Chapter 3 - The Council Wanted Her Dead Before Dawn
When they returned to the palace, the halls were burning.
Guards fought in the courtyard.
Servants ran screaming.
The royal banners had been torn down.
Alera stared at the destruction.
"Who attacked?"
Lucian's wolf pressed close beneath his skin.
"Not attackers."
"What?"
"A coup."
They reached the throne hall.
Six council nobles stood around the royal throne.
At the center was Lord Cassian Veyr.
The oldest member of the council.
The man who had sentenced Alera.
He smiled.
"You brought her."
Lucian stepped forward.
"You knew."
Cassian laughed.
"We knew before you did."
Alera's heart pounded.
Cassian turned toward her.
"Come here, little Omega."
Lucian moved in front of her.
"Don't speak to her."
Cassian sighed.
"Always protecting something."
"You're finished."
"No."
Cassian lifted a silver dagger.
"You're finally where I need you."
Then the chamber doors locked.
Silver chains appeared from the floor.
They wrapped around Lucian.
He roared.
Alera screamed.
"Lucian!"
She ran toward him.
Cassian grabbed her.
She fought.
He slapped her.
The world went silent.
Lucian's eyes turned completely gold.
"Touch her again."
Cassian smiled.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
He pressed the dagger against Alera's throat.
"You see, Your Majesty, there is one thing your father never understood."
Lucian struggled against the chains.
"Which is?"
"An Alpha can be defeated by his mate."
Cassian cut Alera's palm.
Blood fell onto the floor.
The kingdom shook.
Alera felt something awaken inside her.
Power.
Ancient.
Furious.
Cassian smiled.
"There she is."
Alera screamed.
A wave of silver light exploded from her body.
Every window shattered.
Every candle went out.
The chains around Lucian broke.
Cassian was thrown across the room.
Alera stared at her own hands.
Silver fire danced across her fingers.
Lucian rushed to her.
"Are you hurt?"
"No."
He touched her face.
"You're bleeding."
"Ignore it."
He didn't.
He wiped the blood away.
Then looked at Cassian.
"You wanted her power."
Cassian coughed.
"Not her power."
His eyes went to Alera.
"Her throne."
Alera froze.
"I don't want your throne."
"You don't understand."
Cassian laughed.
"You were born to rule."
"I don't care."
"You should."
He pointed toward the ancient throne.
"Your ancestor created this kingdom."
Alera stared.
"My ancestor?"
"The Moon Queen."
Lucian looked shocked.
Cassian continued.
"The kingdom was meant to be ruled by your bloodline."
"Then why does Lucian rule?"
"Because your family was betrayed."
Silence.
Cassian turned toward Lucian.
"His father knew."
Lucian's jaw tightened.
"Stop talking."
"His father stole the crown."
Alera looked at Lucian.
"Is that true?"
Lucian hesitated.
"My father took the throne."
"But why?"
"To protect the kingdom."
Cassian laughed.
"To protect himself."
Lucian attacked.
Alera screamed.
The battle lasted seconds.
But before Cassian could fall, another council member stabbed him.
Lord Malrec stepped forward.
"You talk too much."
Cassian collapsed.
Malrec looked at Alera.
"Now we have a different problem."
He raised his hand.
Hundreds of soldiers entered.
"We don't need the old fool."
Alera grabbed Lucian.
"Run."
He looked at her.
"Where?"
"Anywhere."
They fled through a side corridor.
Behind them, the palace exploded into chaos.
But someone followed.
Alera heard footsteps.
Then a voice.
"Princess."
She stopped.
An old woman stepped from the shadows.
Alera recognized her.
The palace healer.
"My mother knew you."
The woman nodded.
"She asked me to find you."
"Who are you?"
"My name is Elara."
"What do you want?"
"To show you what your mother died protecting."
She opened a wooden box.
Inside was a crystal.
Alera touched it.
The room disappeared.
She saw her mother.
Evelyn.
Holding a newborn baby.
Alera.
She saw soldiers approaching.
She saw Evelyn run.
She saw Lucian's father standing outside the village.
And beside him—
A younger Cassian.
Evelyn handed the baby to the king.
"Protect her."
The king nodded.
"I swear."
Then Evelyn stayed behind.
The memory ended.
Alera was crying.
"Lucian's father saved me."
"Yes."
"Then why didn't he tell anyone?"
"Because the council would have killed you."
Alera looked at Lucian.
His eyes were filled with grief.
"My father knew you were the heir."
"Yes."
"And he raised you as king to hide me?"
"Yes."
Alera whispered.
"I hated your family."
"I know."
"I thought your father was a monster."
"I know."
"But he protected me."
Lucian reached for her.
"He protected us."
Their fingers touched.
The bond ignited again.
Elara smiled.
"The prophecy is changing."
Lucian frowned.
"What prophecy?"
"The one everyone feared."
Alera looked toward her.
"What does it say?"
Elara answered.
"When the lost Omega returns, the false king will fall."
Lucian stared.
"False king?"
Elara looked at him.
"That was never you."
Alera's heart stopped.
Then who?
The answer was already coming.
Cassian had not been the true mastermind.
May you like
He had been serving someone else.
Someone who had been sitting beside them all along.
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