Chapter 5

Aria's POV

 

I sat frozen on the sofa, my breath catching in my throat. My Woman? Since when?!

 

Part of me, the old, obedient daughter, wanted to step in and shield my father. I almost opened my mouth to tell Valerius not to disrespect my father. He was a respected pack Beta, after all. He was my parent.

 

But then, the brutal memories of earlier crashed back over me.

 

I remembered standing in his study, crying, telling him that Jacewas cheating on me with my own sister. 

 

I remembered the cold, disgusted look on my father's face as he told me I was weak. I remembered him commanding me to quietly accept my demotion to a delta rank, telling me to go sleep in the dirt barracks, and ordering me to stand by and smile while Chloe stole my entire life.

 

‘Stop being so paranoid and dramatic,’ my mother had said. ‘Your lineage is too weak,’ my father had said and it shattered what was left of my heart.

 

After recalling those memories, my mouth snapped shut and a cold, dark satisfaction bloomed in my chest. 

 

I folded my arms and sank into the cushion. I didn't say a single word. Let him suffer. For the first time in my entire life, someone was standing up for me, fighting my battles, and shielding me from the people who were supposed to love me.

 

And ironically, it was the most feared monster on the continent.

 

My mother, sensing the life-threatening danger, quickly stepped in front of my trembling father. As the Beta’s wife, she was used to playing diplomat, smoothing over disasters with polished smiles.

 

"Your Majesty, please," my mother said softly, placing a gentle hand on her husband's chest to keep him quiet. "Please forgive my husband. He is merely overwhelmed by the tremendous honor of your presence. We mean no offense, and we certainly do not wish to bring any harm or disrespect to you or your royal lineage."

 

Valerius looked down at her, his silver eyes cold and emotionless.

 

My mother offered a sweet, practiced smile. "We welcome you to the Silvermoon kingdom, Your Majesty. But It is simply unacceptable for a ruler of your stature to stay in a dusty, rustic cabin on the edge of the woods. We came to invite you back to the main packhouse. The executive suite is fully prepared for you. Please, allow us to host you properly. Come to the packhouse, take a hot bath, rest a bit, and then we can sit down in comfort to discuss... why you have honored us with your presence."

 

Valerius stayed quiet for a long moment, evaluating her. Finally, he gave a slow, curt nod. "Very well."

 

My mother let out a quiet sigh of relief and immediately turned toward me, her sharp eyes narrowing slightly. "Aria, stop sitting there like a lump. Run ahead to the packhouse right now and round up the senior servants. Make sure the executive suite is cleaned, prepared, and—"

 

"No," Valerius interrupted coldly.

 

My mother stopped mid-sentence, looking confused. "Pardon, Your Majesty?"

 

"Aria stays with me," Valerius stated firmly. He didn't even look at my mother. Instead, his dangerous gaze drifted over to where Jace was standing near the door, clutching his bruised ribs.

 

Valerius pointed a long, scarred finger directly at his son. "You. Boy."

 

Jace froze, his face turning pale. "F-Father?"

 

"Go round up the servants," Valerius ordered, his deep voice dripping with absolute command. "Prepare the executive suite. Make sure the linens are fresh. Now."

 

Chloe gasped. Jace was the future Alpha! He was treated like a king in this pack, catered to by everyone, never lifting a finger for manual labor. Now, his own father was ordering him to do the job of a low-ranking housemaid.

 

Jace’s face flushed a deep, embarrassing red. He looked at Chloe, who was staring at him in utter disbelief. "Father... please, the servants can just—"

 

Valerius flared his Alpha aura. The air in the cabin grew ice-cold, and a low, guttural growl vibrated in the King's chest. "Did I fucking stutter?"

 

Jace flinched violently, snapping his head down. "N-No, Father! I am sorry! I will go right away!"

 

Jace scrambled out the cabin door, practically falling over his own feet as he rushed toward the main packhouse to find the servants, completely humiliated.

 

I had never wanted to burst out laughing so hard in my life, but unfortunately for me, my problems were far from over, and from the look in my father and Chloe’s eyes, it seems that my problems were about to begin.

 

My father swallowed hard, before stepping forward to lead the way out. "Your Majesty, please follow me to the main dining hall of the pack house while they ready the room. We will give you privacy and space."

 

My father gave me a pointed look, then turned, clearly expecting me to follow him out so he could scold me in private. He reached out to grab my shoulder to drag me along, but Valeriusstepped smoothly between us, resting a heavy, warm hand on my shoulder.

 

"Aria stays with me," Valerius said, his voice dropping into that dark, lethal tone. "Nobody tells her what to do. Nobody touches her. Only me."

 

My father froze, and my mother’s jaw literally dropped from shock. Chloe looked like she wanted to scream, but the terrifying power rolling off the Lycan King kept them all glued to the floor.