All Chapters of The Alpha King's One-Time Rejected Mate: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The council chamber didn't just feel cold; it felt like a trap, a dungeon.The air was stagnant, recycled by centuries of judgment, heavy with the scent of burning resin and old stone. The Elders sat in a semi-circle of obsidian chairs that seemed to swallow the torchlight, their eyes predatory and unblinking. They weren’t looking at Talia like a guest. They were looking at her like a variable in an equation that didn't balance.Talia planted her feet on the stone floor, locking her knees to stop them from shaking. Beside her, Casius was a statue of lethal intent. Behind her, she could feel the heat of Alina’s anger.You shouldn’t be here, Talia thought, glancing back.Alina had refused to stay behind. When the summons came, she had dug her heels into the floorboards of the guest quarters, chin jutting out in that stubborn way that meant she wouldn't be moved by anything less than a siege engine. "I’m not letting you walk into the lion’s den alone," she’d hissed at Casius until he fin

Talia ran blindly, following the pack, her lungs burning. She didn't know the streets of the Obsidian Ridge village, but she knew the smell of smoke.Lucian reached the Nursery first. The heavy oak double doors were shut tight on the second floor of the school. "It’s sealed!" Casius roared, slamming his shoulder into the wood. It didn't budge. "From the inside?" He questioned, shocked at the possibility. "Stand back," Lucian commanded.He didn't use a key. He didn't use a spell. He used brute, Alpha force backed by the crushing weight of his aura. He kicked the doors, sending a shockwave through the ground. The wood splintered and exploded inward, like glass.Heat punched out; smoke rolled low and mean."Clear the building!" Lucian ordered, storming into the fire.Talia followed him into the suffocating gray haze. It was chaos. Guards were scooping up coughing toddlers, passing them down the stairs, and out the front door to safety. Soon, the exit through the front became engulfed,

Lucian’s offer hung in the air, heavy with gold and duty, yet hollow where it mattered most."I offer you and your sister a return to your heritage," he said, his voice a low rumble that vibrated in her chest. "Unimaginable wealth, safety, and the position of Luna, a life of purpose."Talia stared at his chest, afraid to look into those electric eyes. "What about love?" she asked again, her voice barely a whisper."I cannot offer you love at this time, Talia. Love is not a luxury I can afford." His tone was steel, but his gaze was soft. "But you will be worshiped. Cherished. Protected. You will have a fortress in which to raise our children."Children will sense whether their parents love each other, Talia thought, a pang of sorrow piercing through the allure of his offer.He reached out, tucking a flaming red curl behind her ear. His large hand lingered, cupping the back of her neck, his thumb tracing the pulse that hammered there. Slowly, inexorably, he pulled her in until her fore

The council chamber looked less haunted by daylight and more like a courtroom. Stone walls caught the morning glow through tall windows; cameras blinked in corners; slim black microphones dotted the length of the obsidian table. The torches still burned in their sconces, but they were for ceremony now. The true light came from recessed LEDs—a modern pack wrapped around ancient bones.Elders filled the half-circle of seats, dark suits pressed and expressions unreadable. Wardens stood behind them like a wall of black muscle. A few younger advisers quietly tapped at their tablets, already logging the session for the official record.Talia stood in the witness space, Alina at her side. Her sister’s chin was lifted just a little too high—the way she got when nerves tried to show, and she refused to let them. Kaela, Talia’s wolf, stretched in the back of her mind, lazy as a cat on a hearth rug.About time, the wolf murmured, yawning like she owned the place.Casius took his usual post one

Arena MatchThe arena wasn’t a cave with torches but a training dome—glass ceiling, LED rings, cameras hidden in the rafters. The mat was striped: white yield circle, blue weapons lane. A med team waited behind the plexiglass. A referee in black stood midline, mic in hand.Talia rolled her shoulders, still feeling Aunt Amalia’s crash course in her bones: tap, listen, feel for seams. Across from her, Mira stretched like a gymnast trained for an audience. She picked a saber and a hooked knife—sharp, stylish, mean.“Rules are simple,” the referee intoned. “First to yield loses. No killing. Weapons are allowed. Cameras rolling.”Lucian takes the high bench with the elders; Casius stands a step behind his right shoulder. Alina slides into the row below beside Aunt Amalia. Without looking down, Casius passes a water bottle along. Without looking up, Alina takes it.Kaela wakes, stretching within Talia’s mind. Tail up. Watching Casius and Alina. Cute.Talia selected a short sword and a forea