Chapter 2

Sitting on the ends of the long table. I can barely see the Alpha who is eating with me. If it weren't for the bright color of his hair. I would start to wonder if he's really in the other end of the table or not.

The clinking sounds of his silverware against his plate made me look up to him. My hand pause from cutting the family's favorite pie.

All of a sudden. He stood up from his sit. I was so confused that I found myself staring at the omega who is lined up meters away from the table. Just in case they have an idea what's going on right now, but I got no response in return and when I look back at the table. Alpha Verendus is settled to the wooden chair next to mine.

I let go of my cutlery and subtly cleared my throat. Confused wether I should smile at him and ask him what he needs from me or let him open his mouth whenever he's ready. Everything felt suffocating for me.

"Is there something that we must talk about?" I asked him with my calm and monotonic voice after I pushed the plate away from me. I am already full anyway.

"In order to keep peace within the realm. I need an heir, Kalon," he started. I see this coming. If not tonight. He'll bring this up sooner than later. I just wished he waited for at least a week. We just lost our family today. He lost both his wife and his son. Why can't they at least give us a break and let us mourn? For the late Luna and for the rightful heir to his throne who never was acknowledge?

I bit the inside of my cheeks and clicks my tongue eventually before I look up to him.

"There's no other lady from the Daria. Not sure with the Caiden and Nuvibagant or from other houses from far and foreign lands but whoever it is that you chose to marry. My opinion does not really matter and I trust that you are choosing someone who'll become a big help to the realm," I said. I am one move away from standing up and leaving my spot when he said something. Something that it felt like I heard wrong.

I darted my head to his direction with my eyes almost popping out from its sockets.

"What do you mean? If you are not going to remarry. How can you have an heir for your position? Zuiveren would lose his sanity if he hear these words from you. Are you drunk?" I exclaimed the last question. His eyes, they still look sober to me but those words. Those are something that will never come out of his lips unless he is currently slaved by the warmth of his alcoholic drinks.

The veins on my neck and eyes almost popped when I thought of something.

"You don't plan on abdicating the throne to Zuiveren and making him the next Alpha of the Refulgent, right?" He remained speechless for a few seconds, but I couldn't wait for another one.

"You can't. You should not. I rather see you remarry and the small council disrespecting the Luna's death by not giving us some time to grieve than to see that old man ruling the real and the pack!" I said, we are half a meter away from each other but I am already shouting at him like he's still sitting on the other end of the table.

Alpha Verendus chuckled. My forehead crumpled in confusion and my lips in pursed.

"Why would I abdicate the throne to my beta when I have an heir of my own blood and flesh?" His answer blown my mind.

Is he confessing to me right now that he's a father to a child made out of wedlock? That he onced betrayed the Luna Khalla? My mother?

"Fuck," I muttered. I raised my hand on the mid-air and with the use of my feet. I pushed my chair away from the table. I was about to walked out on him.

"I will make you my heir, Kalon. You will be the next Queen of the Refulgent and the Alpha of our pack," he suddenly announced, halting my incoming footsteps. I froze on my spot. Even moving my head to look back at him, I had a hard time do to it.

"The council is pressuring me to remarry so I can have an heir but if I already have an heir. Their mouth will be shut and I'll remain faithful to my mate," he said. Now, I can heard the sadness in his eyes and flooding of grief on his eyes.

The Alpha is way more broken than I am.

He caught my hand. Alpha Verendus brushed his finger against the back of my palm.

"I will make you my heir and will train you to become the rightful Alpha of the pack," he said. He had made his mind and even if the men on the council bleeds. He won't change his mind.

"Will you accept the responsibility that I will hand down to you?" he asked after a brief silence that arise between the two of us.

I only dreamed of inheriting the throne. It's my wildest dream. I wanted it to happen so bad but I didn't thought that it would be possible to have it in my palm, waiting for my acceptance.

I swallowed a lump in my throat.

"I always had this dream," I said. His blue eyes glistens with curiousity.

"That one day. Because I desire for the great throne so much. I will start a rebellion and make that very chair of power mine," I admitted. That's one of the few things that scares me the most. A dark secret that I plan to keep with me in my grave. I never once thought that I will tell the Alpha about this.

