher’s eyes were fixed on Sable.
"She’s not controlling the temple."
The ground trembled harder.
Kael’s wolf slowly backed away from me.
"What are you saying?" He asked.
Asher’s voice dropped.
"The temple is controlling her."
Sable gasped.
Her head snapped upward, her glowing silver eyes opened wide. But they weren’t focused on us.
They were staring straight at the moon above.
Then her voice echoed again.
But it wasn’t her real voice, it was like someone using her voice to speak.
It was deeper.
Ancient.
"The Queen must choose".
The words shook the air, leaving everyone in confusion.
Choose?
Marcus stepped forward.
"Choose what?"
The answer came instantly.
"The Alpha who will stand beside her."
The Alphas stiffened.
Kael’s wolf turned toward Sable slowly.
"So that’s how this works."
Asher frowned.
"That’s not all."
The temple symbols began spinning rapidly beneath our feet while different energy surged violently through the ground.
Something was changing.
The ancient voice spoke again.
"But only the strongest may remain."
Suddenly –
The barrier around another Alpha shattered.
The temple had chosen the next fight.
Two wolves inside separate rings were forced together as their barriers vanished.
The trial continued, and it wouldn’t stop until only one Alpha remained.
Kael’s wolf looked at me again, excitement burning in his eyes.
"Well, Leonidas," he growled.
"Looks like this temple wants blood."
Behind him, another fight erupted between two massive wolves.
Claws clashed. Fur flew.
Blood hit the stone floor.
But something else was happening that captured my attention.
Something far worse.
Sable’s power was still rising and growing.
I noticed it was now completely out of control.
Asher’s voice was tight.
"If this keeps going..."
Marcus frowned.
"What?"
Asher looked around the temple slowly.
At the glowing symbols.
At the ancient pillars.
At the unnatural moon above.
And finally at Sable.
"This entire place could collapse," he answered.
The realization hit me instantly. That was when I remembered this temple wasn’t meant to hold this much power.
Not the Queen’s.
Not seven Alphas fighting for dominance.
Not everything at once.
The ground cracked suddenly beneath the fighting wolves.
Stone split apart as the temple shook violently.
Sable screamed again.
Silver energy burst from her body in a massive wave, making the Alphas stagger.
Even Kael’s wolf lowered slightly under the pressure.
Then –
A new presence entered the temple.
The person didn't walk through the rings or through the barriers, but from the shadows behind the ancient pillars.
The tall figure stepped forward slowly, cloaked in dark robes.
Every wolf froze instantly because we could feel the power coming from him was different.
Not that of an Alpha.
Not Omega.
Something else entirely.
Asher’s eyes widened in shock.
"No..."
The stranger’s face remained hidden beneath his hood.
But his voice carried calmly across the temple.
"So the Queen has finally awakened."
The Alphas growled.
Marcus stepped forward aggressively.
"Who the hell are you?"
The stranger ignored him.
Instead, he looked directly at Sable. And slowly removed his hood.
Silver eyes.
Cold.
Ancient.
Dangerous.
Asher whispered hoarsely.
"A Guardian."
The stranger smiled faintly.
"Yes."
He stepped into the temple light.
"And you’ve all made a terrible mistake."
The ground shook violently again. Cracks spread across the temple floor.
The moon above darkened slightly.
The Guardian’s gaze swept across the fighting Alphas.
"You’ve awakened the Queen."
His eyes then lifted toward the sky.
"And now..."
His voice lowered.
"You’ve awakened something else."
The temple suddenly trembled harder than before.
A deep rumble echoed beneath the stone.
Something massive moved far below the temple floor.
Every wolf froze.
Even Kael.
Even Marcus.
Because the sound underneath the ground...
Was a growl.
Ancient.
Terrifying.
And getting closer.
The Guardian looked at Sable again, and his expression turned grim.
"The beast beneath the temple..."
He paused.
"..has heard its Queen."