COMEBACK OF THE ALPHA KING

Chapter 2- Changed

The words expelled all oxygen from King's system.

To stop himself from giving in to his brewing coughs, he turned his back to them, allowing himself to take in slow, labored breaths.

Tears he wouldn't be able to shed gathered in his throat. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to feel the thousands of emotions coursing through him.

Of course, she'd get married. What did he expect? That she'd wait for him? That she'd continue to love him after hearing the news of his alleged crime?

King wished she waited. Lillian knew him more than anyone in the world. If the world believed such bizarre accusations, not her.

Opening his eyes, he released a strenuous long breath.

He allowed his emotions to diffuse with the exercise, then he purposefully turned back to face them, his face stoic and devoid of any emotion.

"She is my mate. She cannot get married." He stated looking from Ace's soft gaze to Ivy's icy one.

"A mate can be rejected." Ivy's voice dripped with anger.

"Can I at least talk to her?" King looked to Ace, pleading with his eyes that he agreed.

Ace gave him a subtle nod, circling his arms around his wife and gently stirring her away from the door.

"Come in, son, you are always welcome here."

All of Ivy's protest fell on deaf ears as both men ignored her disapproval. King stepped in gently, clicking the door shut behind him.

Ace led them away from the door into the house, leaving King to follow closely behind them.

As they progressed into the house, a flurry of activities bathed King's ears.

The sensual slow flow of music filling their way to him, from somewhat invisible speakers, did nothing to calm his raging mind.

He felt weak by the minute as they neared the all too familiar living room. More than once, he contemplated leaving, but he couldn't.

He had to see her. He owed it to her to explain his side of the story.

A mate can be rejected. Ivy's cold words repeated themselves in his heart at such an unhealthy rate.

He could almost taste the venom in those words.

King had always known Ivy to be crude and unapologetic about her stance.

Even though she seemed bitter, he knew her well enough to tell that she felt vulnerable to his return.

His wolf could smell her lie the moment her demeanor dropped.

She was only being hostile because she was a mother and a mother's first instinct was to protect her child's happiness.

In her case, she was protecting both of them. She knew the news would hurt him, that's why she asked him to come back another time. She also wanted to protect Lillian's happiness.

Oh, Lillian. She must have been so dejected about his abrupt disappearance.

He knew her well enough to know that upon hearing the news, she would debunk it as false.

But after this disheartening news about her engagement, he wondered how well he knew her.

He tried putting himself in her shoes to better understand her grievances.

When he got imprisoned, he was denied seeing anyone, not even the closest family member.

A special lock section was created for him and he was isolated from the rest of the other prisoners.

Lillian must have been worried sick. She must have waited till she couldn't anymore. Five years was a long time to wait for a suspected criminal.

Five years was enough time to change her notions about him and convince herself to move on.

As they stepped into the living room, King noted the crowd's familiar and unfamiliar faces.

All the Silverdust pack members were here and some other people he recognised from other packs.

There were at least three packs in the room, making the unusually large living room appear smaller.

Some of the people didn't recognize him, but a vast majority did. It was a late recognition, but they didn't forget him.

King wasn't oblivious to the scornful stares they passed at him as they whispered their unsolicited judgment to each other.

He paid them no attention. Instead, he stood up straight wearing the stern expression years of arduous military training taught him.

He still hadn't seen Lillian in the sea of unending crowds. He could smell her though. Her exotic wild scent pleased his inner wolf.

The wolves of the silver dust pack smelt the same. Like rainforest. Regardless, Lillian's scent was distinct to him.

Her scent came on stronger. Rich, warm, and intoxicating. He hadn't even seen her and his wolf was already excited, tugging against his restraints to be let out.

He stifled his warmth for her, stopping just as Ace and Ivy stopped. He knew without a doubt that she was near now and they were standing in front of her.

Ace and Ivy, tall as they were, were shielding her from his sight. He waited in disappointment.

He felt more than just disappointment, but he allowed himself to settle on that for now.

Despite his presence, the room didn't go silent. The buzz continued. Conversations flew about everywhere.

King's senses picked out everything, filtered them out, and settled on one in particular. The most important of conversations.

