Chapter 5
The creature's wings spread wide across the clearing, swallowing the moonlight.
Ariana had never seen anything like it.
Its body was tall and humanoid, but dark feathers covered its shoulders and arms like armor. Massive wings curved behind it, stretching across the clearing like shadows swallowing the night.
And its eyes—
cold silver light burned within them.
Ariana's breath trembled.
"What is that?" she whispered.
Kael stepped slightly in front of her, his body instinctively shielding her.
"A problem."
The creature tilted its head, studying them both with unsettling calm.
"Alpha Vaughn," it said.
Its voice echoed across the clearing like distant thunder.
"You should step aside."
Kael's muscles tightened.
"That's not happening."
Behind them, the hunters from the council poured out of the broken house, spreading across the clearing. Torches flickered violently in the wind.
The vampire lord Cassian stepped forward slowly, clearly intrigued by the new arrival.
"Well," he murmured.
"That's unexpected."
The winged creature didn't even look at him.
"We are not here for the council."
Its glowing gaze remained fixed on Ariana.
"We are here for the Fifth Blood."
Ariana felt Kael's hand tighten slightly around her wrist.
"Who are you?" Kael demanded.
The creature's wings shifted slowly.
The creature studied him for a moment
and its wings shifted slowly.
"A name your kind once knew," it said calmly.
"We were called Guardians."
Kael's expression darkened.
"That title died centuries ago."
"Did it?" the creature replied calmly.
Ariana's heart pounded harder.
Everything happening tonight felt like pieces of a nightmare stacking on top of each other.
Hunters.
Vampires.
Winged monsters.
And all of them were staring at her.
The creature took one slow step forward.
"The Fifth Blood must come with us."
Kael didn't move.
"No."
The creature's silver eyes narrowed.
"You misunderstand, Alpha."
Its wings rustled softly in the cold wind.
"This is not a request."
Kael's wolf stirred violently beneath his skin.
"Try."
The clearing fell silent.
Cassian chuckled softly from the side.
"Oh, this is getting interesting."
The vampire lord leaned casually against a tree, clearly enjoying the tension.
"The council wants her dead," he said.
"You want to take her."
His red eyes gleamed.
"And the Alpha refuses both of you."
Cassian smiled.
"I wonder how this ends."
The winged creature ignored him.
Its gaze remained locked on Ariana.
"You feel it, don't you?" it said softly.
Ariana froze.
The strange light beneath her skin pulsed again.
Stronger this time.
Like it was responding to the creature's presence.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said weakly.
The creature stepped closer.
"You are the Fifth Blood."
"You were always meant to awaken."
Ariana shook her head.
"No."
"Yes."
Its voice was calm.
Certain.
"The balance of the supernatural world is breaking."
"And you are the key to restoring it."
Kael stepped forward.
"She's not going anywhere with you."
The creature's gaze finally shifted to him.
"You cannot protect her forever, Alpha."
"Watch me."
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then the creature sighed softly.
"Very well."
Its wings lifted slightly.
"We tried diplomacy."
Kael's eyes flashed.
The creature suddenly moved.
Faster than Ariana's eyes could follow.
One second it stood twenty feet away.
The next—
it was right in front of her.
Ariana gasped.
Kael lunged instantly.
But the creature was already reaching for her.
Its glowing hand wrapped around Ariana's wrist.
The moment their skin touched—
the world exploded with light.
Ariana screamed as power surged violently through her veins.
Wind roared through the clearing.
Every torch blew out at once.
The hunters stumbled backward.
Even Cassian took a step away.
"What is this?" someone shouted.
The creature froze.
Its silver eyes widened.
"The power…" it whispered.
Ariana cried out as the energy burned through her body. It felt like lightning tearing through her veins.
Kael grabbed her shoulders.
"Ariana!"
The ground trembled.
Trees bent under the force of the wind.
And the strange light beneath Ariana's skin suddenly spread—
up her arms.
Across her chest.
Toward her heart.
The winged creature released her instantly.
"This shouldn't be happening," it said.
Kael pulled Ariana behind him.
"What did you do to her?"
The creature stared at Ariana in shock.
"I did nothing."
Cassian's voice cut through the chaos.
"Well…"
The vampire lord stepped forward slowly, his red eyes gleaming with fascination.
"That explains everything."
Kael's head snapped toward him.
"Explains what?"
Cassian smiled.
"The prophecy."
Ariana barely heard the words.
The power inside her was growing stronger.
Too strong.
She felt like she was losing control.
"What prophecy?" Kael demanded.
Cassian's smile widened.
"The one the council buried centuries ago."
He looked directly at Ariana.
"The Fifth Blood does not awaken alone."
Kael's body went completely still.
"What do you mean?"
Cassian's eyes gleamed with dangerous amusement.
"It means the Alpha is already too late."
Ariana's breath shook.
"Too late for what?"
Cassian's voice dropped into a whisper.
"For the bond."
Kael's heart slammed against his ribs.
"What bond?"
Cassian's smile turned cruel.
"The one forming right now."
Kael turned toward Ariana.
And that was when he saw it.
The silver light flowing through her veins flickered violently.
Then it began to change.
The silver faded—
replaced by a deep, radiant gold.
The same color as Kael's eyes.
Kael's wolf roared inside his mind.
"No…" he whispered.
Cassian slowly straightened.
"Well," the vampire lord said softly.
"That's new."
The golden light burst outward like a star exploding.
Everyone in the clearing was thrown backward by the force.
When the light faded, silence fell.
Cassian slowly stood up.
His red eyes widened slightly.
"Well…"
Kael looked up.
His blood ran cold.
Because Ariana Sinclair was no longer standing on the ground.
She was floating several feet in the air.
Golden light surrounded her like fire.
And when she opened her eyes—
they were no longer human.
They were glowing gold.
The color of an Alpha.
The color of something ancient.
Something the council had feared for centuries.
Cassian took a slow step back.
"The prophecy…" he whispered.
Kael stared at Ariana in shock.
Because for the first time since meeting her—
his wolf didn't say mate.
It said something far more terrifying.
Queen.