The Alpha King's Broken Omega

CHAPTER FIVE: THE ROYAL COUNCIL

CHAPTER FIVE: THE ROYAL COUNCIL

Lila

The closer we got to the council chamber, the heavier my steps became.

The palace that had felt warm and welcoming only moments ago suddenly seemed different.

The beautiful halls.

The towering walls.

The silent guards standing at attention.

Everything reminded me that I was not supposed to be here.

I was an outsider.

An omega from another pack.

Someone who had brought trouble to their doorstep.

My fingers tightened around the fabric of my dress.

Maybe they were right to question me.

Maybe I didn't belong in a place like this.

"You're doing it again."

Serafina's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

I looked at her.

"Doing what?"

"Blaming yourself."

I lowered my gaze.

"I can't help it."

She sighed softly.

"Lila, you survived a cruel pack for years. Your mind learned to expect punishment."

Her expression softened.

"But this isn't Black Moon Pack."

I wanted to believe her.

I really did.

But fear was something that didn't disappear just because someone told you that you were safe.

The large doors ahead of us opened.

Two guards stepped aside.

"The council chamber."

The warrior bowed before leaving.

My heartbeat became louder.

Serafina squeezed my hand.

"I'll be nearby."

I nodded.

"Thank you."

She smiled.

"You don't have to thank me for being your friend."

Friend.

That word still felt strange.

But this time...

It didn't hurt.

---

Alcaide

The moment Lila entered the council chamber, every conversation stopped.

The elders looked at her.

Some with curiosity.

Some with suspicion.

Some with open disapproval.

I saw the way she immediately lowered her head.

The way her shoulders became tense.

The way she made herself smaller.

My wolf reacted instantly.

Protect.

I forced the feeling down.

Not yet.

She needed to learn that she could stand on her own.

The council members rose respectfully.

"Your Majesty."

I took my seat at the head of the table.

"Lila will stand beside me."

A few elders exchanged glances.

The oldest member of the council, Elder Rowan, stepped forward.

"Of course, Your Majesty."

His eyes moved toward Lila.

"However, we must discuss the matter that brought us here."

I nodded.

"Speak."

The elder folded his hands.

"Black Moon Pack has never threatened our borders over an omega before."

The room became silent.

Lila's expression changed.

She looked down.

I noticed.

Every word was cutting deeper than they realized.

Elder Rowan continued.

"We need to understand who she is and why they want her."

One of the other council members spoke.

"With respect, Your Majesty, bringing an unknown person into the palace without knowing the full truth is dangerous."

Lila flinched.

My hand tightened against the armrest.

Dangerous.

That was how they saw her.

Not as a person.

As a threat.

"Careful with your words."

My voice was calm.

But the entire room felt the warning behind it.

The elder immediately lowered his head.

"My apologies, Your Majesty."

I looked toward Lila.

She was silent.

Too silent.

"Lila."

She looked at me.

"Tell them what you know."

Her eyes widened.

"I..."

"You are safe here."

Those words gave her enough courage to speak.

She took a shaky breath.

"I don't know why they want me."

The council listened carefully.

"I was born in Black Moon Pack."

Her fingers twisted together.

"But I was never treated as part of it."

Her voice became quieter.

"I was only an omega."

Several elders exchanged looks.

"I worked in the packhouse. I served everyone. I tried not to cause trouble."

A painful expression crossed her face.

"But they still hated me."

The room grew quiet.

"Then why would they fight for you?" Elder Rowan asked.

Lila looked down.

"I don't know."

And that was the truth.

She didn't know.

None of us did.

---

Lila

Standing in that room was harder than any battle I had ever faced.

Because I wasn't fighting with weapons.

I was fighting against everyone's doubts.

The same doubts I had carried about myself for years.

I expected anger.

I expected rejection.

But instead...

Alcaide stood beside me.

Not in front of me.

Not hiding me.

Beside me.

"You have heard her answer."

His voice filled the chamber.

"She does not know why Black Moon Pack wants her."

One elder spoke carefully.

"But Your Majesty, we cannot ignore the possibility that she is connected to something dangerous."

A cold silence fell.

Alcaide slowly turned toward him.

"And we cannot ignore the possibility that she is a victim."

No one spoke.

"Until we have proof of anything else, Lila will be treated with respect."

His voice became sharper.

"That is my command as your King."

Everyone bowed.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

My chest tightened.

He protected me.

Even when everyone questioned me.

Why?

Why did he care so much?

---

The meeting continued for nearly an hour.

Reports were presented.

Questions were asked.

But nothing explained why Black Moon Pack wanted me.

Until Xander entered.

He looked serious.

That alone made the room change.

"My King."

Alcaide immediately noticed.

"What happened?"

Xander stepped forward and placed a document on the table.

"Our scouts discovered something near the western border."

Alcaide opened the report.

His expression darkened.

"What is this?"

"The Black Moon warriors were not only searching for Lady Lila."

A chill went through me.

"What else were they doing?"

Xander looked around the room.

"They were searching for something hidden."

Silence.

"Something they believe belongs to her."

My heart stopped.

Something that belonged to me?

Impossible.

I had nothing.

Nothing except the clothes on my back.

Alcaide's gaze moved toward me.

For a moment, something unreadable passed through his eyes.

Then the doors suddenly burst open.

A wounded warrior stumbled into the chamber.

Everyone stood.

The warrior dropped to one knee.

"My King..."

Blood stained his uniform.

Alcaide immediately rose.

