Celine POVThe meeting is set in a smaller, secluded chamber within the Elder Garden. The air in the chamber is different from the heavy tension of the summit. It isn’t filled with hostility, but rather something careful. The moment I step inside, I find Queen Sereia seated gracefully, her ocean-blue gown cascading around her, the shimmering fabric catching the dim light. Her dark hair falls in loose waves over her shoulders, her deep blue eyes meeting mine with quiet curiosity.Queen Nymia stands near the window, her back straight, her silver eyes sharp but calm. Unlike the others, she doesn’t need to be convinced of who I am. She already knows.I step forward, folding my arms. “You both requested this meeting. So let’s not waste time. What is it you want?”Sereia studies me for a long moment before she finally speaks, her voice smooth, carrying an elegance that comes with centuries of ruling. “We stand with you, Celine. That much has already been decided.” She tilts her head slightl
Sebastian POVThe summit chamber feels colder than it did before. Maybe it’s just my frustration, or maybe it’s the weight of the Bear Kings’ words still lingering in my mind. They’ll fight with us, but once Gregory is gone, they want nothing to do with Celine.Their belief in that prophecy, that the Queen Goddess will bring about the end of the world makes my blood boil. She isn’t destruction. She’s the only chance we have at stopping the ones who will destroy everything.Jonathan paces near the edge of the room while Dolton stands with his arms crossed, watching the entrance.Celine has been gone too long. I push away the urge to storm into her meeting with the queens, but my patience is wearing thin. First, the Bears. Then the Werewolf King rising from the dead. Now there’s the lingering feeling in my gut that something isn’t right.The doors open and Celine walks in, her expression unreadable, her movements careful. The moment she steps into the room, I know something is wrong. He
Celine POVThe grand hall is warm with the glow of chandeliers, the candlelight flickering across polished stone walls. The scent of roasted meats, aged wine, and sweet spices fills the air, a stark contrast to the tension that lingers beneath the surface. Conversations weave through the room in polite murmurs, the occasional laughter breaking the stiffness that clings to the gathering. Despite the illusion of peace, I can’t shake the feeling of unease that coils tightly in my chest.Seated between Sebastian and Jonathan, with Dolton across from me, I force myself to appear at ease. Their presence should ground me, yet the weight of my vision refuses to leave me. The image of myself kneeling in chains before Gregory, powerless and at his mercy, claws at the edges of my mind. I can’t allow myself to dwell on it, not here, not now.Further down the table, the three Bear Kings eat in silence, their broad forms looming over their plates. They rarely speak, but their gazes scan the room wi
Celine POVA heavy silence fills the hall, thick with the scent of burnt magic and blood. My heart pounds as I stare at the fallen bodies around me, my mates lying still, their breathing steady but unnervingly shallow. I reach for the bond that should be connecting me to them, but the moment I try, a wall slams into me, severing the link. My stomach clenches, a cold sweat breaking out across my skin.The witches remain standing near the entrance, their cloaks shifting unnaturally, their presence distorting the air around them. They are waiting. Watching. Their faces are obscured, but I can feel their satisfaction, the weight of their amusement pressing against my skin like a cruel whisper.A sudden, ragged breath shatters the silence. The sound is unnatural, deep and slow, like a man coming back to life. I turn sharply, and my stomach twists as one of the Bear Kings sits up. His movements are fluid but wrong, like something wearing his skin rather than belonging to it. His shoulders r
Celine POVI take a slow breath, steadying myself as I prepare to break the sigil. My magic coils beneath my skin, simmering, but I force myself to stay in control. This isn’t about brute force. The sigil wasn’t just made to bind, it was made to resist. If I let my emotions control me, the magic will push back harder.I kneel beside the scorched markings, pressing my palms lightly against the fractured stone. The energy still lingers. I can feel the remnants of the blood magic woven into it, pulsing faintly, clinging to its purpose even as the spell itself begins to weaken.The magic fights me immediately.A sharp pulse of resistance presses back against my own power, like an invisible hand trying to shove me away. I grit my teeth and dig deeper, pushing my magic through the cracks in the spellwork. It twists and resists, writhing like a living thing, trying to close itself off.The air around me thickens. The sigil surges violently beneath my fingertips, a final attempt to hold its f
Jonathan POVCeline moves before anyone else, stepping toward the two remaining witches like a predator stalking prey. Her magic hums in the air, thick and volatile, coiling beneath her skin. The fractured sigil still smolders on the ground, its energy resisting its destruction, and Dolton remains motionless.Everything about this moment feels wrong.The older witch doesn’t flinch as Celine approaches, his expression eerily calm, as if he already knows how this ends. The younger one, however, shifts uneasily, eyes darting to the sigil before flicking toward the exit. He’s already calculating an escape, but he won’t make it.Celine halts a few feet from them, her voice sharp and commanding. “What did you do?”The taller witch exhales slowly, eyes still locked on the sigil instead of her. “It’s not broken,” he muses. “And it won’t be. Not unless you understand what you’re dealing with.”Her magic tightens around us, pressing against my skin like static before a storm. I take a slow step
