Serene stepped forward, her voice trembling but loud. "I will stand before the Council and demand the cancellation of the blood pact. If this law was created by my ancestors, then I am also their blood heir. Therefore, I have the right to abolish it."

"That's suicide," Dreven said to himself.

Caelan stared intently at Serene, then slowly smiled slightly. "This is the beginning of something far more dangerous," he thought.

"Finally, you have made a decision that will burn the entire kingdom, Serene," thought Vael, who was present among the gathering.

Screams and commotion immediately shook the hall. Before the Council could respond, Serene bit her own wrist. Her blood dripped onto the stone floor. Serene froze as she watched the liquid quickly blend in below. Suddenly, the room shook violently. Ancient symbols carved into the pillars of the hall glowed a dazzling red. Rune lines that had long faded suddenly came back to life.

"What are you doing?" shouted one of the Alphas present there.

Serene stood in the middle of the red light, her face pale with eyes full of determination. "You said this law was written with the blood of my ancestors. So, today it is my blood that will erase it!"

The room exploded in chaos. Protest, shouts, and wolf howls echoed simultaneously. Dreven stepped forward with a thunderous aura. His eyes glowed a blood-red hue when he saw the situation.

"You fool! You don't know what you're awakening today," said Dreven, immediately stopping Serene's actions.

"It's better for me to awaken something that is buried than to live in your chains!" shouted Serene.

Caelan suppressed Dreven's aura with a sharp gaze. "Interesting, very interesting! So, your blood can really activate the ancient seal." He turned to the Council. "You have been hiding something. Not just the betrothal bond, but what exactly is sealed by the blood of Aeryndor?"

The entire Council fell silent. Their faces were pale. Some were sweating, others looked down. The silence was louder than any shout.

Vael approached, his voice almost like the song of a demon. "Serene, your ancestors' blood was not only used to bind the marriage. It was bound to seal something. Something even the Lycans fear!"

Dreven growled loudly. His claws began to lengthen. "Silence, Vael!"

Vael laughed loudly at Dreven's expression. "Why? Are you afraid Serene will find out the truth? Are you afraid she'll realize how precious she is?"

Dreven's aura exploded, pushing many Alphas back. The stone floor cracked beneath his feet. "You're playing with fire you can't control, Vael!"

Serene looked at them alternately. "What are you hiding from me?"

No one answered except for the sound from the floor itself. The glowing red runes now turned dark purple. The chains in the hall cracked, and the gaps seemed to come alive, forming shadow hands that reached into the air.

"The seal is open," said the Council Chairman, falling to his knees, his face pale.

Serene's father, standing in his chair, shouted in despair. "Serene! Stop, you don't know what you're doing!"

Before Serene could speak, Dreven suddenly appeared beside her. The man grabbed her arm roughly.

"Stop, that seal was not made for me, not for Caelen. In fact, it was not even made for the Council. That seal was made to imprison something older than us!" said Dreven.

Inside the hall, the smoke grew thicker. Several Alphas tried to resist the seal's shock with their blood magic. They simultaneously drew blood to stop the ancient spell. But the smoke continued to consume everything. Even the light from their bodies.

"Let me go. If I can open this seal, then I can close it again," said Serene.

Dreven growled with a sharp expression. "You cannot close what has already been opened. Only your blood can unlock it. Closing it requires a much greater price."

"What is the price?" Serene pressed.

"Your life," Dreven said.

Serene fell silent, her body trembling. But before she could answer, Caelan stepped between them. He pushed Dreven away from Luna. He knew that Lycan had deliberately said that so that Serene would sacrifice her life to stop all the chaos.

"Don't be stupid, Serene. He just wants to trap you for himself," said Caelan, hiding Serene behind his large body.

The two giant black hands were almost completely out. Serene staggered backward, her body growing weaker as the blood flowed unchecked. Dreven was ready to face whatever emerged from within, his body completely transformed into a Lycan. Meanwhile, Caelan tried to protect Serene's body behind him.

"Stupid!" said Vael, who had appeared out of nowhere. "You're all too busy fighting over the key. You've forgotten what the key seals," he said arrogantly.

Serene looked at Vael in confusion. "What's inside there?"

Vael glanced briefly at Luna. "Something that even the blood of Aeryndor cannot tame.

Vael approached the crack, his body firm despite the powerful aura emanating from beneath the ground. He raised his hand and scratched his palm with his fingernails. A drop of thick, golden blood flowed with a light like a living ember. The light forced the black shadow to retreat for a moment, and the screams from within sounded even angrier and hungrier.

"Golden blood. So that's why the Council fears you," Caelan said anxiously.

Lyra hissed, "Damn, I forgot you're the only direct descendant of the Primordial Alpha."

"Go back to sleep. The world isn't ready for you yet. I haven't given you permission to rise either," Vael said arrogantly.

Instantly, the crack closed tightly. The Alphas fell silent, some still panting. Lyra stared at Vael with hatred. Caelan narrowed his eyes and analyzed the situation. Meanwhile, Dreven was still half-transformed, breathing heavily as he stared at Vael warily.

"Serene!" Aldren said as he ran towards Serene.

Serene fell to the ground, her body weak. "Father, I just want to be free."

Vael turned to them. "Take Serene to safety. As long as her blood flows freely, the seal remains fragile. She must be kept away from all of this, especially from them," he said to Aldren, sneering at Caelan and Dreven.

Serene's father nodded quickly. Then, he carried Serene's body away from the place. However, as Serene was taken out of the hall, a whisper from within the ground could be heard faintly again. The words sounded like a threat that greater chaos might only be temporarily held back.

***

Serene lay weakly in her room. The curtains were drawn tight, and the scent of calming incense filled the room. She heard her father's footsteps outside the door.

"Drink this, it will restore your strength," said Aldren as he helped Serene up.

Serene drank the entire potion without asking any questions. However, she noticed her father's attitude when he looked at Vael in the hall. "Father, why do you seem so familiar with Vael?"

The man was silent. His jaw tightened. "That's not something you need to know. Right now, you just need to focus on your recovery."

"Father, you always hide half the truth from me. But this time, you have to tell me everything clearly. What are you hiding from me? Could it be that you are conspiring with Vael to hide something even worse?" Serene asked without thinking twice.