The Alpha who Rejected His Moon Queen

chapter 9

The Alpha Who Rejected His Moon Queen

By MALLO Royale

Chapter Nine

A Debt That Cannot Be Repaid

The cold wind swept through the clearing, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth.

No one moved.

Alpha Lucien and Prince Cassian stood several feet apart, their eyes locked in silent challenge.

The vampire guards tightened their grip on their swords, while the werewolves behind Lucien instinctively shifted into defensive positions.

One wrong move...

And another battle would begin.

Seraphina stepped forward, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Please... stop."

Both men looked at her.

She lowered her eyes.

"I don't want anyone else getting hurt because of me."

Cassian's expression softened.

"No one here blames you."

Lucien remained silent.

For the first time since the rejection ceremony, he truly looked at Seraphina.

Her clothes were torn from running through the forest.

There were scratches on her arms and dried blood near her wrist.

She looked exhausted.

His chest tightened.

Had she always looked this fragile?

Or had he simply never noticed?

His wolf growled inside him.

Protect her.

Lucien clenched his fists.

He had ignored his wolf once.

Now every instinct screamed that he had made a terrible mistake.

"Seraphina..." he began.

She immediately took a step back.

The movement was small.

But it shattered something inside him.

She was afraid of him.

The realization hurt more than he expected.

Cassian noticed the change and calmly stepped between them.

"She doesn't wish to speak with you."

Lucien's silver eyes flashed.

"This is between my mate and me."

Cassian's voice remained calm.

"You lost the right to call her that the moment you rejected her before your entire pack."

Silence fell.

Even the werewolves behind Lucien lowered their heads.

They had witnessed the humiliation.

None of them could deny it.

Lucien inhaled deeply.

"I came here to make sure she was alive."

Cassian let out a quiet laugh.

"How noble."

"You sent warriors after her."

"I did not."

Cassian studied him carefully.

"Then explain the men wearing your crest."

Lucien frowned.

"I ordered my guards to search for her."

His eyes narrowed.

"I never ordered anyone to kill her."

Seraphina slowly looked up.

The captain's words echoed in her mind.

"By order of Alpha Lucien Draven... if capture proves impossible... kill her."

Someone had lied.

Or someone had twisted Lucien's command.

Before anyone could speak again, one of Lucien's scouts rushed into the clearing.

"My Alpha!"

He dropped to one knee, breathing heavily.

"Elder Magnus has summoned you back to Blackwood immediately."

Lucien frowned.

"What happened?"

"The council chamber has been attacked."

"The Sacred Prophecy has been stolen."

Lucien's expression changed instantly.

"Who took it?"

The scout swallowed hard.

"We don't know."

"But the only guard who survived kept repeating one sentence."

"What sentence?"

The scout hesitated.

"He said..."

"...'The Moon Queen has returned.'"

Cassian's eyes darkened.

"So they've made their move."

Seraphina looked from one man to the other.

"What does that mean?"

Cassian didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he looked toward the moon hanging high above the forest.

"It means the people hiding in the shadows no longer fear being discovered."

Lucien mounted his horse but paused before leaving.

His gaze settled on Seraphina one last time.

"I don't expect your forgiveness."

His voice was quieter than before.

"But I promise you this..."

"I will find out who gave the order to kill you."

Seraphina searched his face.

For the first time, she saw regret instead of pride.

Yet the wound in her heart was still too deep.

She said nothing.

Lucien gave a single nod before turning his horse.

Within moments, he and his warriors disappeared into the darkness.

The forest became quiet once more.

Cassian released a slow breath.

"This changes our plans."

"Why?" Seraphina asked.

"Because whoever stole the Sacred Prophecy already knows you're alive."

He looked directly into her eyes.

"And they will stop at nothing to reach you before we do."

Far away, hidden inside a ruined temple, a hooded figure unrolled an ancient scroll.

A wicked smile spread across scarred lips.

"So..."

"The Alpha has rejected her."

"The Vampire Prince has found her."

He placed one hand over the faded prophecy.

"Excellent."

"It is finally time for the Third Kingdom to rise."

A deep, sinister laugh echoed through the abandoned temple.

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