The celebration still echoed through the lodge long after Calix had answered his father’s summons.
Laughter, music, and the triumphant howls of victorious wolves filled the great hall, celebrating the rise of their new Alpha.
Yet behind the joyful noise, another story was quietly unfolding.
After several moments had passed, she finally slipped out of the private room.
Her hair had been straightened, her clothes carefully adjusted, leaving no sign of what had transpired except the faint warmth still lingering on her cheeks.
She paused outside the door, taking a slow breath before making her way through the corridors.
She expected to find Oria first.
Or perhaps Lira and Kael enjoying the feast among the other Betas.
Instead…
Nothing.
She searched the banquet hall.
The courtyard.
Even the gardens outside.
There was no sign of any of them.
“Did they already leave together?” she wondered quietly.
“Why didn’t they tell me?”
Before she could continue searching, a shadow stepped into her path.
A broad-shouldered Beta guard, his silver-gray fur marking his high rank, stood before her.
His expression was emotionless.
“You.
Human.
Come with me.”
The words were spoken like an order rather than a request.
She blinked.
“…Me?”
The guard offered no explanation.
He simply turned and began walking.
For a moment she considered refusing.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
Yet the authority in his posture left little room for argument.
Swallowing her growing unease, she quietly followed.
With every corridor they crossed, the sounds of celebration faded.
The warm laughter disappeared behind thick stone walls.
The torches became fewer.
The air colder.
This was the private wing of the Alpha’s lodge-a place ordinary pack members rarely entered.
The Beta finally stopped before a massive oak door reinforced with iron bands.
He knocked twice.
Sharp.
Deliberate.
A familiar voice answered from inside.
“Enter.”
King Veyl.
The guard opened the door.
She stepped inside…
…and her entire body froze.
“Oria!”
Her voice cracked.
“Mom!
Dad!”
Across the chamber, behind heavy iron bars, stood Oria.
Beside her were Lira and Kael.
Though unharmed, all three wore expressions of restrained worry.
The reinforced holding cell was normally reserved for wolves awaiting judgment during serious pack disputes.
Seeing the people who had raised her imprisoned there felt unreal.
Oria rushed toward the bars.
“There you are!”
Relief flooded her face before concern quickly replaced it.
“They brought us here after you disappeared.”
Lira rested a reassuring hand on Oria’s shoulder despite the tension in her own eyes.
“We weren’t given any explanation.”
Kael’s jaw remained clenched.
“Only that the King wished to speak with us.”
The heavy silence that followed was broken only by the crackling fireplace.
Seated across the room upon an elevated chair was King Veyl.
His posture was regal.
Unmoving.
His golden eyes studied the young woman without warmth.
Calix was nowhere to be seen.
She forced herself to look directly at the King.
“…Why?”
Veyl did not answer immediately.
Instead, he watched her carefully, as though measuring every emotion crossing her face.
Finally, he rose.
“My son…”
His voice was calm.
Almost too calm.
“…the son of the King and Queen…”
He slowly descended the steps.
“…the future ruler of every wolf within these lands…”
Each step echoed across the chamber.
“…has chosen to spend his time with a human.”
Disgust hardened every word.
“I cannot tolerate such disgrace.”
She instinctively opened her mouth to defend Calix.
“Sir-”
“Silence.”
One command.
The Alpha’s authority filled the room like a physical force.
Even the guards stiffened.
Veyl continued.
“I believed Calix had finally accepted his destiny.”
“He trained harder.”
“He became calmer.”
“He defeated every challenge before him.”
“I thought he had finally abandoned childish distractions.”
His golden eyes narrowed.
“But during today’s trial…”
His voice grew colder.
“…I watched him search the crowd.”
“He smiled.”
The King’s gaze locked onto hers.
“And he smiled only when he found you.”
The room fell completely silent.
That single smile…
A tiny gesture witnessed by no one else… This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
Had revealed everything.
Veyl’s fury erupted.
With one violent strike, his fist crashed into the wooden table beside him.
The ancient oak split apart instantly.
Wood exploded across the chamber.
The deafening crack made her instinctively step backward.
Oria flinched inside the cell.
Lira instinctively shielded Kael.
Even the guards lowered their heads.
Veyl barely seemed to notice.
His breathing remained perfectly controlled.
“My son,” he growled, “will never bind himself to a human.”
His voice echoed like thunder.
“He deserves a Queen worthy of standing beside an Alpha.”
“Not an outsider.”
“Not someone without wolf blood.”
His eyes turned toward the imprisoned Betas.
“So…”
“I will remove the obstacle.”
“They-”
He pointed toward the cell.
“-will be banished.”
“Forever.”
“They will return to the Human World.”
“They will never again step upon wolf territory.”
Shock washed over the room.
“No!”
She stepped forward without thinking.
“They’ve done nothing!”
Veyl’s glare struck her like ice.
“They have done everything.”
His voice became dangerously quiet.
“They raised you.”
“They allowed you to remain among wolves.”
“They encouraged my son’s attachment.”
His finger pointed toward Kael.
“The Beta who adopted you.”
Then toward Lira.
“The Beta who called you daughter.”
Finally toward Oria.
“And the wolf who treated you as family.”
“They enabled this disgrace.”
Behind the bars, Oria gripped the iron tightly.
Her amber eyes burned with helpless frustration.
Lira closed her eyes for only a moment before lifting her chin with quiet dignity.
Kael stood protectively in front of them both, refusing to bow despite the King’s overwhelming presence.
