บททั้งหมดของ Bound to the Alpha King: บทที่ 31 - บทที่ 40

> A kingdom can survive the death of its ruler. It cannot survive discovering that its ruler was never human.The mountain split open.A deafening roar tore through the sanctuary as the marble floor cracked from end to end. Pillars collapsed. Ancient statues shattered. Silver fire erupted from the fractures, illuminating the enormous creature climbing from the darkness below.Selene could barely breathe.Caelan had one arm around her waist, dragging her backward as the floor crumbled beneath their feet."Move!"Kael stood frozen.His eyes were fixed on the thing emerging from the abyss.It had his face.His broad shoulders.His black hair.Even the old scar beneath his left eye.But it wore armor older than the kingdom itself, blackened by centuries of blood.And on its head sat a crown.Not gold.Bone.The creature climbed onto the broken marble and slowly lifted its head.Its eyes opened.They were completely silver.Kael's voice came out as a whisper."Who are you?"The creature sm

> The cruelest secret is not the truth someone hides from you. It is the truth they teach you to fear.Caelan said nothing.That was worse than any confession.Selene stared at him, waiting for denial.It never came.The silence stretched between them until even the mountain seemed to hold its breath."He's your father?"Her voice broke.Caelan's silver eyes remained fixed on hers."I never said that.""You didn't have to."Selene stepped toward him."You knew my entire life was a lie."Caelan swallowed."I knew your memories were.""And my father?"His jaw tightened."I knew who he was."Selene's chest constricted."Was?"Caelan looked away.That single word frightened her more than anything."Is he alive?"Caelan didn't answer.Selene slapped him.The sound cracked through the ruined gallery.Caelan's head turned with the force of it.Nobody moved.Not Kael.Not Rowan.Not even the Woman in White.Selene's eyes burned with tears."You watched me suffer."Caelan slowly looked back at

> A person can survive losing their name. They cannot survive discovering that their life belonged to someone else.The heartbeat came again.THUM.The entire High Gallery trembled.Dust drifted from the ceiling.THUM.Selene's knees nearly buckled.The sound wasn't coming from the mountain.It was coming from above.Something enormous was beating beyond the clouds, beyond the stars, beyond anything their world had ever named.Kael instinctively reached for his sword.His hand closed around empty air.He looked down at his abandoned weapon belt."Excellent," he muttered. "The end of the world, and I'm unarmed."Despite everything, Selene almost laughed.Almost.Then the third heartbeat struck.THUM.Every shadow in the gallery moved.Except one.Selene stared at the floor.Her shadow remained perfectly still.Everyone else's stretched toward the walls, distorted by the trembling torches.Hers pointed directly toward the Woman in White.The woman noticed.Her silver eyes lowered.For t

> The cruelest secret is not that someone lied to you. It is discovering that the lie was the only reason you survived.THUM.Selene clutched her chest.The second heartbeat answered beneath her ribs.THUM.Then another.THUM.Three heartbeats.Three rhythms.Three lives seemingly fighting for the same body.Caelan stared at her as though he were watching the world end."No," he whispered.Selene looked at him."What is inside me?"Caelan didn't answer.Her fear turned into anger."Tell me!""I can't.""You're always saying that!"Her voice cracked through the chamber."You can't tell me who you are. You can't tell me who my mother was. You can't tell me why I have someone else's heart inside me. What exactly can you tell me?"Caelan's expression tightened."That you're in danger."Selene laughed bitterly."That is the one thing everyone seems willing to tell me."She stepped closer."So tell me something else."Her eyes burned."Was anything about my life real?"Caelan opened his mou

My body smiled.Caelan saw it.He stepped backward."Selene."I raised the blade lying beside my feet.I didn't remember picking it up."Put it down."The voice inside my head laughed.Kill him.My fingers tightened around the hilt.Caelan didn't draw his sword.That frightened me more than anything."Why aren't you fighting me?"His silver eyes held mine."Because I know you."Something inside my chest screamed.He doesn't.I took a step forward.Caelan took one backward."Selene, listen to me.""I am listening."My voice sounded normal.Almost."That's the problem."I lunged.Steel flashed.Caelan barely avoided the blade.It sliced across his shoulder.Blood spilled onto the stone.Kael shouted."Selene!"I spun toward him."Stay out of this."He froze.Not because of my words.Because my eyes had turned gold again.Julian moved between us."No."I stared at him.He swallowed hard."If you're in there, fight it."The voice inside me whispered:He'll be the first one you lose.My bl