Court of Aether and Shadows (Crowned Monster Trilogy #1)

26. Rival Dawn

Rival Dawn

~ L IAM~

Fuck…

The moment Solaris entered the room, my wolf surged forward with a jealous rage that took every ounce of my control to contain.

It wasn’t helpful that Solaris’ Aether wolf's energy radiated through the space like a physical force — warm and golden in a way that perfectly complemented Sparrow's awakening energy.

And that was precisely what infuriated me.

RIVAL !

My wolf snarled within our shared consciousness.

He dares to enter our territory! To look at our mate with such hunger.

I watched, my hands clenched under the table hard enough to draw blood, as Sparrow's eyes met his.

The connection was instant and undeniable — like witnessing two stars aligning. Her power, still new and unstable, reached unconsciously toward his warmth, just as it had reached for my shadows back in the forest when I’d saved her from falling off the cliff.

Mine !

My wolf growled.

She's supposed to be ours. We protected her. We watched over her all this while. Where was he when she needed a safe hold? Working on himself, just like the others.

But I could only sit there, still bitter about last night's events between Sparrow and Lord Aetheron, as Solaris moved through the room with fluid grace.

Every step he took radiated alpha energy, challenging my own dominance without a single word being spoken. His sunrise-colored hair caught the light like a halo, and his sun-bright eyes never left Sparrow's face.

"The Shadow Court's hospitality is... unexpected," Solaris praised, his voice carrying harmonics that made my teeth ache. "Especially given recent tensions between our realms."

"Yet here you are," I couldn't help but growl, the words coming out rougher than intended. It wasn’t like we weren’t acquaintances. To be fair, I considered him a better friend than the majority of the wolves I’ve encountered from the various realms.

What I liked about him and the few who knew me beyond name exchanges was that he minded his own business. Never asked stupid questions but would deliver whatever updates and intel I needed about what was happening in the realms that needed our attention.

We weren’t considered shifters, despite the obvious “wolf” reference. We were beings born with manifested spirits. Some say the “wolves” that embodied us were great beings who could have been gods that were prayed to in the past and given the opportunity to experience the realms but not in a mundane sense as reincarnation.

They were blessed upon us fae beings, alternating our elemental cores and embodying themselves in the form of an animal entity. It was why when we shifted, it wasn’t as though our bodies and bones dealt with any physical trauma like bone-cracking of sorts like in the movies.

Our “shift” was an unraveling of elements — from physical to a spiritual essence that switches places with the entity, allowing the host to pull back into a space of matter while the godly power in the form of our dominating element took shape.

Which was normally a massive wolf.

Some of us were much bigger and stronger than others, but generally, most Alpha wolves carried massive entities and power which in return, allowed their wolves to be giant and a menace to deal with when angry.

In a way, I appreciated being a wolf within the realms of the Twilight Court, but I wouldn’t publicly admit that I felt like the weakest in the bunch because I wasn’t as merciless as the other courts’ wolves.

Maybe I should. Would get me what I want rather than dealing with this competitive bullshit.

It could be why people like Lord Aetheron or whom I dare include Lord Helios of Aether Court get what they want while everyone else is forced to comply.

No one else can combat them.

Solaris's perfect lips curved into a knowing smile, enjoying my obvious jealous bickering.

“Indeed. Here I am. And here she is." His gaze flickered to Sparrow again, lingering in a way that made my wolf howl for blood. "Fascinating, isn't it? How fate works?"

"You two know each other?" Sparrow asked, her curiosity evident in her voice. She was always so observant when it came to these things. Easily putting one and two together while reading the room as if the very walls fought to tell her all the secrets and intel on her designated targets.

I swear it was a gift she’d yet to acknowledge, but I wished it wasn’t helping insinuate discussion at this dining table. I would have rather made my exit and do something more productive than watching her fall in love with various men.

While I’ve been here all this while…thinking maybe…I’d have a chance to take things to the next level. Especially after our kiss.

