Kael’s heart pounded in his chest, the words he had kept locked away for so long teetering on the edge of his tongue. But standing before Eryk, his prince, the person he had unknowingly been drawn to, he felt a strange mix of fear and longing. The connection between them was undeniable, but how could he explain himself? How could he tell Eryk the truth—the truth of what he was, of the danger that had brought him here?

Eryk’s gaze softened as he looked at Kael, his voice barely a whisper in the still air. “Why are you here, Kael?”

Kael swallowed, his throat dry. He couldn’t tell him everything, not yet. The truth would be too much for the prince to bear, especially when it concerned the wolves and the dark forces stirring on the edges of the kingdom. But there was something in Eryk’s eyes—a flicker of understanding, an openness—that made Kael believe that maybe, just maybe, Eryk would accept him. The thought brought a strange warmth to his chest, but it was quickly replaced with an ache of fear. What if he was wrong?

“I came because I had to,” Kael said, his voice low and unsteady. “Because there’s something coming... something dangerous. And I... I can’t leave you unprotected.”

Eryk’s brow furrowed, his expression shifting from confusion to concern. “Dangerous? What are you talking about? The kingdom is at peace.”

“No.” Kael stepped closer, his eyes scanning the courtyard nervously. The last thing he wanted was for anyone else to see them together, but his senses were on high alert. He could feel the tension in the air, the distant stirrings of something unnatural. “The wolves are restless. There’s something... or someone, leading them. And it’s not just the wolves. There’s a force behind it all, something darker than anything you can imagine.”

Eryk took a step back, his gaze sharp. “You’re saying that something is threatening the kingdom? And you think it has to do with the wolves?”

Kael nodded, his breath shaky. “I know it does. But it’s not just wolves. There’s a human among them—a human like no other. His power is unlike anything I’ve ever felt, and I believe... I believe he has some connection to the crown. Your crown.”

Eryk’s face paled slightly. “A human with power? And you think it’s connected to me?”

Kael looked away, struggling to keep his emotions in check. “Yes. I don’t know how, but I can feel it. The bond between us—it’s not just coincidence. There’s a reason why I’m here.”

Eryk remained silent for a moment, his eyes searching Kael’s face, as though trying to unravel the truth behind his words. His expression was unreadable, but the tension between them was palpable.

“I don’t understand,” Eryk finally said, his voice low. “I don’t understand why you feel this way, or why you’re so sure of what’s coming. But I do know one thing—you’re not wrong about the wolves. I’ve heard the rumors. And I’ve felt it too. There’s something off about this whole situation.”

Kael’s chest tightened. “You feel it too?”

Eryk nodded slowly. “Yes. And I can’t shake the feeling that whatever happens next... we won’t be able to stop it unless we face it together.”

The words hung between them, heavy with the weight of what they implied. Kael’s heart skipped a beat as he dared to hope that maybe Eryk wasn’t just the prince. Maybe he wasn’t bound only by his crown and his duties. Maybe, just maybe, he could be something more. Something that would allow Kael to believe that they could fight this threat, side by side.

But before Kael could respond, a sharp cry split the air. It was a wolf’s cry, distant yet close enough to make his blood run cold. His ears twitched, and his senses flared as the sound echoed through the courtyard.

Eryk’s expression darkened. “What was that?”

“That... that was a wolf,” Kael whispered, his body already tensing, his senses on high alert. “But it’s not just any wolf. It’s a signal. They’re near.”

Eryk’s eyes widened in realization. “You mean they’re already here?”

Kael nodded, his voice a low growl. “Yes. And I don’t think they’ve come for the kingdom. I think they’ve come for you.”

---

Eryk’s mind raced as Kael’s words sank in. They were here. The wolves were here—and they weren’t just attacking for survival. They were after him. The thought sent a chill down his spine.

“I don’t—” Eryk began, but his words were cut off by the sudden sound of hurried footsteps approaching from the direction of the palace gates. A guard appeared, his face flushed with urgency.

“Your Highness! The wolves—they’ve breached the outer defenses! We need to move, now!”

Kael’s eyes narrowed, his instincts flaring. “They’re already inside the perimeter. It’s too late for defenses. We need to find shelter, somewhere they won’t think to look.”

Eryk’s mind was spinning. He had never faced a situation like this before. Wolves—yes, he had heard the rumors. But to have them so close, threatening the kingdom, and to have Kael telling him that they were after him... it was too much to process in the span of a few moments.

“Come with me,” Kael said, grabbing Eryk’s arm gently but firmly. “We need to go. Now.”

Eryk didn’t have time to argue. He allowed Kael to pull him toward the palace’s side entrance, where the sound of chaos was already beginning to rise from the streets below. He could hear the distant howls of wolves, the clash of swords, and the rising panic of his people. They were being attacked, but not in the way he had feared.

As they moved quickly through the palace corridors, Kael’s grip on Eryk’s arm tightened, as though he were afraid that if he let go, Eryk would disappear into the madness. It was strange, the way Kael’s touch grounded him, even amidst the rising storm.

“What do you know about these wolves?” Eryk asked, his voice barely a whisper as they hurried through the halls.

Kael’s face was tight with tension. “Not much. But I know that they’re being controlled. Whoever is leading them isn’t acting out of instinct. They’re being used for something. And if they’re after you...”

Eryk’s eyes flicked to Kael’s. “What do you mean ‘if they’re after me’? You’re saying someone is using the wolves to get to me?”

Kael’s jaw tightened. “Yes. Whoever is behind this... they want you. They want the throne. And I believe they’ve been planning this for a long time.”

Eryk’s stomach churned as he absorbed Kael’s words. The idea of someone using wolves—creatures of the wild, of legend—as weapons against him was terrifying. But the thought that this was all somehow tied to his crown, to his destiny, made his blood run cold.

“We need to get to safety,” Kael urged, his voice urgent. “And we need to do it quickly.”

Eryk nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. For the first time in his life, he didn’t feel like the prince—he didn’t feel like the heir to a kingdom. He felt like something else entirely. Something small, vulnerable, and out of control. But as he looked at Kael, he felt the strange pull between them, the sense that whatever happened next, he would not face it alone.

“Let’s go,” Eryk said, his voice steady despite the fear that clawed at him. “And let’s make sure they never get what they want.”

Kael gave him a nod, his eyes fierce with determination.

Together, they would face the wolves. Together, they would face the darkness.