The first rays of morning pierced through the heavy curtains, washing the grand chamber in a muted gold light. Yet, despite the beauty of the rising sun, a heaviness lingered in the air — a storm yet to break.
I stirred slowly, reluctant to leave the warm cocoon of Liam's arms wrapped around me. His scent — a mixture of pine, earth, and something uniquely him — filled my senses, soothing the lingering embers of fear that had haunted my dreams.
In the hazy in-between of waking and sleeping, I could almost pretend the world outside these walls had vanished. That there were no curses, no prophecies, no betrayals waiting for us beyond the threshold.
But reality, as always, refused to be ignored.
A sharp knock at the door shattered the fragile peace.
Liam stiffened beside me, instincts honed by years of leadership snapping him to full alertness in a breath. His arm tightened protectively around me, and for a moment, I saw not just the man who had held me so tenderly hours ago, but the Alpha King — fierce, unyielding, ready to defend what was his.
"What is it?" Liam's voice was rough from sleep but laced with authority.
"My Lord," came Renwick's voice — one of the elder advisors, loyal to a fault. "There's trouble at the eastern gate. Intruders. They claim they come bearing urgent news… about the prophecy."
The words sent a cold rush through my veins, banishing the last remnants of warmth from the room. I met Liam's eyes, seeing my own fear mirrored there. We had only just begun to find peace… was it already being ripped away?
Liam brushed a strand of hair from my face, his touch lingering for a heartbeat longer than necessary. "Stay here. I'll deal with this."
"No." I surprised even myself with the force of the word. I sat up, clutching the sheets to my chest. "I'm coming with you."
He opened his mouth to argue, but something in my expression must have stopped him. After a long moment, he gave a small, grim nod. "Very well. Stay close to me, Lola. I won't risk losing you."
We dressed quickly, the tenderness of the night before tucked away like a precious secret between us. Today, we were not just lovers. We were leaders.
The walk to the eastern gate was brisk and silent, tension crackling in the air like a storm ready to break. As we passed through the palace corridors, wolves and humans alike bowed their heads in deference — and curiosity. News of the previous night's battle had spread fast. They saw me now not just as the girl who had been sold to the Alpha King, but as something more.
As we reached the towering gates, the guards parted for us, revealing a group of cloaked figures standing beyond the threshold. Their hoods were pulled low, hiding their faces, but I could feel the weight of their gaze upon me.
One figure stepped forward, his cloak billowing in the morning breeze. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse, as if unused for a long time.
"We seek the savior foretold by the prophecy."
The words hung heavy between us.
Liam's hand rested lightly at my back — a silent reminder that I wasn't alone.
"You found her," Liam said coolly, his voice a velvet-wrapped blade. "Now speak your purpose — and choose your words wisely."
The figure dropped his hood, revealing a gaunt face marked by time and hardship. His eyes, however, were sharp — a piercing silver that seemed almost otherworldly.
"There is another prophecy," he said, and a murmur rippled through the crowd that had begun to gather behind us. "One older than the one you cling to. One that warns of a great betrayal… from within."
Liam tensed beside me, and instinctively, I stepped closer to him, my heart hammering against my ribs.
"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice stronger than I felt.
The man's gaze settled on me, intense and sorrowful. "You are indeed the savior, child. But salvation comes at a cost. There are those who walk among you even now, bearing the face of allies, who will betray you when you are most vulnerable."
The memory of Isolde and Ren's treachery flashed in my mind, a fresh wound that hadn't yet healed. Could there be others? Hidden enemies still lurking in the shadows?
Liam's voice cut through the growing murmurs. "Give us names."
The man shook his head. "I do not know them. Only that the threat is real… and imminent. You must trust no one. Not even your own blood."
A chill swept through me, colder than the morning air.
"Why tell us this now?" Liam demanded, suspicion etched into every line of his body.
The man bowed his head. "Because if you fail to uncover the traitor, the curse will not just return — it will consume Silverwood entirely. There will be no savior, no hope. Only ashes."
The council was called to an emergency meeting within the hour.
I sat beside Liam at the head of the great table, the ornate room filled with the leaders of the pack. Their faces were grave, their postures rigid. Fear was a dangerous thing, and now it twisted through the room like smoke, poisoning every thought, every glance.
"I want every newcomer investigated," Liam ordered, his voice brooking no argument. "Backgrounds, loyalties, affiliations — leave no stone unturned."
"What about those already among us?" asked Elder Marrek, his brow furrowed. "If the prophecy speaks true, the traitor may already sit in this room."
A heavy silence fell.
I looked around at the familiar faces — warriors, healers, council members I had come to trust. Could one of them truly wish me harm? Wish harm to Silverwood?
The thought made my stomach twist painfully.
"We will uncover the truth," Liam said, reaching for my hand under the table, offering silent strength. "No matter the cost."
But even as he spoke, doubt gnawed at the edges of my mind. How could we fight an enemy we couldn't see? An enemy who knew our every move, every weakness?
The meeting adjourned with no answers, only questions, and as the leaders filed out, whispering among themselves, I felt the walls of the palace closing in around me.
That night, sleep eluded me.
I stood at the window of my chamber, gazing out into the dark forest beyond the palace walls. Somewhere out there, danger brewed. And somewhere much closer — perhaps within these very walls — betrayal waited, patient and poisonous.
A soft knock at the door broke my reverie.
"Lola?" Liam's voice was a low rumble on the other side.
"Come in."
He stepped inside, closing the door behind him. For a moment, he simply looked at me — his eyes shadowed, tired. Then he crossed the room in two strides, pulling me into his arms.
"You're trembling," he murmured, his hands rubbing slow, soothing circles against my back.
"I'm scared," I admitted against his chest, the words muffled. "I'm scared we won't see it coming. That we'll be blindsided again."
Liam pulled back just enough to tilt my chin up, forcing me to meet his gaze. "Then we'll stay vigilant. We'll protect each other. You are not alone in this, Lola. I swear it."
Tears burned my eyes, but I blinked them away. I had to be strong — for Silverwood, for myself, for Liam.
"Together," I whispered.
"Always."
But even as he held me, even as his warmth seeped into my bones, I couldn't shake the feeling that something — or someone — was already moving against us.
In the shadows of the palace, danger stirred.
And soon, it would strike.
Soon.