7: The Ashes of Thornclaw
Kaelen’s POV
The air was heavy with ash and smoke. The ruins of the village stretched before me.
My hand tightened on the bloodstained parchment, the words jarring back at me: Thornclaw will burn again. Bring her to us, or the bloodshed will never end.”
They weren’t even trying to conceal their intentions. Lucien wanted her. Celeste.
Vedmus stirred in my mind, his growl low and guttural. “We should hunt them down. Tear their throats out. Make them beg for mercy.
“We will,” I said under my breath. “But not like this.”
I’d learned long ago not to act on instinct alone no matter how much Vedmus demanded blood. Lucien’s attack wasn’t random, it was calculated. He wanted me to
lose control.
Dorian’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. “The warriors are sweeping the area, but there’s no sign of the rogues. They didn’t stay long after the attack.”
“They didn’t need to,” I replied, my tone sharper than I intended. “The damage is done.”
Dorian nodded, his expression grim. “The villagers are terrified. They’ve lost everything.
looked toward the remnants of what had once been a barn. A young woman sat amidst the rubble, her face streaked with soot and her arms wrapped protectively around a small child. Her eyes stared into space, her body trembling.
Nearby, Celeste stood with her arms crossed tightly against her chest, her pale face a mask of emotions, grief, and a quiet rage simmering just below the surface.
She hadn’t looked at me yet.
“Kaelen,” Dorian said carefully, his voice low. “This attack wasn’t just about the village.” His eyes flicked to Celeste.
J didn’t need the reminder.
“They left a message,” I said, holding up the crumpled parchment. “And I intend to answer it.”
We found a survivor near the edge of the village, resting against the remains of a wall. He was young, his face was/pale beneath the grime. His hands shook as he clutched at his torn shirt, his eyes darting nervously between us.
I bent in front of him, my movements slow and deliberate.
“Tell me what you saw,” I said.
His gaze flicked to mine, then quickly dropped. “Rogues,” he stammered. “They… they came out of nowhere. There were so many of them. We tried to fight, but..“”
“But what?” I pressed.
1/3
- The Ashes of Thornclaw
The boy swallowed hard. “Their leader. He was… different. Tall, with blond hair and silver eyes. He didn’t fight like the others. He just… watched. And then he gave the order to take the children.”
The world around me seemed to freeze. I stood slowly, my jaw tight.
“Lucien Greythorn,” Dorian murmured from behind me.
I nodded once. “Take him back to Shadow Keep. He’s seen enough.”
The boy’s eyes went wide, his fear momentarily replaced by relief. Dorian gestured for one of the warriors to escort him, but I didn’t wait to watch them leave.
I turned and found Celeste staring at me. “They’re targeting me,” she said, her voice quiet but steady.
I didn’t answer. What could I say that she didn’t already know?
The ride to Shadow Keep was silent, the weight of the attack hanging heavy over us. Celeste rode a few paces behind me, her shoulders stiff, her face unreadable.
Vedmus growled restlessly in the back of my mind. “She’s angry.”
“She has every right to be,” I muttered under my breath.
Angry wolves are unpredictable,” Vedmus warned. “You need her to trust you, not challenge you.”
tightened my grip on the reins. Trust wasn’t something I could give freely, not to the council, not to my pack, and certainly not to my mate. Trust meant vulnerability, and I couldn’t afford that.
Not now.
The chill of the evening lingered in the council chamber, the air damp and cold. At the head of the table sat Magnus Blackthorn, his eyes gleaming with interest as I threw the crumpled parchment onto the polished surface.
“This was left in the village,” I said. My voice was hard. “Lucien’s calling card.”
Magnus leaned forward, his fingers folded beneath his chin. “And what, exactly, does he want?”
“Celeste,” I said simply.
The other elders exchanged uneasy glances, their murmurs rising like whispers in a crypt.
Magnus, of course, was unflappable. “And what do you intend to do about it?”
I met his gaze, my own unflinching. “I’ll do what needs to be done.”
Magnus smirked, the faint curve of his lips stoking my irritation. “A bold statement,
Alpha. But we both know Lucien doesn’t act without purpose. He’s testing you. Testing us. Perhaps it’s time we considered”
“Considered what?” I interrupted, my voice low.
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7 The Ashes of Thornclaw
Magnus tilted his head, his smile sharpening. “That perhaps your Luna’s presence is more trouble than it’s worth.
Vedmus snarled, and so did I. “Say that again, and I’ll rip the words from your throat.”
The room fell silent. Magnus’s smirk faltered, but only for a moment.
The meeting ended shortly after, but his words lingered, gnawing at the edges of mind.
my
I found her on the balcony, her figure bathed in moonlight. She didn’t look at me when
I stepped into the room, but her voice echoed over the cool night air.
“They’re afraid of you,” she said.
“Good,” I replied, crossing the room until I stood beside her.
Her eyes never left mine, they looked cold and relentless. “Fear doesn’t build loyalty, Kaelen. It only builds walls.”
“I don’t need loyalty,” I said coldly. “I need results.”
She turned to me, and that was something I did not want to acknowledge. “And what about trust?” she asked. “Or am I just another result to you?
The words hit harder than they should have, but I didn’t let it show. “You’re my mate,” I said simply. “That’s all that matters.”
“Is it?” she pressed, her voice softening. “Because it doesn’t feel like it.”
I wanted to tell her the truth–that the weight of the curse, of the prophecy, was too much to share. But I couldn’t. Not yet.
“You’ll be safe,” I said instead, my voice firm. “That’s all you need to know.”
Later that night, I stood alone in the war room, the map of Eldrun spread out before me.
My mind raced, every detail of Lucien’s attack replaying in my head.
Vedmus growled, restless and unsatisfied. “You’re pushing her away.”
“She’ll understand eventually,” I muttered.
“And if she doesn’t?”
I clenched my fists, the curse/stirring in the back of my mind. “Then I’ll protect her without her understanding. No matter the cost.
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