Page 6 of A Reign of Malice (Wolves of Lunara #3)

CHAPTER FIVE

SLOANE

T he night air bites through my fur, the twin moons lighting our way across the expansive castle grounds. My wolf’s breath comes in steady puffs, her focus sharp and unrelenting as she drives us forward with an urgency I can’t shake.

What are you doing? I push the question toward her, but she offers no response.

Our paws press firmly into the earth, the cool soil somehow calming me even as my pulse quickens.

We move silently through the shadows, skirting the edge of the forest before cutting back toward the castle.

Every instinct I have screams that we should be heading away from the imposing structure, not toward it. But my wolf doesn’t hesitate.

What is it? What are you sensing?

Still, she gives me no hints at an answer, but her unease bleeds into me like a cold current.

A low growl reverberates in her chest, vibrating through my body as I fight the rising tide of my own tension.

I relinquished control willingly, trusting her instincts, but now I wonder if I’ve made a mistake .

Her ears swivel as we round the corner of the castle, its towering walls standing like silent sentinels against the moonlit sky. Shadows pool in the nooks and crannies of the stone, the silver light of the sky barely piercing the dense foliage clinging to its surface.

She barrels toward the wall, her speed unyielding. For a heart-stopping moment, I’m certain she’s about to collide with the hard surface, her momentum too great to stop. My alpha power surges instinctively to the forefront.

Stop! My command echoes in her mind, firm and resolute.

Her muscles seize mid-stride, and the tension in her frame becomes nearly unbearable.

She lifts a paw hesitantly, trembling with restrained energy, but I’ve taken control now.

That’s enough. My voice softens, though my frustration remains . I know you can’t speak to me, but you can at least give me some direction here.

Her response is nothing more than a low whimper, her will pressing against mine as she continues to fight me, her desperation tangible.

Is there something near that wall you need? I ask, forcing patience into my tone.

In over three centuries of living as one, she’s never behaved this way. This urgency, this raw intensity is foreign to us both. Whatever she’s sensing, it’s unlike anything we’ve encountered before.

She dips her head, a small, deliberate nod.

Fine. I ease my hold on her just enough to allow her to move again . Proceed. Carefully.

The growl that rumbles in her chest feels more determined than defiant, and she stalks forward, her movements slow and cautious. Her nose twitches, ears flicking at every sound, her senses tuned to something I can’t yet perceive.

Until I do.

It’s faint at first, but there’s a ripple in the air, subtle yet unmistakable. As we inch closer, it grows stronger, an invisible pulse radiating from the castle wall. This isn’t just power; whatever this force is, it’s alive, humming with an energy that prickles along my skin.

The sensation is suffocating, like standing too close to a storm about to break. My breath catches in my throat as my wolf creeps closer.

We reach the bushes first, thick with ivy and shrubs. To any other eyes, it would seem unremarkable—a patch of overgrowth clinging stubbornly to the stone. But my wolf doesn’t waver. She burrows her snout into the foliage, shaking her head until the leaves part and the wall is exposed.

The energy strengthens.

It thrums against my chest, a low, steady beat that resonates deep within me. My heart races in tandem, the rhythm erratic. Frantic. The air is thick here, weighted with a potency that feels almost conscious, as though the wall itself is watching us.

Every step closer makes it harder to breathe, the pull growing unbearable. It’s magnetic, impossible to resist, yet saturated with an undercurrent of something dark and foreboding. My wolf trembles beneath the pressure, but she doesn’t stop.

We reach a patch of deep purple flowers nestled against the wall, their petals trembling in the still air. My wolf sits back on her haunches, her eyes locking onto the bricks with unnerving precision. Her ears are flat, her gaze narrowed as she focuses on a single section of the wall .

She blinks and then…

We see them.

They’re faint, nearly hidden beneath layers of dirt from years past and the ivy that’s begun to creep up the walls. But there’s no mistaking the soft glow—a whisper of light pulsing from the base of the wall.

These are ancient runes.

My wolf goes taut, her body rigid with a mix of fear and fascination. My own chest tightens as I stare at the symbols, the energy emanating from them crawling along my skin like tiny, charged needles.

Let me see.

She relents, and the shift back is almost immediate.

My body tightens and stretches as the change overtakes me, the air sharp against my skin when it’s over.

I steady myself, smoothing my hands over my dress that clings once more to my body as I inhale deeply.

It makes me cough as something rough, almost acrid, invades my lungs.

Something isn’t right here.

