Althea’s head lifted weakly, her vision hazy through blood and tears. Yet even in her half-dazed state, she recognized him. The tall, broad figure cloaked in black, eyes burning with a lethal glow.
The Alpha King. Gavriel.
His gaze swept across the hall, cold and sharp as a blade. The executioner froze mid-motion, the whip slipping from his hand as if the strength had been stolen from his body.
“What,” Gavriel’s voice thundered, deep and resonant, “is the meaning of this?”
The court hall fell into dead silence. Even the Queen Mother, who moments ago had commanded the punishment, lowered her eyes as his power pressed against everyone present.
He strode forward, every step echoing like a judgment. His eyes locked onto Althea, kneeling in her own blood, her back torn and raw. Something flickered in his gaze—rage, cold and consuming.
In a blur, his hand snapped out, seizing the executioner by the throat. The man let out a strangled cry as his feet dangled in the air. Gavriel’s eyes glowed, veins bulging, his grip unrelenting.
“You dared to lay a hand on what’s mine?” Gavriel’s voice rumbled like thunder. With a twist of his wrist, a sickening crack echoed through the chamber. The executioner’s body fell limply to the ground.
The councilors recoiled, horror etched across their faces.
Gavriel turned, his gaze locking on Thanos.
“You.” His voice dripped with venom. “You dare accuse my breeder without convincing and proper evidence. You dare twist the law for your petty games.” His steps echoed as he advanced, the sheer force of his presence making Thanos shrink back.
“M-My King, she used magic without proper authorization,” Thanos stammered, his voice shaking though he tried to keep it steady.
Gavriel’s lips curled into a snarl. “I’m well aware of her capabilities. And she has direct authorization from me.” His voice thundered through the hall.
He took a step closer, his shadow swallowing Thanos whole. “You just proved how unworthy you are of this position. Punishing her without consulting me—knowing full well I made it clear that no one touches her except me.”
“But, Your Majest—”
“Are you challenging my authority, Lord Thanos?” Gavriel’s growl was low, dangerous, vibrating through the stone walls. His glowing eyes bore into Thanos, stripping him of whatever false courage he had left.
Thanos dropped to one knee, his forehead damp with sweat. “Of course not, My King,” he gulped, his voice cracking.
The chamber fell into suffocating silence. No one dared to move. Gavriel’s dominance pressed against every soul in the room like a crushing weight, a reminder that to oppose him was to sign one’s death.
Then his next words came, sharp as steel.
“Effective now—you no longer hold authority in this council, Lord Thanos Stone of Moonlight Pack.” Gavriel’s voice rang like a death sentence, cold and merciless.
“I have no need for a High Councilor who makes careless judgments out of bias. The Law and Justice of this royal court are not to be twisted into jokes. To hand out punishments without first seeking truth, without a proper trial, shames the very foundation of this kingdom.”
Gasps rippled through the chamber. Some councilors lowered their heads, others stiffened in fear, but no one dared to speak.
Thanos’s face drained of all color. He fell to his knees, stammering, “My King, please, I—”
“Silence.” Gavriel’s snarl shut him up instantly.
He whirled to the others, his voice booming like a death knell. “All of you—get out. Now. Before I decide to strip the skin off your backs the way you did hers.”
The chamber erupted in chaos. Everyone scrambled, tripping over one another in their desperate rush to escape the storm that was Gavriel. None dared look back.
Uriel only sighed, flicking open his fan as if this was all a show for his amusement. “I told you so...” he muttered with a smirk. Uriel shook his head. “I warned you all...”
Only a select few knew Gavriel’s true secret, and Uriel was one of them.
To the rest of the world, Gavriel was feared for his pure lycan blood. But Uriel knew better... the reason for his terrifying strength was the lycan soul bound within him. A soul passed down through his bloodline, making Gavriel the most powerful living Lycan, a true heir of the Lunaris Dominion.
He had control most of the time. Most of the time. But on nights of the Blood Moon... the beast within slipped free.
The last Blood Moon was seven years ago. Uriel had barely survived its wrath—Rizza hadn’t. The memory still cut deep, the image of his mate dying in Gavriel’s frenzy forever etched in his mind.
It was his fault. Theirs. He had betrayed his own blood, yielding to the mate bond, and the consequence had been carved into his soul. No matter how many years passed, the regret never dulled.
Uriel stepped forward, offering his arm to the trembling Queen Mother. He led her out into the corridor, his calm demeanor belying the storm inside the hall.
Leaning close, he murmured, “You should not have allowed this trial, Aunt. You know how a lycan is with his mate. Gavriel will not let this pass without holding those responsible accountable.”
Queen Mother Wilma exhaled sharply, her lips curling into a bitter sneer. “I just wanted to see Cain’s daughter suffer, even if only for a fleeting moment. I want word of it to reach that bastard.”
Uriel’s eyes narrowed. “You’ll be implicated in this, Aunt.”
She scoffed, shaking off his warning. “I’m still his mother. Do you really think he’ll kill me like that? At worst, he’ll keep me grounded for days.”
Her tone hardened, venom dripping from every word. “That woman is a witch. She’s bewitched my son. I knew Cain’s daughter couldn’t be just some worthless human! They tricked us!”
Uriel’s fan stilled. “No, Aunt. Althea isn’t a witch. I sensed her energy myself. I sense no darkness in her. She carries light... and a powerful one...”
“What?!” The Queen Mother’s voice cracked in disbelief.