CHAPTER 213: CHAPTER 213

The sun had barely risen when Theo and Kimberly stood at the center of the sacred circle.

The elders, cloaked in ceremonial robes, formed a ring around them, their chants weaving through the morning air.

Zack stepped forward, holding a bowl filled with a mixture of herbs and oils. He dipped his fingers into the concoction and marked Theo and Kimberly’s foreheads.

Zack said , "This rite will test the strength of your bond. Close your eyes and join hands."

As their fingers intertwined, a sudden gust of wind enveloped them, and the world around them faded.

★★In the Trance★★

Theo opened his eyes to find himself in a dense forest. The trees whispered secrets, and shadows danced around him.

Theo’s Inner Voice speaks in his head *Where am I? Kimberly?*

A figure emerged from the shadows, it was Kimberly, but her eyes were cold, and her expression was unfamiliar.

Kimberly questioned him, "Why did you leave me, Theo?"

"I never left you. This isn’t real." Theo said, as he tried to overcome the illusion.

Kimberly replied , "Isn’t it? You chose power over love."

Theo reached out, but she vanished, leaving him alone.

Meanwhile, Kimberly found herself in a grand hall, surrounded by mirrors.

Each reflection showed a different version of Theo, some loving, others cruel.

Kimberly’s Inner Voice was loud in her mind.

*Which one is real?*

A mirror shattered, and a voice echoed.

"Can you trust him?" The voice asked.

"Yes. I know his heart." Kimberly replied.

Back in the forest, Theo faced a beast, its eyes glowing red.

"You are unworthy." The beast uttered angrily.

"I fight not for worthiness, but for love." Theo barked out loud.

He charged, and the beast dissipated into mist.

Kimberly stood before a council of ancestors.

"Will you sacrifice your future for the present?" The ancestors questioned her.

"If it means protecting those I love, yes." Kimberly said with a firm voice and look on her face.

As the sun set, Theo and Kimberly found themselves back in the sacred circle, still holding hands.

Sweat dripped from their brows, and their breaths were heavy.

"You have passed the trial. But the journey ahead remains uncertain." Zach said with an unreadable facial expression.

They nodded, aware that their bond had been tested and strengthened, but the challenges ahead were far from over.

★★★

The room was dimly lit, filled with the scent of old scrolls and burnt herbs.

It was Derrick’s temporary base, a secret hideout buried beneath the ruins of the old council chambers, once sacred, now defiled by silent conspiracies.

Derrick stood at the head of a circular stone table, his arms crossed behind his back, his dark eyes scanning each face present.

Eight elders surrounded him, each one known for their influence, their thirst for power, and a deep-rooted hatred for the current rule.

They had long grown weary of Theo’s rising dominance and were more than ready to shift the balance.

"You all know why I called this meeting," Derrick began, his voice low, rough like gravel dragged across stone.

"Theo has grown too powerful... too beloved. And Mona’s missteps only made it easier for him to seize control."

One of the elders, grey-bearded and hunched, grunted, "We supported Mona because we thought she’d be our puppet.

But she’s turned into a shadow of herself... too emotional, too soft."

"And now Theo and that witch Kimberly are tightening their grip," another elder snapped.

"He speaks of peace, but he rules with subtle force. I don’t see freedom. I see domination in disguise."

Derrick slammed his hand on the table, and the room fell silent.

"That’s why I’m here," he said, voice filled with fire.

"To restore fear... to bring back the kind of leadership this world understands. Raw strength. Ruthless order."

A murmur of agreement moved through the room.

"We’re with you, alpha Derrick," one of the elders declared. "You’re the only one capable of keeping the wolves in line."

Just then, the large wooden door creaked open. Everyone turned.

The supreme chief priest stepped in, robed in deep green, his eyes sharp and unreadable. "I was summoned," he said coldly.

Derrick smirked. "Good. Let’s stop wasting time."

The priest moved slowly, eyes scanning the faces of those seated.

"Before you all speak of rebellion and crowns, understand this:

There are sacred laws. No one becomes Alpha King by force. Not without the blessing of the moon goddess."

"Theo didn’t become king with force?" Derrick scoffed.

"He manipulated hearts and played the hero. But underneath, he’s no different than me."

"He earned the trust of the people," the priest replied firmly. "He sacrificed. He didn’t beg elders in a dark room like this."

An elder stood abruptly, slamming his fist on the table. "Don’t insult us. We represent the will of the old bloodlines!"

