06

NYX

They had dragged her away from the dungeon as early as the day had brightened. She thought she was being sent to work as a slave in the palace but imagine her surprise when she stood before a huge number of pack members she did not know and how the guards who had brought her out pushed her to her knees roughly. Her eyes glanced at the glistening huge and sharp edged blade that rested on one of the holds, and she immediately understood what was about to happen. She was about to be beheaded, and that too in front of these people.

Her heart skipped a beat, fearing that the end has finally come. She was going to die. Death kept chanting in her head and when she was tackled against, one of the guards had her hands tied behind her and she tightened her eyes waiting for her death.

"Kill her!"

"Kill her!"

"Kill her!"

They all chanted as she knelt before them with her head hung low. Her wet hair clung to her face as her heart hammered against her chest over and over again.

Her hands were tied behind her and her legs were shackled with huge chains that sent bristle shock through her body.

Her throat kept bobbing.

It has finally come to this. She thought to herself.

"Alpha King, your command." The headsman asked, his voice rough and cold like ice. As if he was not about to behead her a living sacrifice to whatever celebration was going on.

The Alpha King rose to his feet and raised his golden cup up towards the sky. Everyone began to cheer again and it soon went silent.

"We hereby behead this filthy Omega to serve as a sacrifice for any evil that might befall my sister, Selda."

He tipped his chin. "Go ahead."

The headsman received the order with a curt nod of his own and as he raised the huge blade up, everyone went silent as they watched, anticipating to rejoice at the living sacrifice. She tightened her eyes and laid her neck more properly, and she clenched her sweaty hands behind her. She did not have any last words so she kept quiet.

Not like she lived some good life.

Just as he was about to slam it against her neck, a stone from somewhere flickered across and hit the blade. The headsman lost his target and the blade fell from his hand with a thud and his hand went paralyzed instantly, it shook as if currents were running through that hand.

Everyone gasped and turned to the one who had dared to interrupt the session.

It was him. Zenith. He stood there with a hard look itched on his face as he stared at the figure who knelt before people, waiting to be beheaded. When she saw that nothing was coming close to her neck, she opened her eyes and glanced around, only to see the shock on people's faces and as she looked at the one place everyone faced, her heart skipped a beat and her lips parted as recognition set in.

He... He was her mate.

The Lycan King was her mate.

How did he become her mate? She was wolfless.

Why was he not trying to protect her from being killed?

She had several questions coming in from her head and she could not help the way her stomach dropped in pain.

"Lycan King," Lionel rose to his feet, an angry expression on his face. "And what is this? Why did you interrupt my ceremony?" He asked, his eyes changing between his wolf's color and his. Zenith tipped his chin and held his hands behind him.

Griselda also seemed shocked, disappointment clouded her face. Why was the man she wanted to marry protecting some slave?

"I just wanted to say that it would be a waste of blood killing someone for my wedding, don't you think I have a say in it?" He asked, his eyes as clear as the sky as he turned to Lionel was trying to hide his anger.

After sharing an eye lock for some seconds, Griselda broke the tension and chuckled with an unladylike sound. “You are right!”

Zenith’s eyes flicked to her direction for a brief section before returning back to Lionel whose brows twitched and he dropped the golden cup in his hand. He waved his hand to dismiss Nyx but Zenith cut in again. “No, don't dismiss her. I will love to take her. Since she is the living sacrifice for my wedding to your sister. I will love to own her.”

That got both Selda’s and Lionel’s attention. Why would he want to take Nyx? Lionel was known to be really possessive of his properties and he would definitely not give Nyx to him.

Not saying anything, Lionel came down from his throne and walked towards him with Selda following from behind. “How about we go back into the palace to have a breakfast since you seemed to have interrupted mine?” He asked.

Zenith knew that Lionel was angry and he was angrier as he had something else in mind.

Zenith led the way and Lionel signaled that they continue the celebration and Nyx was dragged along. They settled in the dining room which was held by four golden pillars. Zenith for once had a thought that the werewolves were quite richer than they are but that could still be uncertain as he did not know the way Lionel and his ancestors has been getting their money.

Nyx stood just outside the dining room with her head hung low and her heart skipping multiple beats at a time. Her brain could not process anything that was happening so she stood and waited. It was not like she could run away or escape. She needed an explanation.

Her throat bobbed in action as the aroma of the food that was placed on the dining table drifted into her nostrils. Clenching her hands together- they were still tied behind her, she swallowed down the saliva that was forming in her mouth.

Zenith flicked a glance her way and she cringed further, bowing a little bit more. He picked a cake from the table and threw it on the floor at her. Lionel, Selda and the rest of the maids that stood there were all in utter shock.

A food at the king’s table was thrown at a person that was even less than a slave? It was unheard of.

Even the high esteemed workers of the palace knew their boundaries.

“And is this you are doing?” Lionel asked, trying to keep his anger in check. Zenith raised an innocent look up at Lionel.

“I thought I might as well feed my living sacrifice. At least, she is living.” He responded. Selda laughed again but Lionel cut her a glare that had her keeping shut. Her eyes seemed to glaze over, Lionel was passing a message across to her through a mind link.

Nyx was not told, she crouched down and wanted to use her lips to pick the cake since her hands were tied, Selda pulled back her chair and rose to her feet. Nyx continued to struggle with picking the cake. Selda bent down and picked the cake, Nyx stared at her with expectation. She studied it with a clear expression and sent a smile at Zenith who seemed disinterested but his inner Lycan was weirdly fighting against him.

It must be because he did not want any harm to come upon Divine. He thought.

