2 - Treason!

IRA'S POV

The doors opened, and I stood in a tight dress that barely covered my bum.

Whoever made these uniforms deserved to be put in prison and the keys thrown away. My arms hurt as I balanced the tray which held two glasses of drinks made for the Alpha King and his brother.

I walked through the event with my head bowed, ignoring the catcalls that poured as we entered the coronation hall. My Lycan wolf didn’t appreciate my head being bowed, or the rude and demeaning remarks from the high-ranking wolves.

She wanted me to raise my head, to be half the dominant and powerful female she was, and let her do the rest. However, I couldn’t do that.

My mother’s words rang in my mind, keeping me in check. I couldn’t let us get found, no matter the costs. I had to live a quiet life.

Khanos grew restless, and in a bid to keep her in check, I put up some mental barriers between us.

I needed all the concentration and strength to get through this night in one piece, and hell would freeze before I let anyone catch a whiff of who I am. It was just until I saved enough to get out of here and live on my own terms.

I could handle one night.

Khanos pushed back at the mental barriers, much more than ever before. I could feel her power, and a mild part of her restlessness poured into me, but I ignored it.

I needed to get to the king with his drink. After the toast, I’d slip away and find some rich mogul to rip off. If I was lucky enough, I’d be able to gather something momentous and enough to launch my getaway from Denmark and his filthy jobs.

My wolf’s patience was growing thin with him, and I knew it was only a matter of time before she defied her constraints and showed up just to teach that fart a lesson - and one I might not be strongly against.

I pushed past the crowd of people, legs sore from the heels and the stress of walking through the large coronation room. The more I approached the throne, the more I felt uneasy.

My heart was restless and my arms were shaky. I kept my eyes on the floor, like the perfect slave, and continued on my track. I stopped right in front of the throne, not daring to take a look at the Alpha King.

“King’s toast,” I said to the buff guard who looked like he was moments away from wiping the floor with my face. I could feel his piercing gaze, and one thing was certain - it wasn’t a friendly one.

I expected him to take the tray off my hands, save me the agony of going further to yet another entitled prick who thought slaves were the dirt under his feet, but he didn’t.

The guard stood for a few seconds, looking me over before stepping away and giving me room to approach the king. My feet shook as I stepped forward, and in that instant, I felt the Alpha King’s gaze on me.

His aura was so strong, I felt an urge to raise my head, to meet his eyes, to look at him. But I fought it. Khanos's restlessness increased, and I could tell she was trying to say something, to reach me, but I blocked her out.

It was too dangerous.

I stopped in my tracks, a few metres away from him, got on one knee with my head bowed as I presented his drink. My hands shook, and I felt an intense pressure slice through my being, breaking the years of defence I’d built over the past few years.

“Erasthai...” a voice breathed in my mind, and I froze, caught off guard.

His voice was strong, full of authority, and dragged my attention. The pressure to raise my head became stronger, as did the king’s gaze on me. The air suddenly became constrained, and I hoped and prayed it was not what I thought.

It couldn’t be. It wasn’t possible.

In my mild moment of crisis, Khanos broke through the mental barrier between us, and her words struck me like lightning, confirming my greatest nightmare.

“Mine,” she breathed, her voice fiery and consuming.

Khanos fought to take over my body, to force me to look at the Alpha King, to acknowledge him, but I resisted her, all the while maintaining my poise.

“Rise,” the Alpha King commanded from his throne, drawing attention to us.

The Alpha King’s command was one no werewolf could withstand. It was an absolute order—one I was capable of defying. However, I chose to obey.

I couldn’t blow off my cover.

I raised my head, swallowing hard as I met the fiery red eyes of the newly coronated king. I felt our soul tie immediately, and my wolf grew anxious.

A powerful feeling washed over me, and I suppressed my wolf with everything I had. It couldn’t be true. It was simply not possible. I couldn’t be his mate.

The new Alpha King stepped down from his throne. He looked magnificent, his skin shone, and his midnight black hair was a striking contrast to his glowing light skin.

The Alpha King was strong. His aura dominated the entire room, and I felt pressure in my chest. His broad shoulders were a sight for sore eyes and his face was painfully beautiful, even with a rock hard expression.

I unconsciously bowed my head, unable to hold his gaze, and was stunned when he held me by the jaw, forcing my face up. Bolts of electricity sizzled through me, and I lost hold of the tray.

The glass of wine fell off the tray and hit the floor with a deafening bang that rang through the now quiet courtroom. I swallowed, knees weak, as I thought of the best way to escape.

“Who are you?” he spat, jaws grinding as he stared into my eyes with an expression so intense, I almost buckled.

My mouth opened, but nothing came out. This was not the plan. I couldn’t afford to let him know me. I couldn’t be here. I needed to leave. Much more than ever, I felt the urge to run away, to disappear, never to be found again.

“Speak,” he commanded, eyes narrowed, with a flick of irritation in his eyes. “Who are you?”

Just then, the court lady rushed forward, going on her knees. “I apologize for this grave mistake, my king,” she said, head bowed. “I will see to it that she is duly punished.”

The Alpha King remained silent, his gaze fixated on me. I felt his wolf reach out to me, feeling me out, but I remained a fort, suppressing my wolf as I gave my best impression of a human.

“Guards! Take her to the dungeons,” the court lady ordered, still on her knees, gracefully showing off her power while currying favour.

The next second, I was accosted by some guards with menacing expressions. My knees ached as they forcefully dragged me off the floor at the court lady’s orders.

A loud growl ripped the air as soon as their hands came in contact with me. The Alpha King’s eyes turned dark, and the air strained with tension.

In a split second, a knife shot through the air, scraping through the skin of my cheek, headed for the Alpha King, who easily dodged the attack and responded with a powerful growl that shook the ground.

“Treason!” a voice said, and just like that, the windows broke and the doors caved in. An unbelievable amount of rogues poured in, and chaos ensued.