Unknown species

Maddox’s P.O.V.

Unknown supernatural creatures!

Trust me, when I used this term, it wasn’t an exaggeration. I was merely stating the condition of the battleground in front of my eyes.

After winning countless wars over the course of three centuries, I was well-versed in the variety of the shifters roaming on the Earth. Even interbreed, and unusual couples couldn’t escape my eyes.

A lycan could run as fast as a hundred miles per hour, and for a werewolf, it was limited to seventy miles per hour. However, the agility I noticed in new warriors was out of this world.

They were faster than lycans, precisely predicting their moves, and successfully countering them. They were literally unstoppable.

Their claws were like iron, unbreakable, even I had to hit twice just to cut off a wolf’s head. Although I admired the sight of exceptional soldiers, it wasn’t in my favor. The destruction they caused had turned my victory into defeat.

Unable to stop them on my own, I mind-linked Beta James.

“Send a stand-by group of warriors to the North border. Be quick!”

And sent the message of swift protective measures, the security of my pack mates was on the top of the list. My dad had left Aunt in the pack house to take care of internal matters during the war, she was on the duty to protect females and children.

At that very moment, I really missed my Kitten, my Queen, who was supposed to be at my back to perform her duties. But an old trifle rendered me alone in this tough battle. I had never imagined that one day, we would be standing against each other.

However, the main question was: Where was my Kitten?

Looking around, I waited for Beta James’s response as werewolves were now using explosives to break the boundary walls and gates. It was getting out of my hands. And on top of that, the head of the warriors’ voice resonated in my link, instead of my Beta.

“Your Majesty, vampires have cleared the west border, but Hayden disappeared mysteriously.”

What?

Where did Hayden go?

According to our plan, he should have joined the troubled areas for more assistance. But this news bugged me as the head of the warriors reported the wretched situation, crumbling down my world around me.

“The Werewolf soldiers have arrested Beta James, entering through the East border in the pack, Your Majesty.

I have got a report that they have broken into the Castle.”

WTH?

How was it even possible?

In a jiffy, my link was bombarded by the cries for help, werewolves had started carnage to torment the commoners. I shuddered as the pleas of my subjects shaken me to the core.

As a King, I had to choose between the victory and the safety my pack mates. And I needed to do it now, as I was running out of time in current circumstances.

My dad should have covered Hayden’s area, but he also went missing, I was unable to reach out to him. And we were continuously decreasing in number at the North border without more warriors from back-up.

Stuck between do or die, I was standing at the crossroad of decision when the link of my mate-bond buzzed, connecting me to the culprit behind this massacre.

“Hey, ex-King Maddox Miller, of the fallen empire!”

Bastard Prince’s mocking tone enraged me so much that I snapped the necks of ten werewolves in a minute, listening to his rubbish.

“I am pleased to inform you that right now, I am sitting on my gold throne in the throne hall.

And guess what I am holding!”

He paused for a moment, testing my patience. I felt sweat dropped from my forehead like a stream as he said,

“I have the official papers of the Kingdom in my hands along with the King’s stamp, warriors’ orders, all the financial information and complete hold over the official bank accounts.

Do you know who gave me access to all of this?”

His maddening laughter made me jump reflexively, the ache in the bottom of my gut hinted to me that something wasn’t right. I knew who had access to these information other than me, but I tried to ignore it.

The sudden stab of terror in my gut gave me a heart attack, I couldn’t believe the obvious until Edith said,

“My promise mate, Shyla Harrison, has given me all the secrets of the Lycans, ex-King.

With her help, it was so easy to arrest Beta James and enter directly to the Castle.

See, I didn’t have to fight or move my finger to defeat you.

TSK, TSK!

You have lost!”

No!

Clutching my chest, I stumbled backwards, the weight of this betrayal threatened to suffocate me. My skin prickled with clammy, cold sweat, rising goosebumps as I found it impossible to reconcile with reality.

