From a distance, Maximus watched carefully with his arms crossed, though he was unaware of the significance of the ritual. He stood with Cassius and Olsen, unsure of what was happening but uneasy at the strange energy in the room. They exchanged glances more than once, but no one spoke.
As the last drops of water slid off his skin, Kieran was slowly lifted out of the basin. His body was weak and heavy, but something inside him had changed. The pain that burned through every part of him was fading. It was still there, but far away now, like a bad memory.
The attendants dried him gently with soft clothes. They didn't speak, and somehow, the quiet felt peaceful and for the first time in days, he didn't feel cold. The air was warm, and calm, like it had been before everything fell.
As Kieran was attended to, still dazed from the ritual, Maximus couldn't hold back his growing suspicion. He stepped closer to Ashara, demanding answers.
"Who is he? Where is he from? What is he? What does he want?"
Ashara turned to him, smiling faintly. "You ask too many questions, Alpha King"
"And I need answers."
"That which you shall get."
"Then, tell me." He demanded, his voice low but authoritative. His eyes narrowed as he searched Ashara's face for answers, but she merely smiled.
"What he is, is not something you can label. He is... something different."
"This is absurd. I demand to know who he is." He asked and stepped forward, his impatience growing. "Is he one of them? One of Ariadne's attackers? A vampire, a werewolf, or worse?"
His words were sharp, filled with the heaviness of the many attempts on his daughter's life. Deep down, he prayed Kieran was the one and finally he would get some answers.
"Perhaps, one of the ones who's been after Ariadne?" He added once again, his frustration growing by the second. "What name does he bear? The man has refused to speak since we found him"
Ashara knew that already. But she wasn't ready to give him the answers he craved.
"He is... a mystery wrapped in time and fate. A being destined for great and unfortunate things, but you will not learn his name from me, nor will you understand the scope of his path. Not yet."
Maximus clenched his fists as he watched her. She had appeared after the war that nearly wiped out her kind and Maximus had turned to her. He still did not know where she had come from, but he believed she was an ancient sorceress who lived longer than most.
Over the years, he had come to her for answers about Ariadne's attackers, and also for healing. If it hadn't been for her powerful magic and portions, Kieran's dragonfire would've destroyed him a long time ago.
Silently, he turned to look at Kieran who was now dressed in a clean robe. The attendants had helped him to sit down on a stone bench beside the basin.
"And what was the purpose of the ritual if not to reveal who the man is"
"For cleansing,"
Taking a deep breath, Maximus tried to keep his emotions in check. He knew he had to regard the sorceress carefully to avoid getting on her bad side or worse.
"Is he a threat to my daughter? The man has no scent."
"He is not what you think, Maximus," Ashara replied cryptically. "He is... more like a protector. Not a threat, but something else entirely."
"A protector?" Maximus' brow furrowed in confusion as he tried to make sense of the vague response. If Kieran was not a threat, why was he there? What connection could he possibly have to Ariadne?
"Yes, a protector and not something you can control," Ashara replied, her voice calm and unwavering.
"I don't understand..."
"You will learn in time, but be careful what you wish for." She said and started walking away, but then, she paused and cast a final glance at Maximus. "Some fates cannot be avoided, no matter how hard you try."
Maximus clenched his fists but said nothing. He could still sense Ashara's power, and for the first time since Kieran arrived, he felt a flicker of unease. He didn't understand her, or the strange being before him, but he knew one thing. This man, whatever he was, was not something to be dismissed lightly.
"Come, we leave now," Maximus commanded, gesturing to his men. As they led Kieran out of the temple, he shot one last suspicious look around before following behind them.
He had sought Ashara countless times about the threats to Ariadne's life and had never received anything close to clarity. But this time, her cryptic response has stirred something in him, leaving him unsettled.
What did she mean by 'protector'? And why did she suggest Kieran wasn't a threat? The man came from nowhere without any form of identity and had done nothing, but remained silent.
