Chapter 179
Chapter 179
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 collapsed wall. I caught a glimpse of Kimberly mouthing something to Elara, the silent exchange sending a spark of unease through me. I could tell they were ready to act. The question was when?
Elara shook her head. Not yet.
Lance was still too far from them. If they let him escape now, drawing him out would become 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 flat, almost rehearsed.
“Then why don’t you come 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 palace.”
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 her.
I glanced 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 Miela?”
Zara’s lips trembled before she spoke. “Queen Miela… 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 bitter laugh 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,” she 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 so much?
I stared at her, shocked, but before I could react further, a voice sliced through the air.
“NOW!!!” Elara shouted, her voice a sharp command.
Then, like clockwork, the shadows around us came alive. Soldiers, all at once, emerged from every corner, their eyes burning with purpose Without hesitation, they lunged at me.
1/3
Chapter 179
My instincts kicked in. I shifted. Fur exploded along my skin, claws sprouted, and my senses heightened. I was a beast, a King among wolves
“I AM YOUR FUCKING KING!” I roared, slashing with my claws, trying to keep them at bay. “You traitors!!!”
But no one listened. No one cared. The soldiers knew what I had become. They knew their loyalty had long since died.
me with unrelenting force. Growls filled the air, their
The pack of wolves, rogue soldiers, and even my once–loyal companions 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.
e landing with
precision. But it was too much. Too many. One by one, they wore me
down.
I could hear Elara 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 flash of movement caught my eye. Thorne.
Sever
could. And then, the unthinkable
He stood at the edge of the circle, watching with cold, calculating eyes. I couldn’t read him. I
happened.
With swift precision, Thorne charged into the fray, grabbing me by the throat. My body jerked, lifted 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 blade 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… silence.
Everyone around us stood frozen. The weight of what had just happened hit like a thunderclap. 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 King?”
I could feel the eyes on me. Cold, questioning, hungry.
I could already feel it–the shift. The hunger for power. They were looking at me as though they expected something more. As though the
2/13
nu 14 Aug
Chapter 179
crown was now mine for the taking.
I tightened my grip on my sword, my knuckles white with the strain. But then, I felt something strange–like a jolt deep within my body.
Kimberly’s voice broke through the tension. “I, Kimberly, pledge my loyalty to you,” she said, her voice ringing clear, unwavering
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 a command, not a question.
And then, it happened. One by one, soldiers began to kneel, pledging their loyalty to me.
I looked down at the deep wound on my shoulder. It burned, but as I watched, it began to heal, faster than I could comprehend.
The familiar sensation hit me like a wave–like it had with Lance before.
I was chosen.
I was the new Rogue King.
Elara’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?
