I leaned forward. “Because if you’ve come to advise me on war, trade, or diplomacy, I welcome it. But if you’ve come to pass judgment on a woman you’ve never met, you insult both her and your king.”
“Your Majesty,” Elder Varn began, ever the most vocal of the traditionalists. “It has been months since the girl was brought here. The kingdom is uneasy. Rumors continue to spread, and there is still no formal announcement, appearance, or ceremony. We cannot delay tradition much longer. Your people are growing restless.”
I sat tall in my seat, with my fingers steepled beneath my chin.
“Hmm…” I hummed, trying to keep my cool.
My mother cleared her throat softly. “Sargis, no one here doubts your devotion, nor your instincts. But this secrecy? It only breeds suspicion. They say she’s mute. That she’s unfit. And worse, that you hide her because you’re ashamed.”
My eyes flashed to hers. “I am ashamed of nothing.”
“Then why keep her hidden?” one of the generals pressed. “Why isolate her, Your Majesty, if she’s truly to be our queen?”
I inhaled slowly through my mouth, keeping my temper in check. Barely.
“She’s not a pawn to parade around,” I reply coldly. “She’s healing.”
“And what of diplomacy? From across the table, the Minister of External Affairs interjected. “The other great Lycan kings are watching…..”
“I haven’t neglected my duties,” I cut in sharply. “Trade routes are steady. Patrol lines have tripled. I’ve personally sanctioned negotiations with the Eastern Clans. This court may be fixated on ceremony, but the kingdom is not crumbling because I chose to protect my mate.”
“She is not the only one in need of protection,” Varn said pointedly. ” What of your people? A queen must be more than a symbol. She must be strong, vocal, and capable.”
“She is capable,” I growled. “More than any of you realize.”
“With all due respect, Your Majesty,” Chancellor Tyrus chimed in, “this isn’t merely about capabilities. This is about tradition, order, and the future of the kingdom. It’s about the strength of the bloodline and the integrity of the Lycan crown.”
I leaned forward. “Are you questioning mine?”
His lips twitched. “Never.”
“You’re all toeing a dangerous line.” I gritted out.
Someone dared to scoff. A low, bitter sound that scraped across my nerves. “So the rumors are true, then? The king’s mate is a silent lunatic with a shattered mind.”
I felt a surge of indignation rise within me, and before I could think, I shot to my feet. The chair I had been sitting in crashed against the stone floor, producing a screech that echoed ominously in the hushed room. As I stood tall, waves of Alpha energy radiated from my being, the power swirling around me like a tempest. I could see the immediate reaction from those around me; grown men visibly flinched, their bravado deflating in an instant as they registered the force of my presence.
“You forget yourselves. Doubting her is doubting me. I will not be questioned like a reckless boy. I am your King.” I growled, the power in my voice reverberating through the hall, amplified by the force of my title.” And I’ve ruled this land with fairness and strength long before I even found her, while you all sit and pass judgment from the comfort of your chairs.”
The elder who had spoken lowered his gaze immediately, bobbing his throat.
“I have given this court the benefit of transparency. But if you question her again… if you question me again, or hear anybody speak ill of my mate,” my voice thundered now. I leveled the elder who dared call her a lunatic with a hard look, “You will not leave this chamber with your tongue intact.”
A beat of silence followed.
SARGIS’ POV
Then, Lupercus chuckled.
“Relax, cousin. I think your message was well received.” He drawled, dragging his gaze lazily across their faces. “I wouldn’t want you to burn the whole palace down before the mating ceremony,” Lupercus teased, lounging like the chaos-loving bastard he always was.
I glared at him.
He threw a wink toward me in return. “Besides,” he added with a lazy grin, “if you snap now and start pulling out tongues, as your right hand, Hasmik won’t let me in her bed for a week because I didn’t stop you. And I rather like being there.”
Only he dared to joke with me when I was like this.
“Sargis. No one is here to undermine your authority.” My father finally spoke.” But this court has kept the realm balanced for centuries. If you intend to take her as Queen, there must be a path forward. Whether gradual exposure or private introductions, you have to do something.”
I exhaled slowly.
“Then let that be the resolution. She will not be paraded, but when the time is right, you will meet her. One by one. On my terms. Until then, no more of this… backroom speculation. If I hear one more whisper that insults her.” I let my voice trail off.
“Understood,” the court murmured.
I pressed my hand briefly over my eyes.
“This meeting is adjourned,” I ordered.
The court began to filter out, but I stayed standing for a moment.
It had been two months since I nearly lost her.
Two months of sleepless nights and silent prayers. Two months of walking on the edge of a blade. The bond between us had grown louder with every passing day, at least on my end, humming beneath my skin like an unrelenting current. And what infuriated me most… was that everyone in that goddamn court knew exactly what that felt like. Every single one of them was mated. They knew the pull, the ache, and the instinct to protect all too well, and still, they had the audacity to question mine?
Hypocrites. Every last one of them.
I left the court hall without another word and stormed down the marble corridors. I took the elevator and waited impatiently as it took me to my quarters. Immediately, the door opened, I was eating up the distance to the door in large strides. My hand twitched as I reached the door to the wing. I needed to see her. To feel that grounding weight in my chest only she could bring.
I forced my features into something resembling calm as I opened the door.
And there she was.
The breath caught in my throat.
Sunlight spilled across the chamber, soft and golden, pooling around her. She sat quietly on the couch, cradling a bowl of popcorn. Her hair had grown longer now, just past her nape.
She glanced up. Our eyes met for a heartbeat.
Then she looked away.
She’d been doing that a lot lately. Looking away. And no matter how much I tried not to let it sting, it did. Every time.
Her skin had color now, it was no longer pale and translucent like it once was. Her eyes were clearer too, no longer dulled by fear or fatigue. Even her lips, once cracked and bloodless, had softened into pink and full of life again.
Her small nose was dusted faintly pink from the sunlight, and at the center of her forehead, that faint symbol like a birthmark or forgotten rune held my gaze longer than I meant to. I still didn’t know what it was, but god, it fascinated me, and it suited her.
Maravek had told me she weighed barely 20 kilograms when she arrived. I’d memorized that number and it haunted me. Now she was closer to 30, and though still small, she had filled out subtly.
I glanced at the television and nearly chuckled. Anime.
I smirked. Two weeks ago, she had caught me watching it in the dead of night when I couldn’t sleep. She hadn’t said a word then, but clearly she’d remembered. Now she was the one bingeing it. Of all things… this was the first thing we ever had in common.
“Hey,” I mumbled, waving toward her casually.
As expected, she ignored me.
“I’m here too, you know,” Hasmik drawled from the far end of the room, not looking up from her phone. “A little acknowledgment would be nice, Your Majesty.”
I rolled my eyes. “Didn’t think you even noticed I walked in, with the way you’ve been smashing that screen.”
She snorted without missing a beat. “You’re just jealous you don’t have reflexes like mine.”
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