Hiccup's Point of View
The silence that followed the executions wasn't quiet.
It was devoured.
Like the house itself held its breath, afraid to make a sound in the presence of what we'd just done.
Astrid stood like a blood-drenched statue, her breathing steady, her expression unshaken. Her father's corpse still twitched beneath her—nails pinned through flesh, bones shattered, blood pooling thick and dark around the boards. Her mother's head had stopped rolling sometime during the final kill, eyes locked in frozen horror, mouth still half-open like it hadn't yet accepted death.
Luna watched it all with regal satisfaction, a slow exhale curling from her lips like smoke.
I didn't speak.
There was nothing left to say.
We left the house as it was—unburied corpses, broken furniture, the scent of ash and iron lingering like incense. Let the village wonder what happened. Let them piece it together. Or don't. I didn't care.
Astrid walked behind us without being told. No tears. No hesitation. Just quiet footsteps soaked in justice.
She didn't flinch when wolves howled in the distance.
Didn't look away when Luna turned her head sharply and whispered, "You did well."
A part of her died in that house.
Another part was born.
We made it halfway back toward the cove before Luna slowed to a halt and turned sharply on her heel.
"I need a word with Astrid," she said, her voice too casual.
Astrid blinked. "With me?"
Luna nodded, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth—but it didn't reach her eyes. Her claws shimmered faintly beneath her sleeves.
"Just the two of us," she said sweetly. "It won't take long."
Then her gaze flicked to me.
"And you..." she added, eyes narrowing, "...better not spy on us."
The grin that followed was sharp enough to bleed.
I laughed. Uneasily. "Right. Of course."
Totally not concerning. Not at all.
Luna? Alone? With Astrid? After tonight? After the blood and the throne and the way Astrid looked sitting in my lap like she belonged there?
Yeah. Totally safe. Nothing to worry about.
I nodded stiffly, backing away with my hands raised. "I'll just... give you two some space."
Luna tilted her head, watching me retreat with that feral gleam still in her eyes.
Astrid, to her credit, didn't look scared. She looked curious. Almost intrigued.
That was somehow worse.
I turned and began walking back to the cove.
The forest felt heavier than usual. The wind colder. The shadows more alert.
And I couldn't stop thinking about it.
The feel of Astrid in my lap. The way her blood had soaked into my clothes. The way she'd whispered thank you like I had done more than just watch—I had shared it with her.
She didn't belong to me.
She belonged to herself.
But gods, something in me had liked the weight of her. The heat of her.
Mine, something whispered.
I scowled at the ground, dragging a clawed hand through my hair.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" I muttered under my breath.
I already had Luna. My mate. My queen. My perfect shadow.
So why the hell did I feel possessive of Astrid like that?
Why did I want to drag her back into my arms and mark her skin with the same fire that lived in my blood?
I shook my head, walking faster—away from the questions, away from the thoughts, away from the two women alone in the woods, one of whom might not walk back if Luna changed her mind.
Or worse—
If she didn't.
Luna's Point of View
As soon as Hiccup was out of sight, I turned slowly—my eyes never leaving the blonde who stood across from me.
Astrid didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
Didn't even blink.
Interesting.
I stepped forward, then another, until my shadow swallowed hers. Her breathing didn't change. Her stance didn't falter.
She was waiting.
Good girl.
With a growl low in my throat, I struck—shoving her back hard against a tree, one hand on her throat, the other on her chest, pinning her like prey beneath a predator. Bark cracked behind her. Leaves rustled as the wind held its breath.
Still—no fear.
Instead...
That scent.
Sweet. Thick.
Arousal.
I blinked, genuinely surprised. Then I leaned in, inhaling deeply against her throat. Her pulse was steady—no panic. Only desire.
"You're enjoying this," I whispered, lips brushing her ear. "Being dominated. Held down."
Astrid exhaled slowly, her head tilted back, lips slightly parted.
"Yes," she whispered.
A shiver ran down my spine.
A small, reluctant part of me liked it too.
Just a little.
I stared into her eyes. She met my gaze, unshaken, even as my claws pressed lightly against her skin.
"I'm not stupid," I said, voice low and cold. "You're not taking my place. You'll never be queen. He's mine."
Astrid's lips curled—not in defiance, but something softer.
"I don't want to be queen," she said quietly. "I just want to be by your side. By his side. To belong... to you both."
That caught me off guard.
Something dangerous unfurled in my chest.
I grinned. Slowly. Darkly.
"One shot," I whispered, eyes glowing as I pressed myself closer. "You get one chance."
My hand slid down and grabbed her ass, fingers digging into the firm shape.
"Mmh... gods," Astrid gasped, her body jerking slightly.
"You've got a nice ass," I purred, dragging my claws down the back of her thigh. "That helps your case."
Her cheeks flushed instantly. Her breathing turned ragged.
And I wasn't done.
"My Hiccup," I said slowly, "feels something toward you. Something he's tried to bury. You've felt it, haven't you?"
Astrid whimpered. "Yes..."
"He's fighting it. Because he loves me. I'm his first. His chosen. His beloved."
I leaned in, nose brushing hers.
"If I let you in... if I share him... you will always be second. Second in everything. I will always come first. Do you understand?"
Astrid moaned softly, my hand still gripping her ass, kneading it like a promise and a threat.
"Yes..." she whispered breathlessly. "Yes, I understand."
My lips hovered inches from hers, heat radiating between us.
"We'll see if you're worth it."
And gods help her...
A part of me hoped she was.