Odesse looked at his mask and studied it carefully before glancing down. Valex gave a concerned look. The high chief slowly pulled back and smiled softly, saying, "You look like my sister." Odesse’s surprise quickly morphed into confusion. Kael’s expression shifted from composed to one of disbelief, *does that mean it could be true?

The old woman seated nearby smiled gently, her voice soft yet cracked like age-old wood. "High chief, you should come sit down; you must be tired," she said. The high chief touched Odesse’s face softly, smiled, and then retreated to his seat, maintaining a calm posture that never wavered. The old woman straightened, closed her eyes slowly, and began, "Let me tell you a story, a story that will help us all understand."

Odesse looked at Valex, who smiled back at her, making her blush before she turned her attention back to the old woman.

"Long ago, a very powerful king and his beautiful, gracious queen of the Crinos pack had two lovely twin babies. They held a feast for the entire pack. The King stood before his guests, raised his glass, and proclaimed,

’To the future of the Crinos!’

King Calix’s voice boomed across the Great Hall, vibrating against the stone walls. He was no longer an old legend; he stood tall with a golden chalice in his hand. The aroma of roasted boar and pine smoke filled the air. He appeared less like a man and more like a man whose beauty was transcendent, carved from the very architecture of the hall.

Looking down at the Alphas, he made them feel like children standing in a well. ’You come to my pack to see the future?’ the King asked, his deep voice echoing from above. He raised his glass toward his guests, a composed smile on his face. ’My esteemed guests, family, friends, and allies,’ he paused to look around, ’and of course, my foes and rivals; I am certain they are here today.’

A ripple of amusement swept through the great hall. The Alphas didn’t laugh hysterically, cracking their knees or choking on their drinks; instead, they laughed gracefully, with dignity. The males chuckled among themselves, while the females bowed their heads, a sharp smile playing at the corners of their lips. King Calix smirked, pleased to have elicited laughter from his guests.

As silence returned to the hall, the King continued, ’We do not celebrate death today; we celebrate life. Five years of waiting, and eleven months ago, we received news worth more than any battle victory: my beautiful and graceful wife, the woman who makes me feel I could reach the moon, my heart, Queen Lysandra, was pregnant.’

The response was immediate—a thunderous cheer erupted from the floor, a wall of sound that pushed upward like a physical force. Calix smiled, soaking in the adoration of the people. As silence returned once again, the King continued, ’For these eleven months, we kept it a secret from everyone... not even our servants knew about it.’

Guests murmured in surprise, and the King then added, ’But today, I have come to celebrate the new life that has entered my kingdom, with those who have always supported us.’ He raised his glass once more, and the guests followed suit. ’This is a toast to the future of the Crinos pack—prosperity and longevity! Bring forth my wife and children for all to see.’

Turning, he saw his wife smiling and walking gracefully towards him. Queen Lysandra had long black hair, beautiful tanned skin, and an astonishing facial structure that embodied true beauty. Behind her, two nurses emerged in perfect synchronization, each holding one of the twins—one on the Queen’s left and the other on her right, like living jewels being presented to the world.

The following silence was heavy with awe as the guests prepared to witness a new Chapter in the Crinos pack’s history. Queen Lysandra stood next to him, smiling graciously. He took her hand and kissed it gently before turning to the nurse holding the baby wrapped in a dark blue royal blanket.

Facing the guests, King Calix raised the baby high and declared, ’This is my son, who will bring peace and a bright future to this kingdom. His name shall be blessed, for he shall be like his father. I name him Kaelith.’

With a smile, he passed the baby to the nurse and turned to take the baby wrapped in a light pink royal blanket from the other nurse. ’This is my daughter, who has inherited her mother’s grace and elegance. She promises remarkable things for this pack. Her name shall be Althea.’

He handed her to her nurse and turned back to the crowd. ’These two children will one day rule over us, so everyone, in honor of that, celebrate and eat as much as you can. Get drunk and fill your stomachs!’

A sudden uproar of approval shook the banners. The King smiled as he exchanged glances with his wife, who smiled back at him.

