Ancestral Lineage

"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting for so long."

The voice drifted through the crisp morning air, low and steady, carrying a weight that instantly silenced the storm within her. Emma's ears flicked instinctively, and she turned sharply to her right.

A man stood there, poised and radiant against the rising sun. His hair, long and silvery-white, cascaded down to his waist, gleaming as though each strand had been woven from moonlight itself. His eyes, one gold, one silver, held an unsettling depth: confidence, power, unshakable resolve, and something softer buried beneath… affection?

His skin, the same warm chocolate hue as hers, carried a divine luster, as though it had been carved by the very essence of creation. His tall frame radiated a calm authority, every line of his body exuding strength and beauty in equal measure. He was divinely handsome, impossibly so, and yet what struck her more was the feeling.

He looked unfamiliar. Yet, deep in her chest, something stirred. Recognition. Not of the face, but of the soul.

Her hand twitched as her claws slowly elongated. Her wolf instincts howled for caution, but her heart faltered in uncertainty. "Who?" Emma demanded, her voice sharp, her aura coiling defensively around her. She was a warrior. She didn't flinch before unknowns, no matter how divine they appeared.

The man's lips curved into a faint smile, half amused, half wounded. "Don't tell me you don't remember me?"

His tone was light, teasing even, but beneath it was something raw. Something that carried the weight of decades of longing, of silence, of waiting.

Emma's eyes narrowed, her heartbeat picking up. The familiarity pressed harder now, gnawing at her walls. The aura, the look in his eyes, the warmth beneath the overwhelming presence…

Her lips parted, a whisper escaping before she realized it. "…Ethan? Sorry! Your majesty, Ethan."

Emma gave a slight bow once she realized who it was.

"Forgive me for my transgression," Emma hurriedly said, not daring to look at Ethan's face. Ethan, seeing this, smiled.

She's strong. Stronger than Trevor and Lamair combined. Has a good sense of duty and responsibility. Has strong pride, but knows when to lower her head.

She's different from the rest, just like Barki. She's a monster!

How do I continue with her? Should I go soulmate mode or business mode?

Business mode first!

"Raise your head, Fenrir," Ethan said, his tone steady, carrying neither anger nor affection; just command. "The empire does not need soldiers who bow. What it needs are leaders who stand."

"How did you know my name?" Emma asked, her tone a bit shaky.

"Let's just say, I can see the truth..." Ethan answered while pointing towards his right eye, the golden one. "You can also refer to me as Voryn. Won't you invite me in?"

"I… excuse me," Emma said, her voice steady though her chest tightened. She turned, the hem of her blue morning coat trailing faintly as she led Ethan back inside.

Her quarters were simple, almost austere, reflecting not her status, but the fact that she was only a guest within the skyscraper. The walls were smooth and pale, illuminated by thin, vertical light strips embedded seamlessly into their surfaces. A low, polished steel table stood at the center, flanked by two angular chairs of dark composite wood. No decorations, no personal touches, nothing that told her story, just the bare minimum required for function.

A single wide viewport stretched across one wall, allowing the dawn light to flood in and paint the sparse room in pale gold. Against another wall rested a huge bed with crisp white sheets, perfectly made, untouched since the night before.

Emma moved with quiet precision, the air around her shifting as she reclaimed composure. Here, in this space, there was nothing to distract her from him, no trophies of her victories, no reminders of her past, only silence and steel.

She gestured toward the chairs. "Please."

Ethan entered behind her, the room seeming to shrink around his presence, divine and grounding all at once. He didn't sit immediately; he only let his eyes sweep the space before settling back on her.

"I hope your stay has been... interesting?" Ethan started as he took the seat across from her.

"Very interesting, no doubt. I also appreciate the hospitality. So, what is the cause of this sudden and unannounced visit? Voryn?" Emma said, folding her arms under her massive chest.

She's quick to catch on...

"Well... you've been here for a while, and your answer has been delayed long enough. I'm sure your pack is also waiting eagerly for the news, so I can't keep you waiting for too long," Ethan answered her with a smile.

"So, what is the answer?" Emma asked, her tone showing anticipation.

"Mm... I don't know. Our conversation would determine it," Ethan answered with an unbothered tone.

"Voryn, are you messing with me here? Isn't this something that your council should decide on?" Emma asked, her tone turning chilly for a moment. Her aura slowly surged, showing that she was getting angry.

"My council? They've already made their decision. The final verdict is in my hands, though," Ethan spoke with the same tone. "So, tell me, Fenrir... do you really think you are worth it? Let's forget the council. Tell me, how would you be of use to me? To the empire and to your kingdom, your pack."