"What happened?"

The warrior struggled to speak.

"The western border..."

He coughed.

"Black Moon Pack has moved."

The room went silent.

"How many?" Alcaide demanded.

The warrior looked up.

"Too many."

A heavy feeling settled over my heart.

Then he spoke the words that changed everything.

"They are not preparing to attack the kingdom."

Everyone froze.

"They are preparing to take back the omega."

My blood ran cold.

The entire council turned toward me.

And for the first time...

I realized something terrifying.

Whatever secret surrounded me...

It was big enough to start a war.

Alcaide

Silence swallowed the council chamber.

No one moved.

No one breathed.

The wounded warrior remained on one knee, blood dripping from the torn sleeve of his uniform onto the polished marble floor.

"They are preparing to take back the omega."

The words echoed through the chamber.

My wolf snarled.

Over my dead body.

I stepped down from the platform, stopping in front of the warrior.

"Report everything."

The young warrior struggled to steady his breathing.

"Our patrol was ambushed at dawn."

"They didn't try to cross the border."

"They wanted us to deliver a message."

His jaw tightened as if the memory itself angered him.

"They said the girl belongs to Black Moon Pack."

"They demanded that we return her before the next full moon."

Murmurs spread among the elders.

I raised my hand.

The chamber fell silent once more.

"And if we refuse?"

The warrior swallowed.

"They said..."

His voice dropped.

"...they will burn every village between our kingdom and their territory until they find her."

Lila gasped softly.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her shoulders tremble.

She believed this was her fault.

Again.

My chest tightened.

---

Lila

I couldn't breathe.

People...

Innocent people...

Would suffer because of me.

The thought made my stomach twist painfully.

"I'll go."

The words escaped before I could stop them.

Every head turned toward me.

"If I return to them..."

I forced myself to continue despite the lump in my throat.

"They'll leave your kingdom alone."

"No."

Alcaide's voice was firm.

I looked at him.

"But—"

"I said no."

His blue eyes locked onto mine.

"They do not get to threaten my people and expect me to hand over an innocent woman."

"They'll kill more people."

"They started this."

His voice remained calm, but beneath it burned quiet fury.

"They are responsible for every choice they make."

I lowered my head.

"But if I stay—"

"You will stay."

His tone left no room for argument.

The entire council watched us in silence.

For the first time...

They saw something they had never witnessed before.

Their King wasn't protecting a political ally.

He wasn't protecting a noblewoman.

He was protecting an omega.

Without hesitation.

Without shame.

Elder Rowan cleared his throat.

"Your Majesty..."

I turned toward him.

"Speak."

"The people will become frightened if word spreads."

"They deserve the truth."

"They deserve reassurance."

"They deserve to know their King will defend them."

Several elders nodded.

I agreed.

"Prepare the warriors."

Xander stepped forward.

"They're already gathering in the training grounds."

"Double the guards."

"Yes, Alpha."

"No one enters this palace without my permission."

"It will be done."

---

Outside the council chamber...

The news spread quickly.

Servants whispered nervously.

Warriors hurried through the corridors carrying weapons.

Messengers raced toward the watchtowers.

The peaceful palace transformed into a fortress within minutes.

Lila stood silently beside one of the tall windows.

She watched warriors running across the courtyard below.

Some carried shields.

Others sharpened swords.

Everyone was preparing.

Because of her.

A tear slipped down her cheek.

She quickly wiped it away.

"I knew it."

She whispered to herself.

"I only bring trouble wherever I go."

She didn't notice Alcaide approaching until he stopped beside her.

Neither of them spoke for several moments.

They simply watched the courtyard together.

Finally, he broke the silence.

"What are you thinking?"

She laughed bitterly.

"You already know."

He did.

"You think this is your fault."

She nodded.

"If I had never come here..."

He turned toward her.

"If you had never come here..."

"...you would still be suffering alone."

She looked up at him.

"You don't know that."

"I do."

His voice softened.

"Lila."

"No one deserves the life you described."

"No one."

Fresh tears gathered in her eyes.

"I don't understand you."

A faint smile touched his lips.

"What don't you understand?"

"Why are you helping me?"

"You barely know me."

He looked at her quietly.

There were so many answers he wanted to give.

Because you're my mate.

Because every instinct inside me tells me to protect you.

Because seeing you hurt makes my wolf want to tear the world apart.

But it wasn't time.

Not yet.

Instead, he answered honestly.

"Because kindness shouldn't depend on how well we know someone."

Lila stared at him.

Her heart pounded painfully inside her chest.

No one...

No one had ever believed she was worth kindness.

For a moment, neither of them noticed someone watching from the upper balcony.

The palace maid.

Hidden behind a marble pillar.

She smiled as she listened.

"So..."

"The bond is growing."

She quietly slipped away before anyone noticed her presence.

Deep beneath the palace...

Hidden inside an abandoned tunnel that very few people knew existed...

The maid activated the black crystal once more.

"The King refuses to surrender the girl."

The voice from the crystal chuckled darkly.

"Excellent."

"Then everything is happening exactly as planned."

The maid frowned.

"You expected him to refuse?"

"Of course."

"Because now..."

The voice paused.

"...the war can truly begin."

The crystal went dark.

The maid's smile slowly returned.

Above them, completely unaware of the danger creeping closer with every passing hour...

Lila stood beside Alcaide as the kingdom prepared for war.

Neither of them knew that the greatest threat was no longer outside the palace walls.

It was already inside.