Chapter 7 The weakness

---

The Alpha Lord's POV

I sat on my throne, my hands folded under my chin, as I watched the councilors talk right in front of me. Something felt wrong. How did they know I brought a human into the realm? How could they have found out overnight? Someone has been spying on me — someone very close to me.

Titan walked in, and suddenly, the four councilors silenced themselves as if they feared him more than me, their king — the King of Terranvane, the Underworld.

I sat quietly, watching them as Titan walked up to me and handed me a cup of blood.

I didn't remember asking him for one. I had explicitly told him no blood intake since we brought in the new half-human, half-Luna. Because she hasn't mastered her powers, we need to lay low and figure out who sent her in the first place, and why.

I took the cup from him as he bowed with a smile and walked away.

It's a good thing I didn't let him know about her rare gift: reading emotions.

I dismissed the councilors and remained on my throne. Something was wrong. Someone was planning something big — something I feared might ruin the Underworld.

The thought of it made the hair on my arms stand up.

"No," I whispered to myself, smoothing the hairs back down. "You can't show weakness, Vance. You're surrounded by enemies."

I stood up from my throne and walked over to the side window of the throne room. I needed to find out who was watching my every move.

"Is something wrong, my Lord?" Titan asked, walking back in.

I turned immediately. "No, not at all, Titan. Do you have any news for me?" I asked, walking back to my throne and sitting down.

"Not at all," he said as he sat down.

I nodded, leaning my head back against the throne, looking up. "What about our new Luna?" Titan asked.

As if a pleasant thought had suddenly struck me, I smiled, but my expression quickly turned back into a frown as I looked at Titan.

"What about her, Titan?" I asked, staring dead into his eyes.

He didn't dare meet my gaze. Instead, he bowed. "Nothing, my Lord," he said, sounding regretful.

"You may leave me now. I need to think," I said, waving a hand to dismiss him.

I walked away from my throne room, still deep in thought, when I heard soft whimpers coming from her room.

I suppressed my powers so she wouldn't sense my presence as I crept closer to her door. Listening intently, I heard her talking about the drawings on the ceiling. "She likes them," I whispered to myself, a small smile tugging at my lips.

I remembered how much I loved to draw when I was still a cub. My father had hated it and forced me to stop, constantly reminding me of what it meant to be a true king. "Kings don't play. They observe and control. They are strong, not weak," he used to say.

For once, I felt a spark of genuine happiness — knowing someone else appreciated what I loved, without caring whether or not it was "kingly."

I listened again, but her room had grown quiet. Pausing, I used my inner sight to observe her. She was sound asleep on the floor. I guessed she had admired the ceiling until she dozed off from staring up for too long.

Smiling, I gently unlocked the door and stepped inside. I lifted her up, laid her tenderly on her bed, and pulled a warm blanket over her.

She slept so peacefully. The sight of her soft lips and flushed cheeks made my heart race.

"What am I doing?" I muttered to myself.

I stood there frozen, watching her breathe softly as her chest rose and fell with every calm rhythm of her heart.

"I must leave. She's just a young girl... I can't do this." I shook my head in frustration, but as I turned, my tail swept against a lamp sitting on a nearby table. It crashed to the floor with a loud, sudden shatter.

Panicking, I whipped around to look at her. She stirred, stretching her body as she began to wake. Acting on instinct, I immediately channeled my power to cast a sleeping spell over her.

She drifted back to sleep like a baby. I let out a heavy sigh of relief.

Relief washed over me, but it was quickly replaced by panic.

I tried to shift back into my human form, but my body refused to obey. I had no choice but to slip away from the doorway and pad down the corridor, my mind still consumed by thoughts of her. Why did my powers react so wildly whenever she was near?

"My lord," Titan called out, his heavy footsteps echoing down the grand hall.

How do I shift back? Panic flared in my chest. Titan can't find out about this.

I turned toward him, forcing my voice into a calm demeanor. "Titan... the moonlight is magnificent tonight, isn't it?"

I sank onto the stone floor, desperate to disguise my trembling limbs while internally fighting to reclaim my human form. It was as if my powers had gone completely dormant the moment I set foot in that room.

Titan followed the direction of my gaze, his sharp eyes drifting up toward the chamber where the little princess slept.

"Did you... try to eat her?" he asked, his brow furrowed in utter confusion.

Jolted back to reality, I let out an exasperated sigh. "No! Why would I?"

Catching Titan's skeptical look, I cleared my throat and quickly adjusted my tone. "I mean... she looks delicious, of course."

I turned to walk away before he could pick up on my struggle. Titan was more than just my right hand; he was my closest friend. His father had served as my father's royal advisor, and Titan had naturally stepped into his father's legacy. He had been by my side since childhood. Though he was slightly older than me, he never failed to treat me with the utmost deference.

"But... she is your slave, my lord," Titan pressed, taking a step forward.

I froze, keeping my back to him. "Yes, she is. First thing tomorrow morning, I will make sure she understands her duties."

"But—"

"Goodnight, Titan," I interrupted smoothly. "Enjoy the moonlight."

"I thought you were keeping your true nature hidden from her," Titan said, his voice dropping into a cautious register. "You are still in your wolf form."

Damn it. My heart hammered against my ribs. He noticed.

How was I supposed to turn back now? I dragged a deep breath into my lungs and closed my eyes, forcing the chaos in my mind to go silent. Focus.

When I opened my eyes, the silver fur was gone, replaced by human skin. A faint sigh of relief escaped my lips as I turned to face him once more.

"It is a full moon," I offered smoothly, wrapping the lie around myself like armor. "I couldn't suppress my wolf tonight. Besides, she is fast asleep."

Titan gave a slow nod, seemingly accepting the explanation. He bowed deeply and turned to take his leave.

The throne room was too quiet. The kind of quiet that comes before a betrayal. My father had warned me about this silence. He used to say, "When the council stops shouting, it means they have already agreed behind your back." I looked at the empty seats where they had been. Their scent still lingered — sweat, ambition, and something else. Something like dried blood.

I made my way back to my private quarters and collapsed onto the bed, staring up at the vaulted ceiling as my pulse finally slowed.

Thank the moons. How could I have let my guard down like that? If Titan had realized I lost control of my powers, the consequences would be catastrophic — my weakness laid bare for all to see.

I have to consult the seer tomorrow, I thought, closing my eyes against the moonlight. Something is deeply wrong.