The innocent question made my wolf bristle. I didn't want any connection between her and Solaris, even one as simple as shared knowledge.

"Oh, we more than know each other," Solaris responded, claiming the seat directly across from Sparrow without waiting for an invitation. The move was deliberately provocative — both to me and Aetheron. "We're ‘pack’, aren't we, Twilight Wolf?"

Don't acknowledge him .

My wolf snarled.

He abandoned the pack years ago.

"Were pack," I corrected through gritted teeth. "Past tense."

Sparrow's brow furrowed in confusion, her gaze moving between us.

"Pack? Like... a wolf pack?"

Solaris leaned forward, his sun-bright eyes gleaming with an intensity that made my hackles rise.

"Allow me to explain, lovely one.” Just hearing him be so casual with Sparrow was further grinding my gears. He didn’t know her. What right did he suddenly have to speak to her like they’d been acquaintances for years?

“I’m not sure how much you know about wolves in general, but we’re not like the ones portrayed by mundane outrageous descriptions of us.”

“Outrageous?” Sparrow questions with a glint of intrigue. I can tell right away she likes Solaris’ vibe. She wouldn’t open up so easily otherwise.

I’ve watched and learned her behavior long enough to be confident in my observation.

“The bone cracking. Body shifting. The basic chaos put through our bodies to become these feral beasts that only a few are able to control to not lose their sanity and run rampant among the vast wilderness and the hidden unknowns,” he summarizes like some grand tale worth listening to. “See, wolf shifters in the Fae realms are beings who were born with powerful spirits embedded with immense magic. Think of it as the regular-born population of fae individuals being born with 50% of magical force that can be expanded or lowered until it goes ploop. For us wolves, we don’t get just 50%”

“What do you get?” Sparrow wonders. She’s completely into this story, and it pisses me off because I’m the one who should be sharing these aspects of my kind. “100%”

“300%” he reveals to her surprise. “It’s considered close to godly levels for a few of us, but our current bodies don’t have the stability to carry such energies twenty-four-seven. That’s why wolves are created to harvest this energy. They live in our subconscious, aiding in our need to survive, protect, and potentially shift into elemental beings depending on our born court and overall capabilities. Keep in mind, not everyone has a strong enough entity to be labeled as a wolf.”

“Fascinating,” she whispered in awe.

“I’m glad you think so,” he praised with a sweet smile before he carried on. “In our realms, wolf packs are... special. Sacred, even. Most packs form within their own courts. Like Aether wolves run together versus Twilight wolves hunt as one, and so forth."

"But?" Sparrow prompted, clearly sensing there was more to the story. She was already leaning toward him, drawn in by his natural charisma.

My blood surely couldn’t boil further.

"But occasionally," he continued, clearly enjoying being the center of her attention, "fate brings together wolves from different courts. When that happens...well, it's considered a blessing from the ancient powers themselves. A perfect pack. One wolf from each court. It’s so rare it's practically a legend."

"A mixed-court pack," Solaris continued, his voice taking on an almost reverent tone that made my wolf want to snap at him. "Draws power from each realm they represent. Twilight wolves bring stealth and are cunning. Aether wolves contribute raw power and healing. Void wolves master space and time, and Elemental wolves command nature itself."

I watched Sparrow's face as she absorbed this information, noting how her eyes widened slightly at each new revelation. The scent of her curiosity mixed with her natural aroma was intoxicating, making my wolf pace restlessly within.

"But the true magic," Solaris said, leaning even closer to her, "happens when a pack finds its Omega."

“Don't .” I mentally growled, hoping for once he’d listen to me. I rarely attempt to project my thoughts to other wolves, but there were a few rare instances — this being one of them if it meant Solaris would shut his mouth up.

She's not ready for this.

But Solaris ignored my warning glare, continuing with obvious relish.

"An Omega is the heart of any pack, but for a mixed-court pack? They're everything. The centerpiece. The one being capable of harmonizing different court magics, of making opposing forces work together in perfect balance."

