Romane von Shining Armor

Lucien's roar tore through the throne room, his Alpha voice vibrating with raw authority. The force of it pressed down on everyone present like an invisible weight. One by one, wolves dropped to their knees. Some bowed their heads immediately. Others trembled, struggling under the dominance before submitting. A few whimpered softly, unable to withstand the command. Only Ragnar remained standing. And Elara. The pressure hit her like a physical force. Her chest tightened, her knees weakening as an instinct she didn't understand and urged her to bow... to submit ... to obey. Her fingers curled at her sides. No. She forced herself to stay upright. Her legs trembled slightly, but she didn’t kneel. Lucien noticed. His glowing eyes flickered toward her, surprise flashing across his face. Everyone else had submitted… but she remained standing, shaken yet unyielding. His wolf stirred instantly. Mine. "Elara," Lucien said, his voice still edged with authority, though softer now. "

"No", this mere word held a lot of power which Elara realized now. The answer made her chest tighten. Her eyes shimmered with shock more than tears. "So I really… left everything behind?" Lucien noticed the slight sway in her stance and reached out, stopping just short of touching her, as if unsure whether she would pull away. "Elara," he said softly, "look at me." She did. "You're overwhelmed. Sit down." "I'm fine....." "You're not," he cut in gently. The softness in his tone surprised everyone, including her. He pulled a chair back slightly. "Sit." This time she didn't argue. She lowered herself slowly, her hands still trembling in her lap. Lucien remained beside her, not too close ... but close enough to intervene if she faltered. "You're cold," he muttered, noticing her shaking fingers. "I'm not cold," she whispered. "I'm..... I don't know." His expression darkened. No one spoke. Finally, she looked up again, fear mixing with fragile disbelief. "You're… the Alph

Elara blinked, her mind struggling to catch up. The room suddenly felt too quiet, too still. She looked from Ragnar to Lucien, then to the others standing nearby .... searching for a hint of laughter, a sign that this was some elaborate joke. None came. Her pulse began to race. "You… you are a werewolf?" she asked, her voice trembling despite her effort to steady it. "Like… an Alpha?" She had heard the terms before. Alpha. Beta. Omega. They belonged to stories, fantasy novels, myths whispered for entertainment .... not reality. Not this. Not here. Elara felt the ground tilt beneath her. "Everyone present here," Ragnar continued evenly, "apart from you, are werewolves. Some are Alphas, some Betas, some Omegas… and one true-blooded Alpha" his gaze shifted briefly to Lucien "....my son." The room spun. Elara took an unconscious step back, then another. Her breathing became shallow, uneven. "You aren't… making things up, right?" she said quickly, panic slipping into he

Silence swallowed the throne room whole.Then.......scrape.The sharp metallic sound of steel dragging across marble cut through the air like a threat made real. Every head turned as the sword slipped from Ragnar's hand, striking the polished floor with a harsh clang that echoed off the towering pillars."You are going against your father?" Ragnar asked, his voice low, but edged with something far more dangerous than a shout.Lucien didn’t move."Yes," he said quietly. "If it's for her… I'll go against my own self."A ripple passed through the gathered nobles. No one dared speak, but the shock was visible in every widened eye. Defying the Alpha King was unthinkable. Doing it for a girl? Madness.Ragnar's jaw tightened. Anger burned in his gaze as he stepped forward, his boots striking the marble with deliberate force.Elara stiffened.She knew that look. It wasn't just anger, it was judgment, authority, power ready to crush. Every instinct told her to step back, to lower her head, to

The massive doors of the throne room opened.Conversations died instantly.Every gaze shifted toward her. Nobles straightened. Servants lowered their heads, though not before stealing curious glances. The air thickened with unspoken thoughts. She didn’t need to hear them to understand.Lucien's mate.The human girl.The one the king nearly punished.Elara resisted the urge to shrink back. Her palms grew cold, but she forced herself to walk steadily.Then Lucien moved beside her.His presence was calm, composed, but deliberate. He walked half a step closer, subtly placing himself between her and the crowd. The murmurs that had begun to rise instantly died. No one dared whisper when he was near.They stopped before the throne.Ragnar sat upright, his expression unreadable. Lyra moved gracefully to her seat near the queen's empty throne, her eyes flickering between the king and Elara with quiet interest."You asked for her presence, Your Majesty?" Lucien spoke evenly, though authority t

Lyra gazed at Lucien. "You know a lot about people, don't you"? "More than I should," Lucien's lips curved upward. Lyra’s toothy grin widened as she looked at Lucien."You look terrible. Did someone finally punch that arrogance out of you?" Lucien scoffed. "I'd say the same, but that would require you looking presentable for once." She gasped dramatically and smacked his arm. "Rude. I came all the way here out of concern, and this is how you welcome me?" He clutched his arm as if mortally wounded. "Violence. See? This is why no one marries you." "Please," Lyra rolled her eyes. "I'm waiting for someone richer than you." "That narrows it down to half the kingdom," Lucien muttered. Lyra’s toothy grin vanished hearing Lucien as she playfully hit him again, and Lucien dramatically whimpered. Elara watched the scene unfold, confusion flickering across her face. "Elara, she’s my baby sister," Lucien explained when he noticed her staring at them. "It must feel nice to h