บททั้งหมดของ Rejected By The Beta, Claimed By The Alpha King: บทที่ 51 - บทที่ 60

I pushed my plate away, the remnants of our dinner growing cold as I felt Athena stir restlessly beneath my skin. She'd been pacing through my consciousness all evening, her energy building like a storm gathering strength. The private dining room suddenly felt too small, the walls too close, despite the elegant tapestries and high ceilings. I met Lukas's eyes across the polished wood table, finding his gaze already on me, attentive as always to shifts in my mood."What troubles you, little luna?" he asked, setting down his wine glass. The candlelight caught in his ice-blue eyes, turning them almost silver.I rolled my shoulders, trying to ease the tension building there. "Athena feels... confined. She needs to run." I hadn't shifted in days, too consumed with everything else to give my wolf the freedom she craved. "Is there somewhere we could go? Somewhere she could stretch her legs?"A smile curved his lips, warming his usually severe features. "Of course

I made my way to the private dining room, moving more easily than I had in days. The bruises from Julian's attack had faded to pale yellow ghosts on my skin, and the bone-deep ache that had plagued me since that night had finally begun to retreat. The palace guards nodded respectfully as I passed—still a strange experience for a former servant girl accustomed to being invisible. When I pushed open the heavy oak door, Amelia and Lukas were already seated, their heads bent close together in quiet conversation that stopped the moment they noticed me."Good morning, my King," I said, the formality ingrained from years of pack hierarchy. "Good morning, Ames."Lukas sighed, setting down his coffee cup. "Lily, how many times must I remind you? In private, I'm just Lukas. You're essentially my sister-in-law now.""Sorry," I mumbled, sliding into the chair across from Amelia. "Old habits."Amelia smiled, reaching across to squeeze my hand. "Give her time.

I felt their eyes on us the moment we entered the council chamber, trailing over the mark I'd left on Lukas's neck; a visible claim that violated centuries of tradition. Their scents spiked with disapproval, a bitter tang that filled the air as Lukas and I moved in perfect synchronization toward the two chairs positioned at the head of the massive redwood table. My emerald gown whispered against the stone floor, the sound too loud in the weighted silence. Three decades of tradition dictated the Alpha King sat first, while his mate—his Luna—waited in deference. Instead, Lukas's hand at the small of my back guided me to sit simultaneously with him, another small rebellion that caused Elder Nora's lips to thin to a bloodless line.The four Elders—Nora Redwood, Thaddeus Ironwood, Raphael Silverstone, and Nicholas Thornhill—took their seats next, followed by the six councillors. I kept my face carefully neutral, though Athena stirred restlessly beneath my skin, bristling at the

I studied the handwritten notes spread across Lukas's desk, guest lists and ceremonial protocols mingling with security reports and interrogation transcripts. Three days since my first council meeting, and we'd settled into a strange rhythm, planning our commitment ceremony in the mornings, interrogating prisoners in the afternoons, and executing rogues in between. Surreal didn't begin to cover it. My fingers brushed against a sample of ivory invitation paper, then shifted to a report detailing the latest failure to extract information from our captives. Life as Queen was nothing if not diverse."What do you think of hosting it under the full moon?" Lukas asked, standing behind me, his hand warm against the small of my back. "Traditional enough to placate the elders, but not so traditional that it involves public mating."I leaned into his touch, grateful for the solid reality of him amid the whirlwind my life had become. "I like it. Especially if we hold it in the

A few days had passed since our hunt in the forest, since Amelia had marked me, completing a circle of claiming that defied centuries of tradition. The throne room echoed with our synchronised footsteps as we entered, the weight of the crown a familiar pressure against my temples. I felt Ares stir within me, always closer to the surface during trials, his presence a constant reminder of the primal justice we dispensed together. Beside me, Amelia moved with growing confidence, her copper hair catching the light, her emerald gown whispering against the stone floor. I allowed myself a moment of pride—my Queen, my equal, my unexpected salvation."Their Majesties, Alpha King Lukas Volkov and Alpha Queen Amelia Volkov," the herald announced, his voice carrying through the cavernous space.We ascended the dais in perfect unison, taking our thrones as the assembled crowd bowed. Dominic approached from a side entrance, three chained males stumbling before him. Standard rogu