"And I represent the divine path," the priest shot back, unfazed. "If you want change, follow the right path. Come forward in truth, not treachery."

Derrick’s eyes narrowed. "And if the right path delays justice for too long? Then what? We wait while Theo prepares to burn us alive with his false purity?"

"You speak of justice," the priest said, voice rising, "but what you seek is vengeance. And I will not stand for it."

"You think we need your blessing?" Derrick barked. "You are one old man with outdated principles."

The priest stepped forward, standing face to face with Derrick.

"Then go ahead, try to crown yourself without the moon’s light. But know this... your path will be soaked in blood, and it will not be ours, it will be yours."

The tension in the room was razor sharp. No one dared speak.

"I won’t be part of this madness," the priest muttered, turning on his heel.

As he stormed out, just outside the door, unseen and breathless, Elena hid behind a pillar, her heart pounding.

She had come to deliver a scroll but froze the moment she heard voices echoing from within.

*Derrick is planning a full takeover... and these elders are with him.* She could barely think.

*If Theo doesn’t find out soon, everything will collapse.*

She pressed her hand over her mouth as the priest stormed past her, too angry to notice her presence.

Inside, the silence finally broke.

"He’ll be a problem," one elder whispered.

Another nodded. "He’ll report to Theo."

Derrick walked back to the table slowly, voice low but icy.

"No... he won’t."

Everyone turned toward him.

"He walks out of here alive... and he spreads word, our plan ends before it even begins."

"What are you saying?" the grey-bearded elder asked.

"I’m saying," Derrick said slowly, "we take him out first. Quietly. No noise, no mess."

There was silence, then a few slow nods.

"But if the moon goddess speaks against us?" one asked cautiously.

"She hasn’t spoken in years," Derrick snapped. "And if she does, I’ll silence her prophets."

*This is what it means to be feared again,* he thought to himself, eyes cold and hard.

*I’ll take out the priest, and then the path to the throne will be mine.*

Unseen behind the stone pillar, Elena’s eyes widened in horror.

She turned and ran, soft footsteps muffled against the ancient stone floor. She couldn’t be caught. Not now.

She had to get to Theo.

Had to warn him.

Back inside the room, Derrick looked at the empty seat where the priest had been moments before.

"He’s not going to stay quiet," one of the elders muttered.

Derrick let out a small, deadly smile.

"Then let’s silence him... permanently."

*One by one, I will tear down everything Theo holds sacred.

The priest, the elders, the faith of the people, until there’s nothing left but me. Me and my crown.*

His gaze moved toward the door.

And somewhere deep down, he sensed something was off.

But it didn’t matter... Nothing was going to stop him now.

Elena ran through the dark halls, holding on to the burning truth that could change everything.

But would she make it out before Derrick’s shadows caught her?

Elena slammed the door shut behind her, her back pressing against the cold wood as her breath came in shallow, uneven bursts.

The room was quiet, too quiet. The kind of silence that screamed louder than words.

She took a few slow steps forward, her thoughts spiraling as quickly as her heartbeat.

She dropped the scroll she had been carrying, her hands trembling.

*What did I just walk into?*

Her eyes darted toward the window. The moon hung high, glowing faintly.

Its light should’ve brought peace, but tonight, it only reminded her of what was about to be shattered.

She sat on the edge of her bed, staring at nothing, lost in the chaos of her thoughts.

*Should I talk to Theo and Kimberly about all of these or not?* she wondered, biting her lower lip.

Her hands clutched the fabric of her skirt tightly as the weight of the secret settled on her chest.

"If I tell Theo," she whispered, barely audible, "another war is about to start... and this time, it won’t be an easy one."

She paused, her gaze flickering toward the flickering candle on the desk.

*Derrick isn’t just planning a coup... He wants blood. And those elders? They’re ready to hand it to him on a silver plate.*

She stood up, pacing. Her steps were frantic, her thoughts louder than her surroundings.

*But if I stay silent, Theo will walk right into their trap. And the priest... he won’t make it out if I don’t act fast.*

"I can’t allow chaos to start and be caught in the middle of it all," she muttered, her voice sharper now.

"I have to find a way... to stop this nonsense before it begins."

With her jaw clenched and a more determined look hardening her features, Elena threw herself into the big mattress.

staring at the ceiling, lost in the storm inside her head.

*There has to be a way... and I will find it, even if it costs me everything.*