The celebration outside continued.
The wolves celebrated the birth of a new Alpha.
Completely unaware…
…that inside the King’s chamber, another battle had already begun.
**
The newly appointed Alpha’s chamber was silent.
Unlike the great hall below, where music, laughter, and triumphant howls still celebrated the birth of a new leader, Calix’s room felt strangely distant from the festivities.
He stood beside the window overlooking the moonlit forest.
His ceremonial cloak had been set aside, replaced by a simple dark tunic over his trousers.
His damp hair still carried traces of the quick wash he had taken after the brutal trial, though faint bruises remained beneath the fabric covering his broad shoulders.
His emerald eyes never left the darkness outside.
His father had summoned him.
Not to the council chamber.
Not before the elders.
Here.
Alone.
That alone unsettled him.
King Veyl never conducted official matters in private unless they involved something deeply personal-or deeply dangerous.
Calix folded his hands behind his back and waited.
Minutes passed.
Elsewhere within the lodge…
**
The silence inside the holding chamber felt suffocating.
She lifted her chin despite the fear tightening in her chest.
“No…”
Her voice trembled.
“They didn’t.”
The words escaped louder than she intended.
“No, they didn’t!”
Everyone froze.
Oria looked at her with widened eyes.
Lira’s fingers instinctively tightened around the iron bars.
Kael’s jaw clenched.
Across the room, Veyl slowly turned toward her.
His golden eyes blazed.
“You dare raise your voice at me…”
His voice dropped into a dangerous growl.
“…a human?”
For one terrible heartbeat, she thought he might strike her.
Instead…
He simply stared.
She swallowed.
Then gathered every ounce of courage she possessed.
“If someone has to leave…”
Her voice steadied.
“Then banish me.”
The room fell utterly silent.
Even the guards looked up.
Veyl stopped walking.
For the first time since this confrontation began, genuine surprise crossed his face.
Behind the bars, Oria whispered,
“No…”
Lira shook her head desperately.
Kael stared at her as though she had just offered her own life without hesitation.
She ignored them.
Her eyes remained fixed on the King.
“But don’t punish them.”
“They raised me.”
“They loved me.”
“They did nothing wrong.”
Then she looked back at Veyl.
“And Calix…”
A faint sadness touched her voice.
“He isn’t at fault either.”
The King’s expression slowly changed.
The fury did not disappear.
It simply became colder.
Sharper.
He studied her for several moments, as though seeing her for the first time.
Not as the adopted human raised among wolves.
Not as the rejected mate.
But as someone willing to sacrifice everything to protect the people she loved.
Finally…
He spoke.
“Release them.”
The command rang through the chamber.
The Beta guard hurried forward, unlocking the cell with trembling hands.
The heavy iron door creaked open.
Oria rushed out first.
She threw her arms around her friend before words could form, silent tears already falling.
Lira followed immediately, embracing her daughter so tightly it almost hurt.
Kael remained still for a heartbeat before joining them, one large hand resting gently upon her shoulder.
For a brief moment…
They simply held one another.
Veyl watched without expression.
When they finally separated, his voice shattered the fragile peace.
“You…”
His eyes settled upon the young woman.
“…will leave tonight.”
The words struck harder than any blow.
“Alone.”
“No contact with my son.”
“No contact with these Betas.”
“Your life among wolves ends here.”
She closed her eyes.
“…Okay.”
The single word barely rose above a whisper.
Veyl wasn’t finished.
“If any of you…”
His gaze swept across Oria, Lira and Kael.
“…attempt to tell Calix what happened tonight…”
“…or secretly contact him…”
His voice became frighteningly calm.
“You will disappear.”
“No trial.”
“No mercy.”
“No trace.”
The threat settled over the room like winter frost.
Oria visibly paled.
Lira lowered her head, hiding trembling lips.
Kael’s fists tightened until his knuckles whitened.
No one doubted the King.
He would do exactly as promised.
After a long silence, she quietly asked,
“May I say goodbye to them?”
Veyl considered her request.
Then gave one curt nod.
“Five minutes.”
Without another word, he turned and left.
The guards remained outside the open doorway, close enough to hear every raised voice.
The four of them understood immediately.
They could not reveal the truth.
Not even in farewell.
Lira was the first to move.
She wrapped both arms around her daughter, holding her as though trying to memorize the feeling forever.
The young woman smiled gently despite the tears gathering in her own eyes.
“It’s okay.”
She rubbed Lira’s back soothingly.
“They won’t hurt you.”
Lira buried her face against her shoulder.
She wanted to promise they would find a way.
Wanted to tell her they would never let her leave alone.
Instead…
She remained silent.
Because silence was the only thing keeping her family alive.
Oria stepped forward next.
She took both of her friend’s hands tightly into her own.
Their eyes met.
Years of shared laughter.
Secret adventures.
Birthdays.
Training.
Late-night conversations beneath the stars.
Every memory seemed to pass between them without a single word.
Oria’s lips trembled.
“I…”
No words came.
She simply squeezed her hands harder.
Finally…
Kael approached.
He was never a man comfortable with affection.
But this time…
She stepped forward first and embraced him.
His body stiffened instinctively.
Then his arms slowly wrapped around her with surprising strength.
“Take care of each other,” she whispered.
His breathing faltered.
His rough hands clutched the back of her tunic as though refusing to let fate pull her away.
When he finally answered, his voice was barely audible.
“…We always will.”
The embrace lingered.
Because deep down…
All four of them feared it would be the last.