Page 133 of Chased By My Grumpy Alpha
I smile menacingly at them. “You touched my mate. You kidnapped her. You tortured her.” My voice grows colder with each word. “For those crimes, I am ending all business dealings between the crown and your family. Every contract, every trade agreement, every political alliance.”
Whatever is left of Zari’s composure finally shatters. “You can’t do this! I am your betrothed! You belong to me!”
“I belong to no one,” I say softly. “But Astra belongs to me. And I will burn this entire kingdom to ash before I let anyone harm her again.”
The promise resonates through the throne room, and in the silence that follows, I hear the rapid beating of hearts, the sharp intake of frightened breaths.
They understand now. They understand exactly what they’re dealing with.
The Mad Wolf has come home.
My father’s voice cuts through the tension like a blade. “Everyone out. Now.”
The nobles scramble for the exits, their whispered exchanges and shocked murmurs fading as the massive doors close behind them. Soon, only three figures remain: my father on his black throne, myself, and Astra standing beside me.
The King’s expression is one of pure annoyance. “You’ve cost me an advisor,” he tells me.
“I cannot tolerate Zari,” I say flatly. “I won’t have her poisoning your ear with lies about my mate.” I look at her. “Astra is the only one I want,” I continue, my voice growing fiercer. “And I meant every word I said. I will burn the Wolf Kingdom to the ground before I let anyone hurt her.”
My father leans back in his throne, studying me with those cold eyes. “She’s a latent shifter.”
“We’ll discuss that later,” I reply. “Latent or not, she is mine.”
He looks at us, his gaze heavy with unspoken challenges and the weight of everything that has just transpired.
Finally, my father waves his hand dismissively. “Get out of my sight.”
Without another word, I lift Astra into my arms. She is lighter than she should be, weakened by torture and blood loss. As I carry her away, I feel her head rest against my shoulder, and through our bond, I sense her exhaustion and relief.
The throne room doors close behind us with a resounding thud, sealing away the politics and schemes and leaving just the two of us in the corridor beyond.
I stare down at Astra’s sleeping face, noticing the way her dark lashes fan across her pale cheeks. It’s been half a day since the confrontation in the throne room, and the royal healer has done everything possible—healing the whip marks, treating her other injuries, ensuring her body is whole again. But she remains unconscious.
“It’s the shock of it all, Your Highness,” the healer had explained before he left. “Her body is healed, but her mind needs time to process the trauma.”
Guilt gnaws at me like it’s a living thing. My mate probably feels completely betrayed by my deception—finding out I’m the crown prince in front of the entire court, learning that I’ve been lying to her about my identity this whole time. The woman who saved my life, who trusted me enough to share my bed, discovered my true identity while being tortured for crimes she didn’t commit.
I lean forward and press a gentle kiss on her forehead. My fingers drift to my neck, touching the unmarked skin there. I want her bite, the mating mark from her end that would complete our bond. But if she truly is a latent wolf, her bite won’t carry the power needed to mark me.
Except, I have my suspicions.
I’ve already consulted with the royal witch about Astra’s condition. He was able to detect magic on her—old magic, deeply embedded—but he can’t determine if it’s suppressing her wolf or serving some other purpose. The magical signature is too complex, too ancient for him to unravel.
But I know something is different about her. During our nights together, in the heat of passion, she clawed me, causing deep scratches. They healed within hours, but the strengthbehind them, the instinctive nature of the action—that wasn’t human. That was wolf.
A knock at the door interrupts my thoughts. Seth enters, his expression grim.
“Your father wants to see you. Now.”
I look down at Astra one more time, then stand. “Guard this room. No one gets in except the healer.”
Seth nods. “Of course.”
As I head out the door, I catch sight of Leon in the hallway and flag him down. “I need you to do something for me,” I tell him quietly. “Dig into Astra’s past. Her family, her childhood, anything you can find. There’s more to her story than we know.”
Leon’s eyes sharpen with interest. “I’ll start immediately, Your Highness.”
I stride toward my father’s private study, my mind racing. Whatever he wants to discuss, I doubt it’s going to be pleasant. But Astra is safe now, healing in my chambers, and that’s all that matters.
