Ch. 11..15: The Rogue is a Female Alpha chapter 11-15

Back Where 11

Rephyrine

“I should go home,” I said at last, compelling Dessyn to stare at me in confusion.

“Why are you accepting this humiliation, Zephyr? Why?

Finished

I looked away toward the small window of the carriage, exhaling, Kaela had insulted me gravely, and I watched her walk away.

She’s respected in the Empire for her contributions to peace, but a woman like me. I am above her. Still, I allowed her to trample all over me.

“Is this because of the mate bond? Because of Nyroth?” Dessyn asked, and I sighed, I turned to her gently.

“He’s my mate.”

“A mate who never cares about you, Zephyr. You deserve more than him. He doesn’t even touch you, or..” She paused, then asked softly. “Has he ever kissed you?”

At that question, I swallowed hard and looked away.

Come to think of it. Nyroth has never kissed my lips.

All he’s ever done is kiss my temple, and that only happens when he’s trying to apologize for something

We never had any romantic time together. There’s never been any lust between us.

Once, we hugged, and I tried to take it further but he gave excuses, Said we should save it for our wedding night.

I believed him until now.

Now I know the truth. He’s saving himself for his crush.

He’s never once felt attracted to me in a romantic way. He only kept me by his side because I helped him build his pack. Nothing more.

The carriage stopped before Hue Pack, and I turned to Dessyn, who was clearly annoyed by my tolerance.

“I’ll come meet you at home. We promised Princess Mearez I’d come by later tomorrow,” I said, and she nodded.

When I alighted, I could feel her gaze on me.

At last, the carriage rode on toward White Pack.

For a long while, I stood at the gate of Hue Pack before I walked in.

The hall was unusually silent today.

When I pushed the door and stepped into the living room, the first person I saw was Kaela, seated calmly in a chair and Pamela, Nyroth’s mother, patting her back.

At once, Olivia, who seemed to have been waiting for my arrival, charged forward.

“The harlot is here. Was it true you told lies just so you could make your friend the host? Was it true?”

I stood there, my eyes on her for a brief moment before I shifted my gaze.

Nyroth stood ahead beside the window, saying nothing which meant one thing.

He believed it.

I bypassed Olivia and headed toward my chamber, but Pamela blocked my way.

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Finished

“I heard what you did, Zeph. How you spread lies about that friend of yours hosting a festival in Ash Pack. Have you chosen death, lying to the Lycan heir about a pack so sacred and respected?”

My gaze fell on her. I pulled back, trying to suppress the anger that threatened to rise.

It’s best I left the house for now,

I made to bypass her. Then it came.

” shows she’s a whore. She must have inherited that trait from her dead mother. Spreading legs and fucking with strangers!”

I went cold at that claim.

Slowly, I turned back to stare at her, stunned she had crossed a line of no return.

“What did you say?” I asked.

“You heard me, you harlot!” she shouted.

That exclamation came with a slap that tilted my head to the side. A hard slap across my face.

I went colder stillas she spat, the spit landing on my feet.

“I curse the day my son brought you home. You never deserved him. Barren.”

That was it.

1 fisted my hands and turned toward my chamber, dashing in just to breathe.

My own mother being called a harlot?

I was still seething when the sound of my door opening came.

I turned to see Nyroth standing there in the doorway, his eyes fixed on mine.

“Was it true?” he asked. Zeph.. is it true you had a thing with Apex?” Original content can be found at f͟i͟n͟d͟n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟.net

I went cold.

An assumption and he believed it at once. That meant one thing. There’s no love between us. No trust.

After everything that just happened in the living room.. this is all he could ask me

I didn’t respond and he seemed to understand the message. He sighed in frustration.

“Zeph, you know what the rumors say about Apex. He doesn’t care about anyone but his two sisters. But today. he stared at no one but you. Spoke to no one but you which means one thing.”

“That I slept with him? I asked quietly.

He swallowed hard when he saw the tears welling in my eyes.

“That last night, when I was chased like a dog from my mate’s pack in the rain, with my parents‘ ashes, I went ahead and lay with a stranger. Is that it?!”

Silence descended at my yell.

He searched my eyes.

At last, he let out a sigh and took a step forward, his fingers reaching to hold me but I took a step back.

Zeph, I’m sorry. Let’s just..”

His fingers reached again, trying to wrap around my arm and I stopped him with one deadly glare.

