Chapter 63 The proposal to kill Iris
ZEUS
I stand just behind my father’s throne,, trying not to smile too widely. Victory tastes bittersweet, but I savor it.
Father’s voice echoes in the room, still resonant from the earlier confrontation. Adira stands nearby, her hand clenched at her side. Her father, Alpha Conan leans forward, eyes sharp, pointed.
“He must be brought to order,” Alpha Conan is saying. “This defiance… inside the walls of the Haven, in front of others, it’s shameful.”
The Lycan King nods, fingers steepled. “Shameful, yes.” He looks over toward the door, as if expecting Darian to stride back in. “He was stripped of duties. And yet he behaves as though that strips him of no consequence.”
My heart hammers. That’s exactly where I want things to be. Consequence. Responsibility. And I’m reaping them.
Adira takes a breath, voice emotional. “If Darian continues down this path… how can I mate with a man so volatile? A man who defies his father publicly? Who walks away from duty like it’s nothing? No one else will ask for me, father. He is my betrothed. If Darian refuses the wedding, what does that make me?” Her voice cracks slightly. The echo in the throne room is immediate.
I feel a twist of satisfaction. Good. Introduce pressure. Let her fear pry at him, let it force a decision.
Father’s jaw tightens. “Adira, restrain yourself. The issue is not about you alone.”
Adira takes a step forward. “But what am I supposed to do? It’s not just my honor at stake. It’s stability.”
Silence falls like heavy curtains.
I remain still. I wait. My internal pulse is loud: this moment, this chaos, gives me space.
The King’s eyes flick to Adira, then to Alpha Conan . “We do not wish to replace, if we can avoid it. But the honor of the crown, the respect of our people, matters more than one betrothal.”
Adira’s father’s face flushes. “So you’ll cast me aside? Discard what we promised?”
The King lifts a hand. “I do not discard you, Adira. But I cannot allow this defiance to erode respect. A king, or a prince, must be beyond reproach.”
My chest tightens. And yet… there’s satisfaction beneath it. I nod, quietly grateful.
Adira’s voice trembles. “I love Darian.” Her eyes shine with tears she doesn’t yet let fall. “I am not asking him to abandon everything… I am…but what about my dignity? What about what was promised?”
Silence again.
I feel the weight shift in this room, tiny, imperceptible, but real. Adira’s heartbreak gives the King permission to act. Alpha Conan ’s pressure gives him permission to elevate someone responsible. Someone obedient.
And that someone is me, Zeus.
I swallow, keeping my tone composed. “If the crown must act, I will prove myself.” I almost taste the words on my tongue. “I will show the court, and the people, that strength and loyalty are not Darian’s birthright, but actions.”
The Lycan King looks at me for a long moment. Then: “Zeus.”
“Yes, father.” I brace myself for the news I’ve been waiting for my whole life.
But Adira’s father, Alpha Conan , steps forward, leaning slightly toward the throne. His voice is soft, but its intent slices through the room. “What if we can get rid of the problem completely?”
Silence ripples. My heart jolts. I glance at Father. His expression, always unreadable, flickers. Interest.
My breath catches.
Adira’s eyes widen. She looks at the King. Then at me. My pulse drags.
Father’s eyes narrow. “How so?” he asks, measured, but not asking hypotheticals anymore.
Alpha Conan presses his lips together, gaze sharp. “If the girl is the problem,” he says, voice low, “cannot we just uproot her?”
My mind is spinning. Uproot… the girl. Iris. Kill Iris?
No. A thought I refuse to cradle.
Killing Iris would mean no more distractions for Darian. No bond. Nothing to pull him away from duty. Then, by default, Darian regains favor. The King would be satisfied. I lose my opening. My brief taste of power.
A cold surge of panic sweeps me.
I force calm into my face. “You want us to kill Iris?” My voice is steady, though my throat is dry.
I feel Father’s stare on me, heavy. Alpha Conan ’s lips curve, just a little. Adira’s breath hitches.
Father speaks, slow. “If holding this prophecy hostage means the safety of the throne, is it not the duty of the crown to eliminate threats?”
Alpha Conan nods. “She is the root of prophecy’s return. Remove her, and you remove the curse.”
My stomach twists. Remove her. Kill her. The echo of my father’s words.
Adira’s voice shakes. “That’s clever, father.” She looks at me, a big smile tugging at her lips.
I clutch the edge of the throne platform. My knuckles whiten. They expect me to say yes. They expect compliance.
But inside, I heat with conflict.
If Iris dies… Darian will indeed slide back into the role they want. I can’t afford that.
“Father,” I say, voice low, trembling slightly. “You would have me act as an executioner for prophecy?”
Father’s eyes narrow further. “Don’t twist words, Zeus. I ask if you accept what must be done.”
I look at Alpha Conan . His look is eager, satisfied. Adira trembles with delight. She knows what this means for her.
Alpha Conan says softly, “If you refuse, Zeus, you betray not only your duty, but your potential.” He glances at the King. “We need a prince who prioritizes the crown.”
I swallow. My throat, dry. The room feels tiled with expectation. They want me to sign this death warrant with my silence or weasel agreement.
I look up. My voice, firm though breaking. “I cannot kill her.”
Adira gasps. Alpha Conan frowns. Father freezes.
My words echo.
Silence rains down.
Father speaks at last. “Then you will stand aside until Darian can decide what bounds he walks.”
Zeus. Stand aside. Wings shortened.
Adira’s hand presses to her throat. “You never cared about her, so why now?”
“I refuse to sacrifice someone for no reason,” I say. I honestly don’t care about Iris, but I do care about Darian returning to his duties because they decided to kill her.
They stare.
Father says, “So be it.” His tone is final.
Alpha Conan recoils wounded pride. Adira tears away from him. She turns, jaw clenched, eyes wild, hurt and anger mingled.
The King sits back, expression grave. “Then keep your conscience and your place.” The words feel like chains.
I bow my head.
Adira storms off. Alpha Conan follows.
Father watches me. His disappointment is unmistakable.