All Chapters of The lycan king’s regret  : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Kaelor’s POVThe hall had never felt small to me before.I had stood in this room for coronations.For declarations of war.For treaties that had ended blood feuds than my grandfather.It had never once felt incapable of containing me.That morning it did.Every column stood close.Every noble sat near.The vaulted ceiling seemed to press as if the palace itself wanted a better view of what was about to happen.The entire court had gathered.Council members.Generals.Healers.Servants pretending not to listen.Even Sabriel had insisted on attending, pale and unsteady between two attendants, her wolf still absent beneath her skin.Beside her—Vi.Watching.Always watching.“Your Majesty.”James appeared at my shoulder.“You can still stop this.”“No.”The word tasted like ash.“No I can’t.”Not without tearing my kingdomNot without confirming every suspicion already circulating through the court.Not without admitting that the accused woman carried my heir.Mate my wolf said quietly.

Kaelor’s POVThe kingdom I’d inherited had never felt mine.In the seven days following the Truth Rite Ashbourne withdrew from three trade negotiations.Black Hollow doubled its patrols along the border.Thornwood sent a letter so politely worded it somehow felt more threatening than a declaration of war.Crescent Veil appears… unstable.I read every letter myself.Alone.Because there was no one left in the palace I trusted enough to share them with.The King had failed.The brother had failed.The mate had failed.Somehow I still had to be all three before breakfast.My wolf had been unusually quiet all week.That frightened me more than anything"The alliance is finished."Councilman Edrin didn’t bother softening the words."Ashbourne will never renew negotiations after this humiliation.""The Moon Crown revelation changes everything " another added. "Half the continent now has an interest in Lady Zareth."Lady Zareth.Not her.Not the woman carrying my child.An asset.A political

Kaelors POVThe council had gathered to witness the Severance Rite, their faces somber and serious.That was the part I thought I would remember most, not the chanting, not the blood, not the sound of Zareth screaming.The audience they lined the chamber walls in silk and gold arranged with all the dignity of people attending a coronation instead of an execution.Council members, nobles, advisors, men and women who would spend the fifty years telling their grandchildren where they'd stood the day Crescent Veil sacrificed one of its own.No one called it that of course they called it justice, duty, necessity.But my wolf had never cared much for politics murder he said quietly inside my head they call it murder.At the center of the chamber Zareth stood alone her hands resting unconsciously over her stomach.Suddenly with terrible clarity I realized that everyone in this room had accepted the possibility that my child might die before ever taking his first breath.No one seemed trouble

Kaelors POVThe palace kept moving after she was gone.It always does.Kings die queens fall alliances break.The palace just learns to adapt and keep going as if nothing important was lost.Three weeks had passed since Zareth was taken beyond Crescent Veils gates.Three weeks.I had not slept through the night once.The servants had stopped asking if I wanted breakfast.The council had stopped pretending not to watch me.My wolf... My wolf had not stopped howling.The pain was not physical.That would have been easier.It was somewhere beneath my ribs worst when I was alone enough to think.Mate.The word had become a curse.Every morning I reached for the side of the bond.Every morning I found distance.Not absence.That was the part that refused to leave me alone.She was still there.Far away.Alive.My wolf knew it with certainty.If the Moon Goddess had truly broken us I would not still feel her.Yet... Every night just before sleep claimed me I felt the echo of grief that was

Zareths POVMae said "Absolutely not" in a voice that was loud enough for everyone in the hallway to hear. The servants quickly found something to do they did not want to be around when Mae was angry."He is not staying in this house " Mae said.I tried to sit up. It was a bad idea. My body hurt over and I was still very sick."Please stop yelling " I said to Mae. "I do not want to die with all this noise around me."Mae said "Do not joke about that."I said " stop shouting. We can not both be upset at the time."Mae said "Do not try to calm me down Zar. He sent you away in front of everyone in the kingdom."There was a moment of silence.I said "To be fair he did look very unhappy when he did it."Mae said "That does not make it okay."I said "No I guess not."I heard Kaelors voice from near the door. He was speaking in an careful tone like he was trying not to make anyone angry."I am not asking for forgiveness " Kaelor said. "I just want to be close enough to her so she can survive