บททั้งหมดของ Rejected By The Beta, Claimed By The Alpha King: บทที่ 81 - บทที่ 90

I rose from my knee, taking Amelia's hand and pressing my lips to her knuckles in a gesture that was both traditional and deeply personal. Her emerald eyes met mine, bright with emotion beneath the weight of her new crown. The platinum and gemstones caught the light from the chandeliers above, transforming her copper hair into a halo of fire. In that moment, with hundreds of witnesses still kneeling around us, I allowed myself a brief indulgence—a break from the carefully maintained mask of Alpha King to simply be a mate admiring his Queen."You're magnificent, my Queen," I murmured, my voice pitched for her ears alone.Her lips curved into a smile that combined triumph and vulnerability in equal measure. "We did it," she whispered back. "We actually did it."I nodded toward the still-kneeling assembly. "They're yours now. All of them."A shadow of something—responsibility, perhaps, or the weight of what we'd accomplished—passed briefly across her

The evening progressed in a whirl of conversations, ceremonial toasts, and traditional dances performed by the royal entertainers. I found myself constantly watching the sky, anticipating the moment when the moon would rise fully above the trees, calling to the wolf within me.At eleven, parents began gathering their yawning children. Servants appeared with blankets and pillows, transforming a wing of the palace into an impromptu nursery where the youngest pack members could sleep while their parents participated in the midnight run."How are you holding up?" Lukas asked as we had a rare moment alone, his hand finding mine in the shadows between lanterns."Better than I expected," I admitted. "Though Athena is getting impatient."'Want to run,' she confirmed, pushing closer to the surface. 'Moon calls. Pack waits.'He chuckled, the sound low and intimate despite the crowded grounds around us. "Ares too. He's been prowling since sunset."

The fight couldn't have lasted more than ten minutes, though it felt both longer and shorter, time distorting as it always did in battle. I moved from opponent to opponent, aware of Amelia doing the same on the other side of the clearing. When I cornered two rogues who had retreated toward a fallen log, I sensed rather than heard Amelia's mental command.'Keep those two alive, Lukas. We need to question them.'I recognised the strategic wisdom in her request. These rogues had attacked with coordination and purpose, suggesting organisation beyond the typical desperate bands that occasionally troubled our borders. Information would be valuable.But Ares had other ideas.'Kill,' he snarled within me, his bloodlust heightened by the guard we had lost. 'Kill all threats to pack. To mate.'I felt the moment when control slipped, Ares's fury overriding my tactical assessment. My claws slashed through the first rogue's throat before I could recon

I stretched languidly in our bed, the morning sun filtering through the gauzy curtains and painting golden patterns across the silk sheets. Three months had passed since the wolf moon attack - three months of heightened security, interrogations, and an uneasy peace that felt more like the stillness before a storm than any true tranquility. Beside me, Lukas slept soundly, his dark hair tousled against the white pillowcase, one arm still draped possessively across my waist even in sleep. The sight of him, vulnerable and unguarded in these private moments, still made my heart catch, a stark contrast to the ruthless Alpha King who had executed fourteen rogues in the past month alone.Athena stirred within me, her presence warm and alert as always in the mornings. 'Safe den. Strong mate,' she murmured, her thoughts brushing against my consciousness with familiar comfort. Since the attack, she'd been closer to the surface, more vigilant even in moments of apparent safety. I couldn't blame h

I savoured the silence of our private chambers, a rare reprieve from the constant vigilance required since the rogue attacks. Amelia sat across from me, copper curls loose around her shoulders, the candlelight casting golden highlights across her skin. This, these private moments behind closed doors, was what sustained me through the endless meetings, the interrogations, the executions. Just her and me, without crowns or expectations, sharing a simple meal away from the watchful eyes of the court. Ares settled contentedly within me, his presence a warm weight against my consciousness, satisfied that our mate was safe within arm's reach."What are you thinking about?" Amelia asked, reaching across the small table to touch my hand. Even after months together, her touch still sent currents of warmth through my skin."How peaceful you look," I admitted. "It suits you better than worry."She smiled, the expression transforming her face from merely beautiful to