Celine POVKneeling beside the factured sigil, my hand hover over the smoldering bloo-forged markings. The air around it crackles with raw magic, thick and oppressive. It clings to my skin like an unseen force, trying to push my away. This sigil isn't just a spell, it's wound and carved deep into the foundation of this place pulsing with stolen power.It should have shattered when I attacked it, but instead, it lingers, a binding forged through blood. Exhaling, I force myself to think. If this was made with blood, there has to be a way that blood can unmake it. A sacrifice to balance the scales again.Without hesitation, I morph a hand into my dragon and drag a sharp edge of my nail across my palm, cutting deep enough for a thin line of crimson to well up. The moment my blood drips onto the sigil, a violent surge of energy explodes outward.Pain slashes through my palm as my hand is thrown back, the heat races up my arm like fire. I bite back a cry, my en
Sebastian POVI let Celine focus and walk away with Jonathan. The moment the heavy iron doors groan shut behind us, a tense silence falls over the hall. It lasts only a moment before the argument erupts.“I don’t believe it,” one of the remaining Bear Kings growls, his massive form radiating restrained fury. “That wasn’t our brother. I know him, and he would never stand with witches.”Aarmon, the Vampire King, stands unfazed, arms crossed over his chest. His dark eyes gleam with irritation, but his voice remains calm, composed. “Then explain why he left with them,” he challenges. “Explain why he was the one to turn against us the moment the spell took hold. You want to chase a ghost, be my guest, but my concern is stopping the witches before they strike again.”The second Bear King slams a fist against the already fractured stone of the hall. “We have to find him. Whatever those bastards di
Celine POVThe taste of blood still lingers on my tongue, thick and metallic, but my body feels stronger. The gnawing hunger that had dulled my senses is gone, replaced by a steady warmth spreading through my limbs. I hate needing this, but I can’t deny the difference it makes.Walking, Sebastian stays beside me as we return to the war room, his gaze flicking toward me every so often like he is assessing my strength. He doesn’t say anything, but I can feel the satisfaction rolling off him. He knows I needed that.Aarmon steps ahead, pushing open the doors. The room is quieter than before, the tension eased slightly as plates of food have been brought in. The gathered rulers and generals are eating, drinking, taking what little time they have before the mission begins.Leaning back in his chair, Jonathan smiles, a piece of bread in his hand, smirking as he sees me. “You look less like you’re about to fall over.”I sigh, sitting down beside him as Sebastian moves to his usual place. “I
Sebastian POVThe moment I step out of the room, the weight of command settles back onto my shoulders. The warmth of Celine’s body, the way she melted between us, the way she whispered my name in the dark, all of it fades into the background.Now, there is only war.I move through the halls with purpose, my mind already cataloging everything that needs to be done. The fortress is alive with movement, warriors gearing up, leaders gathering, the tension thick in the air. This is not like past battles. This is the beginning of something far greater.Jonathan and Dolton fall into step beside me, both of them shifting back into the roles they were born for. Jonathan’s sharp mind, Dolton’s brute force. We do not need to speak. We all know what needs to be done.I push open the doors to the war chamber where the supernatural rulers are already waiting. The map of the Shadowlands is spread across the table, marked with points of interest, potential enemy strongholds, and scouting routes.King
Celine POVI watch as Sebastian’s fingers tighten on my thighs as he parts them wider, his golden eyes burning with hunger. Behind me, Dolton grips my waist, his chest flush against my back, his breath hot against my ear. There’s no hesitation between them, no moment of pause. They know exactly what they want.Slowly, Jonathan strokes a hand down my stomach, his lips trailing kisses across my shoulder before he bites down just enough to make my body jolt. “We’re done teasing,” he murmurs, his breath warm against my skin.Dolton groans, his grip on my waist tightening as he presses me back against him, his body already hard, already demanding. “Then let’s take her properly.”Smirking, Sebastian's hands glide lower as he positions himself between my legs. “She’s more than ready for us.”I barely have time to catch my breath before he pushes inside, stretching me, filling me. A sharp gasp escapes me as pleasure crashes through me, my body already sensitive from their mouths, from the way
