- 7 hours ago
The Emerald Heiress
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Short filmTranscript
00:00Choose one to be your mate.
00:01One of these potential alpha candidates will become the next alpha of our pack.
00:07None of them.
00:10I choose Daemon.
00:12The crippled alpha.
00:14I am the only direct bloodline heir of the Iron Moon pack.
00:18Yet, I was born a female alpha.
00:21Everyone said that the five orphans my father brought back from the battlefield
00:25were the true future of the pack.
00:27He raised them into the most admired beta warriors in Iron Moon.
00:32As for me, I was nothing more than a pretty heir with noble blood
00:37who couldn't even maintain a stable wolf form.
00:40And as far as those five were concerned, I barely existed.
00:44I spent ten years chasing after Caelan Stone,
00:48only to earn countless looks of disdain in return.
00:52I used to think he treated all women that way.
00:54Until one day, standing outside his bedroom door,
00:58I heard him swear to Vivian Moss.
01:01I'll mark Lyra only to secure my position.
01:03You're the only mate I want.
01:06Words shattered everything I had believed in for the past ten years.
01:10On the eve of the elders' council meeting,
01:13my father asked me who I wanted to choose.
01:16I thought of the way all five of them avoided my gaze.
01:19If I'm getting married, I might as well make it strategic.
01:23I choose Damon Bloodfing of the Bloodfill Pack.
01:27Damon was poisoned by silver five years ago.
01:29His legs were left paralyzed,
01:31and rumors say he can't even complete a mating mark anymore.
01:34Are you sure?
01:36Love isn't something people in our position get to negotiate.
01:40If everything comes down to power and survival,
01:42then I choose strength, not sentiment.
01:45Damon may be crippled,
01:46but his bloodline, his pack, and his warriors
01:49still outweigh those five men combined.
01:51My father's expression darkened.
01:53You say that so easily,
01:54but are you telling me
01:56none of the five boys I raised for you ever caught your attention?
02:00My mother had been my father's only mate.
02:02But she died the year I was born.
02:04A rogue attack.
02:06Too much blood loss.
02:07No second chance.
02:09After that, he never took another mate.
02:11But he also never fully believed
02:13a female alpha could carry Iron Moon alone.
02:16So he followed the council's recommendation.
02:18He brought back five orphaned boys from the battlefield
02:21and raised them inside Iron Moon.
02:24He made one rule from the beginning.
02:26No matter who I chose,
02:28that man would be granted alpha status,
02:30meant to rule beside me,
02:33not beneath me.
02:34That was his compromise.
02:35Love me fiercely,
02:37and still not trust me enough to do it alone.
02:40I met his gaze.
02:41My bond with Damon Bloodbold doesn't require sentiment.
02:44It only requires succession.
02:47He is the sole heir of Bloodbold
02:49that makes him more valuable
02:51than any arranged foster alliance you built here.
02:54Compared to relying on adopted sons
02:56to stabilize Iron Moon,
02:58an alliance with a true power pack
03:00is simply the rational choice.
03:02Silence stretched between us.
03:05If none of them were able to hold your attention,
03:08then there is no reason to keep them in Iron Moon.
03:11We left the council hall together.
03:13My father cast Caelan a brief,
03:16unreadable glance before walking out.
03:20What did you report this time?
03:24Let me guess.
03:25She ran to Alpha again
03:27because we didn't treat her like royalty.
03:29Princess Lyra didn't get enough attention,
03:31so she needed to complain?
03:34Orion and Riven followed with quiet snorts,
03:37barely even trying to hide it.
03:39Five voices,
03:40one direction,
03:41all aimed at me,
03:43like a wall closing in.
03:45If none of you want to mark me,
03:47why hasn't a single one of you
03:49ever told my father directly?
03:51My father didn't force bonds.
03:53He never had.
03:54One clear refusal would have been enough.
03:56He would have released them
03:58with wealth and freedom
03:59and never looked back.
04:00But none of them ever said it.
04:02Not once.
04:04Because none of them
04:05actually wanted to leave the Iron Moon pack.
