Chapter 99
The Royal Concubine's face changed, an almost imperceptible flicker of relief crossing her features. "My son has returned?" she repeated, her voice colder than before. "So soon?!"
I froze, my heart pounding as the implications hit me. Lucian's return could mean the end of whatever fragile peace we had left. The wolf clans, the court—they would follow his lead, and I was certain that nothing good would come of it.
"Yes, my lady," Beatrice said, her voice strained with excitement. "He's just arrived, and everyone is talking about it. But I believe something is wrong. There is news about some injury."
The Royal Concubine's complexion paled. "What? Are you saying the Prince is injured? I must see him right away."
I glanced at the Royal Concubine, who was already turning to leave. "I'm sure we'll talk more about this later," she said, a cold smile playing at her lips. "We'll see if your condition changes, Princess Arin."
She turned on her heel, and the physician followed her out, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
Prince Lucian was back. The news was both a relief and a terror. I had no idea what would come next, but one thing was certain—everything had just become far more dangerous.
.........
Lucian's chambers were suffocating with tension when I arrived. The sight of him lying there, pale and broken, sent a pang of guilt through me. His leg was heavily bandaged, his face twisted in pain, and the healers bustled around, whispering grimly about the extent of his injuries.
I forced myself to stay calm, to play the role of the dutiful wife, even though every instinct screamed at me to leave. Instead, I walked to his bedside, placing a hand gently on his arm.
"Lucian," I said softly, my voice trembling despite my best efforts. "How are you feeling?"
His eyes fluttered open, dull and unfocused. "Arin," he rasped, his voice hoarse. "My wife. You're here."
"Of course," I replied, gripping his hand. "Where else would I be?"
Before he could respond, the door slammed open, and Rowan strode in, his face a mask of cold fury. The energy in the room shifted immediately, tension crackling in the air.
"What were you thinking?" Rowan's voice was sharp, cutting through the low murmurs of the healers. "Why did you leave before I told you to? You knew the rogue wolves were still a threat yet you come back here! How could you be so foolish!”
Lucian's gaze hardened, though his body remained limp. "I thought I could handle it," he muttered.
"Clearly, you couldn't," Rowan shot back, his voice low and laced with anger. "And how dare you leave without my permission?! And now look at you. You’ve not only failed the mission and now you've managed to get yourself crippled!"
Elana, who had been standing silently in the corner, suddenly stepped forward, her face flushed with fury. "Enough!" she snapped, her voice rising. "This is your fault, Alpha! You sent him there to die! If you cared about this kingdom so much, why don't you deal with the conflict at the borders yourself instead of sending my son to clean up your mess?"
Rowan turned to her, his golden eyes blazing. "Watch your tongue, Elana," he said, his voice deadly calm. "You may be his mother, but you have no authority to speak to me like that.”
Elana didn't back down. "No authority?" she spat. "I once sat by your father’s side and made decisions with him. You're a coward, Rowan. A coward who hides behind his title while sending others to fight his battles! How many more of my children will you sacrifice before you're satisfied?"
"Enough!" Rowan roared, his voice echoing through the room. "I've tolerated your insolence long enough. Say one more word out of line, and there will be consequences. Did you forget you have no real place or title here?! You’re just the royal concubine to my father, who happens to be dead now.”
“I could easily send you and your children out of this castle if I wanted.”
Lucian shifted weakly in bed, his voice barely above a whisper. "Don't talk to my mother like that," he said, his words slurred with pain.
Rowan scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "And what will you do about it, Lucian? You can't even stand, let alone defend her. What happens if you're crippled like I was, hm? Will you still be so eager to challenge me then? Will you fight for the throne so strongly too?!”
"Your Majesty," I said sharply, stepping forward. "That's enough."
His gaze snapped to me, and for a moment, I thought he might lash out. But instead, he turned on his heel, heading for the door.
As he reached the threshold, Lucian's voice rang out, weak but filled with venom. "Mark my words, Rowan. I'll take back what's mine. You won't stay on that throne forever."
Rowan paused, his hand on the doorframe. He turned back, his expression unreadable. "It was mine first. Never forget that.”
“Heal first, Lucian," he said coldly. "Then we'll see if you can back up that threat."
With that, he was gone, leaving the room in heavy silence.
I turned back to Lucian, whose face was contorted with rage and pain. "You shouldn't push yourself like that," I said quietly, reaching for his hand.
He pulled away, his expression hard. "You don't understand, Arin," he muttered. "This isn't just about me. This is about the future of the kingdom. Rowan's reign is over—it has to be. I'll make sure of it."
I didn't respond. What could I say? The man lying before me, the man I was bound to, was consumed by ambition and resentment. And as much as I wanted to believe I could somehow fix things, deep down, I knew this was only the beginning.
Elana's sharp voice broke through my thoughts. "You see, Arin," she said, turning to me with a pointed look. "This is why you need to stand by Lucian. This is why we need you. Perhaps your father can influence the emperor to help our cause. Look at how the Alpha King treats his own brother! Together, we can rebuild this kingdom the way it was meant to be."
Her words sent a chill down my spine, but I forced myself to nod, playing along. "Of course," I said, my voice steady. "I'll do whatever it takes."
But as I looked at Lucian, pale and broken, and Elana, her eyes blazing with determination, I couldn't help but wonder if I was standing on the edge of a war I didn't want to fight.
Was I somehow part of their plans? Did they think Braam would provide them aid to fight against Rowan?
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