One capable of sending anguish reeling through his very soul.

It was coming from beyond his mum and dad. From the sight, he couldn't yet see, but could vividly picture.

"Micah, from now on we'll have to rely on you to take care of our Lillian."

"Yes, Lillian has been spoiled rich by her parents since she was a child. If she's ever willful or unreasonable, bear with her."

"Don't say that Karla. Listen, Micah, if she is unreasonable, just let us know and we will discipline her."

King knew, without seeing their faces, the exact relatives that passed these comments.

They were Ivy's sisters, and he reckoned that they wouldn't be too pleased with his presence here. This made him all the more hardened.

Preparing his mind for the backlash, he decided to announce himself.

The thought had barely formed in his mind when a voice stopped him.

A voice capable of seizing his breath till eternity. Merciless in its capturing and unsparing in its judgment.

His Lillian's voice.

"Aunty B, what are you talking about? I'm not willful or unreasonable..."

Aunty B was the immediate elder sister to Ivy. Her name was Beatrice, but everyone called her B for short.

"Lillian, darling, I've got you." A different voice interrupted her. A male's voice.

At the sound of that voice and its too-personal words, a low growl emanated from King.

"Aunties. Lillian is very sensible..." the same voice continued.

"...and I promise that after she marries me, I will spoil her like the little princess she is.

We've got so many servants at home capable of any tasks that may be bothersome for her. All she has to do is live for me."

The words sounded pretentious to King, but they were welcomed with laughter and approval.

King wondered how everyone could be so blind to such empty declarations. His boggling thoughts got pierced by Lillian's sudden question.

"Daddy, is your friend here?"

King's heart rammed itself against his ribcage in a vicious frazzle that threatened his sickly state.

In response to their daughter's question, Ivy and Ace stepped away to reveal an antsy King.

Lillian's gracious smile froze upon seeing him. Her heart did that dance as it normally did when King was around.

It started with slow rhythmic thumps that only grew into a fierce fight against her breathing pipes.

It was a deliciously painful activity she didn't think herself capable of feeling anymore. Well, until now.

Instinctively, she inched closer to Micah. Her love, she loved him right?

Sensing her unrest, Micah slipped his arm around her waist in a protective clutch.

His attentive gaze swept over this intruder, who seemed to command the attention of everyone without trying.

"Hello Lillian, long time no see." King tried on a smile for the second time that day.

She looked gorgeous in her engagement regalia. The guy next to her, wearing a custom-made suit in the same material as hers, was attractive too but was nothing compared to his Lillian.

Despite his state of jealous anguish, he was genuinely happy to see Lillian's smile, even though she wasn't sporting it anymore.

"When did you get out of prison?" Lillian spat out her response.

She intended for her words to be spiteful. She wanted him to feel the torment she had been forced to subdue for years.

She wanted him to see that he had moved on, that she was different now. How dare he?

How dare he stroll in looking so... so... Magnificent!

He had no right to saunter in and make her question her finalized decision.

Her fingers began to tremble in her lap. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

She felt Micah's firm hands around her tighten, giving her the strength she needed.

Yes, she had Micah. Her true love and mate. He deserved her.

He was there for her when this vile man decided to move on, shattering her entire world.

Micah lent her strength, so he deserved her, not this... King. Her strong, dependable, wonderful King.

"King? Is that you?" Aunty B's voice pierced the now silent room. Everyone's eyes were on him.

At the mention of his name, a gasp of recognition echoed around the room.

"King? The r****t?"

"Karla!" Ace cautioned his wife's sister, disgusted by her very existence.

Ace never cared for his wife's family. He merely tolerated them out of duty.

Those unscrupulous Raven pack hounds. He couldn't wait to be rid of them.

"What? It's the truth." Karla spoke up with an intentional, loud drawl.

She looked around the room, vying for support. The others nodded to her impending jab.

"Wasn't he convicted for raping... What's her name again?"

"Sage Thatcher." Lillian provided, drilling King with her gaze.

King shifted on his feet, tuning out the accusations that began to fly about at Karla's lead.

He couldn't believe how quickly they had forgotten who he was and what he was capable of.

He looked around the room with purpose as an argument began to stem up on whether he deserved to be there or not.