04:07Not the future it promised.
04:09Stop dressing it up.
04:11We're just fostered wolves
04:13living in Iron Moon.
04:14What choice do you think
04:15we actually have?
04:17Just pick me
04:17if you're going to pick anyone.
04:19Don't drag them into your mess.
04:21For a second,
04:22the others went quiet,
04:23almost moved,
04:24like he was taking
04:26the burden of sacrifice
04:27onto himself.
04:28But all I felt
04:29was a slow,
04:30bitter weight
04:31settling in my chest.
04:33Nothing else.
04:34Then,
04:35Vivian showed up.
04:36The moment her eyes
04:37landed on me,
04:38she shifted back,
04:40instinctively,
04:41and slipped behind Caelan.
04:42She didn't do anything.
04:45Drop it for today.
04:48I stared at them.
04:49Five men.
04:51The same five
04:52who were supposed
04:53to stand behind me.
04:54Now all of them
04:55stood in front of her,
04:57protecting her
04:58from me.
04:59Something in my memory
05:00snapped open.
05:01One year ago,
05:03not long after Vivian
05:04arrived at Iron Moon.
05:06That night,
05:06I carried healing broth
05:08to Caelan's quarters.
05:09He'd been injured
05:10during border patrol.
05:11He told me not to come.
05:13I still did.
05:14His door wasn't
05:15fully shut.
05:17Caelan,
05:18are you really
05:19going to mark Lyra?
05:22My hand froze
05:23on the doorframe.
05:24No.
05:27I won't mark her.
05:28My chest tightened
05:29before I even
05:30understood why.
05:31Then why
05:32did you agree
05:33to Alpha Ronin?
05:35Because
05:36that's the only way
05:37I can become
05:38Alpha
05:39of Iron Moon.
05:40And
05:41Lyra.
05:42She's just
05:43stepping stone.
05:44Once
05:44I take control,
05:46I'll send her
05:46away.
05:49Then what about me?
05:52You?
05:54You're the only one
05:55I want.
05:56Once I take Alpha,
05:58I'll mark you publicly.
06:00You'll be my Luna.
06:04She can't even
06:05shift right.
06:06Luna?
06:07Seriously?
06:10She's only valuable
06:11because of her bloodline.
06:13Nothing else.
06:16Does she actually
06:18believe
06:18we'd choose
06:20her?
06:21When she finds out
06:23she's going to break.
06:26Like it was
06:27already decided.
06:29Then you won't
06:30lie to me,
06:32right?
06:33I swear.
06:36Only you.
06:37The bowl
06:38slipped from my hands.
06:39It hit the ground
06:40and shattered.
06:44Who's there?
06:46I moved
06:46into the shadow
06:47beside the doorway
06:48and held my breath.
06:50Kalen stepped out.
06:51His eyes
06:52dropped
06:52to the broken bowl.
06:54A cat.
06:56I stayed
06:57where I was.
06:58Didn't speak.
06:59Didn't cry.
07:00Didn't make a sound.
07:01Only when the silence
07:02settled
07:03did I step back.
07:04Into the moonlight.
07:06It spilled
07:06across my face
07:07like something
07:08too clean
07:08for what I was feeling.
07:13The next morning
07:14I met Vivian
07:14in the garden.
07:15She was holding
07:16a bowl of flower essence.
07:17Smiling like she
07:18had been waiting
07:19for me.
07:21Good morning,
07:22Lyra.
07:23Sleep well?
07:24Now there was
07:25ease in her expression.
07:27Confidence.
07:28I did.
07:29I did.
07:29She paused
07:30just for a second.
07:32Lyra,
07:33this was my mother's.
07:35I wanted you
07:36to have it.
07:37Thank you
07:38for everything
07:39you've done for me.
07:40Before I could respond,
07:42Kalen appeared.
07:43You're seriously
07:44taking her mother's relic
07:47now?
07:48I froze.
07:50Vivian dropped
07:50instantly,
07:51knees to the ground.
07:54It wasn't Lyra.
07:56I gave it to her.
07:58Please,
07:58don't blame her.