Alpha Verendus smiled at me. He looked pleased and proud rather than scared and anxious that such words are coming out straight from the full lips of his daughter who always look like all she cares about is riding a dragon and eating those big round pies of cherry.

"I will be the Alpha of the Refulgent and I will lead the realm to its new era. I will make sure that by the end of my reign. Men will see women as their equal and not just a tool for breeding and producing heir," I muttered.

That night was the last night that I have spoken to the Alpha. I was looking forward for another day to spend with him. Hearing his guidance and his words of wisdom but it didn't came. Zuiveren found him the following morning dead on his bed with a decree on his hand, proclaiming me as his official heir and the new Alpha of the Refulgent and Queen of the realm.

We burned his body at the same place where we burned Luna Khalla and my stillborn brother two days after that morbid day.

Holding my tears as I looked at the fierce fire all over the Alpha's sacred body. I can only afford to look away. I can't let Zuiveren or anyone in the council see me lose myself together. I won't let them use my emotions against me to stop me from ascending on the throne that the Alpha entrusted to me before he decided to follow his dear mate and son.

"We will talk about the decree that the late Alpha left tomorrow princess," Zuiveren whispered in my ear. In the corner of my eye. I saw him bow his head to my father for the last time before he leave. Everyone in the council soon follow his trail until it's just me and Zanth standing in front of my father's ashes.

A tear from the sky falls down on my cheeks. Bringing my eyes up on the gray clouds.

"We should head back to the castle," Zanth whispered in my ear in a soft voice. It sounded like a suggestion than a command that I must follow.

Keeping my eyes on the ground where the late Alpha's body is now gone. I found the corners of my lips stretching a bit.

"Why does it felt like I was betrayed by my very own father?" I asked him an absurb question, "If he couldn't last another day living in a world where his mate no longer exist. He should have proclaim me his heir with a proper ceremony and not just a decree that men in the council will soon question. Putting his name and decision on shame."

"Kalon, the Alpha trusted you that you won't let those men throw dirt at his name just because he passed down the ruling right to you."

I looked up to Zanth and with his big hand and long fingers. He shielded it on my face to stop the drop of rain from falling straight into my face.

"You were born on the day of a blood moon. The only child born on that day, we believe. It could be the Moon God's way of letting us know that you were meant for greatness. The first shewolf to rule the realm and so you should. I won't let anyone stop you from sitting on the throne even if it meant-" Zanth suddenly stopped himself from talking. Curiousity fills my eyes. Little by little, I started to feel anxious. I can forsee him doing something unimagineable, it scares me.

"Even if it means?" I asked.

"Even if it means betraying my own blood. I think that was the reason I was born into this world," he said, "So I could support you. To stop my father from coming at you, to be your shield." Something inside me snapped at that moment. I tiptoed and pulled his nape closer.

Our lips met with both of our eyes opened. This is not how I imagined my first kiss to be!

Slowly, I let go of the collar of his royal coat and my heel landed back on the grass. I was about to pull my hand from his chest when he snatched and hooked it back on his neck. Zanth cupped my cheeks and once more, our lips united. This time, it felt like both our world stops from spinning around.

Zanth and I chuckled seconds after we pulled away from each other.

"Would you like me to spend the night in the castle?" He asked as we are walking down the hall. I stopped and turn my head at him with a silly smile popping on my lips.

"Zuiveren will look for you. You two will need to carry a plan on how he can have the throne for himself," I teased him. The smile on his lips faded. Zanth let go of my head. I immediately stopped fooling around and equalled the seriousness in his eyes.

"I am joking, Zanth." I said, looking earnestly on his heavily hooded eyes.

My feet find their way back on him, inching the distance between the two of us.

"I would love you to stay in the castle tonight and on the following nights," I told him, "I will start my day tomorrow by making you my very own beta and hand. Replacing your father." Zanth rolled his eyes at my words.

"Just that?" He asked, on those two words lies another question that I quickly get.

I sighed. The way he bores his eyes on me is making me a bit nervous. Since when did we start seeing each other in a different light?

"Zanth, if we do that. If we cross that line... w-we can't be friends again after that---"

"So we must simply not let this...whatever it is end, Kalon." I shake my head. I am losing everyone lately and I don't want to lose him too.

"No, Zanth. We should not cross the line. I need you. I always does. I won't risk losing you for some pleasure."