I wanted to groan in dread because this wasn’t how this type of information should be revealed.

Not with this audience that doesn’t even understand the full length of our power or how that power can be further amplified with the right Omega in the mix.

"Like a bridge between realms," Sparrow murmured, and I could see the pieces clicking into place in her mind. Her power pulsed gently, responding to the truth in his words.

"Exactly," Solaris confirmed, his sun-bright eyes never leaving her face. "An Omega with the potential to bond with wolves from different courts? They're rarer than starlight in the Void realm. Some say they're blessed by the ancient powers themselves, chosen to unite what was once, and potentially still , are divided."

The implications hung heavy in the air. I could see Sparrow processing what this meant — what she might be. Her scent shifted slightly, taking on notes of uncertainty mixed with something else... excitement?

"And you think..." she started, looking between us.

"We know," Solaris and I said simultaneously, then glared at each other for the unwanted harmony.

Tell her the rest .

My wolf demanded.

Tell her about the claiming, about what it means to be fought over by multiple alphas. The knotting and how we must mark our claim!

But before either of us could explain further, Aetheron cleared his throat pointedly.

The sound carried enough power to make both Solaris and I remember our places. We were, after all, in the presence of the Twilight Court's ruler — who happened to have his own claim on the woman we were discussing.

"Perhaps," Aetheron interjected smoothly, though I could see the shadows dancing dangerously around him, "we should focus on breakfast while it's still warm. These discussions can wait."

"The food can be reheated," I muttered, unable to keep the bitterness from my voice. The thought of sharing a meal with Solaris, watching him charm Sparrow with his natural radiance, made my wolf continue to pace anxiously.

Sparrow shot me a look that was both understanding and chiding.

"Lord Aetheron is right," she said firmly. "We should eat. No need to give the kitchen staff extra work just because we can't maintain civil conversation."

She's already meditating .

My wolf noted with a mixture of pride and frustration.

True Omega behavior.

Solaris's perfect face lit up with an equally perfect smile.

"In that case, might I join you? The journey from the Aether Court is rather taxing, even for one of my...capabilities."

I barely held back a growl at his false modesty. It’s not as if he hadn’t already invited himself to the table with no regard for permission, even from the Twilight Lord himself. Yet, now he wanted to respect mannerism.

"Of course," Aetheron said, though his orange-golden eyes held a level of warning. "Please, be our guest."

"My Lord," Kaelon spoke up, his galaxy eyes swirling with concern. "Are you certain that's... wise?"

With the tension this conversation had invited, I’m not surprised by Kaelon’s commentary. He rather we return to wherever we came from instead of making ‘drama’ with their new potential princess.

A dark chuckle escaped Aetheron's lips, the sound making the shadows in the room dance.

"I have no concerns about the seating arrangement," he said, his eyes transfixed on Sparrow with possessive intensity. "After all, I'm quite secure in what's destined to be mine."

The blush that spread across Sparrow's cheeks was instant and I’d bet thousands that she was reminiscing on the night she just shared with how her eyes widened for a moment, lost in memory. The scent of her embarrassment and lingering traces of passion made my wolf howl in frustrated anger.

Aetheron raised his crystal goblet, the liquid inside shifting like captured starlight.

"In fact," he continued, power resonating in his voice, "let us toast. To Sparrow, my future Starlight, whose rebirth and return has brought new life to our eternal twilight."

The emphasis on ' my ' was impossible to miss, but the fact that this news didn’t make Sparrow immediately question what he meant proved that he had to have explained plenty for her not to be susceptible.

Solaris's perfect features tightened slightly, but he raised his glass along with Kaelon. I stared at my goblet, my hand shaking with suppressed rage.

He marks his territory well.

My wolf snarled .

But he forgets an Omega's heart cannot be claimed by force or declaration.

My wolf may be right in that department, but he didn’t want to acknowledge how Sparrow’s and Lord Aetheron’s energies intertwined. It was so subdued, like a flicker of truth humming through the atmosphere, but it was present and visible enough from my heightened view to know Lord Aetheron wasn’t simply talking smack.