07:59She slammed her forehead
08:00into the ground.
08:02Again.
08:02Blood showed
08:03almost immediately.
08:05Merrick arrived first.
08:06Then Corbin,
08:07Orion,
08:08Riven.
08:09Lyra!
08:10Enough!
08:12You're the heir,
08:13not a bully.
08:14You have everything.
08:16And you still take
08:17the only thing she has?
08:20Riven drew his dagger
08:21in one smooth motion.
08:24Apologize.
08:24And Alpha Air
08:25boxed in on all sides.
08:27They weren't asking.
08:29They were pressing me down,
08:30forcing submission,
08:32forcing my neck
08:33exposed to an Omega
08:34who was clearly
08:35playing a game
08:36they refused to see.
08:38Vivian kept her head lowered,
08:40but I caught it anyway.
08:41That small,
08:42satisfied curve
08:43at the corner of her mouth.
08:45I didn't fight back,
08:46because somewhere
08:47deep down,
08:48there was still
08:49a stupid,
08:50fragile part of me
08:51that waited.
08:52Maybe Kalen would step in.
08:54Maybe he'd say,
08:55this doesn't add up.
08:57He didn't.
08:59Apologize,
09:00or I don't
09:01mark you.
09:02That line
09:03landed harder
09:04than anything else,
09:05because I had already
09:07given him
09:07everything I had in me.
09:09I couldn't afford
09:10to lose him.
09:11Not then.
09:12So I lowered my head.
09:13My throat burned
09:15as I exposed my neck.
09:16I'm sorry.
09:17And that moment,
09:19that single submission,
09:21lasted a year.
09:22After that day,
09:24Vivian changed
09:24how she moved around me,
09:26like I was something dangerous.
09:28Sometimes,
09:28she dropped to her knees
09:29the moment she saw me.
09:31Sometimes,
09:31she hid behind
09:32the five of them,
09:33shaking,
09:34crying on cue.
09:35And I did nothing.
09:37Once,
09:37she tripped in the garden,
09:39a shallow scrape
09:40on her knee.
09:40Nothing serious.
09:41But she ran straight
09:43to Kaelin in tears,
09:45claiming I had pushed her.
09:46No questions asked.
09:48All five of them
09:49came for me.
09:50They tore through
09:51my quarters
09:51like a storm.
09:52Everything broken.
09:53Everything scattered.
09:55If you touch her again,
09:57break our wolf legs myself.
09:59I almost laughed.
10:01Wolf legs.
10:02I couldn't even
10:02shift properly.
10:04But it didn't matter.
10:05They believed her.
10:06Always her.
10:07The memory snapped back
10:09like a pulled thread.
10:10Vivian was still
10:12behind Kaelin now.
10:13Smiling faintly.
10:14Like she had already
10:16won something
10:16no one else could see.
10:18If you're that afraid,
10:19I'll hurt her.
10:20You might as well
10:20leash her to your side.
10:22Are you threatening me?
10:24What are you planning
10:25to do to her?
10:27Let me guess.
10:28Now that we gave Vivian
10:30a Starfall Sanctum,
10:31you're finally snapping?
10:32You already have everything.
10:34And she has nothing.
10:36It's just
10:36Starfall Sanctum.
10:38Why are you acting
10:39like this is some tragedy?
10:41My gaze sharpened.
10:42Starfall Sanctum?
10:44Starfall Sanctum
10:45wasn't just a place.
10:46It was a buried lunar basin
10:48deep under
10:49Iron Moon territory.
10:50When it hit
10:51the sacred waters,
10:52it refracted
10:53into something
10:53that looked like
10:54a galaxy
10:54trapped underground.
10:56My father spent
10:57eighteen years
10:58building it.
10:59For me,
11:00a coming-of-age gift.
11:02Half a year ago,
11:03as it neared completion,
11:05he handed oversight
11:06to Kaylin.
11:07He was supposed
11:08to present it to me
11:09on my ceremony day.
11:10Instead,
11:11it never reached me.
11:12It went to Vivian.
11:14My eyes locked
11:15on Kaylin.
