bChapter /b179

    bChapter /bb179 /b

    Lance’s POV

    I wasn’t blind. I could feel the tension in the air, thick with betrayal. The city was no longer mine. His men surrounded me now my enemies their eyes colder than ever before. I had to stay alert, keep my guard up.

    Kimberly and Jory were hiding just a few feet away behind the ruins of a copsed wall. I caught a glimpse of Kimberly mouthing something to ra, the silent exchange sending a spark of unease through me. I could tell they were ready to act. The question was when?

    ra shook her head. Not yet.

    Lance was still too far from them. If they let him escape now, drawing him out would be more difficult. They had to wait.

    The air was still, too still. Then, Zara’s voice broke through the silence.

    “Yes, My King, I am all alone,” she said, her tone t, almost rehearsed.

    “Then why don’t youe to me?” I called out, a small smile on my lips despite the chaos around me. “The front gate is this way.”

    “The front gate is too risky,” she replied, a moment’s hesitation in her words. “We should pass through the courtyard and circle to the back of the pce.”

    I paused, conflicted. There was something about her tone that didn’t sit right with me, but I dismissed it. I had no reason to doubt bher/b.

    I nced around the quiet courtyard once more. Everything appeared peaceful–almost too peaceful.

    “Fine,” I muttered, stepping into the courtyard. “Let’s make it quick.”

    The sudden rush of my own blood felt strangely cold, my pulse thudding in my ears. There was no time for second–guessing. I approached Zara, long strides bringing me closer.

    “You were gone for a while,” I said, my voice low, though the pain in my shoulder made it hard to sound casual. “Did you find Mi?”

    Zara’s lips trembled before she spoke. “Queen Mi… is dead.”

    I froze.

    Her words didn’t make sense. I blinked at her, trying to process the weight of them. But it didn’t matter. Not really.

    I shook my head, a bitterugh escaping my lips. “That useless bitch,” I sneered. “Good riddance. She was nothing but a burden.”

    I reached out, cupping her cheek in a soft, almost tender gesture. “But you-” I softened my tone, letting a smile creep onto my face. “You are the only one who has stayed loyal to me. I’ll remember this, Zara. After we get through this… you’ll be rewarded. Anything you want.”

    Her eyes welled up, tears spilling over. “I… I’m sorry,i” /ishe sobbed. “I’m so sorry… my King…”

    The soft sound of her crying broke something inside me. It didn’t make sense. She had betrayed me. But… why did it hurt bso /bmuch?

    I stared at her, shocked, but before I could react further, a voice sliced through the air.

    “NOW!!!” ra shouted, her voice a sharpmand.

    Then, like clockwork, the shadows around us came alive. Soldiers, all at once, emerged from every corner, their beyes /bbburning /bbwith /bbpurpose /bWithout hesitation, they lunged at me.

    b1/3 /b

    bMy /bbinstincts /bkicked in. I shifted. Fur exploded along my skin, ws sprouted, and my senses heightened. bI /bbwas /bba /bbbeast/b, ba /bbKing /bbamong /bbwolves /b

    “I AM YOUR FUCKING KING!” I roared, shing with my ws, trying to keep them at bay. “You traitors!!!b” /b

    But no one listened. No one cared. The soldiers knew what I had be. They knew their loyalty had long since died.

    me with unrelenting force. Growls filled bthe /bbair/bb, /bbtheir /b

    The pack of wolves, rogue soldiers, and even my once–loyalpanions now turned o savage roars echoing against the cold courtyard walls. They came at me from all sides.

    I fought. I fought like I’d never fought before.

    ending with

    precision. But it was too much. Too many. One by oneb, /bthey wore bme /b

    down.

    I could hear ra in the distance, barking orders, but she didn’t join the fight. She knew what was happening. She knew I didn’t stand a chance.

    I looked to Zara, tears streaming down her face, but she was helpless, too. I couldn’t save her now. As the battle raged on, I saw her

    struggling, and it broke me even more.

    Suddenly, a sh of movement caught my eye. Thorne.

    Sever

    could. And then, the unthinkable

    He stood at the edge of the circle, watching with cold, calcting eyes. I couldn’t read him. I

    happened.

    With swift precision, Thorne charged into the fray, grabbing me by the throat. My body jerkedb, /blifted off the ground like a ragdoll. My vision blurred, and for a moment, I thought he would snap my neck.

    But instead, he threw me–flung me across the battlefield.

    I collided with something hard. And then… nothing.

    Jory’s POV

    I wasn’t prepared.

    Lance’s body flew at us, and instinctively, I stepped forward. My sword was already in my hand, and I thrust it forward before I could even process what was happening.

    The de sank deep into Lance’s heart.

    He didn’t even scream. His body went limp almost immediately, the light fading from his eyes. His body fell at my feet, a lifeless weight.

    And then… silencei. /i

    Everyone around us stood frozen. The weight of what had just happened hit like a thunderp. Lance was dead.

    And yet… nothing felt real.

    The quiet mutterings began, the words low but growing louder.

    “He killed our King…”

    A few voices joined in. “Does that make him the new Kingb?/bb” /b

    I could feel the eyes on me. Cold, questioning, hungry.

    bI /bcould already feel it–the shift. The hunger ifor /ipower. They were looking at bme /bbas /bbthough /bbthey /bbexpected /bbsomething /bbmore/b. bAs /bbthough /bbthe /b

    2/13

    nu 14 Aug

    crown was now mine for the taking.

    bI /btightened my grip on my sword, my knuckles white with the strain. But then, I felt something strange–like a jolt bdeep /bbwithin /bmy body.

    Kimberly’s voice broke through the tension. “I, Kimberly, pledge my loyalty to you,” she said, her voice ringing clearb, /bbunwavering /b

    I looked at her, stunned. She didn’t hesitate. She knelt, her fiery red hair falling over her shoulder. “You are my one true king

    Her words were amand, not a question.

    And then, it happened. One by one, soldiers began to kneel, pledging their loyalty to ime/i.

    I looked down at the deep wound on my shoulder. It burned, but as I watched, it began ito /iheal, faster than I couldprehendb. /b

    The familiar sensation hit me like a wave–like it had with Lance before.

    I was chosen.

    I was the new Rogue King.

    ra’s gaze shifted to Thorne, her eyes filled with understanding. He had orchestrated all of this. He had chosen me.

    I was his stepping stone.

    And as the soldiers knelt around me, I knew there was no turning back.

    The throne was mine.

    But at what cost?