99 Moons with Alpha Rhaegar

THE ALPHA KING’S CASTLE

Elysia’s POV

I woke up in a bed that wasn’t mine. The first thing I noticed was the softness. Real softness—not dirt, stone, or rough blankets that smelled of mildew. This was an actual bed, with clean sheets and a pillow that cradled my head as if I mattered.

For a moment, I thought I was dead. Maybe I had been killed after all. Perhaps this was what came in the afterlife—warmth, quiet, and the absence of pain. But then I tried to move, and pain shot through my ribs so sharp that I gasped. Dead people don’t hurt.

My eyes flew open. Stone walls surrounded me. Heavy drapes were pulled across tall windows. A fire crackled in a hearth across the room, casting flickering shadows on the ceiling.

Where am I?

I pushed myself up slowly, wincing with every movement. My body felt like it had been torn apart and barely stitched back together. My throat burned. My head throbbed. My ribs screamed in protest. But I was clean. Someone had cleaned me, changed my clothes, and bandaged my wounds properly.

I looked down at myself. I was wearing a soft linen gown—simple, but far nicer than anything I’d ever owned. My hair was damp, brushed away from my face.

Someone took care of me. But who? And more importantly—where was I?

The room was large, too large. The bed alone could fit three people comfortably. The furniture was dark wood, heavy, and expensive-looking. And the walls… the walls were stone. Thick. Fortified. This wasn’t a house; this was a castle.

No.

My breathing quickened, panic clawing at my chest. This can’t be right.

I threw the covers off and tried to stand, but my legs wobbled the moment my feet hit the floor. I grabbed onto the bedpost, my knuckles turning white, my vision swimming.

“Easy,” I whispered to myself. “Just… breathe.” But I couldn’t. Because then the scent hit me. Faint, lingering, but unmistakable. Smoke. Pine. Something sharp and clean. The same scent from the horse. The same scent that had wrapped around me and made me feel—for just a moment—safe.

And beneath it, buried so deep I almost didn’t catch it… something else. Something I’d definitely smelled before yesterday. Familiar, in a way that made my stomach twist. But I couldn’t place it.

No. It can’t be.

My wolf stirred, her voice weak but insistent. It’s him.

“Who?” I whispered. But she didn’t answer.

The door opened. I flinched, tightening my grip on the bedpost, and a woman stepped inside carrying a tray. She was older, maybe in her fifties, with graying hair tied back in a neat bun. She wore simple servant’s clothes, and her expression was kind but tired.

She froze when she saw me standing. The tray slipped from her hands and hit the floor with a crash, the bowl and pitcher shattering into pieces.

“You’re awake,” she breathed, her eyes wide. “I—I need to inform His Majesty immediately.”

I stared at her, my heart pounding. “His… Majesty?”

She nodded quickly, already backing toward the door. “Alpha King Rhaegar. He asked to be notified the moment you woke.”

The words hit me like a punch. Alpha King. Rhaegar.

My legs gave out. I collapsed back onto the bed, my hands trembling, my mind spinning. No. No, no, no.

The man who saved me. The man who caught me at the cliff. The man who carried me on his horse. He wasn’t just some warrior. He wasn’t just some alpha. He was the Alpha King—the most powerful werewolf alive. And I was in his castle.

What have I done? Panic flooded my veins, causing my chest to tighten. Does he know? Does he know I’m banished? If he finds out, he could kill me, throw me back into the wildlands, or do worse. Why did he help me? The question clawed at my mind, but I didn’t have an answer.

“Miss?” The woman’s voice pulled me back. She was kneeling by the broken tray, picking up pieces of shattered pottery. “You shouldn’t be out of bed. You’re still very weak.”

“I…” My voice came out as a croak. “Where am I?”

“Bloodmoon Castle,” she said gently. “You’re in the west wing. His Majesty brought you here himself.”

He brought me here. Himself. My wolf stirred again, her voice stronger this time. *Safe. He’s safe.*

“How do you know?” I whispered.

*I just do.*

But that didn’t make sense. Nothing about this made sense. The woman stood, brushing her hands on her apron. “You need to rest, miss. You’ve been through a terrible ordeal.”

“I need to leave,” I insisted, pushing myself to my feet again.

“Miss, please…”

“I can’t be here.” My voice cracked. “I need to go. I need to…”

My knees buckled. The woman rushed forward, catching me before I hit the floor. “Easy, easy. You’re too weak to stand, let alone walk.” She guided me back to the bed, and I didn’t have the strength to fight her.

I sank into the pillows, my chest heaving and my vision blurring with tears I refused to let fall. What am I going to do? The woman tucked the blankets around me, her expression soft. “You’re safe here, miss. His Majesty won’t let any harm come to you.”

I wanted to believe her. I wanted to feel safe. But all I felt was trapped.

“Why…” I swallowed hard, my throat aching. “Why did he bring me here?”

The woman hesitated, her hands stilling. “I don’t know, miss. But…”

“But what?”

She glanced toward the door, as if checking to ensure no one was listening. Then she leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Everyone’s talking about it. The Alpha King has never brought an outsider into the castle before, and he carried you in himself, refusing to let anyone else touch you.”

My breath caught. “He… carried me?”

She nodded. “And he stayed with you. All night. Refused to leave until the healer said you were stable.”

He stayed. I didn’t know what to do with that information or how to process it. Why would he do that?

My wolf rumbled softly. *Because he’s ours.*

“He’s not ours,” I whispered. “He can’t be.” But even as I said it, I wasn’t sure I believed it.

A sharp knock at the door made both of us jump. The woman straightened immediately, her expression shifting to something more formal. “Yes?”

The door opened, and a guard stepped inside. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a scar running down the side of his face. His eyes flicked to me briefly before settling on the woman.

“His Majesty has returned,” he said. “He’s on his way here.”

My heart stopped. He’s coming.

The woman bowed quickly. “Of course. I’ll…”

“No need,” the guard interrupted. “He wants to see her alone.”

The woman glanced at me, something like sympathy in her eyes, and then she hurried out of the room. The guard followed, closing the door behind him.

And I was alone. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst. My hands gripped the blankets, my knuckles turning white. He’s coming. What do I say? What do I do?

My wolf paced restlessly. *You can't run. Don’t hide. Just face him.*

“I can’t,” I whispered.

*You have to.*

I stared at the door, my breath coming in short, shallow gasps. And then I heard it—heavy, deliberate footsteps getting closer.

The door handle turned slowly.

And the door opened.