He had every intention of making Sparrow his, and that’s what drove me mad. His ability to take action.

While I cower at the mere possibilities.

"To Sparrow," the others echoed, though I noticed how Solaris's sun-bright eyes never left her face.

It was too much.

The combination of Aetheron's smug satisfaction, Solaris's obvious interest, and the lingering scent of what had transpired between Sparrow and the Twilight Lord from the night before made my control slip dangerously.

"Excuse me," I managed through gritted teeth, standing so abruptly that my chair scraped against the floor. "I find I've lost my appetite."

I was up and halfway to the door when Solaris's voice rang out, clear as morning bells.

"Wait up, Twilight Wolf. I think I'll join you. We should do a brief re-group seeing as we haven’t seen each other for years. I’m sure our wolves would be delighted in the familiar energy of our own."

He rose with that infuriating grace of his, but instead of following immediately, he turned to Sparrow.

"I apologize. Spending a meal with such a blessed beauty in my presence would be but an honor, but it's been too long since my pack brother and I had a proper run together," he explained, though his eyes held meanings far deeper than his casual words suggested. "I must say though, the Twilight Court has never held such...radiant attractions before. At least, not while I existed,” he declared with a teasing wink. “I’m honored once again, to meet you, our future majesty.”

My wolf snarled as we watched Solaris bow before he approached Sparrow, taking her hand in his.

The way her cheeks flushed at his touch made my blood boil. Her scent shifted subtly, taking on notes of attraction and uncertainty that drove my beast mad with jealousy.

"My lady," Solaris murmured, bringing her hand to his lips. "Should you ever wish to see the wonders of the Aether Court, you need only say the word. I would be honored to show you our eternal dawn." His sun-bright eyes locked with hers as he added, "I’d submit only to you, precious Omega."

The spike in her scent — interest, excitement, confusion – made me dig my claws into my palms until I could catch the scent of my own blood.

Kaelon cleared his throat pointedly.

"Perhaps you gentlemen should begin your...run," he suggested, his galaxy eyes swirling with concern at the mounting tension.

"Indeed," I growled, already heading for the door. The sooner I got away from this display, the better chance I had of maintaining control.

Behind us, Aetheron's dark chuckle echoed through the hall.

"Why are you laughing?" Sparrow's voice carried to us, innocent curiosity clear in her tone.

"Because, my love," Aetheron replied, his voice rich with amusement and possession, "this is all rather entertaining. Now, would you like to see the gardens after breakfast? The shadow roses are in bloom."

"Yes!" Her enthusiasm was palpable at the idea of exploration. One of Sparrow’s many favorite things to do. Discover and learn of the unknown. "And the library too? There's so much I want to discover about this realm."

The sound of her excitement, her eagerness to embrace this world — his specific side of his court — tore at something deep inside me. I’d imagined the day that would come when I’d show her the Twilight Court but at the level of us wolves.

To discover nature at its roots and enjoy its blissful welcome.

Solaris fell into step beside me as we left the dining hall, his presence a constant reminder of how complicated everything had become.

She's meant to be ours .

My wolf insisted as we strode through the shadowed corridors.

We protected her. We watched over her. We loved her first.

"The fates have interesting plans, don't they, Fenris?" Solaris mused aloud, his light magic creating subtle patterns in the air around him. “Or, I should continue calling you Liam?”

I didn't respond, but my wolf's determination crystallized into something hard and unshakeable within me.

Let Aetheron have his prophecies.

Let Solaris weave his charms.

I would not give up so easily.

I’ve come too far to lose her now…we will make her see . Acknowledge that we’re a far better choice.

I vowed silently, feeling my wolf's power surge in agreement. The shadows around us deepened, responding to my resolve. One way or another, I would prove that some bonds transcended even fate itself.

We will make her understand that she belongs with us, destiny be damned.