“Touch me. Nyroth, and I swear on the Moon Goddess we worship. I will slit your throat.”

It wasn’t a threat. It was a promise.

He went still at once, stunned by my words.

I wiped the tears off my face and stepped back, arriving at a decision of no return.

Finished

“I tried, Nyroth. Despite all I’ve done and all the endurance I’ve shown the love and trust just isn’t there between us.”

Zeph

“Let’s break up.” I cut him off. “I want rejection. Fix the date and time. Let’s complete the ritual and go our separate ways. You can marry and mark Kaela, as you’ve always wanted.

He went totally pale at my words but I didn’t give him time to recover.

I turned and left the pack, heading straight for White Pack

Back Where 12

Zephyrine

Finished

I arrived at White Pack under the night sky. It’s a smaller pack compared to Hue, but its members are friendly and humble.

I made my way toward the Dusk family’s abode and come across Alpha Acudric speaking with his Beta and some elders in the garden.

“Zephyr,” he called. I turned and bowed in his direction. “You’ve come for the trip to the Lycan Kingdom?”

I nodded in response, and his face lit up with a grateful smile. He turned to the elders.

“She helped us seal the deal tonight. Now everyone will hear the name of White Pack that it’s from our pack the host of the Lycan coronation will be chosen.”

Then, he looked back at me.

“The carriage will be waiting. Inform Dessyn that you’ll be accompanied by guards.”

“Alright. Alpha Agudric.”

I left the garden and arrived at the doorstep of the Dusk family home. For a few seconds, I stood still, steadying my breath.

I’d pulled down my long hair to hide the faint marks left behind by that slap. And just as I raised my hand to knock, I heard movement behind me.

Slowly, I turned and my eyes settled on Moon.

Taller now. Broader. Handsome in a quiet, understated way. Dessyn’s younger brother, once my junior in rank on the battlefield, now fully grown.

He carried a basin of water he’d just fetched, but upon seeing me, it slipped from his hands and spilled to the ground.

I offered him a small smile, but instead of smiling back, he closed the distance between us and hugged me tight.

His devotion has always been fierce. And I’d be lying to myself if I claimed not to notice his affection. It wasn’t the fondness. of a brother–in–law or a junior. Not the innocent admiration of a boy who knew me as his sister’s friend. No. This was different. A man’s silent claim

I’ve caught him staring when he thought I’d fallen asleep. I’ve watched him take an arrow for me in battle. I’ve seen the longing he tries to hide.

But to me, he’ll always be my younger brother.

I gently pulled back from the embrace and smiled. I had stayed away from White Pack partly because of him. And now, I could no longer escape it.

Is Dessyn at home?” I asked.

He nodded and eagerly opened the door.

“My father is here, but my mother went on a trip.”

“Oh.”

I stepped into the small living room and paused at the doorway. Nathan, Dessyn’s father, sat on an old recliner reading a weathered book. I swallowed at the sight of him and walked forward to pay my respects.

“Kather

He paused his reading, lifting his head slowly. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw me.

“My child. How have you been?”

Finished

“we heard about what you did for on pack. Thank you so much Your friend’s in her chamber. Moon Goddess knows she weds maxinum help

I smiled family and headed down the familiar hallway to Dessyn’s room. She was bent over her bed, staring at various sketches of goblets. When she noticed me, she sighed in relief.

Good thing you’re here, best friend. I can’t seem to choose wisely. What type of goblets will fit for the guests at the

ination?”

“Hun..“I walked over to take the sketches from her. “This one will be line, given the fact that,

I stopped mid–sentence. She wasn’t looking at the designs. Her gaze was fixed on my cheek. I looked away quickly, Minking, but she pulled my hair back gently to get a better view.

“This is the height of it, Zephyr, she said, anger simmering in her voice. “If Jurrek or any member of Ash Pack saw this, they’d come for blood.”

I stared at nothing for a moment before exhaling shakily.

“I demanded a rejection.”

“W what?”

“I was called a harlot. Dessyn. And my mother? A prostitute.” I turned to face her, eyes hollow. “I don’t deserve to be an Ashmere.

“Zephyr

“I couldn’t find my brother. I couldn’t make my mate love me, and…”

She didn’t let me

finish. She pulled me into a tight embrace.

