Semua Bab Rejected by my Alpha, claimed by his mate: Bab 61 - Bab 70

The golden figure flickered like firelight across the chamber.Not fully solid, not exactly a ghost either, but more like memory given shape.The First Queen stood at the center of the glowing circle dressed in gold armor stained faintly with blood.She looked younger than I expected.Tired too, not ancient, not mythical, just exhausted.Silence swallowed the room whole.Kael stared openly.“…Okay, that’s unsettling.”Honestly?Agreed.The First Queen’s gaze moved slowly across the chamber before finally landing on me.And the moment it did, pain crossed her expression.Not surprise.Recognition.“Hello, little wolf.”The words hit something deep inside my chest.Darius shifted closer beside me instantly.Protective instinct, human this time but chosen.The Queen noticed.A faint sad smile touched her face.“Still choosing love,” she murmured.The King stood completely still now.Not as ruler but as a father.“You stayed behind,” he said quietly.The Queen looked toward him slowly.Em

I woke up confused.For one glorious second, I had no idea where I was.No ancient chambers, no cursed queens and no life-altering revelations.Just warmth, soft blankets, and the faint sound of birds outside the window.Then reality returned, the curse was gone.The First Queen was gone.And somehow, I was still here and alive.I stared at the ceiling for a long moment.Waiting, for anxiety, for dread, or for some new responsibility to come crashing down on me.Nothing happened.The silence felt strange.Almost suspicious.A knock sounded at the door.Before I could answer, it swung open.Kael walked in carrying a tray of food."Good. You're awake."I sat up immediately."Why do you have food?""Because I'm a caring friend."I narrowed my eyes."That's not the real reason.""Fine."He set the tray down dramatically."Darius threatened me."That sounded more accurate.I laughed despite myself.The tray contained enough food to feed a small army.Fresh bread, fruit, eggs and tea.Sever

By sunset, the entire kingdom knew. Or at least they knew enough. The ancient burden was gone. The kingdom was safe. And for the first time in generations, people had a reason to celebrate without fear lurking in the background. The capital exploded into life. Music drifted through the streets. Lanterns illuminated every building. Food stalls appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Children ran through the crowds laughing. Merchants abandoned business long enough to join the festivities. Even the palace staff seemed incapable of acting professional. Not that I blamed them but the mood was contagious. I stood on a palace balcony overlooking the city below. The sight was breathtaking. Thousands of lights stretched across the kingdom like stars scattered across the earth. For a moment, I simply watched, listened and enjoyed. No crisis, no danger,no prophecy just life. The balcony doors opened behind me. I didn't need to turn around. I already knew who it

The war room felt different from the council chambers.Less ceremonial and more honest.Maps covered the long table, weighted down at the corners with iron markers. The northern territories were already marked in red.Three villages, gone overnight.Darius stood at the head of the table, both hands braced against the edge, studying the map with the kind of stillness that meant his mind was moving fast.The King sat to his left.Kael stood opposite, arms crossed, jaw tight.I took my place beside Darius without being asked.Without hesitating.A few weeks ago I might have stood near the door.Close enough to be present.Far enough to disappear if needed.Not anymore.Darius didn't look up when I sat.But his hand shifted slightly on the table.Closer to mine.Not touching, just closer.I noticed.I didn't move away."The Ashborn don't move without reason," the King said.His voice was measured.The voice of someone who had seen wars begin before and knew exactly what the first hours lo

Nobody spoke for a long moment.The war room felt smaller somehow.Like the walls had shifted inward without moving.I became aware of Darius beside me.Not through the bond.Just through presence.The quiet steadiness of him.Grounding me without trying to."Explain," Darius said.His voice was calm.Controlled.The voice he used when he was feeling something significant and choosing not to show it yet.The King moved to the table slowly.He looked at the map for a moment.Then at me."Your mother's name before she came to your pack," he said carefully. "Was Sera Ashborn."The name landed strangely.Like hearing a word in a language you didn't know you spoke.Familiar in a way that made no logical sense.Ashborn.My mother.I tried to hold the two things together in my mind.They kept sliding apart."She left?" I asked."She ran," the King said quietly. "There is a difference."Kael had gone completely still across the table.Even he seemed to understand this wasn't a moment for comm