Page 45 of Saved By The King's Gamma

“How may I help you, gentlemen?” Liam asks.

“We have had a complaint,” the tallest member of the council states coldly, his voice dripping with authority and superiority.

“So you thought you would break into the kingdom? The king isn’t here, so I am sure we can reschedule,” Liam retorts, a bit of his humor slipping back into his tone. The tall council member matches Kyson’s height effortlessly; his obsidian eyes fixated on Liam with an unsettling gaze. He then peers behind Liam, his gaze finding me, and he stares at me curiously, giving the air a sniff.

“Clarice, take the new girl upstairs,” Liam commands, but the tall council member steps forward, causing Liam’s hand to instinctively fall on his chest, a silent warning.

The energy in the air shifts, crackling with tension as Clarice grabs my arm, pushing me up the stairs. The man’s presence is foreboding, commanding attention and respect. He steps forward, disregarding Liam’s attempt to redirect him.

“She remains. We aren’t here to see the king but to find two women, an Abbie and the queen.”

“As I said, the King isn’t here, and neither is Abbie, and neither is the queen,” Liam growls, looking at the man whose gaze has not left me. His eyes then dart back and forth between the council member and the men surrounding him, their guns glinting ominously in the dim light when one presses against his chest.

The man watching me tilts his head to the side. “Now that would be a lie because she reeks of the king’s scent,” he growls.

“And as I said, the king is not here, so I will escort you off the premises, gentlemen. No need to frighten everyone here,” Liam retorts.

Clarice’s grip on my arm tightens, pulling me further away from the unfolding confrontation. Fear courses through my veins like venomous poison, constricting my thoughts and actions making me sluggish, and I follow her when another voice fills the room.

Just as Liam is about to make his next move, another voice cuts through the chaos, commanding attention and freezing everyone in their tracks. The sheer force behind it sends shivers down my spines.

“She goes up those stairs, shoot him, and the woman,” the voice echoes through the room, its authority leaving no room for argument. Clarice gasps, her eyes wide with terror as they meet mine, silently conveying the gravity of the situation to not move right now.

“Clarice, take her upstairs,” Liam orders, his voice filled with a dangerous edge. I swallow, turning my attention back to these men surrounding Liam.

“What is this about?” I demand, and the man smirks as my command rolls over him but has no effect. He looks amused at my attempt.

“If you would come with me, My Queen,” he says with a mocking tone, his words dripping with falseness.

“She is not going anywhere with you,” Liam snarls, stepping into the council member’s path and placing a firm hand on his chest. The tension in the room intensifies as the other men surrounding Liam move closer, their guns pressing against him. A palpable sense of danger hangs in the air, threatening to explode at any moment. The men holding guns step aside to allow the other three men into my line of vision, all of them dressed impeccably in tailored suits.

“You must be Azalea. I see you have met Mr. Crux. I am a council elder. My name is Denali,” he says.

This man, Denali, oozes authority, and is clearly the one in charge. He smirks, his cold blue eyes staring up at me as he sweeps thick blond hair from his face. He also speaks with a thick accent I can’t quite place.

“And this is my brother, Larkin,” Denali says, motioning toward the man beside him in a tailored blue suit, his blond hair tied neatly at the nape of his neck. Larkin possesses the same cruel, sharp features as Denali, a mirror image of him.

“And this is Kendrick,” he says, motioning to the last man who is missing an eye. A long, jagged scar stretches from his hairline to his chin, his lips twisted into a permanent snarl. He moves forward with an unsettling grace, his one-eyed gaze fixated on me with an intensity that sends shivers down my spine.

He takes a step toward me, and Liam moves quickly, stepping into his path and grabbing the front of his suit jacket.

“Touch her, and I will remove your other eye,” Liam snarls, his words laced with a lethal promise. Kendrick responds with a snarl of his own.

Denali intervenes quickly before the tension can escalate further. “No need for that, Liam. You are outnumbered. We are here for the rogue girl and the queen. There is no reason for things to turn messy,” Denali states calmly, his voice carrying an air of authority that brooks no argument.

“Not without the king present,” Liam retorts, turning his attention squarely toward Denali.

“We are well within our rights to enter. As council members, we have immunity into any pack, even the King’s Pack. We also have a warrant and an entire pack to back our claims. She will be given a chance to have her say, but for now, she must come with us,” Denali states with an air of finality, his words leaving no room for negotiation.

“What claims?” Liam demands.

“There are only two laws that are upheld to this degree, Liam. You know that, so if you would follow me, Queen Azalea, we can settle this and bring the other girl,” he says, motioning toward me.

“Abbie isn’t here,” I say.

“Very well, this won’t take long, we brought the truth serum, so it should be settled quickly,” he says, motioning for his men.

Liam growls, and all hell breaks loose. The tension in the room reaches its breaking point as the men surrounding Liam tighten their grip on their guns, their fingers itching to pull the trigger.

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