“This is the best decision you’ve ever made, Zephyr.” She pulled back to meet my eyes. “Enough of all this. Nyroth never loved you, and you know it. You’re holding on because it was your parents‘ greatest wish for you to marry but we both know they’d never rest in the afterlife if you were trapped in a loveless bond.”

I sighed, my throat tightening. She gave my hand another reassuring squeeze.

“Zephyr?”

I looked at her, and she nodded firmly.

“You can come here. Stay here until Varyn returns. Maybe I should even hire you for this hosting job. I need a team, and after this coronation, I’m sure new offers will come flying in. What do you think? Alpha Acudric respects the Warlord, Your father. My father loves you. My younger brother will be more than happy to have you here. Even iny mom was your mother’s best friend. What do you think?”

Love. Sincerity. Support. My wolf felt it all from Dessyn unwavering loyalty.

I turned slowly toward the wall, my eyes tracing its cracks as if I could see beyond it. I couldn’t. But I could feel his Moon’s.

Living under the same roof with him, knowing I wouldn’t return his feelings, it would be hard. For both of us.

“I’ll think about it,” finally answered.

Dessyn nodded. Just then, a knock came to the front door.

We walked to the window to peek out. The guards were already waiting.

Dessyn pulled away from the curtain to grab her robe.

“Let’s go, Zephyr. We’ve got a lot to do.”

presence. This content belongs to

Amit) 20 din hrs, to help her prepare for the Lycan King’s coronation.

Back Where 13

Zephyrine

“Are you sure about the security?”

“Do not worry at all. His Highness is already heavily protected. He will be fine.”

I overheard Dessyn asking the Lycan guard again, making sure everything is well prepared.

Finished

Dusk has descended, and night in the Lycan Kingdom leaves an impression. Fire–lit lamps glow at every corner, and flames |

We’ve teamed up with the palace maids to finalize the dishes and drinks that will be served.

Security is scheduled for the coronation. Hospitality for the guests, entertainment, everything is set.

When we were done, I sat in a wooden chair inside the throne room, clearly exhausted. I turned my gaze from Dessyn and found my eyes drifting toward the golden throne.

Majestic is too small a word to describe it. The seat of a king, with the crest of a Lycan, a shifter upright on two legs, etched above it in deep, precise gold.

Lycans. They are stronger than werewolves. And the King, they say, is the Moon Goddess’s equal because the first Lycan was born from her womb.

I lowered my gaze from the throne, weighed down by a question I’ve never dared to speak aloud.

Why didn’t they fight?

When the demons nearly destroyed us, why didn’t the Lycans rise? Why do they seal their gates and never interfere

The question echoed in my chest when a soothing presence slid under my skin, pulling me from my thoughts. I turned toward the entrance and saw Princess Mairez walking in.

She smiled when our eyes met, then looked around, nodding in approval.

“You got it right. My brother will be pleased.”

Dessyn stepped forward, clearly delighted.

“Are you sure, Princess Mairez? I mean… I don’t want to disappoint the King or my pack.”

Mairez nodded with a soft, knowing smile.

“You won’t” Her eyes scanned everything and finally rested on the throne. For a brief moment, I caught an emotion flash across her face. At last, she smiled again.“Have you ladies gotten dresses for tomorrow?”

At her question, Dessyn and I exchanged a look.

“No, my best friend replied, and the princess smiled wider.

“Then we’ll choose together. Follow me, please.”

She led the way, and I rose from the chair, wondering what kind of market stays open at such an hour. But then we passed a long hall and stepped into an open space buzzing with movement a

It was a night market. Vibrant and alive, buyers and sellers busy under rows of lanterns. When Princess Mairez appeared, everyone paused to bow.

I noticed how the men gave her space, moving away quickly to avoid even brushing against her.

My brother has made it permanent,” she said casually. “No man must look at us.”

Finished

Her voice was light, but I heard the sadness beneath it.

The building she entered appeared to be a cloth store, elegant and refined, with dresses of every design on display. A tailor was sewing in the comer, but when she saw the princess, she leapt up too quickly and pricked her finger.

“You should be careful, Rhyo,” Mairez said gently. I watched in silence as she took the girl’s bleeding hand and healed it in

seconds.

The wound vanished, and the two continued speaking about dress styles as though nothing extraordinary had occurred.

She’s a healer.

One of the Lycan princesses is a healer. And her brother. he’s dangerously protective.

