Semua Bab The Alpha King's Chosen : Bab 61 - Bab 70

Lucian’s POVAria's soft voice floated through the air, her words carrying a gentle firmness. "But I am already mostly recuperated. The doctor mentioned earlier that my wounds are closed and almost healed. I can recuperate further in my own room at the academy. There is no need…" Her words trailed off, and I could sense the quiet determination behind them.As I stood by the foot of the bed, I watched her closely. She sat upright, her slender frame still a bit fragile, but her eyes shone with a calm, polite resistance. The sunlight streaming through the tall windows highlighted the soft white blanket wrapped around her legs, making her appear even smaller than usual.I crossed my arms, my gaze locked on hers. "Why are you saying that?" I asked, my tone neutral.Aria's fingers curled around the blanket, her gaze dropping for a moment before she met my eyes again. "Because I am fine," she whispered. "Lira said I will be back to normal by tomorrow. I can rest at the academy. I do not want

Aria’s POVI was brushing my hair and looking in the mirror when a knock came. My fingers paused in the strands, and I glanced at the door. My things from the academy were already folded in the corner cabinet. My spare boots stood under the small bench near the window. Someone had brought everything in while I rested, and the new room felt more real now. It felt like a place I could stay in.I set the brush down and walked towards the door. My legs held me fine. There was a small pull in my side, but nothing sharp.“Come in,” I said.The door opened, and Lira stepped inside with a soft smile. She looked at the room first, then looked at me.“Good morning,” she said. “I hope you slept well.”I nodded. “I did.”“I am glad,” she replied. “I came to tell you something.”She paused for a moment. Then she said gently, “The king asked that you join him for breakfast.”My breath caught. “Me?”“Yes, he wants you to come.”I stared at her, unsure what to do with the words. Something warm moved

For a heartbeat, we just stared at each other. My face went hot—a fast, burning blush that spread from my cheeks down my neck. I was sure he’d heard every single word.A slow, soft smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. It wasn’t mean. It was… amused.“Prince charming,” he repeated, his voice low and calm. “I don’t think I’ve ever been called that before.”I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. I just gave a weak little shrug. It probably made me look even more guilty.“Usually, it’s ‘Your Majesty,’ or ‘Your Highness,’” he went on, tilting his head a bit. “Or ‘sir.’ Sometimes ‘my lord,’ if the person is very formal.” He paused. “‘Prince charming’ is… new.”“It was a joke,” I finally said, my voice coming out tight. “Lira was teasing me.”“I heard that part,” he said. His smile grew just a tiny bit. “Should I be worried about the other nicknames you and your maid make up when I’m not here?”That pulled a small, nervous laugh out of me. “I’m not telling you that.”“Why not?”“Bec

My breath caught. The air tightened around us.We both froze. His presence was so close I could feel him, even though he wasn’t touching me. Before I could speak, he stood up and walked over to the window.“The world outside these walls isn’t kind,” he said. His voice sounded calm, but there was something heavy in it. “Especially if you haven’t learned your strength yet.”I watched his back for a moment and then stepped up beside him. Our shoulders almost brushed. Out in the garden, everything slept under the moon; pale, quiet and too peaceful.“What if I don’t want to be protected?” I asked, a little too softly.He didn’t answer right away. He just stared out at the gardens, his hands on the window ledge. When he finally turned, his face was serious.“It’s not about what you want,” he said. “It’s about what I have to do.”“And what’s that?”“Keep you safe,” he said, voice dropping so low I almost missed it. “Even if you hate me for it.”“I could never hate you.”I said it before I co

Lucian's POV The library door clicked shut behind Aria, and the room felt too big and quiet without her in it. Her scent lingered in the air, a trace of the soap she used and something warmer, something just her. I stood by the window, gazing out at the gardens, the silence in my head broken by one thought after another. Most of them, lately, were about her.Ronan walked in a minute later. He didn’t speak at first, just came to stand beside me, following my gaze out to the empty garden.“She looked lighter, just now,” he finally said. “I saw her in the hall.”“She did.”“Good.You’ll need her to be strong for what’s coming.”I glanced at him. He wasn’t smiling. “What’s coming?”“The council session’s been moved up.”He pulled a folded note from his pocket. “This came from Master Callen at the academy an hour ago.”I took it, breaking the simple wax seal.Your Majesty,Following your order to investigate the origins of the forest attack, my trackers have found nothing else. No trail, no