Alle Kapitel von SOLD TO THE ALPHA KING: Kapitel 21 – Kapitel 30

Rider’s POVThe council chamber felt smaller than usual, heavy with the kind of silence that pressed against my skull, and I sat at the head of the table with my hands folded together, listening to men who believed they still had the right to question every breath I took.Declan sat to my right, elbow propped on the armrest, chin resting on his knuckles, eyes half lidded like he was only present in body and not in spirit.“You are aware why we are here,” one of the elders said, his voice slow and measured.“I am,” I replied evenly.“And yet you delayed this meeting,” another added, tapping his fingers against the polished wood.“I am King,” I said, meeting his gaze, “my schedule is not a request.”A murmur went around the table, irritation mixing with reluctant respect.The same elder leaned back in his chair. “Let us speak plainly then.”“By all means,” I said.“The council has received reports regarding your bonded mate,” he continued, “specifically concerning her treatment.”Declan

Rider’s POV“That’s not possible,” I said flatly, my voice already sharp before Raven even finished his first sentence, because some things simply did not resurface, not after the way we buried them, not after the silence we enforced. “No one speaks her name anymore.”Raven stood near the center of the room, shoulders tense, eyes too dark, and Declan hovered close by like he was already bracing for impact.“She said it,” Raven replied quietly. “She said Hera.”I felt heat crawl up my spine. “Sit,” he added after a pause, gesturing toward the chairs. “I need to explain this properly.”“I don’t need you to get comfortable,” I snapped. “Start talking.”Declan cleared his throat. “Rider.”“Not now,” I shot back without looking at him. “If Bailey knows that name, then something has gone wrong.”Raven inhaled slowly. “She heard it from Leila.”That was it.That was the spark.My hand slammed into the table hard enough to rattle the room. “You let a maid fill her head with that story.”“She

Bailey’s POVI stayed in my room after Raven left, sitting on the edge of the bed with my feet on the floor, like if I stood up too fast I would chase after him and I refused to do that because I was tired of always being the one who bent first, tired of feeling like I had to shrink so people would explain things to me gently.“I didn’t even mean it like that,” I muttered to myself, staring at the wall. “I just asked.”The silence in the room pressed on me and my chest felt tight. I kept replaying the expression on his face when I said her name, the way something in him shut down so fast it scared me, and for a second I wondered if I had crossed some invisible line I was never meant to cross.But then my pride kicked in.“No,” I said out loud. “If I go after him now, he’ll think I’m apologizing for wanting answers.”I stood up and paced the room, then sat again, then stood again, restless like my body did not agree with my stubbornness.“He said I should ask,” I whispered. “So I asked

Chapter 28Bailey’s POVBy the time dinner ends, I already know nothing useful is coming out of it, not answers, not honesty, not even a decent lie that tries hard enough, just silence stretched thin and polite voices pretending not to hear the questions breathing under the table, and when I excuse myself nobody stops me, which somehow hurts more than if they had.Back in my room, I close the door slowly and rest my forehead against it like I might leave an imprint, like the wood might absorb some of the noise inside my head, and I let out a breath I did not realize I had been holding since Raven pushed his chair back earlier.“This is ridiculous,” I whisper to myself, though there is no one to contradict me.I pace, then sit, then stand again, my thoughts chasing each other in circles that never quite connect, because every road leads back to the same wall, Declan watching me like he is guarding something, Rider watching me like I am something to be handled, Raven watching nothing at

Bailey’s POV“Leila,” I whispered, my voice barely working, “Leila I need you.”My throat burned and my tongue felt thick and when I tried to open my eyes fully, the light hurt and I squeezed them shut again, groaning softly.“Leila,” I said again, louder this time, panic crawling up my chest. “Please.”The door opened quickly. “I’m here,” she said, rushing in. “Bailey you’re drenched.”“Don’t,” I said immediately, my voice breaking when her hand touched my arm. “Don’t touch me.”She froze. “What.”“I said don’t touch me,” I repeated, pulling away sharply. “Please.”Leila stared at me, confused and scared. “You’re burning up. You need help.”“I don’t want anyone touching me,” I said, my skin itching painfully where she had brushed me. “It feels wrong.”She hesitated. “I’ll call the healer.”“No,” I said too fast, my heart racing. “No healer.”“Bailey you’re shaking,” she insisted. “You can’t even sit properly.”“I know what this is,” I whispered. “And if the healer comes she’ll tell t