In a blink of an eye, Grand Alpha approached me and slapped me. Wide-eyed, I turned at him as I couldn’t believe what he just did.
“Rachelle!” His Majesty approached me and held my cheek where his father slapped it. “Are you alright?” I didn’t answer him as I was still shocked by his father’s slap. “Why did you slap him, Father?!” He covered me by using his body as a shield for me.
“How dare you, Rachelle! I trusted you! And I treated you as my daughter yet this is how you do? Lying to me? You even rejected my son!” Then he turned at his son. “You pathetic asshole… Rachelle is your mate all along and yet you never told me?”
“I can explain, Father… Please not here.”
Grand Alpha shook his head. “You lied to me… You lied to your people!” he said angrily. He clenched his hands, trying to contain his anger but he failed. “I’ll announce my decree and this must be effective immediately. You and Rachelle must marry each other as soon as possible. Rachelle must be crowned as the Luna Queen after the marriage. Lastly, Rachelle will not go to lead the brigade. The future Luna Queen should not put her life at risk.”
As soon as Grand Alpha left, my wobbled knees couldn’t help to be dropped on the ground. My life had suddenly taken away from this decree.
“Meeting adjourned! Get out of the assembly hall! Now!” I heard His Majesty ordered. “Felix, kick them out!” He growled dangerously.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Tears started to fall from my eyes as Grand Alpha’s decree echoed in my mind. Especially the part where I couldn’t lead the brigade…
“Rachelle.”
I raised my glance to see his face. My vision was a bit blurry so I couldn’t see his expression.
“Claude…” I covered my face with my hands and started sobbing. “I can’t lead the brigade… I have been wanting it my whole life… Grand Alpha shouldn’t take that away from me…” I cried.
My heart was broken. Even though my mate was happier than I was the one who is betrothed to His Majesty, I couldn’t even celebrate. It hurts me seeing how angry the Grand Alpha was.
“I will do something about it. Please look at me.”
I shook my head and pushed him away. I tried to stand up but my wobbly legs wouldn’t let me. I ended up kneeling on the ground.
“Rachelle!” His Majesty approached me again.
“Stay away from me!” I said angrily and shot him a glare.
Claude looked at me with a sad expression. “Rachelle, please.”
He slowly reached me again. He was trying to see if I would snap at him again. I didn’t move when he tried to make me stand up. I didn’t fight anymore as I lost my will and just let His Majesty help me.
When I glanced up to see Sir Felix with a concerned expression looking at me.
“Luna Queen.” He helped me to stand up but I jerked his hand away.
“Don’t call me that,” I said through gritted teeth. “Don’t address me that! I am not your Luna Queen! I am General Rachelle Simon!” A sob escaped from my lips.
“Felix, don’t address General Rachelle yet.”
“Forgive me, Your Majesty, General Rachelle.”
“You may leave and call some servants to my chamber. I will deal with General Rachelle.”
“As you wish, Your Majesty.”
I watched Sir Felix leaving the assembly hall. Only His Majesty and I were left here, beside me as he was supporting my body.
“I shall bring you to my chamber until you calm down. Will you permit General Rachelle to lift you on my back?”
I looked at him. There was a gentle expression on his face. But I couldn’t appreciate it. I am feeling empty inside. The Grand Alpha’s decree had made me lose my mind all of a sudden. I will be Claude’s betrothed and I will soon be crowned as Luna Queen. The worst-case scenario was I wouldn’t be able to lead the brigade and the troops I would like to lead had escaped with my grasp. Lastly, the Grand Alpha was mad at me for Claude and I hid the truth.
I just nodded.
When he prepared his back, I slowly approached it. Then I let His Majesty lift me. I held onto his shoulders and leaned my forehead to his nape.
Silent tears fell, feeling my world crumble. How did it turn up like this? I am supposed to lead the brigade… But what just happened? The ecstasy where I am at had showered down.
“The irony…” I laughed bitterly.
I heard his deep sigh but His Majesty didn’t say anything. But I knew his tightening grip a little when he heard my sobs.
Before I knew it, I felt the soft mattress. His Majesty knelt before me. And again, that gentle expression was smeared on his face. I looked at him, devoid of emotions.
He reached for my face and wiped the tears from my eyes. “You stay here. I will ask my servants to get you some water to drink.” I didn’t reply and just let him order his servants. I didn’t know any of them.
I glared at my hands and clenched them. I have mixed emotions right now. I didn’t know what to do right now.
“Here.” I quietly reached for the glass of water and drank the water.
As I emptied it, I looked at the glass seeing the emotionless expression mirrored on it. There was despair in it as well.
His Majesty silently watched me as I was hearing his labored silent breathing. I didn’t even look up at him.
“Lastly, Rachelle will not go to lead the brigade.” The Grand Alpha’s words echoed in my head which angered me. I gripped the glass so tight it shattered into pieces.
“Rachelle! What the hell!” He reached for my bleeding hand. “Why did you do that?” I looked at my wounded hand as he was taking out the shattered pieces of glasses that pierced through my hand.
