~(Kael's pov)
Power had a scent.
Most people thought it smelled like gold, blood, or fear.
They were wrong.
It smelled like silence.
And tonight, Lycaria was far too silent.
I watched as the dark morning sky clung above Lycaria. The mist drifted over the great silver lake, reflecting the colour of the moon that shone upon it, dividing our kingdom from lands beyond. Lycaria belonged to lycans—officially. In reality, it belonged to my family.
From my balcony, I could see faint, glimmering lights beyond the icy mountain peaks. It belongs to Felinara —home to the "strays," as my father called them. A kingdom of gold and technology you could only dream of.
The sun's rays had not yet broken through, but sleep had long vanished, abandoning me as I stood against my balcony watching over Lycaria.
The scent of rain surrounds the natural smell of the forest, mixed with the steel-filled air. I tightened the laces of my shoes as I got ready for the day. The silence of the palace was unnerving. Even the hum of the bio-lights, along with the marble surrounding my chamber, seemed to pulse in rhythm with my heartbeat.
Sleep was a weakness I hadn't been able to afford for years.
The doctors thought insomnia was my problem.
Well, they were wrong.
For years, I'd trained to embody leadership and strength, to be the king Lycaria deserved, to be the future of Lycaria. To be a warrior, the heir to a legacy built on loyalty and power to our mother, the Moon Goddess.
I looked at my reflection against the window, my eyes, ocean blue, which reminded me of my mother's, staring back from the glass.
By the time the moon had faded behind pale clouds, I was already dressed. A grey cotton hoodie, matched with black sweats and comfortable sneakers. The crest of Veyloria Academy, rested against the front of my hoodie. I walked out of my room heading to the dining room to get some breakfast.
The palace halls were alive, humming with activity. Guards passed in crisp formation, their armour engraved with silver carved howling wolves and the scent of ozone and energy hung thick in the air.
The guards at the doors straightened as I approached. Bowing their heads I gave a simple nod as they opened the doors for me.
The grand dining hall was colder as usual and for obvious reasons, it was because of the company it kept.
My father, sat at the head of the obsidian table, draped in a crimson cloak that did nothing to soften the severity in his posture. Sunlight poured through the crystal windows behind him, catching the silver in his hair and casting him in a deceptively noble glow.
"Your majesty," the words left my mouth.
Every morning I reminded myself of the same thing.
A king didn't need to love his son.
But if he wanted loyalty, he should have at least tried.
He didn't bother to look up. Why would he?
Beside him sat my stepmother, Lilith, whom he had married shortly after my mother had died. She had also been his mistress, whom he had chosen to have even when he found his mate.
She laughed softly as if this palace belonged to her.
I mean she had taken everything else.
I scoffed under my breath, and that's when they finally noticed my presence.
My twin siblings, who also happened to be Lilith's children, stood in unison and bowed their heads. Stiffly annoyed at my presence, of course, probably for ruining their little family bonding time. I didn't acknowledge them as they sat back down.
It was no secret that they hated me, but I didn't care. I hated them too.
"Your highness," Lilith sang, flashing a tight smile as always. "You're here!"
She made a move to also get up, but was pulled back down by my father.
"Kael," he finally spoke, voice clipped. " I trust you've kept your training consistent."
"Yes," I replied, not even bothering to look up from my plate.
I could see a smirk appear on Lilith's lips, amused by my distress.
"Good," he said flatly. " Strength is the only thing that commands respect."
"Like you would know anything about respect." I scoffed to myself
Across the table, I could hear Liora and Lucien snickering under their breaths. Lucien whispered something behind his hand, and they both burst into quiet laughter.
Spoiled, little brats. The king's blind affection fed their arrogance.
The doors opened as servants began pouring in, placing a pile of food on the table before leaving. One of the maids who had quietly been standing in the room rushed over to my side, head bowed and a pitcher in her hand.
Her hands were shaking as she poured a drink into my glass. I could clearly see that she didn't want to be here, which was understandable. Almost anyone with a clear mind didn't like being here, and I didn't blame them; it was suffocating.
Those who worked in the palace, specifically the maids, would've been better off as low-ranking members, such as omegas in any pack.
"Hurry up already, this cup isn't going to fill itself. Less talking, more working! I am parched." Liora snapped her fingers.
"Sorry," the maid said softly as she rushed over quickly, lifting the pitcher to pour.
As Liora raised her glass to drink, she paused midway and looked at the maid, a mischievous smirk plastered on her face.
"Didn't I say not to serve me this kind of juice?" She said.
"My apologies, your highness, but you said you prefer orange juice over apple juice." The girl replied in a whisper.
"Are you calling me a liar?" she snapped.
"N-no, I was just stating what you..."
Before the girl could finish, Liora stood up, spilling the juice over the maid's head, drenching her clean attire.
Lucien laughed.
I looked over at Lilith and my father. As they both watched. A big grin plastered on Lilith's face, clearly proud of her demon spawns, while Father showed no emotion, just continued eating his food unbothered.
