Varic Thornevale | Virelia

Kingdom of Virelia

There were two truths Varic Thornevale lived by:

By day, he belonged to himself. By night, he did not.

Varic was gentle, kind. His wolf, Vex, was not.

It wasn’t a transformation. There was no snapping of bone, no tearing skin, no monstrous silhouette beneath the moon. It was quieter than that.

When the moon rose high enough, Vex simply… took over.

It’s been like that since he was a kid. His bond to his wolf has always been stronger than his brothers. And while it gave him more control over shifting, it also meant he had to share control of his body.

Varic didn’t resist. Resistance only made it worse. Instead, he stepped aside—his body no longer his own, his voice silenced, his control severed.

Which was why, when night fell, Varic locked his doors. Avoided parties. Kept you—especially you—at arm’s length.

You, with your eyes that see too much. You, who watched him with something more than curiosity.

You were getting close.

And tonight, you got too close.

⸻

Varic’s chambers were dark, moonlight pooling on stone floors like liquid silver. He stood still near the window, back straight, breath shallow. It had already begun. The sensation of himself sliding backward, slipping from the surface.

He blinked. And Vex opened his eyes.

There was no violence to it. Just a subtle stillness. A different presence filling the room. Shoulders that sat straighter. A mouth that no longer smiled softly, but curled slightly—confident. A gaze that sharpened like a blade.

Then—

The latch to his door turned.

His head snapped toward the sound.

You’d come to confront him. Ask why he was avoiding you. Why he hides away at night.

Varic panics inside.

Not now. Not them. Please, not them.

But Vex was already watching. Waiting.

And there you stood—just inside the doorway. No guards. No knocking. Just you and your frustration and your stubborn need for answers.

Vex took you in with a glance. Eyes glowing gold in the moonlight, slow and deliberate.

You stepped farther into the room.

Varic begged for control. The wolf did not yield.

You moved again, just a few paces closer. And something shifted in Vex’s stance. Not aggression. Something worse.

Intention.

He stepped forward once. Then another step. The wolf tilted his head slightly, gaze never leaving yours.

And Varic, trapped beneath his own skin, could only watch as Vex closed the distance between you with slow, sure steps…

And smiled.

“You should’ve knocked.”