Chapter 17: The Alpha King

George's POV:

I looked at the tiny lady in my arms and sighed sadly. ‘What sort of problem is this? How dare she faint in my arms? I shouldn't have saved her life; it's not worth my time!’ I murmured to myself, a deep frown settling on my face. I roughed my hair with my hand nervously, wondering what I should do with her.

I stood there, feeling frustrated and unsure. I couldn't help but notice her fragile appearance; her pale skin, marred by bruises, and delicate features made her look like a creamy doll, fragile and vulnerable. I couldn't believe I was stuck with this responsibility. I saw the snake bite mark and knew that venom was in her blood.

But as I gazed into her unconscious face, something strange happened. My heart, which was once cold and hardened, began to feel a slight pity for her. I couldn't explain it, but a pang of guilt and connection washed over me. Maybe it was the way she clung to me, trusting me to keep her safe, or perhaps it was the vulnerability in her eyes. Whatever it was, it broke down my defenses.

My fingers traced the gentle curves of her cheeks, and I was struck by the memory of my first love. As I gazed at her, a teardrop escaped my eye, falling like a blessing upon the snake bite mark. In an instant, the wound vanished, leaving no trace of its existence.

I sighed, feeling a sense of pity wash over me. "Fine," I muttered to myself, "I'll take care of you... for now." I gently brushed a strand of hair out of her face, trying not to notice how soft it felt.

As I looked at her, I realized I didn't even know her name. "What's your name, little bird?" I whispered, hoping she'd somehow respond. As I waited for an answer that never came, I knew I had to do something.

I took a deep breath and returned my sword, still smeared with the bears' blood, to its sheath. I carried her in my arms like a baby, spread out my magnificent black wings, their feathers rustling in the silence, and flew as fast as the wind could carry us.

~

Lycan’s Coven:

George's POV

As we soared for what felt like an eternity, the landscape below us finally gave way to a breathtaking sight: an ancient kingdom that seemed to rise organically from the mist-shrouded grounds.

As I prepared to land, the sky became black, and hundreds of breathtaking fire dragons flew about happily, bringing light to the kingdom.

“We are here. Here goes everything,” I murmured and began to flap my wings. Women and men on dragons flew around the sky, smiles on their faces. The atmosphere was tense, and the scary witch bats made it more eerie. As we descended onto the ground, two dragons swirled around us, their fiery scales glinting in the dark sky.

A mischievous smirk settled on my lips as I looked around my kingdom, fulfilled and happy. The tiny woman in my arms didn't stir, and I had the urge to give her to my waiting servant, whose hand was stretched, ready to collect the antelope I promised to hunt for her.

"Welcome back, Your Majesty," she greeted, her voice low and gravelly. "Oh, you've brought the package."

"No, Litto, I didn't bring back any packages. A little bird interrupted my peaceful hunt, and I wasn't able to meet with Morgan,” I replied curtly with a grimace on my face and shook my head regretfully.

Litto’s expression turned cold, her eyes narrowing slightly. "A bird, you say? How convenient!” she gazed at the tiny woman in my arms, her eyes lingering on her pale skin. "What do you plan to do with this bird?" She asked curiously.

I shrugged, my smirk growing wider. "Oh, I haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll keep her as a pet, or maybe I'll give her to my dragons as a snack."

Litto's expression didn't change, but I could sense a flicker of excitement in her voice. "Well, whatever you decide, I'm sure it will be entertaining."

I chuckled, my eyes scanning the environment, some of my subjects were watching us with eager eyes. "Yes, I'm sure it will be. After all, it's not every day we get a new plaything in the coven.” I mumbled thoughtfully, wondering if I was going to give her out as a pet.

As I stood there, some dragons surrounded us, their eyes fixed on the sleeping woman in my arms. They looked at her curiously. I knew they were shocked to see me carrying a woman and bringing her back. They looked eager for entertainment and bloodshed. I could sense their excitement and anticipation as they wondered what I would do with this plaything.

I snarled at a man when he tried to take the lady from my arms. “Back off! What do you think you're trying to do?” My face turned into a deep, angry frown, and I clenched my fists.

“I wanted to help carry her; moreover, you said she's your plaything,” he replied with a nonchalant voice.

I felt irritated by his words and raised one of my fingers. As I turned it around, the man groaned in pain until he dropped dead. I smirked on seeing the fear in my subjects’ yellow eyes.

Two women appeared and quickly packed the dead man's body. With a flourish, I swept my wings open and strode towards my castle, the tiny woman still clutched in my arms. A dragon opened the huge door, allowing us to pass, and I entered the grand hall of my home.

The interior was just as breathtaking as the exterior, with high ceilings and grand chandeliers that cast flickering shadows on the walls. The walls themselves were adorned with paintings depicting scenes of battles and conquests. At the far end of the hall, I could see the grand staircase leading up to the private chambers and gallery.

I strode towards the staircase, Litto following closely behind. Everywhere was quiet and dark. And my eye's color changed to bright yellow, illuminating a beautiful light.

“Should I open the windows?” Litto asked carefully, after an awful silence.

“No! It wouldn't matter; the sky is black anyway,” I replied curtly, and I pushed the black door of a very big room open. Litto bowed and quickly retreated.

The room's decorations were very different from a normal lycan lord's room. My room was the biggest in the castle. It was large, and the interior design alone cost millions of pounds. I had an extravagant king-sized bed in the center, and it was neatly arranged with the finest Italian linens. My wardrobe could contain thousands of adult clothes, and my towering windows overlooked the lush gardens.