11:16He was the one
11:17who controlled
11:17final access.
11:19No one entered
11:19without his approval.
11:21Vivian grew up
11:22on the outskirts
11:23of the pack.
11:24She's never seen
11:24a real night sky.
11:26I gave her a moment.
11:28That's all.
11:30The Sanctum
11:30is still yours
11:31on paper.
11:33Don't turn this
11:34into something
11:35it isn't.
11:36And stop
11:37making a scene.
11:38If it comes to it,
11:39I'll announce
11:40our mating bond
11:40at your coming-of-age
11:42ceremony next month.
11:43That should satisfy
11:43you enough,
11:44right?
11:45The way Kaylin
11:47looked at me,
11:48calm,
11:49almost magnanimous,
11:51made,
11:51made something
11:52cold twist
11:53in my chest.
11:55For a second,
11:56I almost wondered
11:57if I was the one
11:58who didn't belong here.
12:00If anything,
12:00they looked at him
12:02like he was making
12:02some kind of
12:03noble sacrifice.
12:05You really don't
12:06have to go this far.
12:07Lyra's spoiled,
12:09ruthless.
12:10Marking her
12:11is no different
12:11than marking
12:13a stone.
12:15At least you'll
12:15finally get what
12:16she's been chasing
12:17for years.
12:18Kaylin,
12:19don't do this
12:20for me.
12:20If it helps,
12:21I'll kneel to her,
12:22I'll beg,
12:23I'll do anything
12:24she wants.
12:25I swallowed once,
12:27hard.
12:27I won't choose you.
12:29Kaylin's brow
12:30lifted slightly,
12:31like he was still
12:32deciding whether
12:32I was serious.
12:34Merrick and Corbin
12:34exchanged a look,
12:36like they were
12:36more afraid
12:37I'd choose them
12:38instead.
12:38That alone
12:39hit something
12:40deep in my chest.
12:41Ten years,
12:43standing behind them,
12:44and still,
12:45I was the only one
12:46treated like I
12:47didn't belong
12:48in the same space.
12:49I turned to leave.
12:50Vivian caught my wrist,
12:52then she dropped
12:53instantly,
12:54knees to the ground,
12:55head lowered.
12:56Please,
12:57don't make this
12:58harder for Kaylin.
13:00The five of them
13:01were brought into
13:01Iron Moon.
13:02They were never
13:03equal to begin with.
13:04If you're going to
13:05report this over
13:05Starfall Sanctuary,
13:07I'll apologize.
13:08I'll do whatever
13:09you want.
13:11Then she started
13:12bowing,
13:12fast,
13:13hard.
13:14Her forehead
13:15hit the ground
13:16until blood appeared.
13:17Kaylin moved
13:18immediately.
13:19He pulled her up,
13:20jaw tight.
13:21So you say
13:22you won't choose
13:22me,
13:23but when the time
13:24comes,
13:25don't change
13:25your mind.
13:27This whole thing,
13:29you're just trying
13:30to pressure her
13:30indirectly.
13:32You just want
13:33an excuse to
13:33report her
13:34and force her
13:35out,
13:35don't you?
13:35I don't care
13:36what you think.
13:37I won't choose
13:38you.
13:41Kaylin grabbed
13:42my wrist,
13:43hard.
13:44Not me?
13:45Then who?
13:46Marek?
13:47Corbin?
13:48Mark wants
13:49freedom.
13:51Corbin wants
13:51peace.
13:52Haven't you
13:53already taken
13:53enough from
13:54them?
13:55If you agree
13:56to stop
13:56targeting Vivian,
13:57I'll mark
13:58you.
14:00Just stop
14:01this.
14:02That's all
14:02I'm asking.
14:03For the first
14:04time,
14:04he looked
14:04exhausted,
14:05like I had
14:06been the one
14:07wearing him
14:07down for years.
14:08I held his
14:09gaze for a long
14:10moment,
14:10then said
14:11quietly,
14:12Everything will
14:13go the way
14:13you want.
14:14He was afraid
14:15I'd hurt Vivian.
14:16He refused
14:17to mark me.
