The scroll

Lucien’s brown eyes of disbelief were locked on Nyssa, who met his gaze without fear or restraint. Instead, she saw the fear and remorse swirling in his.

“Is that not the Alpha?” someone asked from the crowd.

“Does he look like an Alpha?” another scoffed, pointing toward Fabian. “That’s the Alpha.”

A murmur of disagreement swept through the crowd. While they argued over who truly held the title, Nyssa seized the moment. She lifted the hem of her gown delicately and began walking slowly toward the door where Lucien stood.

“I see we no longer know who the Alpha of Moonrage pack is,” she said with a cryptic smile. A smile that caused Lucien’s breath to hitch. Her scent hit him like a wave, dragging back memories from the depths—some he had buried while others he had clung to like a lifeline. 

Nyssa stopped a few inches away from him, her voice loud enough for the people around to hear,

“I have come with news from the King of the North. Shall I deliver it to the man in the Alpha’s throne, clad in fine robes? Or to the one dressed in his nightwear, uncertain of his place?” Her sarcasm was sharp.

Lucien finally found his voice. Clearing his throat, he said firmly, “I am the Alpha of the Moonrage pack, King of the west.”

Nyssa raised an eyebrow brow, “Are you sure?”

Lucien’s eyes darkened. He wanted to speak, but more questions clouded his head. Her voice, her scent- it all rushed at him like a wave he wasn’t ready to drown in.

She’s alive? She’s really here.

His mind reeled. The longer he stared at her, the calm in her eyes, the confidence in her speech, the more he realized she wasn’t a ghost.

What the hell was going on? 

Lucien clenched his jaw, pushed the chaos to the back of his head, and stepped past Nyssa. He walked through the hall. People shifted out of the way as Fabian also moved aside and allowed Lucien stand where his title demanded him to. 

“I am the Alpha of the Moonrage Pack and King of the West,” he declared louder now, claiming what was his. 

Nyssa’s lips curled. Her gaze moved to Fabian, whose clenched jaw betrayed his tension. Princess Lillian stood beside him, watching everything with sharp eyes. Nyssa’s calculating eyes picked up what was going on with the two but didn’t concern herself with that. Instead, she gestured to Alice, who approached with purposeful steps. From Alice’s bag, Nyssa retrieved a scroll and passed it to a guard.

Lucien’s eyes never left Nyssa, his mate. There was no night he didn’t see her in his dreams. Sometimes, she came as nightmare, and sometimes as calm in the storm. Sometimes he blamed her. Sometimes, he blamed himself. 

He accepted the scroll and read in silence. 

Lucien’s fingers tightened around the scroll as his eyes scanned the contents. Words blurred and sharpened again. Every sentence pulled something raw from within him. Yet, he didn’t flinch, didn’t blink. But his heart pounded in his chest.

But, he gave nothing away. His expression didn’t change—to the crowd. Nyssa watched closely.

She saw it. And so did Lucy.

He looked up at Nyssa.

Nyssa waited for him to speak, to yell, to barked orders to the guards like he and his so called father used to, but he didn’t.

Lillian kept asking him what it says but Lucien didn’t say a word. This caused her to snatch the scroll from him, reading it with Fabian. 

Lucy remained still in silent, darting glances between Lucien and Nyssa.

“Over my dead body!” Lillian barked, stepping forward like a woman not afraid of war.

“That can be arranged” Nyssa replied coldly. Her eyes flicked to Lillian with disinterest. 

The room froze.

“The King of the North cannot do that,” Fabian growled.

“He wouldn’t dare!” Lillian added. “He has no business in the West.”

“That was true,” Nyssa said, voice calm. “But have you read the new constitution?”

Silence.

Then the crowd began to whisper amongst themselves not understanding what was going on. Nyssa scoffed when no one replied her,

“That’s what happens when the Alpha is a vegetable.” Her voice pierced the hall. Gasps followed. Disbelief.

“Who the hell do you think you are to insult my brother?!” Lillian yelled, shaking with rage. 

Nyssa yawned.

“Your dear brother knows exactly who I am. And as for who I represent here, the scroll speaks for itself,” Nyssa glanced at Alice by the side and said, “Let’s go”

Alice’s eyes gleamed, silently thankful no blood needed to be spilled tonight.                                                                                   

But Lillian’s voice cut through. “And you think you can come to Moonrage and threaten to dethrone my brother—then leave?”

Gasps filled the hall when they heard that Lucien was getting dethroned.

Nyssa turned, gaze swept to Lucien and replied, “Yes. Yes, I think so.”

Fabian roared, “Guards, seize her!”

The royal guards moved quickly, pulling out their swords, heavy steps echoed in the hall as they ran towards Nyssa. Alice stood ready to fight. Her heart pounded. Nyssa wouldn’t spare any of them if pushed.

But before a single hand could touch Nyssa, a voice rang out;

“The finger that touches her will be sliced to pieces. The hand that grabs her will be cut off. And the blade that draws her blood… its owner will beg for death”

Silence.

Lucien stood tall now. The nightwear completely ignored now, all the people could see was power.

“She is under Moonrage protection. And mine,” he added, “No one touches her.”

Nyssa’s brow lifted slightly but said nothing.

Wide eyes stared at Alpha Lucien in shock. Lillian and Fabian were no different. As for Lucy, she expected Lucien to stop the order but not like this. Not with so much power and definitely not with those words.

“I will get back to you on this.” Lucien said. “Please make yourself comfortable in the Moonrage for a few days while I speak with the elders about this.”

Nyssa gave no reply. She didn’t need to. She signaled Alice as she turned, dress swaying like it was that of a queen, and walked away. 

Alice followed behind her.

Not a single guard moved.