"What do we do with him, Alpha?"
Maximus thought for a while. Having no other option, he replied. "We keep a close watch on him"
•°*****°•
Back at Pyros' Ember, Kieran was returned to the cell. His cuts were gone, his swollen face had calmed, and even the burns had faded, leaving behind light scars. He wasn't hurting anymore.
Taking a deep breath, he realized his chest was no longer aching. His head no longer felt like it was about to split open, and his hands had stopped trembling. He could now open and close his fists without feeling so much pain and weakness.
For the first time since his rebirth, his body was steady, calm even. He felt... quiet inside. Tired, yes, but no longer broken. Whatever Ashara did to him, he was grateful for it.
•°*****°•
MAXIMUS' STUDY CHAMBER~
The air inside smelled faintly of old parchment, burning oil, and polished wood. After locking up Kieran in his cell, Maximus called for a meeting with his three most powerful warriors and gammas in the pack.
"What do you have to say, Viggo?" Maximus asked the most powerful amongst them who happened to be his daughter's protector. "You have dealt with Ariadne's attackers countless times. Surely, you know what they look like and what form they appear in."
Viggo stood quietly at the edge of the room, but he wasn't calm. He had not followed them to Ashara's temple because his duty was solely to protect Ariadne and never leave her side. But everything that happened had been narrated to him.
"He is not one of them. But he cannot be her protector either. No one can protect the princess like I do"
No one could argue about that because they all knew the truth. Viggo had earned that place. Year after year, he had trained harder than anyone, fought more battles, and risked his life without hesitation. And every time, he had come back alive with Ariadne still safe.
But now, he was being told something different. Ashara's unclear message had been repeated to him, but that wasn't what made his blood boil. What got to him was the part where she called that stray a protector. That didn't sit right with Viggo. Not one bit.
He didn't say much after that, neither did he argue in front of Maximus and his fellow warriors. But the signs were there.
His fists were clenched so tight the veins in his arms stood out. His jaw was locked and his muscles kept twitching. To hide the storm behind his eyes, he kept looking at the ground.
The stray? A protector?
He didn't care what the high priestess had said. The man was weak, came from nowhere, and hadn't proven anything. But he—he had proven everything. He had protected the Princess, bled for her, and watched over her day and night. And now they thought someone else could take his place?
Never.
Taking a deep breath, he steadied himself. He didn't speak his mind even though his thoughts were boiling, but one thing was certain. No one would replace him, not without a fight. And as for the stray, he should know better than to oppose him.
Whether the message was real or not, Viggo had made up his mind.
"We'll make use of the man while he still draws breath," Maximus said and turned to Cassius. "Train him with the rest of the soldiers. And make sure he breaks."
Cassius was just about to respond when a soft voice cut through the room.
"Who, Father?"
They all turned toward the door.
There, Ariadne stood by the doorway, dressed in a deep green nightgown made of the softest silken fabric and golden hair, glowing under the lantern light. Her hazel-brown eyes were curious as she assessed the men in the room, too curious for Maximus' liking.
With a raise of his hand, he silenced the room, "Leave us,"
The men gave a respectful bow and left the chamber. Once the door shut behind them, Ariadne stepped inside slowly, her eyes never leaving her father.
"Who were you talking about? The stranger?" She asked again, softer this time.
Maximus walked to the window and stood there for a moment before answering. "You should be sleeping, Ariadne. You should not be wandering around by this hour of the night."
"I could not sleep."
"I will send someone to fetch the sleeping portions from the healer," Maximus replied without turning around. "Return to your chambers"
"I will. But after you tell me who you were talking about."
"No one of importance,"
Ariadne's eyes narrowed slightly. "It did not sound like nothing."
"And that is not your concern," Maximus replied flatly and turned a
round. Walking back to the table, he picked up a scroll and sat down as if to end the conversation.
But Ariadne wasn't having it.