Ancestral Lineage

A massive bed—wide enough to comfortably fit twenty grown adults—was currently occupied by thirteen individuals: one man and twelve women of various races.

Most nights, the bed became a playground of passion or affectionate cuddling that led to passion. But tonight was different.

Tonight, there was only silence—and tension.

Everything was happening too fast.

It hadn't even been a full year since Asteria appeared. And now, another had come.

And she was a Queen.

"Honey? You're really quiet," Harley said, glancing up at Ethan from where she lay on his chest. Her stomach had begun to show signs of pregnancy—proof of their bond.

"I… it's complicated," Ethan murmured with a sigh. His eyes were distant, his expression fragile—helpless even. A look none of them had ever seen before. Not even when things got tough with Harley or Clara.

"Please tell us," Clara urged, worry etching her voice. "We're your family."

"Darling?" Andriel added gently, probing him to open up.

Ethan sat up, dragging a hand down his face. A deep sigh escaped him as he resolved to speak.

"How should I start… The concept of soulmates isn't as simple as we thought. The truth is... Harley isn't my first soulmate."

Silence fell like a blade.

None of them moved. None of them even blinked.

They had always believed—known—that Harley was his first.

They had proof: the intimacy, the connection, the synchronicity of two souls who seemed made for one another.

Even Harley believed it.

And now?

A dark, possessive aura swirled through the room, each woman instinctively clutching the sheets or gripping Ethan's aura with their eyes—black holes of longing and fury.

"…Do you have a concubine or something, Kael'Dri?" Harley asked calmly, but the use of his true name betrayed the weight of her words. The mood had turned serious. Dangerously so.

"Haha! You're all so adorable when you get like this," Ethan laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head.

"That's not the question!" Barki snapped, flames puffing from her nostrils.

"I don't have a concubine," Ethan said quickly. "That's why I said it's complicated."

"Explain."

Seraphis's voice rang out, calm and commanding—an order, not a request.

'They're so cute when they're scary…'

Ethan cleared his throat. "Err… Do you know the origin of my true name?"

"Not really," Elaine admitted.

"It came from your alternate selves," Asteria chimed in, drawing more confused murmurs from the others.

"In simpler terms," Ethan said, "Kael was the first Blood Primogenitor and the First Vampire. Dri was the First Creator and the First Dwarf. They were… well, me—from other timelines, other cycles. And now, their souls and mine are one."

"Wait… does that mean if they had soulmates, they're yours now too?" Lisa asked, her voice faint as her face paled.

"And that some of us could be soulmates of this Kael or Dri?" Christel added, struggling with the revelation.

Ethan nodded solemnly. "As harsh as it sounds, yes. That's the reality. I don't know who belonged to Kael and who belonged to Dri, but honestly, it doesn't matter. You're not trophies to be sorted or labeled. Kael and Dri are me. You are mine—and I'm yours. Always."

That softened the mood. A little.

But the unease still lingered.

Ethan's expression twisted again. That same weakness. That same hesitation.

"But this one… this one is different," he said. "She wasn't from another timeline or reality. She… she was my first love. My first soulmate. And the strange part? She existed in this world."

That pulled everyone back into stunned silence.

"How is that even possible?!"

Even Asteria—the self-proclaimed goddess—looked rattled. And that said a lot.

"This is beyond gods," Asteria muttered. "This… this reeks of the Primordials."

"I don't know how," Ethan admitted. "But I do know Fate is involved. Somehow. Somewhere. I've started seeing visions… or maybe gaining memories."

He paused, then dropped the bomb.

"When I was Lucifer. The Demon Emperor. Founder of the Demon Realm."

"WHAT?!"

Clara's eyes widened.

"You're joking… right? That was over a thousand years ago!" Carmen gasped.

"Stop playing around, babe. This is serious!" Athelia added sharply.

Ethan looked at them all, his voice low and final.

"I'm not joking. I'm remembering it all. The wars, the Empire, the heartbreak. And her. My Queen. The one I lost. The one who's returned."

"But this is impossible… this defies all reason," Pisces finally said, her voice quiet but trembling with weight. The silence she broke was heavy, filled with the pressure of truths none of them were ready for.

