Chapter 131: The Terms of the Crown

Zoriana continued, her voice echoing coldly through the room. “Beta Karel, that makes adultery, murder, and attempted murder. That is already enough to warrant three separate executions... but there is more. We also have a high-level conspiracy.”

“Shut up, you fucking bitch!” Karel snapped, his face turning crimson with fury. “Don’t try to play smart. You’re just some little whore playing a pretend game of spy. I—”

A guard hit him hard across the face, cutting him off, and Karel spat blood onto the floor.

“Beta Karel, silence, or we will be forced to silence you permanently,” the King barked. Karel glared at the floor but remained quiet, still desperately hoping he could find a way out of the accusations.

“Beta Karel believed that his official position as Royal Beta was under threat as long as Crown Prince Gael could not be officially declared King,” Zoriana explained. Pausing, she glanced around the table. “The claim of Alpha Tristan to the throne was much stronger, being the firstborn son of a fated mate.”

The moment she said it, Gael jumped to his feet, his eyes bloodshot. “Zoriana, what are you doing? This wasn't what we agreed to!” he hissed.

Zoriana cocked her head, widening her eyes dramatically. “Crown Prince, you hired me to uncover treason, and that is exactly what I have done.”

“Tristan has poisoned your mind! Don’t fall for his tricks,” Gael pleaded, his voice cracking. “He’s just using you to get his revenge on me.”

“If I wanted revenge, I wouldn't hide behind anyone,” Tristan said coldly, speaking for the first time. “I would just kill you myself without any of these games.”

Gael thinned his lips. He knew his brother was right, but his ship was sinking fast. If Zoriana kept speaking, he would be completely ruined.

“My love, please stop this,” Gael pleaded, looking at Zoriana with desperate eyes. “Let’s just finish everything right here and seal our bond.”

Flavia shrieked, slamming her hands on the table. “Are you out of your mind?! I am your fiancée! How dare you promise anything to this stray? Without my father’s support, you are finished, Gael!”

The King slammed his fist onto the desk, the sound like a thunderclap. “Stop this circus! We are in an official meeting. Mating issues will be discussed outside this room. Alpha Zoriana will speak, and the rest of you will listen unless I order otherwise.”

Zoriana nodded slightly and continued. “To strengthen Prince Gael’s claim to the throne, Beta Karel decided to eliminate the competition. He used an Omega girl from a brothel as his puppet to spy on other packs and conspire with Alphas to support Prince Gael. In return, he provided her with a forbidden love potion to force her onto Alpha Ryder Armstrong as his fake Luna.”

Aella, Mounia, and Fairuza gasped loudly. They hadn't known that Milana had used a potion on Ryder, as Zoriana hadn't had the time to share her latest discoveries with them.

“Unbelievable. Forbidden black magic,” Aella whispered, silencing herself immediately when the King tapped the table lightly in warning.

“Where is this Omega? She needs to be sent to the royal dungeon to await trial as well,” King Arthur demanded.

“She is currently in Alpha Ryder’s custody because she is pregnant,” Zoriana answered. “Once the child is born, she will stand trial.”

The King nodded in approval, signaling her to go on.

“Furthermore, Beta Karel paid the rogue leader, Bjorn, to arrange minor attacks on various packs. This was done to create the illusion that Alpha Tristan was funding rogues to destabilize the kingdom and usurp the throne. Is that correct, Alpha Bjorn?”

Bjorn sighed. “Correct. All supporting documents have already been handed over to the Royal Investigation Department.”

“Since when is a lowly rogue called an Alpha? Or is this just special treatment from you, Zoriana?” Flavia sneered with a smug smile. “Did you bring your lover here to fabricate documents and give false testimony?”

The King opened his mouth to snap at Flavia, but meeting Zoriana’s calm gaze, he stopped himself, letting her handle it.

Zoriana smiled faintly. “Princess Flavia, not all females use their genitalia to reach their goals. You might be surprised to learn that a lot of women actually use their brains, and it does wonders. Bjorn is indeed an Alpha, as he has officially submitted the paperwork to register his pack, and the King has already approved it. Additionally, the King has legalized and regulated the brothels. Alpha Bjorn will now pay taxes on his income, and the establishments will face regular inspections to ensure proper working conditions and guarantee that banned substances are not being used. Substances like Moon Dust... which the King has officially declared an illegal drug.”