14:18Fine.
14:18Once I became
14:20Damon Bloodfang's
14:21mate,
14:21none of this
14:22would matter
14:22anyway.
14:23The day of my
14:24coming of age
14:24ceremony arrived.
14:26Iron Moon had
14:27been transformed.
14:28Everyone knew
14:29why they were
14:30here.
14:31Not just my
14:3218th birthday,
14:33my mate
14:34declaration.
14:35And everyone
14:36already knew
14:37the outcome.
14:39Kaylin Stone.
14:41Because I had
14:42chased him
14:42for 10 years.
14:44Because the
14:45entire pack
14:45had watched it
14:46happen.
14:47The five of
14:47them stood
14:48in the front
14:48row.
14:49Even the
14:50guests looked
14:51at them
14:51more than
14:52they looked
14:52at me.
14:53Like this
14:54ceremony
14:54belonged to
14:55them.
14:56I was about
14:57to shut
14:58down the
14:58whispers
14:58when a
14:59servant
14:59screamed.
15:00Help!
15:01Vivian is
15:02missing!
15:03There's a
15:03note!
15:04She's been
15:04kidnapped!
15:06The shift
15:07was immediate.
15:08Merrick
15:09moved first.
15:11Before I
15:12could even
15:12turn,
15:13my head
15:14snapped to
15:15the side.
15:16silence
15:16swallowed the
15:17entire
15:18hall.
15:19The pain
15:19landed a
15:20beat too
15:21late.
15:22Around us,
15:23people scattered
15:23instinctively.
15:25Kaylin grabbed
15:26Merrick's arm
15:26before he could
15:27swing again.
15:28Then he
15:29looked at
15:29me.
15:31We already
15:32stood here
15:33like you're
15:33choosing between
15:34us, like
15:34we're disposable,
15:35and it still
15:36isn't enough!
15:37His voice
15:37sharpened.
15:38Do you
15:39want her
15:39dead?
15:40I stared
15:41back at
15:41him.
15:42Corbin
15:42looked at
15:42me like I
15:43was something
15:43contaminated.
15:44You waited
15:45until she
15:46was alone
15:46and staged
15:47this.
15:48You really
15:49think we
15:49won't see
15:49through it?
15:50That's
15:50when it
15:50clicked.
15:51Not
15:51confusion,
15:52clarity.
15:53Vivian had
15:54done this
15:55again.
15:56And this
15:57time,
15:57she'd done
15:58it in front
15:59of everyone.
16:00No one
16:01moved to
16:01intervene.
16:02Not after I
16:03was slapped
16:04in public.
16:05Not after I
16:06stood there
16:06bleeding pride.
16:08Because they
16:09had already
16:09made their
16:10decision.
16:11Iron Moon
16:12wasn't mine
16:13in their
16:13eyes.
16:14Apologize.
16:15He let
16:16out a
16:16short,
16:17humorless
16:17laugh.
16:19Vivian
16:20nearly lost
16:20her innocence
16:21and you're
16:21worried about
16:22a slap?
16:23Then she
16:24appeared,
16:25crying,
16:26running,
16:27her dress
16:28torn,
16:29dirt stained,
16:30like she
16:30had barely
16:31escaped
16:31something
16:32violent.
16:33It was
16:34Lyra.
16:35She had
16:36me taken.
16:38She said
16:39she'd
16:40have
16:40rogue
16:40wolves
16:41to
16:42violate
16:42me.
16:43So I'd
16:44never
16:44come
16:44back.
16:45The
16:46hall
16:46detonated.
16:48Whispers
16:48turned into
16:49outrage,
16:50shock
16:51into
16:51judgment.
16:53Kaylin
16:53didn't
16:53hesitate.
16:54He
16:55pulled his
16:55coat around
16:56her like
16:56she was
16:56something
16:57fragile and
16:58irreplaceable.
16:59Then he
17:00looked at
17:00me.
17:01You don't
17:02stop,
17:02do you?
17:03His voice
17:03dropped.
17:04I will
17:05never mark
17:06someone like
17:06you.