He watched and noted each person's face. People he didn't even know were passing their take.

Right in his presence, these people, the ones he once called family, were condemning him. He couldn't believe how so much could have changed in five years.

These people that once used to adore him. They once fed off him. He was, after all, the one that started the k dynasty group.

The group was Silverdust's current major financial deal breaker. Even in his absence, they continued to run the company because he had laid down a very solid foundation for them.

Of course, Sage was heading the company now, but she was rewarding the family handsomely with a high percentage of the company's generated income.

These greedy bastards were now rejecting him?

"Enough!" Ace's voice rang through the room, silencing everyone, even the music.

Everything went dangerously still, save for his growling wolf.

Ace was no Alpha, but he knew how to command a crowd.

"Enough all of you!" He looked around the room, ensuring he had everyone's ears.

"I am certain King is innocent of all accusations laid against him, and even so, even if he is guilty of the crime, which he isn't, he has served his due punishment and has returned..."

He paused again to cast a glare at Karla, then his wife, and finally his little princess.

"When I said those words back then..." His voice became whisper soft "I meant it..."

"Dad!" Lillian snapped, stopping her dad from speaking further. She knew exactly what he was talking about.

She couldn't believe he would even dare suggest it. On a day like this.

"What are you saying, Ace?" Ivy looked from her daughter to her husband. Her small voice communicated her fear.

"You wouldn't dare!" She added in a firmer tone.

Everyone else kept starting to invest in the brewing drama.

"Daddy, I'm with Micah now. I chose Micah. I chose Micah."

Lillian looked away from her dad, casting her eyes on King to make sure he got the message.

She was rejecting him publicly. Just like he had done when he went ahead to force himself on Sage, her arch nemesis.

Getting up from her seat, she stepped in front of her dad, holding his gaze in an unspoken dare.

"Micah has been appointed Alpha of this pack and he remains so." She said with defiance.

Karla butt in, "Yes, Micah is the new Alpha of Silverdust pack. He's got what it takes to run the Pack."

"He's everything King ever was and more." Aunty B added.

As if on cue, everyone began to commend Micah, praising him without shame.

"His family is rich!" someone shouted

"Silverdust pack would be bigger and better now since Wildreigns pack will be merging with us."

Another person added.

The chaos resumed and the principal suggestion became a shocking realization to King.

He had been replaced as an Alpha. Denounced and demoted to an Omega. He was now a werewolf without a pack.

"Enough all of you!" Ace yelled again, commanding the room's silence.

Everyone went mute except for Lillian. This time she yelled, too.

"No, Dad! Enough of you! Enough of forcing your needs on me!"

No one dared move as they watched in shock. Lillian couldn't stop now that she had started.

"King is a r****t! I would not marry a r****t, you hear me!"

Seeing his daughter's loss of control, Ace sighed in defeat.

Even though he was her father and could lord his will over her, she was his princess, too. He wanted her to be happy.

She was his weakness and whatever she wanted, he wanted.

Without another word, he nodded his consent. Upon seeing this, Lillian huffed and stepped towards the king.

"To the balcony now!"

She didn't wait for a response before sauntering off to the said balcony.

King followed her, knowing exactly what that meant. More rejection. He stepped onto the balcony, which overlooked the neighbourhood's inviting terrain.

King couldn't admire the welcoming environment because his eyes were on Lillian.

His mind wandered off, conjuring memories they had once shared on this very balcony.

"Don't look at me like that," she chided him with a deep frown.

The Lillian that King Knew would have said that playfully, but right now, she was serious. It was so serious that King felt distressed by it.

He gave a dry smile that didn't reach his eyes. It was a smile that communicated what he was feeling at the moment. Detachment.

A few moments ago, he wanted to be here, but now, he wasn't so sure.

"Lillian, dear, I understand how you feel. I..."

"You don't understand how I feel!" she snapped at him.

How dare he? How dare he look at her like that! How dare he talk to her like that... like he still knew her?

He didn't. She was different now. A changed person, just like him.

She shook her head as one tear slid off her right eye. She attacked it with the back of her palm. Sniffing back the rest.