The echoes of the feast were nothing more than a memory by the time King Calix retreated to his solar. He sat in the high-backed chair, the firelight dancing in the amber of his drink. The Queen, too, let the practiced softness of her expression fall away. Her face became a mask of cold marble, her eyes losing the light they had held. She turned to him and said, her voice sharp and bitter, "You couldn’t even say anything other than politics about the babies." She pulled at her lace cuffs, her movements sharp and agitated.

He replied, his voice flat and tired, "What exactly are they if not for political gains? I do not know why you decided to get pregnant now, but during this time, maybe they’ll be useful for political mergers." She rolled her eyes, the only other sound being the clink of gold against the table. She turned her back to him, her fingers working with practiced, icy efficiency at the laces of her bodice. The heavy silk, stiff with embroidery and the weight of a thousand eyes, pooled around her feet like shed skin.

Standing there in the dim firelight, her body bare of any material, he focused on his own hands busy with the heavy rings on his fingers. "If you don’t want more kids, I think it’s best you cover up," he said, the clink of gold against the table marking the silence. She reached for her nightgown—a simple slip of pale silk that hung over the chair. It was thin, almost ghost-like compared to the armor she had worn all evening. Pulling it over her head, the fabric whispered against her skin as it fell to her ankles. It was a shroud for the day’s lies.

Finally covered, she tied the silk robe tight around her waist, cinching it as if to protect herself from the very air in the room. She walked toward him slowly and intentionally, bending down. She stepped into his space, but there was no warmth in her movement. She didn’t smell like roses; she smelled of stale sweat from the ballroom and old resentment. Her hands reached for his collar, her movements slow and deliberate—not out of desire, but to force him to stand still and endure her presence.

"The great King," she whispered, her fingernail snagging against a silver button. "So tall on your staircase. So heavy with your crown." She flicked the first button open with a sharp, mocking twist. "And yet, here you are, unable to relieve yourself of this armor you so love. Imagine if you choked from suffocation—that would be very unfortunate." He looked at her with a wry smile and said, "The smell of your sweat may be what suffocates me, not the armor, my dear wife."

She smiled and worked her way down his chest, her hands trembling not with passion, but with a weary, jagged grief. Each button she undid felt like another layer of the lie falling away. "Two babies," she murmured, her eyes fixed on his sternum, refusing to meet his gaze. "Two more souls to trap in this gilded cage we’ve built." She pulled the fabric apart, exposing him to the cold air of the room. She didn’t lean in to kiss him. "There," she said, the last button popping free. She smoothed the silk over his shoulders with a pat that felt more like a slap. "The King is undone. Was it worth it, Calix? All that cheering for a family that doesn’t exist once the torches go out?" She stepped back immediately, as if the very sight of his skin was a chore she had finally finished. "Those two babies will have to suffer and endure your selfish gains for more power. Their destiny is already tainted."

He watched her for a moment, the silence stretching until it became uncomfortable. Then he moved. He didn’t rush; he drifted toward her with the slow, terrifying confidence of a wolf who knows his prey has nowhere to run. "My wife," he murmured, his voice dropping into that rich, velvet tone he used to charm the masses. He reached out, his thumb tracing the line of her jaw with a pressure that was just a fraction too firm to be a caress. "Why do you worry yourself? Such a beautiful face shouldn’t be wrinkled by the stress of the world."

He leaned in, his breath warm against her ear, though his eyes remained cold and calculating. "It should be preserved. A masterpiece for me to look at, so that I might feel... happy." He didn’t wait for her reply. His hand moved from her jaw to the nape of her neck, pulling her just an inch closer until the silk of her nightwear brushed against his skin.

The Queen didn’t lean in, but she didn’t pull away either—she simply stood her ground, her breath hitching in a mix of defiance and resignation. The fire in the hearth gave one final, loud crack before collapsing into a bed of glowing red embers. King Calix reached out with his free hand and, without taking his eyes off hers, extinguished the single candle on the bedside table. The shadows swallowed the room, leaving only the sound of the wind against the glass and the heavy, rhythmic beat of two hearts that didn’t beat as one.