All Chapters of The alpha king's slave mate: Chapter 181 - Chapter 189

Celeste's povWe rode through the night without stopping.The horses were lathered with sweat by the time we reached Shadowfang's gates, their sides heaving, but none of us cared. The message had been clear: Kael was fading fast, asking for us, holding on through sheer will alone.I had not expected to care. After everything he had done, all the pain and horror and madness, I thought I would feel nothing but relief when he finally died. But as we thundered through the castle corridors toward the healing wing, my chest felt tight and my throat burned with unshed tears.Maybe it was because I remembered who he used to be. Or maybe it was because some part of me still loved the ghost of the boy I had known before the darkness consumed him.The healing room was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of herbs and rot—decay, corruption, death approaching on silent feet. Kael lay in the center bed, barely recognizable. The shadow corruption had consumed most of his body, leaving his skin mo

Celeste's povI was summoned to shadows fang two days after meeting Theron.I had kept him under guard in Moonstone while I sent urgent messages to Lyra and Ronan. The old man had been patient, spending his time reading in the guest quarters I had assigned him, never once complaining about the armed guards stationed outside his door.Now we gathered in Shadowfang's great library—a room I had never seen before, filled with ancient books and scrolls that smelled of dust and secrets. Lyra sat in a cushioned chair, her pregnancy now visible beneath her flowing gown. Ronan stood protectively behind her, one hand resting on her shoulder. King Aldric leaned against a bookshelf, his aged eyes sharp and assessing.And Theron stood before us all, looking far too calm for a man who claimed the world was in danger.He was ancient—truly ancient. His skin was wrinkles like old paper, his hair white as fresh snow, his hands gnarled with age. But his eyes were clear and bright, burning with an intell

Celeste's pov The emergency summit convened within three days of my letter reaching Shadowfang. We met in neutral territory—a small fortress halfway between our kingdoms that had once been a border outpost during the wars. Now it served as a symbol of our alliance, a place where both kingdoms could gather without either feeling they stood on enemy ground. Lyra arrived looking tired but determined, her pregnancy now unmistakable beneath her traveling cloak. Ronan hovered at her side like a protective shadow, one hand always touching her—her elbow, her back, her shoulder—as if he could shield her from danger through proximity alone. King Aldric came with his usual contingent of advisors. And Theron arrived carrying an entire chest of ancient texts and documents he had been studying. I brought Mira and the guard with the same name as her, along with all the evidence we had gathered from the cult investigations. "Thank you all for coming," I said once we had settled around the larg

Celeste's pov Chaos erupted.Ronan's sword was out in an instant, his voice carrying over the clearing. "Protect the child! Form defensive positions!"Our soldiers moved with ease, creating a barrier between the cult members and where Lyra stood holding Daemon. But we were outnumbered—I counted at least thirty cultists pouring from the forest, maybe more hidden in the shadows.Lord Vance raised his hands and shadow magic coiled around his fingers like living serpents. He had stolen power somehow, corrupted himself deliberately. His eyes flickered between normal and solid black."Kill anyone who resists," he commanded. "But the child and the Moon Blessed—take them alive."The cultists rushed forward.I drew my sword—the weapon feeling more natural in my hands now after months of desperate practice. A cultist came at me, wild-eyed and screaming about the Shadow Queen's glory. I parried his first strike, countered with one of my own that opened his shoulder. He fell back and two more to