"What do you mean?" Emma asked in confusion.

"You know what I mean, Fenrir," Ethan spoke, his golden eye glowing. Emma felt something inside her stir, not unlocked, not awakened, but laid bare, as though every defense she had carefully built was peeled away in an instant.

"You…" Her voice trembled between recognition and disbelief.

"I told you," Ethan said, calm but piercing. "I can see the truth. Now tell me, Fenrir, the Wolf Primogenitor, the World Wolf, how would you be of use to your kingdom, the empire, and me?"

Emma narrowed her lupine eyes, folding her arms. "If you know what or who I am, then you already know what I'm capable of, don't you?"

"True," Ethan admitted, a smirk tugging at his lips. "But where's the fun in simply knowing?"

Her ears twitched, sharp and restless. "You are insane."

"It comes with the job description."

"Okay, I can… I have nothing to offer you…" she said suddenly, her voice faltering.

Ethan leaned forward slightly, his presence pressing against her like a tidal wave. "Are you sure?" His smile widened, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"I don… Voryn, what you are asking for is dangerous!" Emma's aura erupted like a storm, cracking the steel walls of her quarters.

"And what exactly do you think I want?" Ethan asked, unfazed. His senses screamed at him, predator recognizing predator, but he stood his ground.

"My body!" Emma spat, her fangs elongating, her voice laced with fury and pain. "I didn't expect the rumors about emperors to be true. I would rather die than give my body to you!"

Ethan's expression shifted instantly, annoyance cutting through his patience. His face scrunched in frustration, and a flicker of disappointment crossed his eyes. He understood now what she thought, and it grated on him.

Although she was his soulmate, that didn't mean he desired her. Not like that. His bonds with the others had already been rushed, and he had no intention of repeating the mistake. The concept of soulmates softened the blow of rejection, but even that came with thorns.

"Fenrir…" His voice dropped into a dangerous growl, light flooding his irises. "Do not insult me by lumping me in with those pathetic fools who think with their lower halves."

Emma froze, her aura flickering. Was I wrong?

But she did not back down.

Ethan leaned closer, his presence burning through her defiance. "I have many women, yes—but I love them. I cherish them. Do you truly believe they lack anything you possess?" His tone was sharp, cutting, but not cruel.

Emma's lips pressed into a thin line. "I apologize for bursting out," she admitted stiffly, her pride barely letting the words out. "But I don't see what else you could want from me."

"Aren't you the Wolf Primogenitor?" Ethan pressed.

"I am," she answered firmly.

"Then what do you think I am after?" Ethan asked, his smile dark and knowing.

Emma's breath caught, her heart skipping despite herself. "Me?"

Ethan chuckled lowly, shaking his head. "No, Fenrir. I'm after what only you can become."

Her heart lurched, but she didn't understand why. The word become felt heavier than it should, sinking into her chest, stirring something primal, something ancient. She hated it. She feared it. And yet, part of her wanted to lean closer to that voice, that presence that stripped her bare.

"You speak as if my fate is yours to decide," Emma said, her tone sharp, defensive. But her eyes betrayed her, flickering with hesitation.

Ethan's mismatched gaze softened, the gold and silver burning with something more intimate than dominance. "Not yours to decide? No, Fenrir. But ours to share."

Emma's breath hitched again, her aura flaring instinctively before flickering out. No. This isn't right. I can't…

"You think I came here for your body?" Ethan continued, voice quieter now, almost gentle. "I came here for your soul. Because it already calls to mine."

Her fingers clenched at the folds of her morning coat, knuckles whitening. She wanted to argue, to push him back, but the weight of his words dug into her bones like they had always been there, waiting.

"Stop…" she murmured, but it lacked conviction.

Ethan smiled faintly, not cruel this time, but almost… tender. "You can bare your fangs, threaten to kill me, deny what you feel—but you can't silence what we are. Not forever."

Emma turned her head sharply, looking away, her wolf ears folding back as if to shield herself. Her pride screamed at her to fight, to reject him outright. But her heart—traitorous, burning—beat harder in her chest.

For the first time in centuries, the Wolf Primogenitor felt cornered. Not by power, not by duty. But by a bond she had no say in.

"If you want that, then you will have to prove yourself. You will have to make me give it!" Emma finally spoke, her voice cold and regal and wild like the wolf she was.

"I accept your challenge, my dear Fenrir," Ethan said with a smile as he stood up. "It was nice doing business with you. As for the alliance, the kingdom of Fenrir has already been recognized as part of Anbord."

With that, he disappeared from the room, leaving a stunned Emma.