Chapter b66 /b

His gaze flickt up sharply.

I don’t wait for him to speak, “He’s your royal messenger, isn’t he? He delivers your personal letters. That means he could pull somethin make it look official”

The Alpha King squints, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Your uncle doesn’t have ess to my personal office. Nor to the royal seal. That’s kept bunder /bmagical protection only essible to me and any royal by blood. My queen is out of the question…” He trails off, visibly reluctant to speak about h b“/bMy daughter, Celestia. But she-”

He frowns, shaking his head. “No. She wouldn’t. I dnulit she’d go so far.”

“Wouldn’t she?” I mutter, bitternesscing my words “Where is he? Where’s my uncle now?”

The Alpha King shrugs, clearly losing interest. “Why should I know where a messenger is when I have bigger problems to deal with? He could be out running deliveries. Or maybe crawling under some rock he belongs under.”

Iball

bmy /b

fists at my sides, my nails digging crescent moons into my palms.

That son of ba /bbitch.

He yed me.

Dangled the King’s

‘s authority over my bes

my head just to get me out of Blood Fang. Away from Kali.

But whyb? /b

A sick feeling curls in my gut.

“I should’ve killed him when I had the chance…” I mutter under my

breath.

The Alpha King raises a brow. “I’ll make sure to scold him,” he says dryly, clearly unimpressed. “If it turns out he’s the one behind this.. bprank/b.”

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty,” I growl. “It’ll be my pleasure to make him pay.”

“Thanks for your time. If you’ll excuse me…” I grit my teeth, fighting the rising panic in my chest bas /bI turn toward the door. “I have a mate bwaiting /bfor me.”

I reach the door, the weight of wasted time pressing heavily on my shoulders, when the Alpha King’s voice stops me

“Speaking of mate…..”

I stop, jaw tightening.

“Jack, since you’re here, maybe the Moon Goddess sent you to me.”

My fingers curl tighter around the doorknob. I don’t turn around yet. “What is it?” I ask, keeping my voice level, even though irritation ws at the edges of my tone.

I feel like I’m on fireb, /bseething. My time. My mate. bWasted/b. All because of a forged letter and a power–hungry uncle who’s still breathing.

I hear the Alpha King step away from his desk and approach. “This is a royal favor, Jack. You can’t refuse it

That

st makes me spinb. /b

Try m

y me

But he’s not offended. No, his face is serious. Grave, evon,

I need byou /bto really think about what i’m about to take Lady Celestin as byour /bbsecond /bwife and mate

b(/bblink.

“Come again, Your Majesty?” The words rip from my throat like a growl. “I’ve already told you—I want nothing to do with your —”

“It will only be on paper,” he cuts in quickly, holding up a hand. “You won’t have to touch het or be involved with her in any way. No bond, no bad, obligations.nothing beyond the title. I just need you to assume the role of Alpha King–temporarily. I’ve been thinking about this for works, and bjourn /bthe only one I trust not to let power corrupt him. You’re the only one I believe can protect this kingdom without being blinded by selfish greed. I’m asking this not as her father–but as your king”

1 stare at him.

He’s… desperate.

And the Alpha King doesn’t do desperate.

“Celestia’s your blood.” I say slowly. “She’s next in line. She should be Alpha Queen. Let her rule?”

He lets bout /ba long, pained sigh and rubs a hand over his face like the words physically hurt him.

“My daughter…” he starts, then stops again. “Celestia is still a child in too many ways. She makes rash decisions based on emotion. She isn’t ready to lead. Truthfully, I don’t know if she was ever meant to lead. But she’s all I have left. My only surviving child. I bcan’t /bstrip her of her future. I have to give her what she asks for–while I still bcan/b.”

I swallow down a sharp breath. Something in his voice… it aches.

“What you’re asking is impossible,” I begin, but he cuts me off bagain/b.

“Think about it, Jack. I’m not asking for forever. A year. Two, tops. Just until she’s ready. I’ll put it in writing. You’ll still lead bBlood /bFang, this will just be ba /broyal role. No real marriage, no Luna bond. Nothing changes with your true mate.”

I study him. “Are you alright?” I ask atst. He hesitates for a long moment. Then finally speaks.

b“/bSince I am asking you for ba /blife–changing favour…i think you bdeserve /bto know a little bit of truth about why I am asking you to be the next alpha king” he sighs tiredly. “My Queen… my mate… His eyes drop to the floor, then slowly close. It’s the first time he is opening up about her.

b“/bShe’s dying, Jack. Slowly. Since we lost our first daughter, she’s never fully brecovered/b. Her body’s here, but her spirit left long ago. I need to be with her. Not bas /bAlpha King. Not as a leader. Just as her mate. I want to bspend /bwhat time we have left… by her side.”

The desperation in his words settles on me like a storm cloud. I nod once. Quietly, I’ve never seen the Queen. People whispered she was dead. She never appeared in public. I thought she was a myth… a ghost. Because for bas /blong as I can remember, the throne she was meant to sit on has always been

emply.

But none of that matters now because his pain is real. Before I can respond, the door bms /bopen.

“Daddy!” a shrill voice squeals.

Celestia.

She nearly skips inside, long ck hair falls bin /bwaves bouncing, eyes wide and manic with excitement. “bDid /byou bgrant /bmy request? Tell me byou /bdid!”

The Alpha King exhales like he’s been holding his breath for years.

“Celestia-

Her eyesnd on me.

She freezes.

Like a thief caught in the act

b2/1 /b

The excitement drains from her face, reced by something sharp and calcting

I gaze at the Alpha King. “I’ll think about it,” I say tightly. “But don’t get your hopes up”

He nods silently. There’s nothing more to say.

I turn to leave again but fingers clutch my wrist.

bI /bknow that touch before I beven /blook.

“Are you really going to ignore me like I don’t exist?” she asks, her voice soft but venomous.

I clench my jaw. Hard. My woll growls inside me, eager for blood, and my patience hangs by a frayed thread as I stop myself from ripping her damn hair out by the roots,

But I don’t

use of her father.

Because of his bpain/b.

“Don’t touch me,” I bsay /bcoldly.

She blinks, then frowns. “Why are you being so stubborn? Do I really have to get rid of her before you ept the and see only me as the one meant for you?”

That’s it.

I shove her hand off my arm, not gently, and storm out of the room.

The door ms shut behind me with a satisfying thud but I don’t get far before her bvoice /bechoes behind it.

“Did byou /bbat /bleast see what I want for my birthday tomorrow?” Celestia is whining now. I can practically hear the stomp of her foot.

“What you’re basking /bis basically impossible,” her father sighs, sounding exhausted,

“Then I’ll kill myself!” she shrieks.

I roll my eyes so hard they nearly get stuck. “Fucking ridiculous,” I mutter, walking away from the chaos.

Thave more important things to focus on like Kali, my mate

If the Goddess is kind, she’ll be home–wet, willing, and ready to be imed.

AD

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