All Chapters of THE ALPHA KING'S FAKE BRIDE : Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

VALARIE The Blackwood palace had never been so quiet.Grief had a way of putting everything in stillness. It wasn’t just the absence of music or laughter or the usual stir of morning activity, it was in the way people moved, slow and respectful, as if even their footsteps mourned.Alpha Theo’s death changed the rhythm of everything.I stood by the window of the room I now shared with Tristan, watching the sky stretching endlessly above the palace . It had been days since the news broke, but the heaviness hadn’t lifted. Everyone walked like shadows, servants, council members, even Carl, who had surprisingly grown more silent than usual.Tristan hadn’t said much since that night. He’d thrown himself into duties, into preparations, into planning the burial with the elders and warriors. He moved with purpose, but his eyes were hollow. He hadn’t truly grieved, not in front of anyone, not even me.But I could feel it, burning under his skin.The morning of the burial, I woke up before him.

CARLThey say mourning draws people together but watching them only drew out the darkness in me and made me want to do something I would regret.Tristan and Valarie, side by side like they belonged together. Her hand in his, her eyes glued to him like the entire world faded when he was near. I should have looked away during the burial, I should’ve focused on honoring my grandfather but all I could see was her.And him.The way she helped him dress, the way she whispered something in his ear before they walked down the staircase… I clenched my jaw so hard I could feel it locking. Everyone bowed to them. Everyone saw them as a unit. A power couple. The future of the Blackwood name.But I saw something else.I saw what I had lost. Or perhaps what I never really had, but wanted now more than ever.She was supposed to be temporary. A way to get under Tristan’s skin. A game. A beautiful, unexpected pawn I could use to remind him he wasn’t invincible.But now?Now, she was all I could think

LADY BIANCA The corridors of the Blackwood Palace were quieter now. Draped in black silks and mourning flowers , the grand halls bore the grief of Alpha Theo’s death, but beneath the surface, a storm brewed, one she had every intention of controlling.I stood by my window, my reflection barely visible against the glass as the rain tapped gently against it. The world outside looked appropriately somber, perfect for what she had just set in motion.“Is the message delivered?” I asked without turning.My loyal maid, Elise, bowed slightly. “Yes, my lady. The council received your request this morning. They’ve agreed to delay the meeting.”I smiled faintly, fingertips brushing the silver pendant resting on her collarbone, an old heirloom from my family. A symbol of power. One Tristan would never understand the weight of.“Good,” I murmured. “Let them believe I’m too heartbroken to stand before them. Let them grieve while I plot.”The truth was far from grief.I hadn’t shed a single te

VALARIE The soft light of dawn shined through the sheer curtains, casting golden shadows on the walls of the chamber. For a moment, I didn’t remember where I was. I felt warmth, real warmth not just from the heavy blankets, but from the body beside me. And then it hit me.Tristan.His arm was draped around my waist, his hand resting on the curve of my hip. His breath was warm against the back of my neck, steady and slow in the early stillness. I didn’t dare move, not yet. I just stayed there, quietly absorbing the moment.It felt surreal.Never in my life did I think I’d find comfort in a man who once looked through me like I didn’t belong. Yet here I was, curled in his arms like we’d always belonged to each other.I slowly turned to face him, careful not to wake him. His face, usually marked by stoic authority and quiet dominance, looked younger like this. Softer. His brows weren’t furrowed, his lips were slightly parted, and the tension he usually carried in his jaw had melted into

VALARIE The evening air was blowing , the soft breeze rustling through the trees around the garden as I walked beside Tristan. His hand, warm and steady, rested against mine, a familiar touch that brought a sense of comfort I couldn’t deny. He was here. He was always here when I needed him, and for that, I was grateful. But tonight, as I walked beside him, I couldn’t shake the feeling of something being…off.It was hard to ignore the heaviness in my chest, the way my thoughts were elsewhere, tangled up in places I didn’t want to go. My mind kept drifting to Carl, to the way his eyes lingered on me when I least expected it, to the weight of his touch when he had held my hand in that moment I couldn’t shake. I thought I had put that all behind me. I thought I was moving forward with Tristan, with the life I had started to imagine with him. But somehow, Carl’s presence had wedged itself into the space I thought I had cleared.Tristan’s voice broke through my thoughts, and I glanced up a