Dessyn was already examining dresses, and I wandered toward the window, Outside, I saw it. The legendary Black Tower where the Lycan Prince lives in isolation.

A single light burned in the high window. He’s inside.

My eyes fixed on his balcony for a long time, imagining what his life must have been like. A child raised under the rule of a “brutal king. The strictest father. A prison with a view.

I turned away when Dessyn called my name, but I paused.

I felt it

That ripple of awareness again

I turned back to the tower. He was there.

A silhouette stood on the balcony. Still, Watching. His attention was on me, steady, unwavering

“Zephyr, come check this dress out!” Dessyn called again, louder this time.

I lowered my gaze from the balcony and turned to her voice. I touched the fabric, pretending to care, but my mind wandered back. I glanced again but he was gone.

I stepped back toward the window, frowning. He had disappeared, and yet I stood there like a fool, waiting. Hoping

I scolded myself silently after few minutes. What am I doing?

I quickly turn and made to join Desynn but then I heard it. Latest content published on find(ɴ)ovel.net

“You are beautiful.”

A voice. Inside my mind.

A mind–link. But… I’m not his mate.

I spun around to the balcony, stunned. Only mates can enter your thoughts. But Apex had done it, effortlessly, and what he said…

I blinked slowly, catching my reflection in the mirror.

I stared at myself for a long moment.

No man has ever told me that.

My brother always joked I was ugly.

Nyroth has been too busy chasing after Kaela to even notice me.

But a cursed Lycan had seen me and he had called me beautiful.

I lowered my gaze from the mirror and walked back to Dessyn, trying to push him from my mind. But the more I tried, the

harder it became.

His voice. His words. His gaze that never wavered and those strange, shifting eyes that change with his mood.

 

Back Where 14

I can hear the whispers from the maids and see the glances from the guards. Heads always turn when she’s present, and my mother and younger sister adore her.

I do too.

It’s no secret I cherish Kaela more than life itself. And the life I have.. it’s hers

I watch her select through the row of dresses I had brought in from the designer. My mother chuckles, pointing out one of them, and they both giggle like girls. Happy Carefree.

I wonder what life would have been like if Kaela had been my mate instead. Peaceful, no doubt. Brighter.

I turn to stare out the window beside me, eyes fixed on the gate of my pack. I don’t care about Zeph.

At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.

Yet here I am, wondering what’s keeping her so late. Has she gone to Apex’s bed again? Has she…

Damn.

1 clench my jaw at the thought.

I saw the way Apex looked at her. I felt the shift in him. He’s not just unsettling, he’s powerful in a way that could rival the Moon Goddess herself.

His eyes changed color when he looked at her and I have felt my wolf stir, ready to lunge, ready to protect what is ours.

But I didn’t move.

Because Kaela was there. And I’ve always wanted Kaela. Zeph was just… a bond. A twist in destiny. Nothing more.

Once I sever it, once I reject her, I can finally claim Kaela the way I’ve always intended. Make her my Luna.

I take a breath at that thought, just as the White Pack’s carriage stops in the dark lane outside.

“Tomorrow morning. Zephyr. Thank you so much for today,” I hear her best friend say. Zeph nods in response, smiling.

“Good night.”

A few minutes later, after the carriage disappears into the distance, I see the pack gates open and Zeph walks in. She pauses at the entrance, looking up toward me. Our eyes meet just briefly.

And for a moment, I can’t breathe.

She stunned me yesterday. Her skills at the arena and her words.. the way she said she’d slit my throat… gods, I believed her. I want to dismiss it as a bluff, but I can’t. She’s not the kind to speak in anger without meaning it. She’s calm, quiet. But when she breaks… it means she’s done.

She asked for rejection, I’ve made preparations.

I watch her step into the house. The door creaks open, and then I hear it shut behind her. She walks past everyone without a glance and heads straight for her room.

Prostitute, Kaela hisses.

Zeph ignores her. Latest content published on find·novel·net

She disappears into the corridor that leads to the private chambers, and something inside me snaps. I clench my jaw, furious and frustrated and not even sure why,

I storm down the hall and push open her door without knocking.

She’s standing there, admiring an elegant new dress and a pair of fine shoes, clearly for the coronation tomorrow.

Jealousy claws through my chest, and I step closer.

“I see you’ve been shopping with the prince, all in the name of helping your friend, Zeph.”

She doesn’t respond.