"Exactly, my love," Ethan replied, his gaze distant. "That's why it's so… tangled. But what makes it worse—more dangerous—are the Sins. First Sixtie, then Elaine, and now Regnare. Think about it." He paused, struggling to finish. "I also sense another Sin—one tied to her. A child, possibly ours. And…"

His voice faltered. He looked away, a rare crack in his composure.

"Honey…" Christel whispered, reaching out and gently taking his hand, grounding him.

"We're here for you," Harley said softly. "We know everything's been happening so quickly, and we've barely had time to truly grow into our bond as soulmates. But there's still time, Ethan."

She placed a hand over her stomach, her eyes shining with quiet resolve. "No matter how many soulmates you have… no matter how complex your path becomes, we'll stand with you. We'll accept them. We'll accept you."

Pisces nodded, brushing her hair behind her ear. "You are not alone in this."

Ethan's fingers curled slightly around Christel's hand. Their warmth, their unwavering faith—it tore into him. Guilt crept in like a shadow, whispering that he didn't deserve this kind of loyalty. Not after all the weight he carried. Not after the choices he'd made.

But beneath that guilt was a different emotion. A swelling one. Gratitude—profound and raw. He hadn't asked for this love. He hadn't even known how deeply he'd needed it.

"Even now… they choose me," he thought, a flicker of moisture building in his eyes. "Even as I lose myself in the chaos of bloodlines, destinies, sins, and truths… they still see me."

He swallowed hard, letting out a slow breath. "Thank you," he murmured, voice low but steady now. "For still believing in me… for staying."

…

The door to her private quarters shut with a quiet hiss, sealing away the bustling sounds of the grand halls beyond. Queen Emma stood silently in the center of the luxurious room, her eyes slowly sweeping across the opulent space Ethan had assigned to her. Rich silk curtains, the scent of strange flowers, and the humming energy of the Nexus Citadel—it was all foreign, yet... strangely warm.

But none of that held her attention.

Her thoughts were still tethered to him.

Ethan.

She brought a hand up to her chest, feeling her heart beat with a rhythm that wasn't entirely her own. Ever since she'd laid eyes on him—no, since she'd sensed him, something had shifted within her. His face played over and over in her mind: those commanding eyes, that quiet storm behind them, and the aura—gods, the aura.

It wasn't just power. It was familiarity. It was as if his soul had once embraced hers in another life.

She let out a breath, her throat tightening. "He's the one."

The thought made her stomach flutter and her cheeks warm. She turned away from the door, walking slowly toward the large window that overlooked the heart of Anbord. The city glittered under its twin moons, distant sounds of laughter and life rising faintly through the glass.

But Emma saw none of it.

All she could see was Ethan.

The way his presence filled a room.

The way her instincts bowed in reverence without her command.

The way her father—the Prime Alpha himself—had stiffened in the weight of his presence.

No man had ever moved her like that. Not even close.

She reached out and pressed her palm gently against the cold glass. "I felt it… and so did he," she whispered to herself, her voice trembling slightly. "There's something ancient between us. Something sacred."

And yet, she could feel the threads of complication. The scent of other women on him—not physical, but spiritual. Soul-deep bonds. Lovers. Wives. Perhaps even children.

But her wolf didn't care.

Her soul didn't flinch.

Instead, something primal within her stirred, yearning—not in jealousy, but in hunger for connection. A piece of her long-missing had suddenly returned.

"I must know," she murmured, her voice now low and certain. "I will know."

She turned from the window, her dark skin glowing in the moonlight, her eyes alight with purpose.

This wasn't just politics anymore.

This was fate.

"You're here," a voice brushed across her mind, warm, deep, and unmistakably his.

Her breath hitched. Her wolf stirred beneath her skin.

She did not respond, but the silence said everything.

Somewhere, in another wing of the Nexus Citadel, Ethan opened his eyes.

And for the briefest moment, two ancient hearts beat in rhythm again.

The moonlight outside grew softer, and in its glow, something unseen tethered itself quietly between them.

Unbreakable. Undeniable.

The beginning of something that had long waited to begin.