5. Shattered Mercy

Silas's Pov

The first lash landed across my back like fire, and I screamed, curling into myself as the second lash followed. White-hot pain exploded across my spine, stealing the air from my lungs. The third lash, however, did not come.

Through the haze of agony, I slowly opened my eyes and was shocked to find Elara standing over me, her hand gripping the leather whip that was supposed to hit me again.

Her fiery gaze burned across the room, locked directly onto The King, who stared back with equal intensity, his jaw clenched.

“You are disrespecting your King, Elara,” he said with a deep voice, laced with warning.

“No, I am trying to put some sense into my cousin,” she retorted sharply.

“In this room, I am your King! Nothing else!” He announced, his power flaring out in a wave around him.

Elara scoffed, her eyes sweeping across the silent people in the room before returning to him. “Fine. I see how this is.” She glanced at me for a few brief seconds, I saw something like pity flickering in her expression, before looking away again. “I guess my presence is not really needed here. I’ll leave you to your mate–”

No.

“He is not my mate,” The King denied immediately, and I couldn't deny how bad it hurt.

“-to do with him as you please,” Elara continued and stepped back.

“But know this, Zenith. The Moon Goddess does not forget, she does not forgive cruelty disguised as justice. What you sow in blood and hatred today will return to you tenfold. Karma is a patient hunter, cousin, she will come for you in the quiet hours, when your throne feels coldest and your bed emptiest. You spit on a sacred bond, and the gods will make you choke on it. Mark my words, this path you walk will leave you more broken-” she looked down at me again. “-than the Omega you destroy.”

Her words hung heavy in the throne room, echoing like a curse. The silence that followed was suffocating.

Then she finally turned to me, the look in her eyes was strange, something I couldn't decipher. It was as if she knew something I didn't. “I’m sorry,” she whispered and turned on her heel, her footsteps echoing as she stormed out. The heavy doors slammed shut behind her, leaving the throne room in silence, and me, at the mercy of my mate, the Lycan king.

I trembled on the floor, tears streaming silently down my face. Emotionally wrecked didn’t even begin to cover how I felt. Elara’s words replayed in my head, she talked about karma, but what I saw was a cursed bond. The emptiness, no one was coming to save me, not even the Moon Goddess, it seemed.

I lifted my gaze slowly, fear filling my eyes as I looked back at the King. His expression was pure hatred, a storm raged in those dark blue eyes. There was no flicker of doubt, only disgust, as if my very existence poisoned the air he breathed.

“Lucas,” he commanded, his voice like ice. “Take him to the questioning room, and do not stop the torture until he has spoken the truth. Use whatever means necessary, I want answers.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Lucas replied without hesitation.

Rough hands yanked me up from the floor. Pain flared violently across my whipped back as they dragged me away, my bare feet scraping uselessly against the marble floor. I didn’t have the strength to fight or beg anymore. I just let them drag me away as the world blurred through my tears.