The Alpha's Forsaken Feisty Mate

Leon paced restlessly, his thoughts consumed with worry for Zenna. He had warned her and pleaded with her not to provoke their father. Yet, she hadn’t listened. Today could have ended far worse.

"Alpha Radulf and Luna Zenna are here," a servant announced in a respectful tone.

Leon immediately straightened, pushing aside his turbulent thoughts as he turned toward the doorway. His gaze landed on Zenna, and his stomach tightened. Even from a distance, the bruise on her neck was starkly visible against her pale skin.

Savio had arrived as well, ensuring that no servants stay in the vicinity to overhear any of the conversation.

Leon exhaled sharply in frustration. "Why did you do it, Zenna?" He almost yelled. "Father said your eyes were strange. What exactly did you do? And why did you even speak before him? You know how much he despises you!"

Zenna remained silent, but Radulf took a step forward with fury. His wolf rumbled against his chest.

"Will the Crown Prince stay calm?" Radulf snarled. "And don’t blame Zenna when the real villain here is the Alpha King." His hands clenched at his sides, his wolf clawing to take control, desperate to rip Phillipe apart.

Leon scoffed, his golden eyes flashing with anger. "Radulf, you acted recklessly. Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You’ve given Father the perfect excuse to eliminate you! Who told you to challenge his authority like that? I thought you were smarter than this!"

Radulf stepped forward, his own fury matching Leon’s. "Watch your mouth, Crown Prince. If you’re not here to help, then leave. But don’t stand in my way—"

"Stand in your way?" Leon cut him off this time. "Because of you, Zenna’s life is in even greater danger now! You should have stayed quiet and handled the situation with caution. Or have you forgotten how your parents met their end?"

Radulf grabbed him by the collar, his eyes turning a red shade, a color which would usually appear in his human form whenever there was an outburst of anger in him.

"Let him go, Radulf," Zenna pleaded as she rushed between them, grasping her husband’s hands. "Please, don’t do this. I beg you."

Radulf hesitated for a moment before releasing Leon, but the fire of his rage still burned fiercely in his eyes. His wolf wanted blood, but Zenna’s touch was keeping him sane enough.

Zenna turned to Leon, meeting his gaze with tear-filled eyes. "It’s my fault," she admitted before breaking down. "I angered Father. I refused to do what he wanted me to."

It wasn’t just her own fate that terrified her, it was Radulf’s. All the lives in the Shadow Hunter Pack were now at risk because of her defiance.

The moment her cries filled the room, the tension between the two men melted away. Radulf grasped her arms gently, and his eyes replaced with worry instead of rage in an instant. "Zenna, don’t cry," he said, trying to soothe her, but she couldn’t stop.

Leon, watching his sister break down, felt his own resolve shatter. He exhaled sharply and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Zenna, we won’t fight. So stop crying," he assured her.

Zenna wiped her tears with the back of her palms, still sobbing. "I—I’m sorry. This is all my fault. I didn’t think about the consequences," she whispered.

Leon spoke again. "Father claims your eyes burned him. What exactly happened?" 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Zenna’s lips trembled as she recounted the incident. "He strangled me," she murmured, gripping the fabric of her dress. "I was struggling to break free, and then... something happened. A surge of energy filled me. My eyes turned silvery, and suddenly, Father started screaming."

Radulf exhaled sharply. "You aren’t wolf-less," he stated firmly. "That’s why it happened."

Leon narrowed his eyes at her. "Did you lie to Aria about awakening your wolf?"

A guilty silence filled the space before Zenna finally murmured, "Yes."

Radulf, however, was quick to clarify. "That was in the past. Zenna does possess a wolf... but it refuses to come out."

"Did Phillipe have a hand in suppressing Zenna’s wolf?" Radulf asked.

Leon raised a brow, a flicker of amusement crossing his face. "You’re speaking the King’s name so casually," he remarked.

"I don’t consider him my king anymore," Radulf said with disdain.

Leon leaned back slightly with a frown. "If anyone suppressed Zenna’s wolf, it would have been Mother. She is the one who never liked Zenna’s mother, and eventually her daughter," he admitted. "I don’t know the full truth yet, but I’ll find out."

Radulf’s eyes darkened as his patience was turning thin. "I want the answer tonight."

Leon exhaled sharply. "The world doesn’t revolve around you, Radulf," he retorted. He needed more time to find the real reason behind Zenna’s suppressed wolf, which couldn’t happen in mere hours as Radulf wanted.

"Do it by the night," Radulf demanded, his tone brooking no argument. "I don’t have much time. The council gathers tomorrow, and I need to prove Zenna’s innocence. I will expose the royal family’s cruelty against her."

Leon remained silent for a moment, his golden eyes flickering toward Zenna.

"Are you sure the council will stand with you two?" he finally asked. "Have you really thought this through?"

"They will," Radulf answered without hesitation. "Your father is weak, Leon. He’s desperate to ensure his grandchild inherits the throne in the future. You know this as well as I do. He’s using all of us, using every piece on the board, for his own selfish motives."

"Yes, I’m well aware of that," Leon admitted. "Father intends to get rid of you, me, and Zenna the moment his ambition is fulfilled. But now that you’ve openly challenged him, he won’t wait that long. You both need to be extremely cautious tonight. Anything could happen." His voice carried a grave warning.

Radulf’s jaw tightened, but he remained unfazed. "Does Phillipe seek the help of witches?" he asked while being skeptical.

Leon’s gaze sharpened. "How do you know that?" he asked in a guarded tone.

Radulf stilled, realizing the implication behind Leon’s reaction. "So, he does?"

Leon exhaled and ran a hand through his hair. "Yesterday, a witch from Herah arrived. Father personally invited her to the capital," he revealed. "As far as I know, she’s the wealthiest witch in Herah—one of the most powerful in their circle. Father has always been secretive about his dealings, but now... I think he’s been planning something all along."

Radulf’s eyes darkened further. "If he’s bringing witches into this, it means he’s willing to go to any lengths."

Leon nodded. "And that makes him even more dangerous."

"So, what’s the conclusion? What should we do?" Zenna queried.

"Just stay in the mansion," Leon replied. He knew Zenna was scared. She always wanted a peaceful life, but it was almost impossible for her. "If Radulf claims that the council will not stand for Father’s inhuman ways, then you shouldn’t be afraid. I suppose in this mansion you are safe."

Zenna lowered her eyes and nodded simply.

"I will find out from my mother if Zenna’s wolf is sealed by her or not," Leon murmured.

"I will wait for your reply," Radulf said. "Savio, stay here. I’ll see the Crown Prince outside."

As the two men walked outside and reached the porch, Leon whispered something in Radulf’s ear.

"Are you sure?" Radulf arched his brow.