Semua Bab The Alpha King's Forbidden Mate: Bab 71 - Bab 80

The moon was high by the time they returned to the stronghold. Serena didn’t let go of Elias’s hand once. Their fingers remained intertwined like a silent promise neither dared voice again—not yet. There was too much weight in the air. Too much unspoken dread behind every loving glance.Inside the stone-lined hallways of the packhouse, soft torchlight flickered along the walls, casting dancing shadows across the tiled floor. The guards gave them curt nods, stepping aside as they passed. Word had already spread—Serena was the one they wanted. And no one knew why.Elias led her to his quarters, their footsteps quiet but synchronized. He opened the door and let her in first, watching as she paused in the center of the room.The space was both luxurious and practical—solid wooden furniture, soft grey throws, weapons arranged with precision on the far wall. The large bed dominated the room, a thick fur blanket tossed carelessly over it. It smelled like him—cedar, ash, and that faint wildne

Serena stared at the pendant as if it might whisper her mother’s voice into the wind.The camp was quiet now—torches flickering low, warriors resting around the perimeter, the aftermath of the rogue assault still fresh in everyone’s minds. But sleep had long abandoned her. Her body ached, her power still simmered just beneath her skin, but her mind raced.Her mother might be alive.And someone had gone to great lengths to hide the truth.She sat near the edge of the camp, fingers tracing the grooves of the pendant. It was an old piece—worn but powerful, etched with ancient lunar symbols she didn’t recognize.Footsteps approached, slow and familiar.Elias.He didn’t say a word at first. He just sat beside her, close enough that their shoulders touched. The warmth of his presence grounded her in a way that nothing else could.“I thought you’d be asleep,” she said softly.“I couldn’t.” He looked at her. “Too much on my mind.”Serena turned, her gaze meeting his. “Same.”He studied her fa

Pain returned first.A dull, throbbing ache that pulsed through Serena’s skull like a war drum. Then came the chill—cold stone beneath her back, damp air clinging to her skin. She blinked, struggling to focus. The room swam in and out of clarity.Chains.She was bound.Thick iron cuffs circled her wrists, carved with old runes. Her wolf stirred inside her, snarling, but couldn’t rise. The poison hadn’t worn off yet. Whatever they had used, it had been laced with something ancient—designed to suppress shifting and magic alike.The room was dimly lit by torchlight. Stone walls, no windows. A dungeon, perhaps underground. She tried to sit, but her limbs trembled.Then the door creaked open.Two guards entered—both Ironfangs, dressed in black leathers and bearing the mark of the Crescent Skull on their chests. But they weren’t alone.A man followed behind them.He moved with grace that didn’t belong to warriors. His robes were long, his face hooded. But when he removed the cowl, Serena ga

The smoke had barely cleared when Elias lifted Serena into his arms and carried her out of the chamber.Behind them, the ruins of Zevrin’s lair groaned under the weight of what had transpired. The rift was sealed, but not without scars. Fissures ran along the walls, and magical residue shimmered in the air, like ash after a wildfire.“Is she breathing?” Theron asked, trailing behind with Kael.Elias didn’t take his eyes off Serena’s face. “Yes. Just... exhausted.”She stirred faintly, her cheek brushing against his chest. “You’re warm.”Elias breathed a shaky sigh. “You scared the hell out of me.”“I’m okay,” she murmured. “I think... I’m okay.”“Liar,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead.They emerged into the moonlight just as dawn began to creep over the horizon. The trees of the ancient forest stood silent, bearing witness. Elias laid her gently on the moss, his hand brushing hair from her face. Her skin glowed faintly, like embers refusing to fade.Theron knelt beside h

The entire palace was wrapped in a tense quiet, a false peace that stretched across its walls like a suffocating blanket. Outside, the wind whispered secrets through the trees, but inside, Serena’s heart beat like a war drum.The council meeting had ended hours ago, but her mind wouldn’t settle. She paced back and forth in the war chamber, her bare feet silent against the cold stone floor. Scrolls and maps were spread across the long oak table—detailed sketches of territory lines, old battle strategies, and coded notes Theron had passed to her after his last infiltration mission into the rogue’s network.But none of it felt like enough.The truth was, nothing could prepare her for what was coming.She paused and placed her hands on the table’s edge, taking in a slow breath.“She’s stronger than she thinks,” she muttered to herself, repeating the words Elias had whispered earlier that evening. His faith in her was unwavering, and in some ways, that terrified her more than anything else