The sun was sinking behind the palace walls when the noble’s son stumbled into the courtyard, drunk on wine and arrogance. His silk cloak dragged behind him like a wounded animal, and his eyes locked onto Romulus and Remus with the lazy cruelty of someone who had never been told “no” in his life.

  He swaggered closer.

  “You two again,” he slurred. “Strays from the forest. Thinking you belong here.”

  Romulus stiffened. Remus placed a steadying hand on his brother’s arm.

  “Let it go,” Remus murmured. “He’s not worth it.”

  The noble smirked and flicked his boot at Aegis.

  Hard.

  The wolf snarled, hackles rising.

  Romulus stepped forward. “Don’t touch him.”

  “Oh?” The noble leaned in, breath sour with wine. “Did I upset your mutt?”

  Romulus’s fists clenched. Remus stepped between them.

  “Walk away,” Remus said quietly. “Before you regret it.”

  The noble laughed in his face.

  Then he shoved Romulus.

  A childish, sloppy push — but enough to knock Romulus off balance. Romulus shoved him back, harder.

  The noble stumbled. His heel slid on the wet stone. His arms flailed.

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  And then—

  CRACK.

  His skull struck the edge of the fountain.

  The sound echoed through the courtyard like a snapped bone.

  Silence fell.

  The noble’s body lay twisted, blood spreading in a dark halo beneath his head.

  Romulus stared, frozen. “I… Remus, I didn’t— I didn’t mean—”

  But guards were already running.

  “Seize him!” “He killed a noble!” “Murderer!”

  Romulus didn’t resist. He was too shocked, too horrified, too broken.

  They slammed him to the ground, chained his wrists, dragged him across the courtyard like a beast.

  Remus stepped forward, hands raised. “It was an accident! He slipped—”

  A guard shoved him back.

  “Move, forest stray.”

  Remus stumbled. Aegis growled, teeth bared.

  Another guard laughed. “Look at him. Shaking. Just like his mutt brother.”

  Romulus was dragged away, shouting Remus’s name.

  Remus’s breath trembled.

  A third guard leaned close, smirking.

  “You two don’t belong here. Forest strays. Should’ve been put down long ago.”

  Something inside Remus snapped.

  Not loudly. Not visibly.

  Just… snapped.

  He didn’t shout. He didn’t warn them.

  He moved.

  His hand shot out, clamping around the guard’s throat. He slammed him into the wall so hard the stone cracked. The man choked, feet kicking helplessly.

  Another guard lunged — Aegis hit him first, jaws locking onto his arm. A third swung a baton — Remus ducked, twisted, drove his elbow into the man’s ribs. The guard collapsed, gasping for air.

  The courtyard erupted.

  “Get him off!” “He’s insane!” “Call the captain!”

  Remus didn’t hear them. His vision tunneled. His breath came in sharp, animal bursts.

  He could kill them. All of them.

  Romulus, still being dragged away, shouted hoarsely, “Remus! Stop!”

  The word cut through the haze.

  Remus blinked. His grip loosened. The guard collapsed, scrambling away like a kicked dog.

  Every guard stared at Remus with fear.

  Not at Romulus.

  At him.

  The calm one. The quiet one. The one who never raised his voice.

  The captain pointed at him, voice trembling. “Arrest that one too. He’s worse.”

  Remus stepped back, chest heaving, hands shaking — not from fear, but from what he almost did.

  Romulus disappeared into the prison gates.

  Remus watched, jaw clenched, breath ragged.

  He whispered to himself:

  “I’m coming for you.”

  And for the first time in his life, Remus meant it with violence.