I focus on the runes again, brushing away more ivy to reveal additional symbols etched into the stone. It’s been over a century since I’ve encountered magic this potent, and even then, it was nothing like this. My palm touches the warm surface. This is…dark.

Repulsion moves up my spine and gets stuck in my throat. I want to vomit, to run, to tear myself away from whatever force is radiating from this wall, but my curiosity anchors me in place. My wolf was right to lead me here. Whatever this is, it’s significant.

My hand trembles as I push more ivy aside, uncovering more of the faded symbols that seem to have been burned into the stone. The runes are intricate, their lines curling and weaving into shapes I don’t recognize .

My wolf stirs restlessly, pacing in the back of my mind. Her instincts scream that this is wrong, dangerous even. Yet, neither of us can ignore the pull.

I lift my hand, hesitating for a heartbeat before pressing my palm against the largest rune.

The effect is immediate.

A jolt surges through me, piercing and unforgiving, racing up my arm and slamming into my chest. I gasp, stumbling back, but my hand remains glued to the stone as if some unseen force refuses to let me go.

The air thickens around me, heavy with energy that crackles like distant thunder. My pulse pounds erratically, my vision blurring as a heat unlike anything I’ve ever felt floods through me.

Then the images begin.

Chaotic and fragmented, they flash through my mind like shards of glass: a pair of piercing eyes, stormy and filled with anguish. Chains rattling in a darkness so absolute it feels suffocating. A voice—deep, raw, and drenched in desperation.

Help.

The singular word sends a shiver down my spine. The voice is unfamiliar, yet it resonates within me, intimate and undeniable.

“Who… Who’s there?” I whisper, my breath hitching as the energy around me shifts again.

The glow of the runes intensifies, spreading out across the wall like veins of molten fire. The fervor is overwhelming, yet I can’t bring myself to pull away.

My wolf howls within my mind, clawing for control. The force of her emotions is overwhelming—fear, confusion, longing .

The voice comes again, softer this time, but no less pleading, bordering on commanding.

Find me.

The pressure releases suddenly, and I collapse to the ground, gasping for air. My hand trembles as I press it to my lips, my heart racing as the glow fades, leaving only the hazy etchings of the runes behind.

I stare at the wall, trying to make sense of what just happened.

Help. Find me.

The words echo in my head, the desperation in them cutting deep. Whoever—or whatever—that was, I need to know why my wolf was drawn to them.

The pull I felt earlier hasn’t lessened. If anything, it’s stronger now, like a tether drawing me deeper into the unknown. But I’ve lived too long in this world to trust magic like this blindly.

My first thought is to go to Aeson, to question him about these runes and see if he has any answers. But even my wolf bristles at the idea.

I told myself I was done searching for cracks in Aeson’s armor, but this discovery easily brings back my doubts—not that they ever really went away. I want to believe he’s the gracious king he portrays himself to be, but I’m once again wondering what his real intentions are.

Alpha power rises within me, my wolf’s doing, and I tilt my head.

You think he’s using us to grow his stature?

Her replying rumble within my mind is all the confirmation I need. My thoughts reel. I’ve already wondered this myself.

With my pack joining his, Venaris will become the largest kingdom in Lunara. King Asher has always held the highest rank among the alphas, but if I share my energy with Aeson, becoming his chosen mate, that could all change.

I grip my head with both hands, a frustrated growl escaping my lips. “Damn it.”

Am I once again searching for problems where there are none? These runes could be older than Aeson’s reign. They’re so hidden, he may not even know they exist.

Or he could be keeping secrets that might unravel everything.

I push to my feet, the air around me still heavy with the lingering energy of the runes. My chest tightens as I weigh my options.

I need to talk to Clara. Whatever lies behind these runes might not be friendly. It could be a monster—a vile creature locked away for good reason. The desperation in that voice could be a trap, a ploy to lure me into something far worse than I’m prepared to handle.

I clench my fists, resolve hardening to find answers.

With renewed determination, I head back toward the front of the castle, my steps purposeful despite the turmoil churning inside me. My intent is to go right to Clara, but then I remember the dinner I promised Aeson I’d attend.

It’s not ideal, but perhaps it’s an opportunity. I can poke around, see if he knows anything about Venaris’s past—about these runes—without revealing what I’ve discovered.

I inhale deeply, steeling myself.

It’s time for me to be the calculated queen I’ve always been.

My grin has my feet moving faster, and I can’t deny the thrill that rises in my chest at the thought.

This is going to be interesting.