Chapter 5
1088 Words
Chapter 5
The entire courtroom froze. You could hear a pin drop on the marble floor.
Raiden’s jaw dropped, his face turning an ugly shade of gray. Next to him, Zaria looked like she had just seen a ghost, her hands gripping her luxury purse so hard her knuckles turned white. Everyone in the gallery began whispering furiously. The Alpha King’s only son and heir was clinging to a dirty, accused omega criminal as if his very life depended on it.
I sat there on the cold floor, completely stunned. The little boy’s arms were wrapped tightly around my neck. His small, warm body felt so innocent, and a strange, comforting warmth bloomed in my chest—a feeling I hadn't felt since I lost my own baby just days ago.
King Alaric stared at his son, his dark eyes wide with shock. He reached down and gently placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Jeremy," the King said, his deep voice unusually soft. "Let go of her. She is a stranger."
"No!" the little prince cried, burying his face deeper into my shoulder, his small body shaking. "She isn't a stranger, Daddy! My wolf knows her. She is my savior! She is the angel from my dreams. If she leaves, the monsters will come back. Please don't let them hurt her!"
In the werewolf world, a child's wolf could never be fooled. If the prince's wolf recognized my aura so deeply that he considered me his guardian, it meant my rare, street-born bloodline shared a deep, ancient connection with the royal family's magic.
King Alaric slowly looked up from his son, his piercing dark eyes locking onto me. The shock in his face quickly turned back into his usual cold, calculated expression. He stood up to his full height and looked over at Raiden.
"Alpha Raiden," King Alaric called out, his voice booming through the room like crackling thunder.
Raiden instantly fell to his knees, trembling. "Y-Yes, Your Majesty? She is a liar, I swear! She must have used some dirty omega witchcraft to trick the young prince!"
"Silence," Alaric growled, and the sheer power of his voice made Raiden choke on his words. "I am a King who keeps his word. Bring me the royal scroll."
A scribe rushed forward, handing the King a heavy piece of golden paper and a pen. Alaric didn't hesitate. With a sharp flick of his wrist, he signed his royal name at the bottom.
"By royal decree, the execution of Elysia is cancelled," Alaric announced to the entire room. He glared down at Raiden. "Furthermore, under the clause of high-ranking royal service, I grant Elysia an immediate royal divorce. Sign the papers, Raiden. Now."
"But Your Majesty—!" Raiden protested, his voice cracking. "She is a criminal! You cannot give a traitor protection!"
King Alaric’s eyes flashed a dangerous, bright red. "Are you questioning my decree, Alpha Raiden? I made a promise to this omega in exchange for my son's life. Anyone who tries to alter or interfere with my word is committing treason against the crown."
Raiden gasped, realizing he had crossed a deadly line.
"Sign them," Alaric repeated, his voice dropping to a dangerous, deadly whisper, "or I will let my enforcers use your head as decoration for the palace gates."
With shaking hands, Raiden dragged himself forward. He took the pen and signed his name on the divorce line. The moment the ink dried, a strange, heavy weight suddenly lifted off my chest. The agonizing mate bond that had chained me to Raiden for a year snapped. I felt a sudden rush of fresh air in my lungs. I was finally free from him.
"As for your pack," King Alaric continued, his eyes cold as ice, "for insolence and trying to defy a royal promise, your elite high-society funding from the crown is permanently cut. Guards, throw them out."
"No! You can't do this!" Zaria shrieked from the gallery, completely losing her mind. "She is a prostitute's daughter! She doesn't deserve this!"
Two massive royal guards grabbed Zaria by her arms, dragging her kicking and screaming down the aisle. Raiden stood up, looking at me with a mixture of intense hatred and deep regret. He realized too late that by trying to fight the King's promise, he had just ruined his entire billion-dollar empire. The guards shoved him hard, forcing him out of the courtroom doors and into the pouring rain outside.
King Alaric looked down at me. The little prince had finally fallen asleep in my arms, exhausted from the curse.
"Elysia," the King said, his voice echoing in the quiet room. "You will not be returning to the silver mines. From this day forward, you will live here, in the royal palace, as my son's personal healer and guardian. Guards, show her to her quarters."
Hours later, I found myself sitting on a giant, plush bed in a luxury bedroom. The room was beautiful, filled with silk sheets, gold decorations, and a warm fireplace. It was a complete upgrade from the dark prison cell I had been living in. I had taken a hot bath, washed away the blood and dirt, and wore a clean white silk gown.
I looked out the large glass window at the rain, my hand resting on my stomach. I was free from Raiden, and I was safe from my stepfamily. But I knew my life was about to change forever.
Suddenly, the heavy wooden door of my bedroom clicked open.
I jumped up from the bed, my heart racing.
King Alaric stepped into the room. He had taken off his royal cloak, wearing only a black silk shirt that clung to his muscular chest. He closed the door behind him, the lock clicking into place. He walked toward me with slow, predatory steps, his powerful, intoxicating Alpha scent of dark chocolate and cedarwood filling the air.
I backed up until my spine hit the cold glass window.
Alaric didn't stop until he was inches away from me. He placed one massive hand on the glass right next to my head, pinning me in place. He leaned down, his hot breath brushing against my ear, making a shiver run down my spine.
"Your blood healed a curse that has killed hundreds of Alphas," Alaric whispered, his dark eyes burning into mine with an intense, dangerous curiosity. "And my son’s wolf completely submits to you. Who exactly are you, Elysia? And what kind of secrets are you hiding from me?"
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