All Chapters of Crown of Deception: Alpha's Contracted Bride: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Amelia’s POVI closed the door behind me, the cool air of my chambers offering a momentary respite from the lingering weight of my conversation with Lena and Cassidy. They had warned me—Sabrina wasn’t going to play fair. I needed to be prepared. The seriousness of it all hung over me, but as I stepped inside, something else took over my mind.Lucas was there, sitting on the edge of the bed. His posture was relaxed, but his gaze was anything but. His dark eyes followed my every move, lingering as if he were trying to understand something about me that even I wasn’t fully aware of yet. His presence, commanding and familiar, filled the room, and it made my pulse quicken unexpectedly.I froze for a second, taken aback by the sight of him here at this hour. Butterflies erupted in my stomach—a strange reaction considering how often we were around each other now. But there was something about the way Lucas looked at me in that moment, something deeper. His intent gaze seemed to pierce right

The next several days were a relentless cycle of training and preparation. My mornings started early with etiquette lessons, each one challenging my patience and testing my resolve. Ms. Krystal Gentle was as intense as her name was misleading, her sharp corrections cutting through my mistakes with merciless precision. If I slouched even a fraction, she’d snap her fingers, reminding me that I was meant to stand taller, shoulders back, as though every gaze in the room was mine to command.Cassidy and Lena had become my unofficial tutors outside of class. They stayed by my side, guiding me through practice sessions and running mock introductions of Alpha couples I’d soon meet. Each name came with a whispered background—who was friendly, who harbored rivalries, who might see through my insecurities if I faltered. Their presence was a lifeline, keeping me grounded as I prepared to step into the role of Lucas’s Luna.One afternoon, after another demanding etiquette session, I found myself sl

Lucas’s POVThe sun was high in the sky, casting a golden light through the tall windows of my office. Papers lay spread across my desk—border patrol reports, supply chain summaries, plans for expanding guard rotations along the kingdom’s northern edge. Each document felt heavier than the last, the weight of responsibility settling like an anchor in my chest. Strengthening our borders had been the main point of discussion in the last council meeting, and with the Alpha summit fast approaching, the pressure to finalize these plans was relentless.Across from me, Derek was buried in a stack of papers, his brows furrowed in concentration as he skimmed through a particularly dense report. Loyal to a fault and as sharp as they come, he’d been my right hand since we were boys. Soon, he’d be my Beta, and there was no one I trusted more with that role.“Derek,” I said, breaking the silence, “what do you think about adding a few more patrols around the eastern border? The neighboring pack ther

Amelia’s POVThe days before the Alpha meeting blurred together in a whirlwind of training and meticulous instruction. Lena and Cassidy had taken their roles as my guides with relentless energy, filling every spare moment with lessons. Lena, with her fierce determination, drilled me on the histories and alliances between packs, her tone often blunt as she warned me which Alphas might test me. Cassidy, on the other hand, brought a lightheartedness to our sessions, her laughter and encouragement softening the tension that sometimes felt overwhelming.“Remember, stand tall, shoulders back,” Lena instructed as I practiced my formal bow. “The moment you show doubt, they’ll seize on it. Confidence is everything.”Cassidy shot Lena an amused look. “We’re not sending her into battle, Lena.”Lena’s lips quirked up. “Aren’t we?” she replied, her tone deadpan, and we all laughed, breaking the seriousness of the moment.As intense as their lessons were, I could feel my confidence growing. Each da

The grand chamber was already filling with Alphas and Lunas, their voices mingling into a low hum of conversation. My eyes darted across the room, catching sight of Lucas near the throne, standing tall among his council. But as our eyes met, he looked away almost immediately, his expression unreadable. A strange pang of disappointment hit me, sharp and unexpected, and I found myself longing to understand what he was thinking. Last night had left so many questions unanswered, and now…he was avoiding me?Determined to break the distance, I took a step toward him. But before I could get far, someone stepped into my path.I looked up to find a woman standing before me, her gaze both assessing and serene. She had a quiet strength about her, the kind of presence that filled the room without demanding attention. Her dark hair was pulled back into an intricate braid that framed her face elegantly, and she wore a gown of deep emerald green, fitted yet flowing, with delicate silver accents glin