The room feels too small.
Too quiet.
Too full of eyes watching me like I might shatter…
or explode.
Aiden hasn't moved from my side since I woke.
His hand rests on the small of my back, grounding me without a word.
My skin still glows—
golden cracks pulsing slowly beneath the surface.
Like lightning frozen under flesh.
Kai stares openly.
Ethan tries not to faint.
The elders whisper about me like I can't hear them.
"Her veins are unstable—"
"She's becoming something else—"
"She must be contained before she—"
Aiden's voice slices through the whispers, low and deadly:
"Finish that sentence and I'll throw you out the window."
Instant silence.
I swallow hard.
"Aiden… they're not wrong."
His head snaps toward me instantly.
"Liyana. You're okay. You're right here with me. Nothing's happening."
He believes it.
I do not.
Because I can feel it.
Like something alive beneath my skin.
Humming.
Crawling.
Growing.
My mother's voice from the dream echoes in my mind:
"You are awakening."
The elders stand in the corner, too afraid to come closer.
Serene hovers in the doorway, eyes swollen from crying, staring at Aiden like he's already gone from her forever.
Her voice is small.
Fragile.
"Does she even know what she's becoming?"
Aiden rounds on her like a storm.
"Say another word, Serene, and you leave this pack."
She flinches as if struck.
"But I'm worried for you," she whispers.
Aiden doesn't soften.
"Liyana is my priority. My choice. My mate."
Serene's knees buckle.
A sound escapes her that's not even human.
But before anyone can react—
Pain explodes in my chest.
I gasp and grip Aiden's shirt.
His eyes widen.
"Liyana? Talk to me. What's wrong?"
"I—I don't—"
Heat races up my throat.
My heartbeat goes wild.
Magic surges violently through my body.
The golden cracks on my skin blaze too bright.
"Aiden—" I choke. "I can't—breathe—"
His arms wrap around me instantly.
"Liyana. Focus on my voice."
The elders panic.
"She's going critical—!"
"That means her bloodline is rejecting—"
"She might rupture—!"
Serene screams, "Aiden, get away from her!"
Aiden ignores all of them.
He cups my face in both hands.
"Look at me," he whispers urgently.
"Just me."
But I can't see him.
Everything blurs.
Light bursts from my skin—
blinding
blistering
burning—
Magic slams outward like a shockwave.
The lamps shatter.
Glass explodes.
Furniture cracks.
The walls tremble violently.
Wolves in the hall cry out as they're thrown backwards.
Aiden holds me tighter, grunting as the blast hits him.
"It's okay—let it out—let it out, moonlight—"
His voice is calm.
But his breathing is ragged.
Kai clings to the doorway, yelling:
"THIS IS NOT OKAY—THE ROOM IS EXPLODING—!"
Ethan hides behind a dresser.
"I knew loving witches was a bad idea—!"
Another blast erupts from my body.
This one stronger.
The windows blow open.
The entire packhouse vibrates.
Serene shrieks and crawls away.
"She's going to kill us—!"
Aiden snarls at her without turning.
"Shut up!"
But I barely hear them.
My mind is spinning.
Pain.
Heat.
Light.
Voices.
My mother's voice echoes faintly—
"Your power has two sides—
You must choose which one you feed."
My breathing stutters.
The gold on my arms spreads up my neck.
"Aiden—" I whisper, tears streaming.
"I can't control it—"
"Yes, you can."
He pulls me into his lap.
"Because I'm right here. I'm not letting you fall."
My heart hammers.
"I'm scared."
"I know."
His lips brush my temple.
"But I'm not. Not of you."
Another wave of magic surges—
Aiden tightens his hold and presses his forehead to mine.
"Listen to me," he whispers urgently.
"You are not alone. You're with me. You're safe."
His words hit something deep inside me.
The bond pulses.
A warm thread of connection glows between us.
Anchoring.
Softening.
Pulling me back.
The magic slows.
My breath steadies a little.
The glowing veins dim by a fraction.
Aiden releases a broken breath.
"There you go… that's it… come back to me…"
But the elders step forward, horrified.
Rowan points a shaking finger at me.
"She is unstable. She will destroy this pack. She must be restrained—"
Aiden's wolf appears in his voice.
"OVER. MY. DEAD. BODY."
Mira stammers, "Alpha… you are risking everyone—"
"I'm saving her!" he roars.
Serene cries,
"Aiden, she's not even a wolf—!"
"She's mine," he snaps.
I cling to his shirt, trembling uncontrollably.
"I don't want to hurt anyone," I choke.
"I don't want this—"
His hands move to my cheeks again.
"You're not hurting anyone," he says softly.
As another wave of magic trembles under my skin—
I feel it shift.
Less violent.
More… responsive.
Like it hears him.
Like it recognizes him.
The elders stare in disbelief.
Mira whispers:
"The Alpha's bond… it stabilizes her."
Rowan gapes. "Impossible."
Aiden glares at them.
"Say impossible again. I dare you."
I gasp as another surge runs through me.
Aiden holds me tighter.
He shifts fully—
wrapping his arms, his legs, his whole body around me like a shield.
The golden light erupts—
But instead of exploding outward—
It wraps around us both.
Soft.
Warm.
Alive.
A cocoon of golden flame.
We float.
Weightless.
Breathless.
Connected.
Aiden's hands cup my face.
"Look at me," he whispers.
"Just me."
I do.
And the magic bends.
Light swirls around us like threads of gold weaving a tapestry.
Behind Aiden's shoulder, the elders drop to their knees in awe.
Serene stares with wide eyes.
"No… no… this can't be happening—"
Ethan whispers, "This is… beautiful."
Kai nods slowly.
"And terrifying."
The glow reaches its peak—
then sinks back into my skin.
The room settles.
Silence.
Aiden exhales shakily.
He presses his forehead to mine.
"You did it," he whispers, voice raw.
"You controlled it."
"No," I whisper back.
"You did."
He cups my cheek gently.
"No, Liyana. This was all you."
I swallow hard.
"I saw something," I whisper.
"When the magic burst."
His brows furrow. "What?"
"Myself."
"How?"
"I wasn't me."
I tremble.
"It was like I saw… another version of myself. Tall. Glowing. Not human. Not witch. Not wolf."
Aiden stiffens.
"What did you look like?"
I swallow.
"My eyes were white.
My veins were gold.
My hair was… light.
And behind me… wings."
The room goes still.
"Wings," Mira repeats faintly.
"That means—"
Aiden cuts in sharply.
"No."
He grips my shoulders.
"No destiny. No prophecy. No curse."
His voice cracks.
"You're mine. That's all."
But I see the fear in his eyes.
Not fear of me.
Fear for me.
And somewhere deep in the forest—
far, far away—
A voice whispers through the trees:
"Her true form stirs."
Aiden hears it.
His jaw clenches.
He pulls me against his chest fiercely.
"Whatever is coming," he growls,
"it will go through me first."
The golden veins on my skin flicker—
And for the first time…
I realize I'm not just awakening.
I'm becoming something terrifying.
Something ancient.
Something powerful enough to break a king.