Chapter 160 Chapter 159

Chapter 160 Chapter 159
Aloria.

She slowly turns to me then.

"Aloria here already has two alpha werewolves ready to help her, and they are also her fated mates and possess the Moon Goddess's blessing." She turns back to the king. "Which means they are perfectly capable of handling her and her needs. All they need to do now is perform the mating ritual and complete the bond, and together they will reach an equilibrium."

"Even if that were true..." the king growls, a muscle ticking in his jaw. He fixes us with a withering stare, his eyes still burning with indignation. "Having them in our midst is still a risk."

"Then, they won't be in your midst," Agatha concedes calmly.

That seems to startle the king.

But she continues just as calmly, her voice echoing through the hall.

"They can always stay away from civilization to test the legitimacy of their bond, see if it stands the test of time. If it does... then they can be reintegrated into society."

Agatha looks at me then, and although her expression is still stern, there's an unexpected warmth in her eyes.

"Surely, the girl will have to cultivate some restraint, but the bond she'll form with the alphas will naturally make her repulsed by other male werewolves, as is our nature. She will belong to the alphas, and they will belong to her."

Murmurs arise again, but this time, it's different. Many of the nobles and high-ranking officials are beginning to agree with the priestess, seeing the sense in her words. The tension in the hall shifts, becoming contemplative.

After a long, heavy silence, the king lets out a breath, leaning forward in his seat, unable to argue with the priestess any longer.

"That sounds... reasonable," he mutters gruffly, his gaze still narrowed. "But that is only half of the problem. The girl will have to speak for herself now. Tell the court what she wants... what she intends to do. You have heard my verdict, and you have heard from the priestess. What do you have to say for yourself?"

I start to speak, but my voice comes out shaky, so I stop, clearing my throat and taking a deep breath. When I try again, my voice is much stronger.

I take a step forward, addressing everyone in the room.

"I want to stay with the alphas," I start, my voice clear and resonant.

"I want to be marked by them, and I want to be their bonded mate," I announce. They already did it once, even if it was accidental. Doing it again now that everyone has consented to it would be even better.

"Hear that?" Agatha says, the corner of her lips twitching up but not quite forming a smile. "The girl has agreed to bond with the alphas. All is settled."

"Fine..." the king growls begrudgingly, leaning back on his throne, a huff of breath escaping him. "She will no longer be executed," he mutters, even as he pins me with a distasteful glare. "But... mark my words. If I learn that you have caused any chaos... I will not hesitate to hunt you down and destroy you. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Your Majesty..." I answer, giving a low bow, feeling a wave of relief crash over me, almost making my knees wobble.

"The court is dismissed!" the king cries out finally, and he rises with his queen. Together, they walk out of the council hall while the rest of us bow, waiting for them to exit first.

Once they do, the elders and high-ranking nobles follow, the shuffling of feet and scraping of chairs filling the entire space until the population dwindles, leaving only a few people behind, including Agatha.

Draven and Kairos straighten from their bows, immediately rushing to meet her.

"Your Holiness..." they say in unison as they crowd around her, while I trail behind them, still feeling uncertain.

"We thank you for what you have just done, but we weren't expecting you to show up today. Why are you here?" Draven asks, his brows furrowed as he gazes at the aged woman.

She gives them a small, warm smile.

"This is an order from the Moon Goddess herself. There would have been grave consequences if I didn't show up in this hall today," she says, her gaze drifting from Draven to Kairos.

Grave consequences indeed.

Some of them include me dying today and the alpha brothers starting a civil war on my behalf due to their rage and grief.

I, for one, am glad she's here.

Agatha turns to me then, and the warmth in her expression spreads all over her face as she reaches out a hand to take mine.

I gingerly put my hands in hers, feeling a rush of energy at the contact, a startled gasp escaping my lips.

"The Moon Goddess sends her blessings..." she starts, her voice tender. "Eliminating someone like Malachyr must have taken a toll on you, but thank you for making that decision." She pulls me closer, her thumb passing over my hands soothingly. "Thanks to you, countless werewolves and demons will be saved from the catastrophe that would have befallen them if Malachyr had lived."

My breath hitches, my eyes slowly widening at those words.

I hadn't thought my actions were going to be that monumental, but hearing those words from her has made me realize they indeed are.

For some reason, it makes me feel even better.

I give her a soft smile.

"The pleasure is all mine, Your Holiness," I say, feeling my chest flutter with happiness.

Agatha pulls back then, her gaze drifting to the alphas, a knowing look on her face.

"I see the alphas are eager to claim you as theirs. Fret not, the bonding will go smoothly, even if you have been rejected by them in the past. As I've said, you have the Moon Goddess's blessing on your side."

Looking at me, she continues.

"Your hybrid nature needs more than one host to satisfy its hunger, and the alphas here already have pure moon energy flowing through their veins thanks to the Moon Mark. That in itself is more than enough."

The smile on my face grows even bigger. I am truly happy to hear that.

Even Draven and Kairos seem relieved as well.

Agatha looks at us one more time before giving a low bow.

"Well, you all should be on your way now... My job here is done. Good luck to all of you. May the Moon Goddess always guide your steps," she prays, her voice reverent.

She turns on her heels, her rod making a definitive sound as it hits the marbled surface. We watch her go until she becomes a speck in the distance and eventually disappears from our sight.

A somber silence settles around us before I break it.

"Is she the one you met to facilitate the meeting with the Moon Goddess?" I ask, turning to Kairos.

He nods, his brows furrowing as he wonders why I asked the question.

"She looks younger than I expected," I add, and that draws an amused huff from Draven.