The sun had barely risen when the royal horn sounded, its deep, reverberating call filling the air with an unmistakable command. Prince Eryk was already awake, as he always was, long before the first rays of light pierced the sky. It wasn’t the call of the horn that had stirred him from his sleep, but the knot of unease that twisted in his chest—a familiar feeling that had haunted him for weeks now.

His eyes lingered on the tall, dark windows of the palace, the early morning light casting long shadows across the grand hallway. The weight of the crown always felt heavier in the quiet of the morning. It was then that he could almost forget the eyes of his people upon him, the expectations of his father, and the looming responsibilities of his title. It was then that he could almost pretend to be free.

Almost.

Dressing quickly in the royal attire of deep blue and gold, Eryk moved toward the balcony that overlooked the sprawling grounds of the kingdom. He ran his fingers along the stone railing, watching the fields below come alive with the first stirrings of the day. The air was cool, a stark contrast to the heat that burned inside him, the hunger for something more than the life he was destined for.

For years, he had followed the path laid before him, meeting the expectations of his court, learning the art of leadership and diplomacy, becoming the heir to a kingdom he had never asked for. His future was set, his path already paved with obligations and alliances he had no say in.

But what if... what if there was more to life than this? What if he could—

A sudden knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, followed by the quick entrance of his most trusted advisor, Lord Soran. The older man’s face was etched with lines of experience and weariness, his eyes always sharp, always calculating. His presence alone was enough to ground Eryk’s wandering mind.

“Your Highness,” Soran greeted him, bowing with a practiced reverence. “The day awaits. Your father expects you in the council chambers shortly.”

Eryk nodded, though he didn’t move from his spot. “I know,” he murmured. “I’ll be there shortly.”

Soran hesitated, as if weighing whether to speak further. After a beat, he stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Your Highness, there’s... news from the northern border. It’s about the wolves.”

Eryk’s heart skipped a beat. The wolves. It had been years since the mysterious creatures had crossed the kingdom’s borders, and the last time, it had been a threat that had cost many lives. But lately, whispers of them had resurfaced, murmurs that unsettled both the court and the common folk.

“What kind of news?” Eryk asked, turning to face his advisor.

“Reports of sightings, Your Highness. Unexplained ones. They’re... different this time. There’s a figure among them, a human with strange markings. Some believe he’s more than just a man.”

Eryk’s brow furrowed. A human among wolves? That was absurd. It was an old tale, a legend more suited to a bard’s song than anything real. But something about the urgency in Soran’s voice made the prince pause.

“Keep me informed,” Eryk said, his voice steady. “If anything unusual happens, I want to know immediately.”

“Of course, Your Highness,” Soran replied, bowing again before exiting the room, leaving Eryk alone with his thoughts.

His gaze lingered on the horizon, the faintest stir of a breeze brushing against his skin. Something was stirring in the kingdom—something he could feel deep in his bones. It was more than the rumors of wolves or the shadowy figure that haunted his thoughts. It was a force, invisible but undeniable, pulling him toward an uncertain future.

And then, as if summoned by his thoughts, the feeling returned. That strange, almost magnetic pull.

He couldn’t explain it, but ever since the last full moon, there had been a sense of... connection. It wasn’t just his duty to the crown or the pressure of his father’s expectations that had kept him up at night. No, it was something else, something far more personal. It was the memory of a chance encounter, an unfamiliar face that had haunted his dreams for days now.

Kael.

The name floated through his mind like a whisper on the wind. The young man had appeared at the royal hunting grounds a week ago, his unusual appearance striking in a way that was impossible to ignore. His eyes had been wild, fierce, but there was something else—a vulnerability that was hidden beneath the hardened exterior.

Eryk had only spoken to him briefly, but in that moment, he had felt a connection—a bond he couldn’t explain. The moment their eyes had met, something had shifted, deep within him. He had dismissed it as nothing more than a fleeting moment, a trick of the light, but the feeling lingered.

And now, more than ever, Eryk couldn’t shake the thought that their paths were meant to cross again.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. It was foolish to dwell on such things, especially with the responsibilities that awaited him. But even as he turned away from the balcony and walked toward the council chambers, he couldn’t silence the voice in the back of his mind, telling him that Kael was not just a fleeting distraction. There was something more to him—something that could change everything.

Meanwhile, Kael stood in the shadows, watching from a distance as the prince prepared for the day ahead. He had known the moment he had set foot in the kingdom that things were different here, that his presence would stir something far greater than the rumors of wolves. But he wasn’t here for the kingdom’s politics, for the whispers in the streets.

He was here for Eryk.

He had been following him, watching him, for days. It wasn’t safe, not for either of them, but he couldn’t stay away. Every fiber of his being screamed for him to protect the prince, to keep him safe from whatever dangers lay ahead. There was something about Eryk—something Kael couldn’t quite name—that pulled him in.

But he had to be careful. Too much attention could lead to trouble, and Kael knew all too well that his kind was not welcome in the court of the royal palace. His wolf-like features were a curse, marking him as an outsider, a creature of the wild.

Still, the pull to Eryk was undeniable. And Kael knew, deep in his heart, that their destinies were intertwined. No matter the consequences.

And so, from the shadows, Kael waited. He would be patient. He would be silent. But he would not leave. Not now, not when the prince needed him most.