Selda brought the cake close to Nyx’s nose and then to her lips. As Nyx tried to bite it from her hand, she pulled it away and dropped it to the ground. With a frustrated sigh, Nyx continued to struggle to pick it. She would endure the disgrace for the piece of cake. There was nothing in her stomach and this... This was her only hope to remain sane.

Fortunately, she succeeded in picking it up between her teeth but her joy was cut short when something that felt like the shoe pressed her head down the against the tiled floor of the dining room. The cake fell from her mouth and all it left was the sugary and honey taste on her tongue. She forced her eyes up, only to see a smirking Selda.

“You are not qualified to eat the food of the living, Omega.” She pressed her head down further, almost flattening Nyx’s head with the floor as she wiggled her feet with her head with the cake on the floor. Nyx could not cry or wince, she bit back the pain and waited till she was done.

“I do not stand for a violence when it comes to my breakfast, lunch and dinner. If there was someone you should punish, it should be me since I hurriedly assumed that I was her master and I could treat with a piece of honey sugar cake.” Zenith finally spoke up.

Selda gave him a too sweet smile before taking her leg off Nyx’s head. “How dare I do that? You are the Lycan King and my husband to be. I should give you the respect you deserve.” She told him.

She was not a bimbo after all. He thought.

He lifted his shoulder in a half shrug. “Please have your seat.” He picked another two pieces of cake and threw at Nyx before turning back to Lionel who seemed like he was trying his best to keep the bomb of rage from exploding in him. The maids moved forward but Selda stopped them with a hand raised. Nyx did not waste time as she picked the cake and quickly ate them. She did not care that she was being used as an object of game between them.

“Back to what the proposal held,” Zenith took a sip from the wine. “The-”

“Are you not worried that the wine might have been poisoned?” Lionel cut in.

Zenith’s brows twitched. “Really? Tell me, why do you think I gave the Omega the cake to eat?” He asked, a smug expression visible on his face.

After staring at him for a long while, Lionel sighed.

“It is not like you would want the trouble that comes with poisoning me.” Zenith added.

Lionel, this time, uttered a snort that screamed every bit of incredulity. Zenith’s eyes narrowed at that but he said nothing.

“So the proposal held the fact that we will be allied through marriage.” Zenith started.

Nyx’s ears rang at what Zenith had said. Was he, not her mate? Who was getting married to who? Why was he yet to acknowledge their mate bond?

“Yes, Selda has always had a liking for you and that does not mean I will throw her to you like that. The proposal stands. My wolves are at your beck and call when in war.” Lionel added.

Zenith gave a thoughtful nod before that baffling thought came in. “Lionel,” He called his name for the first time and this time it had a dangerous edge to it. Even the maids took a step back and the guards a step forward to protect their king. Nyx scrambled up, watched, and listened but uttered no sound.

“I... Don't you think you are not holding your end of the agreement?” He asked, dropping the wine. He had not even touched his food.

Lionel seemed confused. “What do you mean?”

“I met someone I had thought is dead. I met someone whom I thought had turned to ashes.” He started. Choking tension filled the entire place and everyone held their breaths.

“What is my nephew doing in your filthy dungeon, malnourished, fed, and locked with wolfbane?” His brows arched but his fist clenched in anger so much that his knuckles almost whitened.

Instantly, a guard rushed in and leaned closer to Lionel’s ears. Anger flashed through his face. They were just bringing him the report of Zenith’s venture down there.

“Leave.” Lionel’s rough voice ordered and the guard scurried away. “I-”

“I understand. Lycans are gems and it would be only bad if you don't keep them. I won’t be leaving here without my nephew.” He said with a tone of finality.

“But-”

“You heard me right.” Zenith cut in, not giving him a chance to speak at all.

Lionel’s eyes glazed over as he mind linked his guards to bring Divine out. The guards hesitated to go near Divine but after meeting Zenith, his sanity seemed to have returned a bit so they chained him with shackles dipped in wolf bane and brought him to the dining table. Divine’s golden eyes glanced at Nyx who sat on the floor and he made an unnoticed bow to her before looking up. He met Zenith’s cold gaze.

“Lionel, I will not count this anything considering we are in for a peace treaty against this common enemy but I assure you that I will get my explanation later.” He rose to his feet and was about to walk out with his nephew and Nyx when Lionel’s voice stopped him.

“Lycan King,” He turned his head. “You seemed to have forgotten you came to pick your bride. Not an Omega.” He reminded him. Zenith shook his head and walked back.

“You can’t take the three of them away from me. It would be my loss. Take a look, my sister, your nephew, and your slave were mine, and if I can join my warriors too, you have taken every thing that made me the Alpha King. Don't you think it is improper?” He reasoned.

“Either you take my sister and your nephew. Or you take that filthy slave and my sister. You leave your nephew.” He told him.

Divine’s head slowly turned to Nyx and he twitched as he spoke up for the second time in years. “Zenith, you... You can leave with the both of them. It would be an honor to serve-”

“So you can speak?” Lionel’s surprised voice cut in. Apparently, in these years that Divine has been captured by them, he had never uttered a word. All he did was resist them.

Zenith said nothing as he could not find a bit of way out of this corner Lionel had pushed him into. There was absolutely no way he could choose just any of them. He did not want to sacrifice any of them. He needed Selda for the power. He needed Divine for his lineage. He needed Nyx for... What?

“Lycan King, your timing is running out.” Lionel reminded him.

Just as if on cue, Selda jerked up with a smile. “You don't need to pick. I will take the Omega as my slave!”

Divine’s head instantly jerked up in shock. Everyone turned towards her in surprise.

What did she just say?