ALDRICSuddenly, Zarek walked to the edge of the bed and, catching us all off guard, knelt on one knee."I, until now the last descendant of the Vlad bloodline, heir of the royal house Von Carstein, am deeply ashamed of my parents' actions. Even though I am not directly responsible, I will do whatever I can to make amends for their mistakes."He struck his chest firmly, displaying the honor of a warrior.All of this is getting too heavy."Then, I too must ask for forgiveness on behalf of the Selenias. I always thought it was unfair for us to be the ones sacrificed—why only us, out of all supernatural beings?" Gabrielle added."Now I understand why. Power comes with responsibilities that we failed to fulfill."A tense silence settled over the room.Celine helped Zarek to his feet, Quinn embraced his mate, and we comforted our little one."I know how to prevent the catastrophe… I just… need your support," Sigrid suddenly spoke in a low voice."No," I answered without hesitation. "Whatev

NARRATORBeyond iron bars, powerful magic, seals, and chains—far past the Isle of the Selenias and the dark mist, beyond the storm clouds and spectral screams—an entire civilization had survived. One that was believed to be extinct.Baltazar, the Regent of the Realm, was deep in a meeting with his advisors when the grand doors of the hall burst open, and one of the guards stumbled in, his face pale with panic."I hope what you have to say is a matter of life and death," he said coldly, his sharp brown eyes locking onto the trembling man."Y-Your Lordship… we’ve received all kinds of reports from the kingdom’s borders," the man stammered. "T-The…""Speak, damn it!""The boundary mist is receding!" the guard blurted out in one breath, sweat dripping down his face.Baltazar immediately grasped the gravity of the situation.He bolted from his chair, storming onto the balcony and shoving the heavy doors open.His wise eyes scanned the sky—the thick, dark clouds that barely allowed any ligh

NARRATORCeline watched the battle from a distance.Her role was to protect the three Selenias from any surprise attacks.Even though she knew her mate was incredibly powerful, that he had an army of fearless soldiers willing to die for him, she couldn’t help but worry."Mother, don’t overexert yourself!"Valeria’s shout snapped her out of her intense focus on the bloody battle unfolding beneath her feet."Grandmother!""Keep the incantation going! I can handle it! We’re at the critical point—come on, Valeria, fight for your daughter, take control!"Through the iridescent veil surrounding the Selenias, Celine heard Gabrielle’s urgent command.Blood stained the corners of her lips, yet her eyes shone vibrantly with the blue of her youth.Her sight had returned, and the scars on her face had faded as the power she had long lost surged back into her body.Valeria closed her eyes and took command of the spell. Her mother had already exhausted herself.Celine watched as raven wings began s

NARRATORSigrid knew it even before it touched her skin—it was pure poison.She raised her hand, and hundreds of ravens flooded the dark shadows, piercing through the storm, merging into one another, hardening to form a giant shield that protected her people.But the shield was flawed—it had a gaping hole, right above her."Sigrid, what are you doing?!" Aldric roared, trying to rush to her aid, but his daughter completely blocked him with a barrier.From a distance, Valeria watched in panic as the power of the Selenias, the very power they had worked so hard to refine and gather, protected the army—but not her daughter."Sigrid, no, daughter, no, please," she began to cry, calling to her through their bond, but Sigrid didn't hear her. She only looked at the man above her."I am yours, and you are mine. You are not Umbros, nor Gray—you are Silas. Only my Silas," her lips trembled with the last syllables, whispered softly, but she knew he could hear her.The black droplets were falling

NARRATORAldric knew very well that, despite his strength, he was no match to kill this man—someone even the Selenias feared. But he would never bow his head to anyone."Give me my woman, and you can keep your stupid realm. I have no interest in the rotten lands of supernatural beings."Sigrid nearly had a heart attack. She had forgotten how blunt Silas could be."YOUR WOMAN?! We’ll see about that! You haven’t even asked for her hand, and yet you dare to slobber all over her right in front of me!" Aldric’s claws gleamed as they suddenly extended.The dark fur of the lycan began reappearing over his human body, which was barely covered in rags."Everyone calm down, please, Dad…" Sigrid intervened, pressing against Aldric’s chest with all her strength.She looked like a small doll next to her father’s monstrous height and bulging muscles.This standoff wasn’t leading anywhere. No one was willing to back down.Meanwhile, Quinn rushed off to ensure the protection of the women, and Zarek,