All Chapters of His Regret, The Crown's Claim : Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

The bedroom smelled of antiseptic and the cloying, sweet scent of the lilies Zara insisted on keeping by her bedside. The doctors had finally gone back, their soft-soled shoes squeaking against the hardwood as they left me with the wreckage of my choices. They spoke of her weak body and emotional fragility, warning me that her constitution was like spun glass, beautiful, but liable to shatter under the slightest pressure.I stood at the foot of the bed, my shadow stretching long across the silk duvet. For a decade, this face had been my North Star. I had loved her since we were children, a forbidden romance that my parents had tried to crush because she was of lower status. I had been ready to renounce my title, to run away, far from everyone else just to keep her by my side.But then, she had suddenly disappeared. She left me with nothing but a letter and a shattered heart.I had spent months with a bottle of whiskey, crashing through life like a wounded animal and watching my pack

I stood in the middle of my study, with a glass of liquor held tightly in my hand that trembled slightly.Seriously, what was wrong with me? I had Zara now. I had the woman I had wept for, the woman I had blamed the heavens for losing. So why did the air in the room feel so thin? Why did the void in my chest feel like an open, festering wound that just wouldn't heal no matter how much I tried?I tried. I honestly tried. I swallowed my stupid pride when no one was there and I reached out to Risa, painfully hoping that she would respond to me but she had blocked me everywhere so I couldn't reach her. “Fuck!” I groaned as I threw the glass to the ground, and it shattered to pieces. During these days Zara was constantly at my side, her voice a soft but persistent whisper in my ear as she reminded me. “She never loved you, Cade. She only loved to see you depend on her. She’s with the King now, laughing at how easily she broke you.”Every time she spoke, the hatred for Kael solidified har

~ Risa's POV ~The dark walls of the Alpha King’s palace seemed to pulse with a life of their own, cold and unforgiving. Life here was nothing but a dance of power, and I was still learning the steps. The Queen’s Wing was incredibly beautiful and had everything I could ever want, but the most unsettling part of my new life wasn't the beauty of it but it was the King himself.Every morning and evening, I was expected to dine with Kael. The dining hall was a large space of dark marble, illuminated by floating crystals that cast a pale light. The food was exquisite, having rare meats, succulent fruits, and wines that tasted of mountain air, but I could barely swallow a bite whenever I ate.Kael sat at the head of the table, his presence a constant weight in the room. His eyes, which looked like ice over deep water, never left me for even a second as he'd watch me. He didn't eat much either, he just simply watched. He watched the way I held my fork, the way my throat moved when I sipped w

The silence that followed Elara’s venomous remark was thick enough to choke on. They expected me to crumble. They truly expected the discarded Luna to weep or flee but if that was truly what they were thinking then they didn't know me at all.I took a slow, deliberate sip of my tea, the porcelain clicking softly against my teeth. I let the silence stretch until the smirk on Elara’s face began to waver, replaced by a flicker of uncertainty. When I finally set the cup down, I leaned forward, my movements fluid and predatory."It is fascinating, Elara," I began, my voice a melodic purr that carried to every corner of the garden. "That you speak of purity but maybe you just lack the opportunity I have. You’ve spent your life in the safety of these walls, a hothouse flower waiting for a King who never looked your way. You speak of me being used by a lesser Alpha? I call it being forged."I stood up, and the sheer force of my presence made the women at the table flinch back. I didn't shout.

Talking about the silver fire did make me feel some type of way. Maybe I really hadn't thought the whole thing through, but then again, if Kael had suggested the ritual he must certainly have something up his sleeves and I can only trust him since he said he'd do anything to protect me. As I walked back I could feel the eyes of the palace staff and the lingering nobles on me, but the quality of their stares had shifted. There was still the bitter sting of resentment from those who felt passed over, but a new there was a quieter current which had emerged. I could sense respect from their gaze. As I passed through the Great Hall, one of the Duke offered a slow nod clearly showing respect. I returned the nod with a calm smile. I knew that Elara and her circle wouldn't just stop harassing me. They were the type to nurture a grudge until it turned into a weapon. But as I stepped into the King’s private study, those worries felt a world away.Kael was standing by the massive windows with