"Now go get me a new drink, and it better be right," Liora demanded. The maid's hands trembled so violently she nearly dropped the tray, her eyes watery as she rushed out.
Liora laughed.
Lucien laughed.
I didn't.
The moment my gaze settled on them, both smiles faltered.
Not because they respected me but because they knew exactly what I was capable of when I stopped pretending to tolerate them.
This wasn't anything new. Things like this have been going on for as long as I can remember.
The tension thickened until the king's advisor walked in. He bowed his head and then turned to the king.
"My king. The council requests your presence after breakfast concludes. The alliance has been approved."
"Alliance, for what purpose?" I asked, curiously.
Lilith set her cup down as the glass chimed against the obsidian table.
"Your father has ordered a peace treaty with the Felinarians by creating an alliance program. As of now, Veyloria Academy will not only be accommodating lycans and werewolves but werecats too."
For the first time that morning, I stopped breathing. Not from surprise but from disbelief.
The room suddenly felt smaller.
Like something had just shifted beneath my feet.
"The council believes it is in our best interest for all of us to get along. With that, the kingdom of Felinara will be sending a few candidates to attend the academy, one being his daughter, the princess," she finished off.
The princess.
Another spoiled royal.
Another political pawn.
Liora stopped chewing. Lucien's smirk faded, now replaced with interest.
"Isn't it exciting, your father is a genius," she said smiling as she leaned into him giving him a sloppy kiss, which he gladly returned.
"What sick joke are you playing at, old man. After everything we have been through, after everything they have done? You can't possibly-"
"The past no longer matters," he said." We move forward, no more lingering on the past," he snarled.
"Unity?" I stated. " Or surrender? If I remember correctly, weren't you the one who always told me not to trust them? That their kind is what's wrong with this world, how they need to know their place, which is beneath us."
"You dare question me?"
The room instantly froze.
Every servant lowered their eyes. Every guard went still.
Because everyone knew exactly how dangerous the king became when he felt challenged.
Lilith's eyes glittered with delight. She was loving every second of this, watching him crush me under his authority.
"Do not question my authority, Kael. You may be the crown prince, but I am king, and what I say goes. Never question me again." He said
"Understood."
I replied, pushing my chair back, standing up, and leaving the room.
The lie tasted bitter, because understanding wasn't the same thing as obedience.
I walked through the halls leading to the training fields. The wind cut through like glass as I reached outside. My shoes hit the reinforced platform with a hollow thud. Darien, my best friend and soon-to-be second in command, was already sparring against two combat holograms as he smashed through them with ease.
He caught sight of me, grinning from ear to ear with his dashing smile plastered on his face. I never understood how he could be so happy this early in the morning.
"Your royal moodiness is up early," he said
"Shut up," I scoffed.
He laughed, ducking under a blade. " Let me guess a royal greeting from his majesty."
"Even worse... apparently we will be expecting guests this new school year," I said, grabbing a sword from the rack. "An alliance with the Felinarians."
His grin disappeared. "Who came up with that idea?"
"His royal pain in the ass," I said
"You're joking," Darien replied.
"I wish I were. I don't know what crazy plan he has up his sleeve, but I know he isn't doing this for nothing." I said, " They will be attending Veyloria Academy with us this coming semester.
"That's in a few days." He stated.
A few days until strangers walked through our gates.
A few days until politics entered my territory.
A few days until peace became everyone else's problem and somehow mine.
I sighed as I walked onto the mat. For the next hour, we trained, steel striking, breath burning in our lungs, but even through the rhythm of the fight, the weight in my chest didn't lift.
By nightfall, the city pulsed beneath the moon. Silver light bled into crimson across the horizon, reflecting on the endless lake that divided our world from theirs.
I stood on the balcony again, the cold air biting my skin. Across the water, I could see it — faint but unmistakable — the glimmer of Felinara's towers, their golden lights burning through the fog like distant stars.
We were so close… and yet worlds apart.
I exhaled, tension crawling under my skin. My reflection stared back at me but beneath that surface… something stirred.
A sound broke the silence. It sounded steady like a low hum. I focused on the sound until a flicker of black smoke shot across the floor, forming a sigil I hadn't seen in years. My breath caught.
That mark.
The symbol pulsed once, then dissolved into mist.
My pulse felt like it was screaming inside my ears. "No," I whispered. "It can't be—"
But before I could move, a voice — low, familiar, impossible — echoed behind me.
"Still seeing ghosts, Kael?"
I froze.
That voice belonged to someone I'd buried five years ago.
When I turned, the balcony was empty.
Only the cold wind answered back.
I gripped the railing, knuckles white, the old scar on my shoulder burning like fire.
Whatever this was… it had begun again.
The moon flared brighter — its reflections rippling across the lake like eyes opening.
Watching.
Waiting.
And for the first time in years…
I had the terrifying feeling that whatever I was about to face was going to be crazy.
To top it off, in a few days some polished feline princess and her entourage would arrive in my territory and there is nothing I could do about it.