Page 121 of Chased By My Grumpy Alpha
The King.
But it’s not the sight of royalty that makes my knees nearly give out. It’s the two figures standing nearby, watching my approach with expressions that cause my stomach to clench with dread.
Alpha Gareth and his daughter, Harper.
They’re here. They followed me all the way to the royal palace, determined to see me punished for the crime of wanting freedom.
The guards force me to a stop about twenty feet from the throne. I stand there, dripping wet and shivering, but I keep my spine straight and my gaze level. The nobles around the room continue to murmur among themselves, their whispers carrying clearly in the vast space.
“Look at her.”
“So defiant.”
“Doesn’t know her place.”
I ignore them all, focusing on the imposing figure seated on the black throne in front of me.
The King leans forward slightly, his pale eyes fixing on me with cold interest. “So, you are the runaway bride who disobeyed my orders.”
Terror floods through me, but I force myself not to crumple under his stare. I’ve come this far; I won’t break now.
“Alpha Gareth,” the King says without taking his eyes off me. “Verify her identity.”
My alpha steps forward eagerly. “Yes, Your Majesty. This is Astra, the female who was meant to be sent to the Blue Crest Pack according to your decree.”
The King nods slowly. “Tell me, Astra of the Silver Stone Pack, do you know the punishment for defying a royal decree?”
My mouth goes dry. I know exactly what happens to people who flout the crown. This isn’t just humiliation or exile we’re talking about; this is life and death. So, if I’m going to die anyway, I may as well speak the truth.
“I do, Your Majesty,” I say, my voice steadier than I feel. “But I would also like to know the punishment for someone attempting to make a fool of the King.”
“Shut up!” Alpha Gareth’s roar echoes around the throne room. His face turns purple with rage. “King Alaric, you see how defiant she is! How rude and arrogant! Her insolence is staggering. She has no respect for authority whatsoever!”
“Arrogant?” I snap at him, my fear transforming into white-hot anger. I turn my head back to face the King again. “Your Majesty, your decree stated that the strongest female of each pack must be sent to another pack. But I am not the strongest female in the Silver Stone Pack. She is.” I point directly at Harper, who turns as pale as death. “Harper, the Alpha’s daughter, is our most powerful healer and our strongest female.”
Hushed murmurs emerge from the nobles.
“Silence!” the King commands, his voice cutting through the throne room like a knife. He turns his cold gaze to my alpha. “Alpha Gareth, is your strongest female this girl, or is it your daughter?”
Alpha Gareth’s face flushes red, but his voice is steady when he answers. “Your Majesty, it is Astra. She is our most powerful healer.”
“I have a latent wolf!” I say, my voice rising with desperation. “How can I possibly be powerful? I can’t even shift!”
“She’s lying,” Alpha Gareth says quickly. “Your Majesty, Astra is indeed a powerful healer. When news came that she had to be sent to fulfill your decree, she tried to manipulate the crown by concealing her powers. She had help: a healer who assisted her in pretending to be latent, and a warrior who helped her escape.”
My blood turns to ice as I hear footsteps echoing from a side entrance. Two guards haul in familiar figures, and my eyes immediately fill with tears.
Selene and Daciana.
My friends. The two people who risked everything to help me escape, who showed me the only kindness I ever knew in that wretched pack.
The horror knocks the wind out of me when they get closer and I can see them better. They’re almost unrecognizable. Daciana’s face is swollen and bruised, her left eye completely shut, dried blood crusting around her split lip. Selene can barely hold herself upright, her healer’s robes torn and stained with blood that I pray isn’t all hers.
“No,” I whisper, shaking my head in disbelief. “No, no, no.”
Alpha Gareth’s voice is dripping with vindictive satisfaction. “These two traitors have confessed to their crimes, King Alaric. They admitted to helping this girl escape, to concealing her true power from the pack, to defying the crown’s decree.” Hissmile is cruel, predatory. “My daughter Harper witnessed their conspiracy firsthand.”
Harper steps forward, her face the picture of false remorse. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I tried to stop them, but they threatened me into silence. They said terrible things would happen to me if I spoke out.”