He immediately took a cloth and wiped the blood. As he finished, my wounded hand had already recovered. I smiled bitterly. Being a werewolf, we have the advantage to get healed so easily. Except if we were wounded by the wolfsbane formula.
“I want to go back to my quarters,” I said coldly and stood up.
“Right now?”
“I don’t want to stay here. It’s making me sick.”
His jaw dropped but instantly recovered. He stretched a small smile and nodded. “Very well. I shall escort you myself.”
I furrowed my eyebrows. “Are you part of Grand Alpha’s plan?” I asked dangerously.
“What?” He gave me a perplexed look. “No.” He hissed. “You heard me back there, Rachelle. I never colluded with my Father,” he said, annoyed. “He only told me that you were not on his list. He promised me that he will not include you for he respected you and what he announced astonished me as well. The way he found out everything surprised me.” He was gritting his teeth when he uttered those words. I only stared at him and didn’t say anything. His Majesty sighed, exasperated. “As much as I want you to be my Luna Queen, Rachelle, I would never force you to be part of the list of the candidates because your freedom will be cast out. You want to lead the brigade because that is your happiness. That is why I never told Father who my mate was.”
I looked away and stared at the wall that was painted with gold. His chamber screamed luxury. “Still he found out,” I muttered and smiled bitterly. “I’ll be a Luna Queen which I never wanted…” I laughed dryly.
His Majesty held my hand. “I’ll speak with Father to revoke his decree. I swear I will do everything.”
I jerked his hand away. “A decree is as strong as a royal seal, Your Majesty. You cannot just revoke it or else it will be deemed unworthy for someone in the highest authority of executing orders. It will be bound immediately. You should know that already.” I passed by him.
I felt his presence and his scent behind me. I just let him since I didn’t have an ounce to argue with him. All I wanted was to lay on my bed and lock myself up in my room.
As I arrived at the building where my quarters are located, I saw some palace guards guarding it. Some guards were coming out of my room. All of my things had been taken away.
“What are you all doing to my quarters?” I asked, panicking.
“What is happening here?” It was His Majesty.
“Your Majesty, General Rachelle.” The guards bowed before us.
A palace guard, who looked like he was in charge, came forth. “We have received an order from the Grand Alpha, Your Majesty. Starting today, the Luna Queen candidate, General Rachelle has to be transferred to a new chamber inside the palace, Your Majesty, before she will be transferred to the Luna Queen’s chamber.”
I gasped, unbeknownst to this order. “Return all my things immediately! I will stay here! I am not going to go into a new chamber!” I said angrily, clenching my fists. “Your Majesty!” I turned to him.
His expression smeared with slight annoyance, glaring at the palace guard.
“You heard General Rachelle. Return all her things. Now,” he ordered.
“But, Your Majesty… Grand Alpha ordered us-”
“To whom should you follow? Me, your Alpha King, the highest status of all, or my father whose status is only a Grand Alpha, second to the highest status in this kingdom?” His Majesty said with a bitterly cold expression.
The palace guard was startled by his question. He bowed his head. “I-It is you, Your Majesty. Forgive my insolence!”
“If you already know that, then why didn’t you follow my orders, you imbecile!”
His Majesty stopped in front of him and kicked his stomach that made everyone, even me, gasp in surprise. He even punched him.
“May your anger dissipate, Your Majesty!” The palace guards knelt before him.
“Move! Return all her things!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
I remained speechless with His Majesty’s actions. Although I knew that His Majesty was ill-tempered, it was my first time seeing him being so violent along with it. His action was making me slightly nervous but I was feeling at ease.
“Don’t worry, General Rachelle. I have thought them a lesson,” he said with a sweet smile. The grim-faced he had earlier had dissipated. It was changed to something calmer and composed.
We waited until all of my things were returned to where they belonged. I silently watched as the palace guards quickly moved. They were frightened of His Majesty’s violence. I could surmise that this was how Alpha King Claudian dealt with them in a cold demeanor manner.
As they left, I turned to him and bowed my head. “Thank you for respecting my privacy, Your Majesty,” I said politely.
When I glanced up, I saw how his emotions shifted. But he smiled remotely.
“You must take a rest, General Rachelle. I shall take the matters here. Though I cannot deal with the decree of my Father and he is now forcing you to be my betrothed.”
I didn’t speak but I only answered him with a polite bow before he excused himself. I went to my quarters and leaned against my door. Slowly, I slid down to the floor as tears fell from my eyes.
“Luna Queen? How hilarious…” I laughed dryly.
My wolf should be happy right now because of no woman but I had been chosen to be His Majesty’s betrothed. Well, congratulations to her because this was her dream come true. In this kind of situation, I would be forced to accept him.
Once I get married to His Majesty and become the Luna Queen of Waevalon Kingdom, there is no reason for me to join the war. I would stay here in the palace for the rest of my life. I would be considered a fallen General who had cut off its wings to prevent her freedom.
I stomped my fist to the floor, causing it to crack.
“Damn it!” I hissed and started to throw some of my things.
I don’t like what is happening right now. This wasn’t funny anymore!