My Kitten’s treachery made me afraid to breathe.

“How is this even possible ?”

It became the only question in my mind, clasping my throat tightly, I lost my footing as a wolf punched me in my face. But I couldn’t care less!

My Kitten had stabbed me in the back, and nothing mattered to me after that!

Zeth howled as my legs refused to bear my weight anymore, making me fall on the ground as tears rolled down my cheeks. I was shattered into countless pieces by this unexpected tragedy.

The love of my life, my Kitten, to whom I trusted more than myself, had chosen to side with her promise mate, crowning him as a King.

I was now just a hollow case of muscles and bones after my soul left my body, filling my heart with despair. Although the werewolves were attacking me from all the sides, clawing my skin and flesh with their lethal claws, I had lost the will to fight back. There was no meaning of winning or losing when my Erasthai left me for my enemy.

Zeth closed his eyes, becoming a part of the darkness of my mind as my claws became hands again, he howled for the last time on my behalf.

“Stop this!

I surrender!”

…

The distance between the border and the Castle was covered silently, the empty streets of my pack were singing the songs of desolation. The pack where I had walked with my head held high for three centuries was lost, and its new owner was waiting for me in the throne hall.

The werewolves didn’t chain me and escorted me to the Castle by a car, but I didn’t bother about this special treatment. It was just like a silence before a storm. Soon, I was under the torrents of pain and despair as the new Werewolf guards brought me to the hall in a procession.

My dejected gaze caught the sight of a mere bastard sitting on the gold throne that he had won through deception. I was forced to kneel before him as he announced proudly.

“Here comes ‘the end’ of your long reign of horror, Alpha Maddox. Finally, my years of hard work paid off!”

He then bragged about his accomplishments in the fields of science and technology, which weren’t of my concern. I silently glanced at the door when Beta James was brought into the hall.

“I must say that your Beta is so loyal to you, Alpha. He didn’t pledge his loyalty to me.

But your Gamma was an easy prey to be bought with some money.”

Bastard Prince, no Bastard King, propped his chin on his hand, delivering a lecture about his hard work. He sprinkled salt over my wounds with his bragging.

I wanted to scream that just kill me at once, being alive for a moment was worse than defeat. The anguish of the heartbreak was cutting through my soul, showing death as the only way out. However, my attention was temporarily diverted by Edith’s statement as he said,

“Shyla acts like a strong and wise lady, but in reality, she is an emotional fool, Alpha Maddox.

After my countless efforts of taking her to the Palace, she refused to take part in the official matters.

And you know what?

I just played a small game to gain her sympathy.”

He made fun of my Kitten, speaking with a wide grin.

“Despite being a born Alpha King, Shyla is merely an omega slave.

So, I played with her weakness and took her to the slave market in the name of an orphanage. Just one trick, and she signed the first royal decree!”

He clicked his tongue, converting my pain into rage. I could feel my blood boiling in my veins as he confessed shamelessly.

“Then the rest was only a piece of cake, Alpha. I poisoned Alpha Harrison, and asked him to arrange an engagement ceremony, trusting your monstrous outburst for a perfectly-staged drama.

And see, you didn’t disappoint me!

Your one punch was enough to send him to the hospital where I bribed the doctors to make a fake autopsy report.”

What the actual fuck?

Hayden told me that the doctors hadn’t performed any procedure to determine the cause of death, sending Alpha’s dead body right away. And now, it turned out that it was a pre-planned murder, Edith’s plan to brew hatred between me and my Erasthai.

He laughed at us. “No doubt, Shyla is a brainless beauty, getting emotional for a man, who abandoned his affair partner for his promise mate.

She swore to take revenge and gave me what I needed, crowning me as a King without any hitch …”

That Bastard’s blabbering filled my body with so much adrenaline that I began to shake, second guessing my decision. Even Zeth came out of his hiding and spoke in a hurried tone.

“Kitten was fooled, Maddox. She didn’t betray us.”