Celine POVSebastian leads me away from the war room, his hand warm against mine as we step into the quieter halls of the fortress. Jonathan and Dolton follow closely behind, their presence a steady weight against the chaos waiting for us outside these walls. For the first time since everything started, it’s just us.Sebastian doesn’t speak as he guides me deeper into the fortress. The walls shift from the grandeur of the council chambers to something older, something untouched by battle. The door he pushes open leads to a dimly lit chamber, warmed by the glow of a low fire. It’s quiet. Safe.I exhale slowly, my body finally relaxing, but my mind refuses to. The moment we step into the room, the tension shifts. The world outside is full of war, but in here, there is only heat, only them.Sebastian moves first, his hands gripping my waist as he tugs me toward him, his lips already on my throat. He knows exactly where to kiss, exactly where to press his tongue to make my breath hitch. H
Celine POVJonathan’s expression darkens. “What did he say?”I hold my ground, the weight of the Werewolf King’s words pressing against my mind. He believes I am nothing more than a placeholder, a queen with no right to rule. Let him believe that. By the time this war is over, he will know just how wrong he is.Sebastian keeps a firm grip on my arms, his eyes sharp as he studies me. “What did you see?”Jonathan and Dolton move closer, their eyes dark with anticipation. Around us, the rulers of the supernatural world fall silent. Their private conversations, their skepticism, all of it fades as they wait for my answer.I lift my chin. “The Werewolf King sent me a message. He thinks this war is already won. He offered me a choice. Kneel, and he will spare the people I love.” I take a steady breath, forcing down the way the memory of the vision claws at the back of my mind. “He showed me a future where all of you were dead.”Dolton’s entire body tenses. “That bastard.”“He’s trying to sh
CelineThe air in the great hall remains thick with unease long after the last ruler departs. Doubt lingers like a specter in the eyes of those who remain. I stand firm, unwilling to show weakness, but inside, my mind churns. The witches’ words haunt me, and the weight of leadership presses down with suffocating force.Before I can dwell on it further, a scout rushes into the hall, his breath ragged, eyes wide with urgency. “My Queen,” he says, bowing slightly, “our spies have returned with intelligence.”I motion for him to continue.“The witches have retreated,” he reports, voice strained. “They’ve taken refuge in an abandoned fortress, one that once belonged to the Werewolf King before he rose to power.”My stomach tightens. A place linked to the Werewolf King. That can’t be a coincidence. “Where?”The scout hesitates, then unfolds a rough map,
Celine POVAn unnatural chill settling over my skin like something unseen is watching me. I recognize the feeling instantly. They’re back.I don’t turn immediately. Instead, I steady myself, helping Dolton keep his footing as his body struggles to adjust. He’s weak but standing, his breathing uneven as he leans slightly against me. My pulse thrums, a sharp rhythm in my ears as I slowly lift my gaze toward the entrance.They step from the shadows as if they were never truly gone. The witches stand before me, their presence heavy with power, their dark robes pooling around them like moving ink. The older one smirks, eyes gleaming with something far too satisfied. His companion, younger but just as dangerous, watches me carefully. They are not here to fight, at least not yet.The older witch tilts his head slightly, considering me. “You’ve done well, Queen Goddess, but you should have left the sigil alone.”His voic
Celine POVI move deeper into the vault, the cold tightening around me like unseen hands pressing against my skin. The air is thick, heavy with an ancient weight, a presence that hums beneath the surface of reality. Every step echoes against the stone, the sound swallowed by the vast chamber stretching before me.The torches flicker wildly along the walls, casting distorted shadows that stretch and twist unnaturally. The entire chamber pulses with a slow, rhythmic energy, like a heartbeat buried beneath the earth. This place is alive.I take a steady breath, pushing forward. Shelves line the circular space, filled with tomes that have likely not been touched for centuries. The scent of dust and age clings to the air. Glass cases hold artifacts, relics of long-forgotten magic, their energy faint but steady. Scrolls, bound in twine, are stacked haphazardly across stone tables. There is so much knowledge here, so much power, but I do not have time to explore it. I
Sebastian POVI let Celine focus and walk away with Jonathan. The moment the heavy iron doors groan shut behind us, a tense silence falls over the hall. It lasts only a moment before the argument erupts.“I don’t believe it,” one of the remaining Bear Kings growls, his massive form radiating restrained fury. “That wasn’t our brother. I know him, and he would never stand with witches.”Aarmon, the Vampire King, stands unfazed, arms crossed over his chest. His dark eyes gleam with irritation, but his voice remains calm, composed. “Then explain why he left with them,” he challenges. “Explain why he was the one to turn against us the moment the spell took hold. You want to chase a ghost, be my guest, but my concern is stopping the witches before they strike again.”The second Bear King slams a fist against the already fractured stone of the hall. “We have to find him. Whatever those bastards di