"Look, you can't just walk in here expecting things to remain the way you left them."

"I know, I..."

"Let me finish!"

King allowed her.

"You are not the person I know anymore and I... I... I don't care! You and I both belong In different worlds now and seriously, I wish you'd just not be here!"

It was the way she said it that hurt. She said it so cold and callous without batting an eyelid.

Lillian was never like this. She used to be cautious about hurting others. She had truly changed.

"Since you are here though, do not cause our parents pain anymore.

I don't want them to argue because of you. We've all gone through so much pain and embarrassment..." She paused to let the tears flow freely now.

Thank the heavens she had on waterproof makeup.

"I was ridiculed because of you. Just... be good this time. You don't even have a job." She shot him a disdainful glare.

"I could talk to Micah on your behalf. He has a host of companies. He should be able to find you a small role."

She stared him up and down, purposely dropping her tone into a malicious jab as she proceeded.

"Just work earnestly, be a decent person and stop disgracing us. Who knows, the pack might accept you again."

She didn't wait for his response. Instead, she walked off, aggressively wiping her tears.

King waited a few moments to catch himself before walking back in.

He wanted to see his family now he had. Much as he wanted them to take him with open arms, they had made their points clear and he had made his decision, too.

He didn't blame them. If anything, he still cherished them enough to want to hold on to the bond they once shared.

When he stepped back in, it was with an unsmiling face. The merriment had resumed, but it wasn't as cheerful as the first time.

King found his parent's eyes and nodded at them. He noted the warmth in Ivy's eyes, even though her facial expression was hostile.

She was in the middle of her sisters, listening to them rant about how she was making the right choice by allowing this engagement.

Ace had resumed his smoking and was now hanging around the dining room by himself, observing the crowd with restrained solitude.

King recognised that look. It was his scheming look. Shaking his head, he made to approach him but got stopped by Lillian's palm on his chest.

He found her eyes puzzled by the action. Behind her, her fiance loomed.

Lillian withdrew her hands the moment she realized what she had done and cleared her throat, adjusting nothing on her dress.

"I wanted to introduce you to Micah, my boyfr... fiance." She gave a nervous laugh, looking back at him.

"I can never get used to that," she laughed again.

Micah grinned down at her, tipping his head to plant a lingering kiss on her lip.

Lillian interpreted it as affection, so she reeled in it, but it wasn't. Micah kissed her to pass a message to King.

King got the message loud and clear. "Nice to meet you, Micah."

King did his best to remain civil, but he couldn't stand the guy.

Micah studied King, searching for what it was about him that made him special.

Micah had been an Alpha of his Pack all his life and he was used to gaining the attention of others.

He held the respect of everyone and he could get anything he wanted.

He was undefeatable, yet this man in front of him could hold the attention of millions without even trying. He didn't like that.

He loathed him. He loathed the way he walked with firm, commanding steps that made the ground respond to him.

He loathed that he tried to push how strong he was to everyone's faces.

There was something about this King guy that didn't sit well with him.

King? What kind of name was that? Was he trying to flaunt his dominion? Such a pompous fool.

"Micah is the deputy general manager of TC Pharmaceuticals. He is the Alpha of our pack now." Lillian proudly introduced him.

Her smile appeared genuine. Micah looked at her, then smiled.

" Common babe, don't be modest." He turned to King, giving him a dark glare.

"I'd reintroduce myself. I am the KING of TC pharmaceuticals and I am also the KING of this pack now."

He maintained his devious look, checking to see if King got his point.

Once again, King grasped the unspoken words, and he wasn't going to let this prude have his way.

He opened his mouth to dispel his response but clapped it shut when Micah's attention wavered.

It wasn't only Micah that was distracted, everyone else was. They all seemed to be looking at the door.

At something King couldn't see because he had his back turned to the door.

"Would you look at that..." Karla drawled, edging on evil. She folded her arms, looking from whatever was at the door to King.

"You just got out of prison and you are in trouble again?"

At the sound of that, King spun around, casting a confused stare at the source of interest.

Standing at the door, still in her uniform, along with two other uniformed officers, was Nova scanning the room for him.

Her blue gaze connected with his gray ones and In one mortifying second, she saluted him.