CHAPTER 268: CHAPTER 268 BAD REPUTATION

The Royal Guards stationed before the stage, ensuring no one dared interfere, offered explanations, but only because the Alpha King had ordered them to.

"She is the newly acknowledged daughter of Prince Dimitri Rosenthal," one of the royal guard announced, his voice ringing out for all to hear. "Yet she once conspired to kill the Royal Princess in order to seduce the Princess’s fated mate, Alpha Zion Greyhound..."

A wave of shock rippled through the crowd, gasps echoing in unison. Then, breaking the silence, a small boy snatched up a stone and hurled it at Claire.

"Bad woman!" he shouted.

It was as if a switch had been flipped. Suddenly, voices rose in anger, and the air filled with curses and stones pelting toward the stage. Claire now suffered not only the savage lash of the whip but also the sting of rocks striking her bruised body.

She longed to fight back, but her strength was gone. Her wolf refused to answer her calls, and the silver cuffs drained her of all power, leaving her defenseless against both punishment and scorn.

Claire snarled, her expression so feral that the little boy who had thrown the stone recoiled in fear and burst into tears. But his mother, standing protectively behind him, placed a firm hand on his shoulder and urged him on.

"Honey, don’t be afraid. Stone that vicious woman, mommy will protect you from her claws. She hurt our future Alpha King, and we must protect her. A creature this cruel cannot be forgiven."

She spoke loudly, her voice carrying through the crowd, as if she feared her son might waver or feel pity for Claire. To drive the point home, she pressed him to throw again, teaching him how to show his loyalty and that to side with Addison, their Royal Princess and future Alpha King, was to stand against Claire’s wickedness.

Emboldened by his mother’s words, the little boy hurled a stone the size of his fist at Claire. Unfortunately for Claire, it struck her squarely on the forehead. Blood gushed instantly from the cut, running down into her eye.

Claire lifted her head and fixed an unblinking glare on the boy. The blood trickling into her eyes stained them crimson, making her appear even more terrifying, her face twisted into something feral and vicious.

Her gaze was so chilling that even the boy’s mother, who had just urged him on, felt a tremor of fear run through her.

"STOP!" Dimitri roared, shoving through the crowd until he stood bristling before the stage. In a flash, he shifted into his wolf form, his growl rumbling low and dangerous.

The crowd recoiled, stepping back in fear.

The Royal Guards made no move to restrain him, though the Captain, stationed at the side to oversee the punishment, continued to relay every detail through the mindlink to the Alpha King.

But the Alpha King did not order the Captain to intervene. On the contrary, he was savoring every word. The more irrationally Dimitri acted, the more displeased the Council grew with him.

And with suspicion already hanging heavy in the palace over the hidden mole, no one was beyond doubt—not even the Alpha King’s younger brother.

Now, with Dimitri openly defying him for the sake of his disgraced daughter, the Alpha King knew resentment would take root in his brother’s heart. Better to isolate him quickly than to allow him time to rally or plot in secret.

And what better way than this? After all, everyone in the Royal Capital knew the Alpha King spared no one, not even family. To punish his brother’s wicked daughter was not cruelty; it was justice.

The more Dimitri defended Claire before the crowd, now that everyone knew she had tried to kill Addison, their missing Royal Princess, the more public opinion turned against him. His actions only fueled the people’s disapproval, ensuring that both he and his daughter would be shunned and isolated.

And when that happened, no matter how much resentment festered in his heart, he would find no allies willing to stand by him. Only if he had long prepared a rebellion in secret, securing the loyalty of noblemen and council members alike, could he hope to challenge the Alpha King.

"Grrr..." Dimitri released another vicious growl, this one directed at the young boy who had struck Claire’s forehead with a stone. The boy’s mother immediately crouched, pulling her son into her arms, and stumbled back in fear.

Then murmurs began to spread again from the back, stirred by Dimitri’s defiance.

"Prince Dimitri has always been a waste of resources, chasing only pleasure and indulgence. And now he defends such a vicious daughter? It must be, like father, like daughter; this cruelty must be in their blood. Just look at them, both looking savage and vile!"

The whispers ignited fresh waves of fear and hatred, and soon the crowd’s glares turned poisonous. Dimitri and Claire were no longer seen as individuals, but as one and the same, father and daughter bound by disgrace. The damage to their reputation would be immense, perhaps even irreversible.

Because of this, even if Dimitri managed to win the support of noblemen and council members, the Alpha King would still hold the advantage if he secured the loyalty of the common people. Numbers, after all, outweighed titles. Noblemen and council members might wield power, but they could never triumph against the sheer force of the masses.

Moreover, their positions were not untouchable. If proven guilty of corruption or bias, a nobleman’s status could be stripped away, and a council member could be demoted. The Alpha King had the authority to elevate an unknown family with merit into a noble family or cast down those Council members who failed to uphold justice.

In truth, his strategy was clear; he was not merely seeking the favor of the council or nobility. His true aim was the hearts of the people. That was why he chose to punish Claire at the palace gates, where every citizen could witness justice with their own eyes.

But Dimitri, too preoccupied with defending his daughter, failed to see the greater game the Alpha King was playing. And the Alpha King was not the only one observing from the sidelines.

Mila, upon hearing the news that her father had acknowledged a daughter from his first love, had rushed out to witness the spectacle herself. Palace maids had fed her enough whispers and rumors—how carefully Dimitri doted on Claire, how he treated her as though she were his only legitimate child, shielding her from harm at every turn.

Mila had even heard how he had gone so far as to petition the Alpha King to formally recognize Claire.

And now, all of it had led to this.

Mila’s lips curled into a mocking sneer, her dark gaze fixed coldly on both Claire and Dimitri.

At this moment, Mila held a higher status than her own father. She had lived under the care of the Alpha King and Queen for years, and many noblemen had already begun rallying behind her as a potential heir to the throne.

With their backing, Mila now wielded a measure of influence. Though her power was nothing compared to the Alpha King’s, or even Addison’s—it still far surpassed what Dimitri held in his hands.