Chapter 76 Chapter 75
Evelyn.
"The wolf... Is the Alpha King?" I whispered and he nodded. I gasped, my heart squeezing in my chest. The revelation slammed into me like a tidal wave, shattering my understanding of the world around me. My breath hitched, and I stood there in the corridors, my head spinning. It was impossible to comprehend – the Alpha King, the enigmatic and dominant ruler of our kingdom had been reduced to that frenzied creature.
Disbelief coursed through me, my mind grappling with the enormity of what I just witnessed. My voice failed me as a rush of thoughts and emotions cascaded through my being. This couldn't be real. It was a nightmare, a grotesque illusion. But as I remembered the wolf's tormented howls and the connection I always felt when he was around, the brutal reality became inescapable.
"That... That can't be possible..." I whispered, staring ahead of me, my gaze unseeing. "How is it possible!?"
"I'm sorry, you had to learn this way but, it's the truth." Duke Ethan revealed to me, keeping his voice low as he stared at me. Tears welled in my eyes, blurring my vision, and I struggled to understand. It was him. The man I had been both captivated by and loathed, the one who had brought me to the precipice of despair and desire, now lay trapped in that agonizing state. He was the Alpha King – and he was suffering. I backed away from Duke Ethan, clutching my chest as more tears streamed from my eyes, unexplainable waves of pain coursing through me.
"Take me to him." I muttered dazedly, glancing up at Duke Ethan but he was already shaking his head.
"I can't do that. It's dangerous. He's very unstable now." Duke Ethan tried to reason with me but I cut him off.
"I don't care..." I gritted out through clenched teeth. "Take me to him!" I yelled, feeling my wolf clawing to the surface, just as agitated as I was. Despite the tumultuous thoughts racing through my mind, an unrelenting urge pushed me forward – I needed to see him, I just had to. Duke Ethan froze at the look on my face before he let out a sigh or resignation, stepping forward.
"This way, please." He gestured ahead and taking in a deep breath, I gathered myself together, following after him while Amaris stayed behind. Duke Ethan led me to the Alpha king's chambers, but instead of taking me to the usual route where his room was located, we diverted to another place.
As I followed Duke Ethan through the dark, hidden passages of the castle, a storm of emotions swirled within me, unsettling me. We descended deep into the bowels of the castle, beyond the grandeur of the Alpha King's chambers, and into the hidden realms where few ventured. The air grew heavy and oppressive, and the atmosphere reeked of secrecy. The further we walked, the more the surroundings transformed, and it became evident that we were entering an area not meant for the average castle inhabitant. I glanced at Duke Ethan, apprehensive, but he only gave me a somber look before continuing ahead, the flickering lights from few the torches surrounding us our only companions.
Duke Ethan led me to a foreboding iron door, aged with rust and barely illuminated by a dimly flickering lantern. I could hear faint, heart-wrenching howls that sent shivers down my spine. With a heavy creak, the door opened, revealing a sight that chilled me to my core.
The chamber was an abominable place, dark and chilling. It felt as though I had entered a private chamber of torment. Torture devices hung on the walls, and a lingering sense of malevolence clung to the air. But my eyes were immediately drawn to the massive cage at the center of the room.
Inside the cage, chained and trapped in a primal state of desperation, was the Alpha King. His massive, muscular form was twisted into the visage of a monstrous wolf, his beautiful black fur now matted with dirt and filth and several cuts that still had blood seeping out of it. He thrashed relentlessly, his powerful frame straining against his restraints as he let out anguished howls that pierced the heart. His eyes, once filled with power and authority, were wild and crazed and they caused my heart to shrivel up.
The sight of him in such a state tore at my very soul. A guttural cry of despair escaped my lips, and I collapsed to my knees, my heart pounding. Tears welled in my eyes as the reality of the situation crashed down upon me. What happened to him? What have I caused?
"Has... Has he gone rogue?" I struggled to ask, looking up at Duke Ethan, tears streaming down my cheeks. He pressed his lips together, a grim look crossing his face as his body grew tense.
"It's likely... But we hope not. Or else, that would be dangerous news." Letting out a sigh, he continued. "We've done everything we can to bring him back but we've been met with nothing. We don't know how long he'll be at this state. But, word is, the longer it gets, the harder it'll be." He explained and I turned my gaze back to the howling wolf, frozen in fear. It was still trying to get away from his restraints which would like it would snap any minute now, the sharp edges cutting into it's fur and leaving it's mark.
Unable to take it anymore, I buried my face in my hands, crying bitterly. This is all my fault, if I hadn't rejected him that day, would he still be normal? Was he in pain too? How long has he been suffering?
Suffering. The word echoed in my mind, and it was a pain far deeper than the physical wounds that marked his body. I could barely breathe as I watched him struggle in torment, trapped in his wolf form. The thought that this was the man I had fallen in love with, the Alpha King who had been both my protector and captor, filled me with a profound sadness.
"Let me see him," I whispered, my voice shaky.