Chapter 1: The Bloody Night at Wolf Palace
That night, the full moon hung majestically across the sky above Alpha Valley, casting a silver glow over the towering stone spires of Wolf Palace.
Inside the grand hall, the atmosphere was magnificent. Hundreds of Lycan nobles gathered in their finest ceremonial attire. The scent of honey mead and roasted meat filled the air, mingling with the boisterous laughter that echoed throughout the hall. Golden goblets clinked together, music played from one corner, and the voices of the guests blended into the vast space.
Tonight was the night the entire empire had been waiting for—the celebration of the Crown Prince's birth, the firstborn son of the feared King Lycaon.
Upon the golden throne, King Lycaon sat with his chest proudly held high. His muscular body was covered in battle scars, each one a testament to his ruthlessness and the countless wars he had survived.
Beside him, Queen Laura sat with a pale face. The woman looked elegant in her dark blue silk gown, yet the sadness in her eyes could not conceal the uneasiness that gripped her heart.
In her arms, a thick fur blanket was wrapped tightly around a baby boy who was fast asleep.
The baby had been named Ethan.
“My people!”
King Lycaon's deep voice thundered through the hall, cutting through all the noise.
Instantly, silence descended.
Every eyes turned toward their ruler.
“Tonight, the full moon shall bear witness to the rightful heir of this throne. Come, let us show the world the wolf aura flowing through my son's blood!”
Lycaon turned toward his wife and gave her a firm look.
Laura pressed her lips together.
Her fingers tightened around the blanket wrapped around Ethan before she slowly rose to her feet. Both of her legs felt heavy as she walked toward the center of the hall.
At the center stood an ancient stone altar used for the Aura Manifestation Ceremony.
According to the traditions of their clan, every royal infant born beneath a full moon would naturally release a spark of wolf aura when placed upon the altar. It was a sign that revealed the strength of their body and bloodline.
Laura stopped in front of the altar.
She drew a slow breath before gently placing Ethan upon the cold stone surface.
The tiny baby squirmed slightly.
His little brows furrowed, and a soft whimper escaped his tiny lips before he opened a pair of clear, round eyes.
King Lycaon stepped down from his throne and stood beside the altar.
A proud smile spread across his face.
The nobles held their breath.
Time seemed to slow.
One minute passed.
Then two.
Yet nothing happened.
The altar stone remained dull.
There was no spark of glowing red light.
No faint howl from a wolf spirit.
Not even the slightest trace of the distinctive musk that signified the presence of a Lycan.
Ethan's tiny body remained peaceful upon the altar, as though nothing unusual was happening at all.
The smile on King Lycaon's face vanished instantly.
His jaw tightened.
His face turned crimson as veins began to bulge along his neck and forehead. Slowly, his hands curled into fists at his sides.
“What does this mean?”
His voice sounded like a growl being barely restrained.
“Lycaon, please… he's only a baby.”
Laura's voice trembled. Tears began to gather at the corners of her eyes.
She took a step forward, but stopped when her husband's piercing gaze struck her.
She knew exactly what was going through the mind of a man who was far too obsessed with power.
“Silence!”
Lycaon's roar shook the entire hall.
Laura flinched.
Before she could do anything, Lycaon roughly snatched the infant from the altar.
His eyes transformed into glowing golden yellow—the unmistakable sign that his wolf was taking control.
“He has no wolf aura!”
His fingers tightened around Ethan's swaddling cloth.
“He is not my son!”
Lycaon's voice grew louder.
“He is nothing but a defective human who will bring shame upon the Lycan royal bloodline!”
Shocked whispers spread among the nobles.
Laura slowly shook her head. The tears she had been holding back finally streamed down her cheeks.
“Don't…”
But in the corner of the hall, Concubine Sophia merely smiled coldly behind her feathered fan.
Her eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
Her secret plan had apparently produced a very satisfying result.
“Throw this child into the Dead Forest!”
Lycaon raised his voice.
“Let the wild beasts tear him apart!”
He roughly tossed Ethan's tiny body back into Laura's arms.
Laura caught Ethan with both hands.
Her body trembled.
She immediately pulled the baby tightly against her chest, as though the entire world were trying to take the tiny life away from her.
“No!”
Her scream echoed throughout the hall.
“I will not let anyone touch my son!”
Lycaon stared at her, his expression growing colder.
Laura stepped backward, clutching Ethan even tighter. Tears continued to stream down her face, but something had changed in her eyes.
Fear was slowly being replaced by determination.
The night that was supposed to be filled with music, laughter, and celebration had turned into a bloody night.
Lycaon drew his sword.
The blade caught the moonlight streaming through the tall windows of the hall.
“Finish them!”
The command echoed through the palace.
His personal guards began to move.
Laura held Ethan tightly against her chest and turned, desperately searching for a way out.
All around her, the thunderous footsteps of the soldiers grew closer.
And on the very night the heir to the throne was born, a mother was forced to flee her own palace to save her flesh and blood.
Yet she did not know that this night would be more than the beginning of her escape.
It would become Laura's final night as Queen.
