The Vampire King’s court bustled with activity, the scent of desperation hanging thick in the air. Wolves from struggling packs lined the grand hall, their hollow eyes and gaunt frames evidence of their hunger. Variss moved through the throng with calculated grace, her poisoned daggers glinting at her sides. The faintest sneer played on her lips as she took in the pathetic sight.
“Packs like these are ripe for exploitation,” she said as she approached the Vampire King, who sat on his obsidian throne. “They’ll do anything for food and safety.”
The King’s crimson eyes shifted to her, his expression unreadable. “And what would you have me do with such rabble?”
Variss stepped closer, her voice silky and persuasive. “Use them. Promise them what they need in exchange for what we want: the twins. They’ll track them down like bloodhounds. And once they deliver, we dispose of them.”
A slow, malicious smile spread across the King’s face. “Very well. Let them hunt.”
The King rose, his towering form casting a shadow over the room. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned his dark magic, his voice echoing as he delivered a chilling proclamation to his enemies.
“To those who stand against me,” his voice resonated, the air itself trembling under its weight. “Your defiance is amusing, but it will cost you everything. Bring me the White Wolf and her brother, or I will burn your forests to the ground. The ashes will be my kingdom.”
The message reached every pack aligned against him, a psychic wave of dread that left leaders scrambling. Isla and Draven, gathered in the war council room, froze as the ominous words echoed in their minds.
Draven slammed his hands onto the table, his voice a low growl. “We can’t let him dictate the terms. We need to strike first.”
Isla’s gaze was steely, but her voice betrayed her fear. “And risk losing Lyra? No. We protect her at all costs.”
The room was tense, the air thick with unspoken doubts. Draven’s fists clenched, his frustration palpable, but he nodded. “Then we fortify. But if the King thinks he can break us, he’ll learn how wrong he is.”