*****

Blood on his hands. The metallic tang clung to his tongue, a grim echo of the carnage that greeted him on his sixteenth birthday. Mangled bodies, lifeless eyes staring blankly. He'd done this. 

All of them. His people.

Theo, the supposed heir, was a grotesque failure. Uncontrollable power, a storm unleashed. Tears streamed down his face as the weight of his first kill settled upon him. 

Where did the monster end, and Theo begin?

Decades bled into decades, a relentless tide washing over Theo. The world roared past - horse-drawn carriages replaced by sputtering petrol cars. Lumbering aircraft, once harbingers of war, now carried civilians across continents. Yet, Theo remained frozen in time, a youthful shell trapped in a twenty-five-year-old body. A silver mask, forever a monster.

With each full moon, the silver dimmed, reflecting the growing darkness that festered within. The hero he envisioned himself becoming was a fading memory, a forgotten tale swallowed by the relentless march of time.

His knuckles white against the steering wheel as Theo gripped it tighter, a ragged sigh escaping his lips. The full moon bathed the world in an ethereal glow, but for Theo, it cast an ominous light on the snow-covered grounds. The drive home felt like an eternity, his mind a whirlwind of dread at the approaching transformation.

As he pulled through the gate, a lone figure stood silhouetted against the luminous backdrop. It was Joseph, his loyal confidant. Crimson eyes flickered with unspoken understanding. His unruly red hair, a constant mark of his outsider status within the pack, seemed somehow symbolic of Theo's own internal struggle. Joseph didn't need explanations; he bore the weight of his friend's turmoil in the quiet empathy of his gaze.

"Another full moon party, huh, Lord Theo?" Joseph quipped, his voice laced with a flippant cheer that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Theo offered a curt nod, the weight of the impending transformation a crushing burden. "Yeah, yeah," he rasped, heading towards the imposing iron door that led to his personal prison.

Joseph followed, his movements hesitant as he began to secure the magical handcuffs. He fumbled with the chains, a nervous chuckle escaping his lips. "Whispers fly through the night, Lord Theo. Seems there's chaos amongst the vamps. Top dog and her, uh... inseparable companion... vanished, some say."

Theo's heart pounded a frantic rhythm, a foreign sensation that sent a wave of dizzying confusion through him. "Queen Eydis... and Princess Athena?" he asked, the names tasting unfamiliar on his tongue. 

Years. It had been years since he'd dared to speak their names aloud.  A pang of longing twisted in his gut, followed by a realisation that pierced through the years of denial. This wasn't the childlike admiration he once harboured. It was a man's love for a woman. His breath hitched, a foreign sensation in his chest.

Joseph replied with a curt nod. He snapped the last cuff with a resounding clang. “Maybe the whole vampire kingdom is up for grabs! Think the werewolves are ready to step up and be the new king? Just sayin'."

"Do they know... where they are?" Theo's voice trembled slightly.

"Poof! Gone," Joseph shrugged, his flippant tone failing to mask a flicker of seriousness in his eyes. "Probably met a final end."

A primal snarl ripped from Theo's throat, the chains around his wrists straining against his sudden surge of rage. "Lies!" he roared, the sound echoing through the silent building.

Joseph, unaccustomed to such a display, flinched back. "Whoa there, boss man! Just rumours," he stammered.

Theo ignored him, consumed by the gnawing fear. Vanished? Dusted? What was the point of it all? His father, once a source of warmth, now regarded him with fear and disgust. The pack, despite his title, remained wary of his volatile power, their loyalty a pale imitation of the bonds forged in blood.

And his beacon of light? Extinguished.

Under the full moon's cold gaze, the beast within him stirred, a primal force yearning for release. The only wolf who couldn't control his transformation, he was a caged animal, a constant source of shame. He'd endured the humiliation for as long as he could, clinging to the fading hope of control.

Tonight, the dam would break.

The magical chains clattered to the floor, a sickening symphony of metal against stone. Blood-curdling screams pierced the night, a horrifying melody that stained the pristine snow crimson. Theo, a whirlwind of silver fur and razor-sharp claws, became a monster amongst monsters, driven by an insatiable bloodlust.

"STOP, My Lord!" Joseph's panicked roar cut through the chaos.

Theo barely registered the other wolf's desperate lunge. All he saw was red – the primal urge to tear and consume. Then, a deafening snap shattered the tense standoff. Agony lanced through his arm, ripping him from the bloodlust.

