LOGIN"I've been ruined since the day you birthed me, Mother! What the hell are you even talking about?" Zachery replied incredulously, putting Bettoni to the floor and covering her with his body.Bettoni gasped softly and immediately reached down to arrange her torn silk underwear. She felt exposed in the dim coatroom hallway. But Zachery reached backward and caught her small wrist firmly. He squeezed her hand gently, signaling he would take care of this quickly so they could return to their private quarters. He did not pull away from her in shame at all. He stepped firmly in front of his wife and completely shielded her bare shoulders from his mother.Lady Reya stood in the bright corridor, trembling with outrage. The older woman wore a stiff golden gown and looked appalled."Have you completely lost your mind, Zachery?" Lady Reya raved loudly. "She is a dirty shameless street rat. She has completely bewitched you. You are ravishing a Gamma servant in a coat closet like a feral dog w
"You look like a true queen," Zachery murmured as he fastened a diamond necklace around her throat.His rough fingers brushed gently against her sensitive collarbone as the cold, expensive jewels rested perfectly against her warm skin. Bettoni stared at her own reflection in the tall bedroom mirror. She wore a breathtaking blood-red silk gown that hugged every single curve of her waist. She looked absolutely gorgeous but her stomach was a mess of nerves."I feel like a fraud, Zachery," Bettoni confessed quietly, touching the heavy diamonds with shaking fingers. "I used to scrub the ballroom floors on my hands and knees. Now, they're throwing a huge military gala in my honor. Half of those nobles still want me dead. They're going to stare at my scars and whisper terrible things."Zachery wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and pulled her tightly against his hard chest, pressing a hot kiss to the crook of her neck."Let them stare, sweetheart," Zachery drawled lewdly. "Yo
"He's weak and pathetic," Frostina sneered as she paced across the drawing room.Her expensive shoes clicked loudly against the polished stone floor, crossing her arms over her chest. She looked disgusted by the events of the previous day."Ardon couldn't even land a proper strike," Frostina complained bitterly. "He just rolled around in the dirt crying while his own father abandoned him. Jaceon surrendered the royal honor just to save that coward. Ardon is supposed to be the future Alpha but his power’s slipping away entirely. The Commander controls the entire military now."Angelika sat quietly on a fluffy arm chair. She still looked incredibly pale, and a dark purple bruise covered her elegant neck where Bettoni forced the hot, poisoned soup down her throat. Angelika swallowed carefully and glared at her pacing friend."Zachery was incredible out there though," Frostina continued blindly as a dreamy lovesick smile spread quickly across her round baby face. "Did you see his ba
Zachery planted his broadsword into the dirt one inch above Ardon's head."You drop your left shoulder every single time you swing, boy," Zachery remarked casually as he bent down and tapped Ardon's bloody cheek with a highly condescending pat. "Fix your clumsy stance or the next rogue you face will actually take your head right off."He stood back up straight. The royal announcer blew the horn and declared the final verdict; Bettoni was proven innocent by the sacred laws of combat.Zachery sighed like he was immensely bored and rolled his shoulders. "Finally. I can leave this dirty pit and actually go do some real work."He walked back toward the staging area where Varel waited with a fresh water skin. Zachery took a long drink and immediately turned his eyes up toward the royal balcony, winking lewdly at Bettoni and yelling for her to get ready for a very long night.Down in the dirt, Ardon tried to push himself up onto his shaking elbows.Jaceon stormed down the stone steps
Zachery threw his head back and burst into a deep, booming laugh that completely shook the dirt arena. He bared his sharp teeth in a wicked snarl."I knew you would pull a dirty little trick like this at the very last minute, Jaceon," Zachery drawled loudly, his rough voice carrying across the silent stadium. "It's very clear your precious son takes after you."He did not use the exact word coward but Jaceon completely understood the insult. The Alpha's face turned dark red with anger. To save his royal face, Jaceon completely ignored the remark, turned around in his heavy armor and walked strictly back up the stone steps toward his high golden balcony."Father, please," Ardon begged as all the color drained from his terrified face.Jaceon stopped walking, then looked down at his trembling son with disgust."You are the future, Alpha," Jaceon commanded loudly to the boy. "Get into the dirt and defend your family honor. Guards, strap him into his combat gear immediately."Ardo
Zachery threw his head back and laughed loudly first, the sound being incredibly dark. "You want to die that badly, brother?" Jaceon stood rigid in the center of the chaotic dining hall, glaring at his younger brother. "The ancient laws are final, Zachery. You will face me in the dirt arena tomorrow at noon. Or you will surrender your Commandress to the execution block right now.""I'll gladly see you in the dirt, brother," Zachery smirked coldly.Bettoni looked up at Zachery, worrisome. He was too nonchalant about a public death match. He was treating the peak of pack tension like a simple afternoon game.Ardon stood frozen near the edge of the dining table. The Alpha heir felt his stomach drop into his shoes. He'd never felt more terrified than he did at that moment. Ardon knew his father had the royal Alpha strength but Zachery was a literal walking massacre. Zachery butchered highly trained assassins with his bare hands. If they fought tomorrow, Jaceon would surely die. Ar