That silence, gods, it makes me boil.

I snatch the dress from her hands and fling it onto the bed. My glare burns into her.

Tell me, Zeph. Did you cheat on me? Tell me right now if you’ve ever..”

“Yes,”

The word slices through me like a blade.

go still. Cold.

“What?”

Finished

“Apex,” she says, her voice calm, cruelly calm. “He looked at me. And I liked it. Tonight, he stared at me from his tower… and I nearly lost my mind when he disappeared. If that counts as cheating, then yes, I cheated. But let’s not pretend we’re saints. You’ve spent your whole life staring at Kaela. And I lived with it.”

She steps closer, her voice harder now.

“So tell me, why can’t you survive one look from Apex?”

My heart twists in pain I didn’t expect. I grit my teeth, unable to speak, the expression on her face digging into something raw inside me.

I’ve lost her and she’s slipping away faster than I can catch her.

Maybe it’s better this way. Maybe it’s time.

“Are you still a virgin? The question spills from my lips before I can stop it. I’ve never touched her. Never kissed her. I never

wanted her.

“Answer me, Zeph. Has he touched you already?”

She says nothing.

The silence makes my stomach churn. I swallow a lump of frustration and rage.

“Maybe they’re right,” I say bitterly. “Maybe you are nothing but a slut.”

Her eyes flash with hurt, but I keep going,

“I’ve spoken to the elders. In three days, under

the full moon, we’ll say the words. We’ll break the bond.”

1 step back and turn for the door, but before leaving, I throw one last dagger.

“Kaela’s staying in my chamber tonight. But you won’t mind now, will you? We’re nothing anymore.”

Islam the door shut behind me.

In my own chamber, I drop onto the bed and bury my face in my palms.

Once I let Zeph go, it’s done. No mate will be granted to me again. That’s the cost we Hue Pack members pay.

I groan softly and push myself upright, moving to the hidden corner of the room. There, behind a loose panel, I retrieve a

Cheater 14

Finished

small chest.

Inside it lies half a hairpin.

Karla’s.

I was sixteen when rogues attacked during a festival. Fire was everywhere. People screamed and fled. I was trapped, bleeding, half–dead in a burning building.

A white wolf leaped through the flames and dragged me to safety. She vanished as quickly as she came, but in the rush, her hairpin had fallen off

I kept it close. Cherished it.

When I woke, Kaela was there beside me. She said she’d saved me. And I believed her.

Ive loved her ever since.

I close the chest, sealing the memory away.

Maybe rejecting Zeph is the right thing after all. She’s a rogue. She has no name. Nothing like Kaela. The only good thing that ever came from our bond was the money she gave me to fund the pack. The money I never asked where it came from.

But I’ve tried.

Now it’s time we go our separate ways.

No regrets.

Back Where 15

His agreement to the rejection didn’t shock me. I’ve always known that’s what his heart desired.

What surprised me was his anger. How furious he became at the mere fact that Apex looked at me.

Finished

While he has stared at another woman all his life, just one glance from another man at me is enough to make his blood boil.

I sigh and turn to the window. The sun is rising.

The coronation will begin soon. The time has said it will be held under sunrise.

I get up from the bed, readying myself too before the carriage of White Pack arrives, when the sound of giggles catches my

attention.

“Stop that, Nyroth. You have a mate. You can’t kiss me like that.”

Kaela’s voice filters in from his chambers and then his deep voice followed.

“Stay still. She means nothing now.”

I blink rapidly and pull back, suppressing my wolf.

Shouldn’t he restrain himself? At least until the rejection is finalized?

I walk away from the b

and take a bath. As I step out of my bath chambers, I overhear gasps outside.

Slowly, I walk to the window and peer through.

Every eye is on her. Get full chapters from find•novel.net

The guards, the maids, the pack members, they’re all fixated on Kaela, graceful in her coronation dress.

Pamela, Nyroth’s mother, and Olivia, his sister, beam with joy, glowing with pride at Kaela and Nyroth’s closeness.

They’re already dressed for the coronation.

They mount the carriage and ride toward the Lycan Kingdom.

Without me.

I turn back, walk to my wardrobe, and stand in front of the gown for a long time. It’s stunning, rich, elegant, but it feels foreign.

I’ve long since grown comfortable in trousers and soft linen shirts.

Now, I gather my hair into braids, but I pause when my fingers brush the scar at my scalp. I sigh.