Through the haze, a blurry figure materialised – a woman. Long, blonde waves cascaded down her back, a fleeting memory of sunshine against the carnage. An angel of death? A flicker of morbid curiosity sparked in Theo before darkness claimed him.

Raw pain brought him back. A searing agony in his neck, but something else too – a strange counterpoint, a swirling ecstasy that left him bewildered. The monstrous energy that had thrummed within him receded, leaving a profound sense of clarity.

He was human again.

"Theo," a voice, both alluring and distant, echoed in his ears.

The world snapped into focus. Blinking away afterimages, Theo saw Joseph beside him, a mixture of terror and grudging respect etched on his face. And then he saw her.

Queen Eydis. 

Moonlight glinted off her blonde hair, a surprising shift from the dark waves that had been etched in his memory. Despite the crimson stains marring her flawless features, an ethereal beauty remained. Yet, the warmth in her eyes that had once drawn him in was replaced by a glacial distance. He felt a flicker of the old captivation, but it was overshadowed by a new, dangerous edge. This Eydis frightened him, a predator he barely recognized. Yet, even fear couldn't extinguish the strange allure that pulsed from her.

"You… saved me again, Your Majesty," Theo rasped, his voice thick with a maelstrom of emotions – gratitude, fear, and something… else.

A flicker of something – regret? – crossed her face as she wiped her crimson-stained lips. "No, Theo," she said, her voice cool and measured. "This wasn't about you."

She turned to leave, but a new determination fueled Theo. He lurched forward, ignoring the searing pain in his arm, and grasped her wrist.

"I want to join you," he blurted, the words tumbling out in a rush fueled by a desperate hope. "Make me your Knight."

Surprise flickered in Eydis's golden eyes, a momentary crack in the facade. It was quickly replaced by a calculating glint. After a long, considering moment, she nodded curtly.

"Knighthood is so past century," Eydis teased, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Perhaps, you can be my companion instead? You can quell the monster within me, just as I can help you control yours."

"Companion?" Theo choked out, a whirlwind of confusion churning in his gut. His gaze darted around, searching for the familiar ivory form of Princess Athena, Eydis's constant companion. In her place stood two figures he didn't recognize. One, a young woman with emerald eyes that sparkled with amusement, studied him with keen interest. The other, a man with a shaved red head and a broad frame that hinted at formidable strength, exuded an aura of quiet power.

Eydis, her blonde tresses catching the moonlight like spun gold, strode confidently towards them. Theo trailed behind, his steps heavy with a mix of trepidation and a strange, exhilarating thrill. Joseph, resembling a dejected pup, shuffled after him, casting a worried glance at his injured arm.

"I'm coming with you, my Lord," Joseph mumbled, his voice thick with loyalty.

Eydis raised an eyebrow, her gaze sharp. "Joining the party, little shadow? Can your nose sniff out trouble, or are you just here for the scenic walks?"

Joseph stammered, cheeks flushing red. "I, uh... I follow you because of my Lord— Your Majesty, that is. And besides, someone needs to keep an eye on this walking disaster zone over here." He gestured awkwardly at Theo.

Eydis smirked. "A noble sentiment, pup. Very well, then. You shall be my official bloodhound. We have a lot to uncover, and a good sniffer can be invaluable."

"Sniffing it is, Your Majesty!" Joseph saluted clumsily, a wave of relief washing over him.

Theo stole a glance at Joseph, a pang of guilt twisting in his gut. This was his fault, Joseph's injuries. With a heavy sigh, he turned away from the ruins of his old life. His breath misted in the frigid air, a fleeting reminder of the life he left behind. Yet, a flicker of hope, fragile as a newborn ember, ignited within him. He would follow her, wherever the path may lead.

Loyalty, he now understood, wasn't about blood ties. It was the unwavering devotion blooming in his chest, a silent vow to the woman who had become his salvation.

“Is Princess Athena with you, Your Majesty?” Theo finally asked, the question heavy with unspoken curiosity.

Eydis clenched her jaw. A glint of ruby caught his eye as she tapped a ring adorned with a blood-red stone. Her blonde waves shimmered and darkened, morphing back to their natural dark brown in an instant. The Queen turned, her gaze piercing him with an intensity that stole his breath. It was a look that held the weight of sorrow, a darkness he couldn't begin to fathom.

"About that," Eydis murmured, her voice melancholic. "When I'm blonde in public, call me Athena."

A thousand questions swirled in Theo's mind, but for now, all he could manage was a choked whisper.

“A-Athena?”