Chapter 49

Anthony remained in the car with an unidentified man, who was engrossed in typing on a tablet, causing Anthony to feel uneasy, as he wasn't sure if it was his father's spy or someone assisting them. Anthony made a throat-clearing sound.

Could you please introduce yourself? Are you going to sit there, lost in the glow of your tablet?” asked Anthony.

After pushing his glasses up his nose, the gentleman set the tablet on his lap and glanced at Anthony, then at Kathy, who had moved closer to him.

"If you are curious about my name, you could just ask if you'd like. I am Robert Wells, the advisor to King Frances,” said the advisor.

"Does the Lycan King have any idea we're about to arrive?" asked Anthony, his voice hushed.

Robert replied, "I'll ask him when we get there."

King Frances sat upon his conference room, a heavy silence filling the great hall. The afternoon sun, streaming through the high arched windows, seemed to lose its warmth as it fell upon his stern face. A single guard stood at attention by the door, his gaze fixed on the entrance, waiting.

The news had reached the castle barely an hour ago, delivered by a news reporter. "Anthony... a crime..." the words had echoed in the conference. The details were vague, but the gravity was not. Anthony is accused of a crime, which is a serious offense. King Theo and King Seth are in the conference room with Frances as they heard the news too, as they were watching the news they see that Noah is lying and his parents are covering it up. The guard came in after bowing to the royal he went over to the Lycan King and speak.

The guard stated, "Your Majesty, the car will be here very soon."

“Let them through the gate and send them here. So, we can talk about this crime he is accused of,” command King Frances.

"Yes, your Majesty," the guard replied.

The guard exited the room, shutting the door, and instructed the other guard to unlock the gate.

Kathy opened her eyes, startled by the slowing car, expecting to find herself in Anthony's lap, yet she remained in her seat. Her gaze drifted from the man on the tablet to Anthony, who was gazing out the window. What did she miss? He looked down, seeing her wake, fixing her hair and clothes as she moved.

"Did you enjoy your nap?" Anthony inquired, his voice full of playful curiosity.

"How long have I been asleep?" Kathy asked groggily.

“You slept soundly through the entire car ride, and we're about to reach the kingdom.”

Kathy nodded and glanced out the window at the kingdom, which seemed large enough to house an immense family, and suddenly, her stomach growled, making her blush and wish no one had heard. Anthony's arm snaked around Kathy's wrist, drawing her near before he gently kissed the top of her head. As the car pulled up to the kingdom, the cobblestone road beneath the tires rumbled, and everyone started to get out. A sudden wave of dizziness washed over Kathy, but Anthony's strong arms kept her from losing her balance. As Anthony grabbed their bag from the truck, Kathy leaned against the car, attempting to clear her head. Anthony helped Kathy to her feet, his hands full with their bags, as the sound of footsteps echoed on the staircase. Kathy lost her footing on the step, but Robert's timely grab kept her from hitting the stairs.

“Luna Kathy!”

The guards approached to collect the bags, while Anthony picked her up, and everyone entered the kingdom. Robert mind-linked King France to relate the unfolding events, and as the door opened, Kings Frances, Theo, and Seth departed the conference, hurrying to find Kathy unconscious in Anthony's arms. Frances immediately asked the servant to lead them to a room, where Kathy could rest while they discussed the latest news.

Anthony carried Kathy upstairs, the scent of the whiskey she had drunk filling the air, and he was concerned, especially since she had not eaten anything. Miles and Sarah took their room and went in to drop off their luggage. After the servant opened the door, Anthony went in, laid Kathy on the bed, and covered her with a blanket. The servants placed Anthony and Kathy's bags gently on the plush couch, and the click of the door echoed as they left. A knock on the door interrupted his plan to be there when Kathy awoke, so he went to answer it. Miles was standing by the door, hands in his pockets.

“Alpha Anthony, King Frances summons us," said Miles

Anthony, after making sure Kathy was still resting, silently slipped out of the room, and the door clicked shut behind him.

"Let go; Kathy is sound asleep," Anthony whispered. Sarah, can you sit in the quiet room with Kathy?”

“Yes, Alpha,” said Sarah

Sarah entered the room and quietly settled in beside Kathy, her presence gentle and reassuring as she waited for any sign that Kathy might stir. The quiet was broken only by the rhythmic ticking of the ornate clock on the mantle and the soft rise and fall of Kathy’s breathing.

Meanwhile, Anthony and Miles made their way down the grand staircase, their footsteps muffled by the crimson runner. As they reached the marble-floored foyer, they found the kings already assembled, anticipation flickering across their regal faces. King Frances, ever the strategist, was the first to move. He gestured toward the hallway that led back to the conference room, his voice low but commanding.

“We should continue our discussion in private,” he said, already turning away.

Anthony and Miles exchanged a quick glance, then followed after the kings, their minds racing with how best to explain the events that had transpired on their journey, and the sudden turn in Kathy’s condition. As the doors to the conference room closed behind them, the weight of the moment pressed in, promising difficult conversations and decisions yet to come.

The royal guards opened the door to the conference room, their stoic expressions betraying the gravity of what was about to unfold. Each person took their seat around the polished table, the air thick with unspoken tension. Serious faces gazed across at one another, the weight of responsibility evident in every posture.

Robert, his jaw tense, caught Anthony’s eye. With a slow, deliberate movement, he slid a tablet across the table. The screen flickered to life, illuminating a headline and a series of photographs—Anthony’s own face staring back at him, captured in the glare of a news report. The words beneath the images accused Anthony of a crime he knew he had never committed.

Anthony’s heart hammered in his chest as the room fell into a heavy silence, all eyes focused on him and the damning evidence displayed for all to see.

“I didn’t kill Noah’s mate Betty, I was with Kathy when that happen,” explain Anthony

“Tell me what happen?”

Anthony, expressionless, explained everything to King Frances, and gave Robert the memory card proving he was elsewhere during the killing. Robert inserted the card into the computer, and the images sprang to life, illuminating the television screen. King France watched Anthony and Miles, and he could only pray that Anthony's words held true.