Chapter 20
Chapter 20 TITUS
I went straight to the main palace and settled into my throne, the weight of its authority grounding me as I waited for them to appear in my presence. The room was vast, adorned with tapestries depicting the kingdom's history, and lit by grand chandeliers that cast a regal glow over the polished marble floors. The air was thick with anticipation, and I found my thoughts drifting back to Sage. This family has always been a subject of interest in my investigations. From what I had gathered, they never truly valued Sage. They treated her more like a maid than a member of the family, exploiting her kindness and relegating her to menial tasks. The very thought of it made my blood simmer with quiet fury. How could they disregard someone so integral to the prophecy and so inherently valuable? What could be their reason for visiting now? I mused, my fingers drumming lightly on my cheek. Were they here to ask only for a favor or to ask for something entirely else? The possibilities were endless, and none of them were particularly promising.
The doors to the audience chamber creaked open, breaking my train of thought. Alpha Gordon entered first, his posture stiff but his expression carefully neutral. Behind him followed his son and daughter, both casting quick, nervous glances around the room. They moved with a blend of trepidation and determination, a clear sign they understood the gravity of the meeting.
"Alpha Gordon," I said, my voice carrying the authority of my position. "Welcome."
"W-Was that His Majesty?" The woman whispered to his brother, but I could hear her clearly from where I was sitting.
"Keep quiet, Annika. You're in the presence of His Majesty," he subtly scolded her little sister.
"Did you know that he's this gorgeous?" She tugged at the corner of her lips before eventually pouting. She looked and sounded like a brat. I can't imagine the patience. that Sage has to put up with living with these two.
"Annika, I said quit it," he scolded her once again. She pouted her lips in response, but didn't say anything after that.
He bowed, the gesture stiff and formal. "Your Majesty, thank you for granting us this audience.
I nodded, gesturing for them to step closer. "I understand you have a request," I said,
leaning slightly forward, my eyes narrowing as I studied their reactions.
Gordon cleared his throat, his gaze flickering to his children before settling back on me. "Yes, Your Majesty," he began, his voice steady but lacking the usual confidence of an Alpha. "We come seeking your assistance and to reaffirm our loyalty to the crown." Interesting. I thought, raising an eyebrow. The words were carefully chosen, but they did little to explain their true intentions. What kind of assistance did they expect from me, and why now? "Go on, I prompted, maintaining a calm but authoritative demeanor. "What is it that you seek from me?"
Alpha Gordon's eyes glinted with a mix of arrogance and confidence, a smirk playing on his lips. "I haven't heard anything from you, Your Majesty. So, I can safely assume that you liked our gift," he said with a hint of smugness.
My eyes darkened at his words. "A gift, you say?" I replied, my voice low and menacing. The audacity of his claim was infuriating, and it was clear they hadn't even bothered to mask their true intentions.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Gordon continued, oblivious to the growing storm in my expression. "A gift from our pack to acknowledge our eternal pact with Your Majesty. We sent you our most precious daughter to confirm our continuous alliance with the kingdom."
The room seemed to grow colder as I processed his words. The nerve of this man was to speak of Sage as if she were a mere token, a bargaining chip to secure his own position. It was sickening.
"A precious daughter, I echoed, leaning forward slightly. "You mean the same daughter who was treated more like a s**t than a member of your family? The same daughter you so conveniently discarded when it suited your needs?" Gordon's smirk faltered, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face. "Your Majesty, Sage,
was-
"Sage is under my protection now," I interrupted, my tone icy. "And she will be treated with the respect she deserves."
His
son and daughter exchanged uneasy glances, clearly sensing the shift in the atmosphere. Gordon, however, attempted to maintain his composure. "Your Majesty, we mean no harm. We truly care for Sage." "Lady Sage, I quickly cut him off. "I expect to hear you address her correctly while you
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were here. She's a lady of the court, and despite you being her family, I don't think it's right for you to address her on a first-name basis."
O Of course. Your Majesty."
"Shouldn't you be grateful for her? If not for her presence here, your pack will be completely obliterated."
"Your Majesty!" He exclainted in surprise. "We did nothing to deserve such cruelty!" he defended.
"Is that s so?" Í asked in a a challenging tone before I stood from my throne and slowly walked down the stairs. "Are you telling me that you didn't intentionally adopt your enemy's daughter just to sell her out in place of your own daughter?" "Y-You make it sound as if sending a tribute to Your Majesty is a cruel thing," he bravely answered.
I gritted my teeth in anger at his arrogance. No matter how much I wanted to kill him right now, I still had a plan for him.
"W-We broke...n-no law
here, Your
Then, if f other packs
follow y
your precedent, do you I still believe that you didn't break any law?"
"You truly believe that, aren't you? Majesty," he stuttered as he slowly took a step back, assuring me to keep a safe distance from me.
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was stunned for a minute, completely avoiding eye contact. He lowered his head as he continued to take a step back.
"I adopted Sa-Lady Sage legally, Your
"You mean death? Because from where Majesty. I took care of her, put a roof over her head, and provided food on her table for almost a decade. We are only here to get what we deserve.
here I can see, that's the only thing that you deserve for trying to go around the rules," I threatened.
I saw how he gulped in fear. He tried to open his mouth, but nothing came out of it.
"That's right. You should be afraid of me, Gordon." I smirked. "But it's a good thing I take a liking to your daughter. With that, I'm going to spare your worthless life." I was about to turn my back when an idea came into my mind. "You know what? I'll do you one better. I'll let you stay here for a while so you and your daughter can have some quality time." "T-That's not what we came for, Your Majesty he objected.
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Are you declining my offer?"
He opened his mouth, about to say something, but fear got the best of him. "No, of course not, Your Majesty. We are more than happy to stay."
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"Good," I said. "Call Andrew and have him arrange a room for them." I ordered Scott. Before I left, I turned to them once again. "Enjoy your stay here, Gordon," I added.
T
I can clearly see how he was trying his best to control his emotions. I'm sure he noticed that I'm deliberately avoiding calling him Alpha. He doesn't deserve that utle. He's a lowly sc**m who betrayed his pack for his own advances. "Excuse me, but I still have more important matters to attend to," I said. As soon as I secured a safe distance from them, I whispered another order for Scott. "Have an eye on them. I need to know their every move while they are in here. Also, make sure to put a guard outside Sage's quarter. I don't trust that man a bit."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Scott replied before bowing his head as I made my way out of the
room.