Chapter 4: The Alpha King

VALRIK’S POV

The conference room fell silent as I pushed back my chair and rose up to leave. The elders had dragged on about the soldiers’ training regimens long enough. I was done.

However, before I could take a step further, I heard one of my elders call out to me.

“My King.”

I paused, turned, and raised a brow. “Speak.”

A heavy sigh passed between them before Elder Soren stepped forward. “The participants of the Queen Luna Selection arrive tomorrow.”

I held back a scoff. Was this supposed to be news? I was well aware of the timetable.

I leveled him with a sharp stare. “And?”

“A formal dinner has been arranged for tomorrow evening,” Elder Soren said. “With all the participants in attendance.”

I tilted my head slightly. “You expect me to attend?”

“It is tradition, Your Majesty,” another elder, Rys, answered swiftly.

Tradition? 

“I do not concern myself with meaningless gatherings,” I said flatly. “You all may handle the formalities.”

“But the ladies have traveled from across the kingdom, My King. They will expect your presence. And perhaps expect you to address them,” Elder Rys said.

“And get familiar with them, my King.” Vys chipped in, “You can start narrowing down your selection while at it. The earlier the better, your Majesty.” 

“I see no reason to,” I replied, “I cannot tolerate simpering women desperate for a crown. Most of them believe having a title makes them worthy to stand by my side. They are sorely mistaken.”

The elders bowed their heads. “Of course, My King.”

“But my King….” Elder Soren trailed, looking away momentarily.

“Speak freely,” I ordered. My patience was running thin already. 

“Well, we understand this might not be your heart’s desire, but it is important that you do so,” Elder Vys added cautiously. “For the kingdom and to perform your duty.”

Duty? The same duty that took my love away from me? 

My gaze darkened. “My heart’s desire lies unconscious in a room. She cannot even look at me.”

The room stiffened immediately as I brought her up.

Sybil.

I had found her when I was just sixteen. Though she was not my mate, she was my everything. She was a powerful warrior and the battlefield had taken her from me.

She got injured severely and has been in a coma for eight long years. But I was not going to give up on my Sybil—I was never going to. I was going to wait for her, as long as it took.

Or so I thought.

Then the elders had brought about the mate selection and how it was dire that I picked a Queen Luna as soon as possible. It angered me deeply as I saw it as a mockery of everything I had endured.

Everything Sybil had endured—and was still enduring.

“We will forever sympathize with what happened to Lady Sybil, My King,” Elder Soren said carefully. “But the kingdom needs a Queen Luna….and an heir to the throne.”

“And unfortunately, my King, a girl in a coma can’t give you that,” Elder Vys added hesitantly.

A sharp growl rumbled from my chest. My fists clenched at my sides. How dare he? I could have his head for such careless words.

The elder paled, noticing my anger, and quickly lowered his head. “Forgive me, My King. I spoke out of turn.”

“You did,” I said coldly. “Make sure it never repeats itself again.”

Elder Rys cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably. “It is not just about an heir, My King. The kingdom needs stability. The council is divided, the noble families grow restless. A Queen Luna would secure the throne.”

“You believe parading a group of desperate women before me will strengthen the kingdom?” I retorted as I felt my irritation growing. “You overestimate their worth.”

“No, My King,” Elder Soren said quickly. “But they are daughters of Alphas. Alliances will be formed, and a union will shut down the whispers.”

They weren’t wrong, and they knew it. But I wasn’t about to let them think they had won.

“And what of Sybil?” I asked, “Should I cast her aside like an inconvenience?”

Elder Soren inhaled deeply. “No one is asking you to forget her.”

“But we are asking you to look forward,” Elder Vys added hesitantly. “To protect the future of our people.”

I clenched my jaw, but I wasn’t going to say anything else. My intent was always to make the elders think they had swayed me.

Go through the motions, play the part, but no woman—no matter her lineage, her beauty, or her wit—would ever stand beside me as my queen.

That place belonged to Sybil, and no one else.

“Besides, My King…” Elder Soren continued, carefully choosing his words. “Your true mate may be amongst one of the ladies at the selection.”

True mate?