The sound of boots echoed through the grand hall as Archer strode into the mansion, his presence commanding. Lyra and two other concubines appeared instantly, their movements practiced and calculated.
"Alpha," Lyra purred, stepping in front of him, her delicate hand resting on his arm. "You must be exhausted. Perhaps we could ease your stress?"
The others giggled, their coy smiles widening.
Archer's gaze flicked to them, his expression cold. "What do you want, Lyra?"
Lyra tilted her head, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "We simply wanted to offer you company. Unlike her…"
The sneer in her voice was unmistakable, but before she could finish, Archer's voice cut through, low and dangerous.
"Haelyn is your Luna. You'd do well to remember that."
Lyra flinched, her confidence faltering. "But, Alpha, she's hardly fitting…"
"Enough." Archer's voice rumbled like distant thunder. "Get out of my sight. All of you."
Lyra opened her mouth to protest but thought better of it, bowing her head before retreating with the others.
---------------
Archer found Haelyn in the library, staring out the window. Moonlight bathed her in silver, but the air around her felt charged, different.
"You're back," she said without looking at him.
"No greeting for your Alpha?" he teased, stepping inside.
She turned, her eyes sharp. "I didn't realize you needed one, Your Highness."
Archer smirked, but his expression turned serious as he studied her. "You're different tonight. What's going on?"
"Nothing," she said too quickly, her tone defensive.
"You're avoiding me," he pressed, stepping closer.
Haelyn shrugged. "Maybe I just don't like you," she rolled her eyes at him " I always avoid you and you know that."
"Liar," he muttered, his voice low.
Their eyes locked for a moment, tension crackling in the air. Then, as if remembering herself, Haelyn turned away, breaking the connection.
"Fine," Archer said, stepping back. "Keep your secrets, little wolf."
Later that night, Haelyn's phone buzzed, the sound breaking the silence of her room. Her heart sank when she saw the name.
"Father," she answered reluctantly.
"Haelyn." His voice was sharp, cutting. "You will attend my 70th birthday banquet. Bring your Alpha and household."
"I don't think…"
"I don't care what you think!" he barked. "You will come, or face the consequences of further disgracing this family."
The call ended abruptly, leaving Haelyn staring at her phone.
A knock on her door made her jump. Archer leaned against the frame, his sharp hearing no doubt catching the conversation.
"Eavesdropping?" she snapped.
"You make it hard not to," he replied, his tone infuriatingly calm.
"I'm not going," she said firmly.
"Yes, you are," he countered, stepping into the room.
"I don't need you to save me," Haelyn snapped, her voice trembling.
"Oh, but I think you do." Archer's golden eyes glinted with challenge. "You need saving, little wolf."
Before she could retort, Xander appeared, his face grim as he whispered something in Archer's ear.
Archer's expression darkened, and he turned back to Haelyn. "Stay here."
"What's going on?"
"Stay.." Archer ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument. He and Xander disappeared down the hall.
---
The pair moved swiftly through the darkened corridors until they reached the estate's edge. A cloaked figure waited for them, her face obscured by the shadows of her hood.
The moonlight barely filtered through the thick canopy above, casting everything in a dim, eerie glow. Xander glanced over his shoulder, his expression wary.
"She's waiting," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I know," Archer replied, his tone clipped.
They emerged into a small clearing, where a woman stood cloaked in black. The hood obscured most of her face, but her presence was unsettling. Her posture was relaxed, almost nonchalant, as if she owned the darkness around her.
"You're late," she said, her voice carrying a soft, mocking edge.
"Rowena," Archer acknowledged her, his tone cold and detached.
Rowena pushed back her hood, revealing sharp features and piercing green eyes that seemed to glow faintly in the moonlight. She smiled faintly, but it didn't reach her eyes. "How fortunate I am that you decided to grace me with your presence tonight, Alpha."
"I don't have time for your games," Archer growled. "Why are you here?"
Rowena chuckled softly, the sound echoing in the stillness. "Time is precisely what you're running out of, Archer. Yet here you are, wasting it."
Archer's jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
Rowena stepped closer, her gaze narrowing. "You have the girl now. The one I told you about. So why haven't you acted?"
Archer's golden eyes darkened. "You think I can just use her? The ritual might kill her."
"And?" Rowena tilted her head, feigning innocence. "Are you suddenly so sentimental? Don't tell me you've grown attached to her."
Xander tensed beside Archer, but Archer raised a hand, silencing him. "This isn't about sentiment. She's…different. The risk…"
"The risk?" Rowena interrupted, her voice sharp. "The risk is you failing to break your curse, Archer. Do you think she'd care about your fate if she knew the truth? She's a lamb, nothing more."
Archer's fists clenched at his sides. "She's not just a pawn. She's…"
"Don't delude yourself," Rowena snapped. "The only reason you accepted her from her father when you could have chosen anyone else was because of what she can offer you. Redemption. Freedom. Or have you forgotten?"
"I haven't forgotten," Archer bit out, his voice low and dangerous.
"Good," Rowena said with a satisfied smirk. "Because time is running out, Archer. The stars won't align forever. If you wait too long, you'll lose your chance. And you know what happens then."
Her words hung in the air like a threat, and for a moment, the clearing was silent except for the rustling of leaves.
Archer finally spoke, his voice quiet but firm. "I won't sacrifice her for this. Not unless I know she'll survive."
Rowena laughed, the sound cold and mocking. "You're a fool if you think you can have it both ways. Redemption always comes at a price. And if you're not willing to pay it, someone else will."
Archer's eyes flashed with fury, but before he could respond, Rowena stepped back into the shadows. "Tick-tock, Archer," she whispered, her voice fading as she disappeared into the night.
Xander exhaled sharply, breaking the tense silence. "What now?"
Archer stared at the spot where Rowena had vanished, his expression unreadable. "We wait."
"For what?" Xander pressed.
"For the right moment." Archer's voice was grim, his gaze distant. "But if she's right, that moment might never come."
---
Meanwhile, back in the mansion, Haelyn's muffled screams echoed through her locked room as her transformation continued, the primal power within her clawing its way to the surface.
Back in the mansion, Haelyn writhed on the floor of her locked room, her body consumed by searing pain. Her screams were muffled by the thick walls, her transformation tearing through her like fire.
Through her blurred vision, she saw Artemis's face peering through the window, his eyes wide with shock.
"Haelyn!" he called, his voice urgent.
But the pain was too much. As darkness overtook her, Haelyn felt a terrible, primal power rising within her, threatening to consume everything she was.
Outside the mansion oblivious to what was going on. Archer felt a shiver of unease for the first time in years