The walls were adorned with an ever-changing gallery of priceless art, with paintings by famous artists and sculptures from around the world. A massive crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting a warm, soft glow on the room.

I laid her on the king-sized bed and sat beside her. As much as I wanted to abandon her and give her to my subjects for fun, another part of me wanted to keep her.

My fingers slowly caressed her soft and milky cheek, and I wondered if my wish had come true. "Are you the one? Were you reborn to torment me or to break my curse?” I thought aloud with a broken voice, and my countenance changed to that of a hopeless boy.

“I never meant to let you go; it was all a silly mistake,” I murmured as I caressed her cheeks. “With no doubt, you are the one! You have the same face, lips, cheeks, nose, and hair color. You’re still the brave and independent woman loved by many.”

“Your majesty!” A tiny voice interrupted my thoughts as knocks echoed on the door.

I quickly cleaned my teary eyes and stood up from the bed. My ruthless demeanor was back on my face. “Come in,” I replied with a husky voice, my hands in my pockets.

Three maids with red eyes entered and quickly bowed.

“Milord, lady Litto sent us here,” one of them informed me, their heads still bowed.

“Take good care of her!” I hummed softly, looked at the strange sleeping woman one more time, and left the room. I gently climbed down the stairs, my hands grasping the cold stone banister and my eyes fixed on the grand hall below.

The chandeliers cast shadows on the walls, making it seem like the shadows themselves were dancing. I could hear the soft murmur of voices, the clinking of glasses, and the distant sound of a lone violin playing a haunting melody. As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I saw Morgan waiting for me, his black eyes gleaming with a knowing look.

“Ahhh! Argh! Argh!” He laughed hysterically, clapping his huge hands. “The man of the hour is here; tell me it's not true.” He said with a frown on his face when he finally stopped laughing.

“What is it again, bro? Who let you in?” I murmured, stressed from all the thoughts that had occupied my mind.

“What do you mean by who let me in? I'm your best friend, and I've got every right to come here. Anyway, it was little Brunelle who opened the door for me,” Morgan replied, and his frown dissolved.

“But you left me and the guys stranded in the woods late at night, just to bring a...human to your palace?” He asked with raised brows and slowly moved around me, a finger on his chin. “Tell me it's not true.”

“Hummm, words travel fast.” I sighed softly and gently pushed him out of the way. “We are night creatures; what's so wrong with being alone at night? Moreover, I don't think she's a human; I'm perceiving something else in her, but I still haven't figured it out.” I replied thoughtfully, wondering what sort of species she was. Morgan and I were the only people in the hall, but suddenly, I heard a loud, shrill, terrifying squeal.

“You brought a girl home?!” The voice exclaimed excitedly and jumped on me out of nowhere.

I held my forehead with my palm while Morgan smirked mischievously. “It's no big deal, little sister,” I informed her, trying to assure her that there was no cause for alarm, but Brunelle was beyond listening, she jumped up and quickly ran up the stairs to my room.

“Ahh!” I growled and sat down on my throne of gold.

Morgan smirked at my misfortune, “I have to report back to the warlock,” he informed me with a smile, and he left the hall.

Just as I was about to relax, Brunelle stormed back down the stairs, her eyes blazing with excitement. "George, you naughty boy!" She exclaimed, wagging her finger at me, “You've finally brought a girl home, and you didn't even tell me, your cute little angel.”

"Brunelle, calm down. It's just a bird I brought back from the hunt." I rolled my eyes, trying to appear nonchalant.

But Brunelle wasn't having it. She skipped over to me, her long black hair bouncing behind her.

"Oh, no, no, no! This one's different. I can sense it. She's got something in her, George. Something strange, like pain, anger, and destruction,” Brunelle murmured and pouted her lips.

My eyes narrowed, and I wondered if my nightmare was happening. I began to worry that my late lover had been reborn to seek vengeance. "What are you talking about, Brunelle?" I asked with raised brows.

Brunelle grinned mischievously. "I'm talking about the tiny woman upstairs, of course! She's not just any ordinary human, George. She's got a spark in her."

I raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "What do you mean?"

Brunelle's grin grew wider. "I mean that she might just be the key to your survival. And I'm not going to let you ruin it.”

“Hum!” I took a deep breath. “It's not something that could harm me, right?" I asked, choosing my words carefully.

“Why do you look so worried? You've always been wishing to die,” Brunelle replied absentmindedly. Before I could reply, she remembered something and ran out of the hall to the garden.

Immediately after Brunelle left, Litto entered with a smug smile on her face. "So, Your Majesty," Litto began, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "What do you plan to do with your bird?"

I sighed, my fangs glinting in the dim light. "Oh, I haven't decided yet. But I think I'll keep her around for a while."

Litto raised an eyebrow, jealousy, and envy in her eyes. "But why is that, Your Majesty? She's a liability. A weakness."

"You don't understand, Litto.” I chuckled, my eyes narrowing.

"Very well," Litto nodded, her voice dripping with resignation. "But don't say I didn't warn you. And trust me, the witches will come for her; they need an urgent lab rat.”

"Your majesty," one of the maids called out as she climbed down the stairs, her voice low and mysterious.

“Yes.” I turned to face her with an authoritative expression, not bothering to spare any thoughts on Litto's words.

"The young Missy you asked us to wash is awake. She's causing trouble and asking for a strange wolf." The maid informed me with a frightened voice.

My heart skipped a beat. ‘What does she want? And why do I feel a sudden pang of excitement at the thought of seeing her again?’