Marked By The Lycan King, Betrayed By Fate

CHAPTER 50

(Selene’s POV)

I couldn’t breathe. The weight of the words that had just been dropped on me settled into my bones, heavier than anything I had ever felt before. The room around me seemed to warp, as if the walls were closing in, suffocating me. I looked at Lucian, searching his face for any hint of reassurance, any sign that this wasn’t some twisted joke. But his expression mirrored my own disbelief.

"You… you're telling me that my lineage—" My voice faltered, breaking the silence that had fallen over the room like a shroud.

The old man with the silver hair nodded, his gaze unwavering. "Yes, Selene. The kingdom recognizes you. You are the last living descendant of the royal bloodline, the heir to a throne long thought to be lost."

I felt the ground shift beneath my feet, as if the very foundation of my existence had been altered. I had lived my life believing that I was nothing more than an abandoned mate, discarded by a man who had once pledged to love me. Now, I was being told I was the key to a throne that had been lost to time—an heir to power I never wanted.

Lucian’s grip tightened on my hand, his presence solid and grounding. “Is this some sort of trap?” His voice was low, dangerous, as though daring them to lie to him.

The older man didn’t flinch. “We have no reason to lie. The kingdom needs you, Luna Selene. The people need a true leader, someone with the blood of the old kings.”

My mind was reeling. How could this be real? How could I, the discarded She-Alpha, the one who had been thrown aside by my former mate, be the heir to a kingdom? The whole idea felt absurd, like something out of a fairy tale I had never believed in.

“Why now?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper. “Why come to me now, after all these years?”

The man’s eyes softened, as though he could sense my confusion and fear. "The kingdom is on the brink of chaos. The royal family has no true heir, and the Council has fractured. They need someone to unify the bloodlines, someone who can bring balance. And that person, Selene, is you."

I couldn’t respond. My throat felt tight, my chest constricting with the weight of what he was saying. How could I possibly be that person? How could I be the solution to a kingdom that seemed as broken as my own heart had once been?

Lucian’s voice broke through my spiral of thoughts. “You want her to just walk into this? After everything she’s been through? After everything she’s endured?”

The old man looked at Lucian with a sharpness that made me shiver. "She has no choice, King Lucian. This is her destiny, whether she accepts it or not."

I turned to Lucian, my heart thundering in my chest. "I don’t want this. I didn’t ask for any of this. I just want to live my life with you." My words felt weak, but they were the truth. I didn’t want to be some pawn in a game of thrones. I just wanted peace.

Lucian squeezed my hand. “I won’t let them use you. I’ll protect you, Selene. No matter what.”

The words were a balm to my shattered soul, but I knew the reality. We couldn’t escape this. The kingdom had already set its sights on me. I was no longer just a mate. I was a queen.

The silence stretched between us as I tried to gather my thoughts. The weight of responsibility was suffocating. What did it even mean to rule? To lead?

And then there was Dexton.

My stomach twisted at the thought of him. The thought of how he would react to all of this—the fact that I had become his father’s mate, that I was now a part of this twisted web of power, disgusted him. I could still hear his words in my head: "Shameless bitch."

The pain of his rejection, of him seeing me as nothing more than a failure of a mate, cut deeper now. The idea of becoming his mother... it felt like a betrayal, even though I had no control over it. I had never asked for any of this.

Lucian seemed to sense my internal struggle. “Dexton doesn’t get a say in this,” he murmured, his voice low and steady. “He has to accept the reality. You’re not the same woman he discarded. You’ve grown. You’re stronger now.”

I wanted to believe him. I wanted to feel the confidence he saw in me, but all I felt was uncertainty. Would Dexton accept me as his mother? Would the people of the kingdom accept me as their ruler? And could I truly step into a role that would require me to face the very people who had cast me aside?

The older man—who had introduced himself as a representative of the royal council—stepped forward again, his eyes narrowing as he watched me. “The council expects a decision soon, Luna. There is little time. The kingdom is on the brink of war, and the bloodline must be restored before chaos consumes us all.”

I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breathing. I had never wanted power. I had never craved the throne. I only wanted peace, safety for those I loved. But it seemed the world had other plans for me.

"Take your time, Selene," Lucian said softly, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. "Whatever you choose, we face it together."

I nodded slowly, though I wasn’t sure if I was even capable of making a decision right now. My whole world had been flipped upside down, and I was trying to find my footing in a world that no longer made sense.

The council members exchanged glances, sensing my hesitation. "The decision cannot be delayed forever," the old man said, his voice hardening. "The kingdom’s fate is in your hands."

I glanced at Lucian one last time, his unwavering support grounding me. But deep inside, I knew the truth. I was no longer just Selene, the She-Alpha who had been discarded and rejected. I was something more. Something that could change the course of history.

But did I want that power? Did I even deserve it?

“I’ll need time,” I said finally, my voice shaky but resolute. “Time to think, time to process everything.”

The old man nodded, his expression unreadable. "We will give you that time. But not much longer, Luna."

As they turned to leave, the heavy door closing behind them, I sank back into Lucian’s arms, letting the reality of everything wash over me. I had no idea what the future held, but one thing was certain—I wasn’t going to face it alone.

Lucian held me close, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I let myself feel the warmth of his embrace, letting him carry the weight of the world, even if just for a moment.

But the shadows were closing in, and the kingdom was waiting.