BIRTH OF THE TRUE HEIR

Watching the kingdom of Valic engulfed in flames, I wept, my cries no different from a flickering flame struggling against the wind, only to be snuffed out in bitter resentment. I wished I hadn’t lived to witness this devastation—the ruin of a kingdom that was never truly mine, even if fate had bound me to a lycan.

Blood soaked my feet as I ran deeper into the forest, the metallic scent thick in the air. The enemy was close—the same enemy who had taken the life of my beloved mate.

I wished I hadn’t seen it happen. I wished I hadn’t felt his blood on my hands, warm and sticky as it dripped from my fingertips when I pulled the silver dagger from his heart. But I had. And the last thing I would ever forget was the haunting emptiness in his eyes before he forced out his final words—Run.

“Find her!” A voice echoed through the trees, sharp and merciless. The sounds of boots crushing leaves followed, closing in on me.

I pressed a hand to my stomach. I will survive. For Caspian. For his legacy. For the child I carried, the last blood of the lycans.

Taking a shuddering breath, I crouched beside a muddy puddle, forcing myself to sink into the filth. The stench of damp earth clung to me, masking my scent from the predators hunting me. They didn’t care about me—only about the life growing inside me. They would take my child if they found me.

I bit down on my lip, suppressing the scream clawing at my throat. Time dragged on, the night swallowing everything in its cold embrace. And then—silence.

The search had moved elsewhere. Now was my chance.

Shaking off the dirt, I crawled out of the grime and ran. I never looked back. A carriage thundered down the dirt path toward a small village—my only ticket to exile from the kingdom I was supposed to rule alongside my mate. Around me, chaos reigned. Refugees flooded the roads, fleeing the inferno that had consumed Valic and its neighboring villages. Everyone wanted to live, but no one knew who would die first.

At every checkpoint, Veyron’s soldiers searched for me. My heart pounded against my ribs, but staying on the move was my only chance at survival. Hiding in a carriage seemed like my safest option.

Just as I reached for the handle, the carriage owner blocked my way.

“Get away! I can’t let you inside.” His tone was sharp, final.

“Why?” My voice trembled despite my effort to keep steady. “I need to leave this place too.”

He curled his lip in disgust. “You reek of filth. These people come from respected families—we don’t guarantee safety for just anyone.”

His words stung, but I couldn’t afford pride, not now. Before I could plead further, a voice rose from behind me.

“Let her in. I’ll pay for her fare.”

I turned, startled, as a man stepped forward. He wasn’t particularly well-dressed, nor did he seem wealthy, but his kindness was the first warmth I had felt in what seemed like forever.

The carriage owner scoffed. “Then I’ll take double. She’ll make the others uneasy.”

The man sighed but didn’t hesitate. “Fine.”

Relief flooded me as I stepped inside, bowing my head in gratitude. The air inside was thick with fear and silence—no one spoke, their gazes fixed ahead as if afraid that a single word might seal their fate.

For a fleeting moment, I thought about running back to Mistefell. My home. But I knew better. Veyron’s ruthlessness would consume it too. I couldn’t let that happen. It was the only place I had left.

Dusk painted the sky in muted shades of orange and purple as we finally arrived in a small village, far from Veyron’s reach—for now. As the man who had saved me prepared to leave, I stepped forward and bowed deeply once more.

“Thank you,” I whispered, knowing it wasn’t nearly enough.

“You don’t have to thank me at all. You need to survive, your majesty. I just did my part to help you escape Valic.” The man whispered barely. I gasped to find out that this man knew my identity.

The moment he turned, my breath caught in my throat. His familiar face, worn by hardship but still unmistakable, sent a jolt through my chest. My lips parted in disbelief.

"You're alive?" My voice was barely above a whisper, trembling with equal parts relief and dread.

"I am," he said, his eyes scanning the restless crowd around us. Then, he stepped closer, lowering his voice. "But you need to hide, Your Majesty."

Hearing my title after everything that had happened sent a fresh ache through me. Queen of what? Valic was nothing but ashes and bones. My kingdom was gone. My mate was gone. And yet… the life within me still remained.

"You have to protect the last heir of the lycan bloodline," he continued, gripping my shoulders. "Veyron won’t stop hunting you until he’s sure the child is dead."

I swallowed hard, my pulse hammering. I had known this—I had known it the moment Caspian’s lifeless body collapsed in my arms. But hearing it aloud made the reality even heavier.

"How long can I run?" My voice cracked, my throat raw from unshed screams. "How long before he finds me?"

His jaw clenched, but he didn’t hesitate. "As long as it takes for him to believe you never made it out alive." He shoved a small pouch of coins into my hands. "This isn’t much, but it’ll help you get by for a while. Stay in the shadows, keep moving, and—" He exhaled sharply, glancing over his shoulder. "Don’t trust anyone."

I nodded, unable to find my voice. Before I could thank him, before I could even let the fear settle, he was gone, swallowed by the restless crowd.

I stood there, lost among the sea of broken souls fleeing the remnants of Valic. Each one carried their own grief, their own nightmares. I had no time to mourn. No time to be weak.

I had to survive.

I pulled my cloak tighter and forced my feet forward. I needed shelter—somewhere safe, somewhere hidden. But just as I turned down a narrow alley, pain lanced through my stomach like a searing blade.

I gasped, stumbling forward, my fingers digging into the nearest wooden post. No. Not now. Not here.

A sharp, unbearable pressure built inside me, and suddenly, warmth trickled down my legs. No, no, no. My vision blurred as panic surged through me. It’s too soon.

A strangled cry escaped my lips before I could stop it.

"She’s in labor!"

The voice came from somewhere behind me, urgent and filled with concern.

Through my haze of agony, I saw a woman push through the crowd, her worn face lined with worry. "Come, quickly!" She took my arm, supporting my weight as my knees buckled.

"I—I can’t," I gasped, my breath ragged. "It hurts—"

"You need to hold on. Just a little longer." She pulled me into a small, dimly lit house, her grip firm but gentle. "Lay down," she instructed, guiding me toward a cot.

I collapsed onto the rough fabric, my body trembling. Another wave of pain crashed over me, and I cried out, my fingers curling into the sheets.

"You have to push!"

I shook my head frantically. "I can't—I can’t do this alone—"

"You’re not alone," she said, her voice steady. "I’m here. Now push!"

I bit down on my lip, forcing my body to obey. The pain was unlike anything I had ever known, an all-consuming fire ripping me apart.

For Caspian.

For his son.

For the last heir of the lycan bloodline.

With one final, desperate push, the air filled with the sharp, piercing wail of a newborn.

My body collapsed with exhaustion, but my heart… my heart raced with something new. Something I hadn’t felt since the night the flames swallowed my world whole.

Hope.

Tears blurred my vision as I reached out, my hands shaking as the woman gently placed the tiny, fragile life against my chest.

"A boy," she whispered, almost reverently. "A strong one."

I cradled him against me, feeling the rapid thrum of his tiny heartbeat. My son. Caspian’s son. The last hope of the lycans. And no matter what it took… I would keep him safe.