Flavia turned white as a sheet, completely caught off guard by the clean verbal slap to the face. The only person paler than her was Gael, who was frantically gripping the edge of the table just to keep himself from collapsing. His world was literally shattering around him.

“I won’t bore your eyes by showing every piece of evidence on the screen,” Zoriana concluded smoothly. “But for anyone who wishes to review the legal proof, the originals and copies have been submitted to the investigation department. And now, as there is a private family matter to handle, I ask that only the royal family remain in the room.”

Gael exhaled in relief. Things could have been worse for him, but it seemed he was safe.

The guards began clearing the room. Everyone left, talking in hushed, shocked tones about what they had just witnessed. Only a few people remained seated: Gael, Tristan, and the King.

Flavia was already opening the door to exit, but Zoriana stopped her. “Your Highness, you are practically family. Please, stay.”

Flavia gave her a tight smile and took a seat next to Gael, still furious over his public display of affection toward Zoriana earlier. Zoriana stepped down from the podium and took a seat, glancing at Tristan. He looked cold, distant, and deeply hurt. He wasn't looking back at her. Not even once.

King Arthur inhaled sharply. “I never expected the day would come where my chosen mate would murder my fated mate, but it happened. And I never expected one of my sons to plot against the other. But... we are ready to forgive you, Gael.”

Gael opened and closed his mouth, breathing hard. “Father, I don’t know what you’re speaking about.”

King Arthur knitted his brows and shook his head in disappointment. “Please drop the act and stop insulting our intelligence. I don’t want to spend any more time going through the evidence; it is humiliating and painful enough. You know, Gael—and we all know—that Karel did not create this entire scheme on his own. You led it. You wanted to clear the path for yourself. You wanted to get rid of your brother.”

Gael’s eyes flickered from the King to Tristan. He knew he was cornered, and lying was completely useless now.

“He is illegitimate, short-tempered, and wasn't even raised at court!” Gael spat, his composure cracking. “He was never fit to rule! And yet, Father, you favored him enough to want to make him King.”

“I never knew you were so bitter,” the King said softly. “And I never planned to withhold the crown from you... until now.”

Gael froze, his breath catching in his throat.

The King continued, “Even now, I will not strip you of your status. You will be King, as Tristan has refused to take over the throne. However, the balance of power will change. You will become King, and Flavia will be Queen, but the King will no longer be able to pass any laws, decrees, or major decisions unless they are approved by the Royal Council. The Council must vote on everything. And the head of that Council, ensuring the law is followed, will be Tristan.”

Gael’s throat went dry. “You can't be serious,” he rasped.

“Moreover, your pup will inherit the throne after you.”

Flavia beamed with joy, her anger instantly forgotten. “King Arthur, we won’t disappoint you. I will give you a grandpup soon.”

The King offered a faint, sad smile. “I think I should specify—the heir to the throne is the pup who is already born. Luke. The son of Gael and Fairuza.”

Gael’s eyes widened in shock. “I have a son? And she dared to hide him from me?”

“We will bring him to court and raise him as a true prince,” Flavia intervened quickly, her mind already plotting.

“No,” Tristan intervened, his voice cut like ice. “My nephew is not coming to this court to be bullied. And Flavia, everybody knows you would easily find a way to get rid of him in the palace to clear the path for your own blood to inherit. Luke stays in my pack.”

“But he is my son!” Gael snapped.

“You lost the right to raise him the moment you abandoned his mother,” Tristan countered, frowning deeply.

Gael was fuming, burning with a lethal mixture of humiliation and rage. He felt caged and suffocated. He had lost his mother, his absolute power, and a son he hadn't even known existed until today. He was incredibly angry at Zoriana, but at this point, he still just wanted to leave the room and collapse into the arms of his fated mate, letting her scent soothe his agonizing pain.

“Is that all? Is the meeting adjourned?” Gael asked, pushing himself to his feet, desperate to escape.

“No,” Zoriana replied, looking directly at him. “We still have one final matter to handle.”

Gael sank back into his seat, terribly annoyed.