The Monster

Ariana's POV

Nobody moved.

The battle stopped on its own.

Even the hunters lowered their weapons and stepped aside.

Whatever was coming...

They were making room for it.

The heavy footsteps grew louder.

Each one made the ground shake beneath my feet.

I looked at the broken gate.

Smoke drifted through the opening.

For a few seconds, all I could see were shadows.

Then something huge walked into the courtyard.

It looked like a wolf.

But no wolf could ever grow that large.

Its head was higher than a horse.

Its black fur was rough and covered with old scars. One ear was torn. Thick chains dragged behind it, scraping against the stones with a harsh sound.

Its eyes were red.

Not the bright red of fire.

The dull red of something that had forgotten mercy.

It stopped in the middle of the courtyard and lifted its head.

The roar that burst from its mouth made several horses panic.

One of the castle guards dropped his sword.

Another covered his ears.

I could not look away.

The creature slowly turned its head.

Its eyes found me.

My body refused to move.

It stared at me as though it already knew who I was.

Then it took one step toward me.

Kael moved before anyone else.

He placed himself between us.

"If you want her," he said without looking back at me, "you'll have to come through me."

One of the hunters laughed.

"You still don't understand, Lycan King."

Kael didn't answer.

The man continued.

"That beast isn't here to fight you."

He pointed at me.

"It came for the girl."

I felt every face in the courtyard turn toward me.

My hands became cold.

"What does he mean?" I asked quietly.

Nobody answered.

The beast took another step.

Its chains dragged across the ground with a loud scrape.

Kael lifted his sword.

Around him, the Shadowcrest warriors closed ranks.

No one was running anymore.

They knew this fight would decide everything.

The hunter raised his hand.

"Kill the King."

The beast sprang forward.

It crossed the courtyard in a heartbeat.

Kael met it head-on.

The crash threw dust into the air.

The force knocked nearby warriors off their feet.

Kael slid backwards across the stone, but he stayed standing.

The beast swung one massive paw.

Kael ducked.

The claws ripped through a stone pillar instead.

Pieces of rock flew across the courtyard.

One of them shot toward me.

I froze.

Before it could hit me, Rowan grabbed my arm and pulled me aside.

The stone crashed where I had been standing.

"You can't stay here!" he shouted.

"I can't leave him!"

"You'll die if you do!"

Another roar filled the courtyard.

Kael drove his sword into the beast's shoulder.

Dark blood splashed across the ground.

The creature screamed.

Not in pain.

In anger.

It turned away from Kael.

Its eyes found me again.

This time...

It ignored everyone else.

It started running straight toward me.

"Ariana!"

Kael's voice cut through the noise.

"Run!"

My legs finally obeyed.

I turned and ran across the courtyard.

People shouted around me.

I heard footsteps behind me.

Heavy.

Fast.

The beast was gaining on me.

I reached the old fountain in the centre of the courtyard.

There was nowhere else to go.

I turned around.

The creature was only a few steps away.

It opened its mouth.

I closed my eyes.

Then a bright silver light burst from my collarbone.

It spread across the courtyard like moonlight.

The beast stopped so suddenly that it slid across the stone.

The chains around its body rattled loudly.

It lowered its head.

Then...

To everyone's shock...

The monster knelt before me.

No one spoke.

Not the hunters.

Not the Shadowcres

t warriors.

Not even Kael.

The beast remained on one knee as if it had just recognised its true master.

And from somewhere behind the hunters, a frightened voice whispered,

"The Moonborn Queen has awakened."