The scar I earned when I saved a boy from a fire, long ago.

I braid over it, covering it, sealing the past.

Just then, I hear my name called. I walk to the window again. Dessyn is already dressed, radiant.

Princess Mairez had gifted us these dresses and fine shoes. She’s been gentle, warm. If I said I didn’t respect her already, I’d be lying.

“Let’s go. We’re late,” my best friend calls.

I rush out. As I step into the open, I hear the gasps, see the heads turning.

0:30 PM p p

My first time dressed feminine.

How’s that for a change?

Finished

Power

I’ve seen it, raw and unfiltered, when my father once commanded an army before my eyes.

That day, something inside me was hooked. Addicted.

I felt it again when my brother was promoted to War General.

Since then, I’ve craved it, that feeling that sends shivers down your skin.

And I feel it now as I step into the grand hall of the throne room and see the golden crown, glowing, waiting for its king.

I’ve never known just how many packs exist in the werewolf world.

But hundreds have come to witness Apex’s ascension.

Everyone is already seated, most fawning over Kaela, who sits beside Nyroth.

The door opens, and I enter with the Dusk family and Alpha Aeudric of White Pack.

Instant silence. Heads turn to me but it’s someone else who catches my eye.

Jurrek and two Ash Pack elders seated in the front row, a place of honor.

Honor for us. For my brother.

Jurrek stands, but I glance away, signaling him silently to sit back down.

This is Apex’s moment, not mine. I won’t steal the light.

I follow Alpha Aeudric and Moon to the seats reserved for the White Pack. Dessyn hurries over, frazzled and breathless.

“The King will arrive shortly,” she says, adjusting a tray of goblets. “Goodness. The staff I hired are doing their best, but the security isn’t as tight as I thought.”

“Everything will be fine, Dessyn,” I assure her.

She nods.

“I really pray so.”

No sooner has she spoken than the double doors open again.

The two Lycan princesses enter. Grace incarnate. Their presence

demands reverence.

They make their way to the two seats beside the king’s throne.

Princess Mearez pauses by Alpha Aeudric, giving him a warm smile and a respectful nod.

Then she turns to me.

“You look… wonderful, Zephyrine,” she says, her smile radiant. “I can call you that, right?”

“Right.”

She gives Dessyn a kind smile too and leans in to whisper,

*My brother said this morning the host will be hired again for future festivals across the Lycan Kingdom. It’ll be a tedious job. Brace yourself.”

9:39 PM P P.

Then she leaves. But her words ignite joy in Dessyn, she can’t contain her smile.

Even Alpha Aeudric is grinning, proud that White Pack’s name is spreading.

I sit down, quietly smiling, my eyes fixed on a porcelain cup on the table.

Then I feel it. An intense gaze.

But this time, it doesn’t excite me. It doesn’t send a chill.

I glance up and meet Nyroth’s eyes.

He’s watching me from the table reserved for Hue Pack. He hasn’t stopped staring since I arrived.

But I no longer care. I look away. Only to notice Moon glancing my way.

Finished

“It’s strange seeing you in a dress like this,” he says when our eyes meet. Then he looks down and smiles faintly. “You look beautiful.”

His words barely register before the room falls into deep silence.

He is here.

Yesterday, he was a lord. Today, he becomes a king.

The great doors part and Apex Blood enters.

Gasps ripple through the room. All attention pivots to him. Shock, awe, reverence.

Many have never seen him in person. Now they do.

He is a shadow stitched in flesh. So tall, dressed in layered black again with his raven on his shoulder.

Only this time, his fur cloak bears the royal crest of the Lycan Kingdom.

Even the silence bows beneath his presence.

He walks forward, imposing, calm. But then he stops. Abruptly.

His head turns. To me.

I swallow hard as his eyes meet mine.

Colorless this time. Glacial. Devouring.

He holds the stare for a moment before moving on.

He walks to his throne but not without detouring first to his sisters. He kisses them both gently on the lips just as he did yesterday.

Gasps ripple again.

Yes, I was stunned yesterday too But I’ve come to understand their bond,

At last, Apex sits on his throne. Head bowed. His Eyes lowered like yesterday, Avoiding every gaze. Or perhaps… choosing not

to see us at all.

“It’s time. Let’s get started,” Dessyn says, rising with renewed energy.

And just like that, the coronation begins.