Chapter 4

Sarah charged into the living room with the can of accelerant, moving like a lunatic.

She splashed the yellow liquid over everything flammable, and its harsh, chemical stench swallowed the air.

"Stop!"

I tried to stand, but the pain in my lower back dragged me straight to the floor again.

"Are you two insane? This is a residential area!"

Lucas fixed his gaze on me, shifting his stance until he blocked the only exit.

"Elena, don't blame me," he said coldly. "You forced our hand."

A twisted thrill lit Sarah's face as she pulled a small packet from her pocket and sprinkled its contents evenly over the accelerant.

It was wolfsbane-the powdered bloom.

When burned, its fumes were lethal to werewolves, suppressing healing and even preventing transformation.

"Lucas! That's wolfsbane!" I locked my eyes on his, trying to stir whatever conscience he might still have left. "Are you really going to stand there and let her kill me?"

For a brief second, panic flickered in Lucas's eyes.

"Too far?" Sarah snapped her head toward him, screeching. "Once she's dead, this house-and the millions in her bank account-are all yours!"

Greed and humiliation crushed whatever hesitation he had left.

He clenched his jaw, refusing to look at me, and forced out two words, "Light it."

Sarah's lips curled into a vicious grin as she flicked the lighter.

The accelerant ignited instantly, flames swallowing the curtains and racing across the furniture.

Purple-black smoke billowed upward, carrying the bitter almond scent unique to wolfsbane.

"Go!" Sarah grabbed Lucas and bolted for the door.

The heavy wooden security door slammed shut, followed by the sharp click of locks turning.

They were going to burn me alive in here.

I dragged my agonized body toward the door and pounded against it with all the strength I had left. Outside, I heard Sarah's triumphant laugh and their footsteps fading away. "Come on, let's go get ourselves an alibi."

Inside, the fire had spiraled completely out of control.

A wave of heat slammed into me, scorching the ends of my hair.

The purple-black smoke laced with wolfsbane filled the room fast, and I doubled over in a violent fit of coughing.

Every breath dragged the toxic fumes deeper into my lungs, cutting through my throat like a dozen tiny blades.

Was I really going to die here? Die at the hands of those two monsters?

No. I refused.

I was the Lycan King's only daughter-the future Queen. I couldn't die like this.

Through the haze creeping over my mind, my hand reached for the obsidian pendant resting against my chest.

It was my father's final safeguard for me-the royal distress beacon.

Once shattered, the Royal Guard within a hundred miles would come at any cost.

But it also meant my trial would end in absolute failure-and my identity would be fully revealed.

But I had no choice left.

The flames were already licking at my feet, curling the hem of my dress into blackened edges.

With the last scrap of strength I possessed, I crushed the pendant in my fist.

A blinding beam of gold tore through the smoke, shooting straight into the sky and forming the sigil of the Royal House against the night.

It was a cry for aid-and the first horn of vengeance.

Lucas. Sarah.

Your nightmare was only just beginning.