Chapter 20: The Alpha King Is Coming

Verona

She steadied herself, swallowing hard before forcing a smile. “Blood, indeed, is thicker than water,” she said, her gaze lingering on me.

I looked back at what I had grown. The plant stood tall and vibrant, its leaves full, its presence almost alive in a way I couldn’t explain. It was beautiful—too beautiful for something that had just been a seed moments ago.

“It is magnificent,” Lydia said softly, her voice carrying a strange reverence, “just like your soul.”

I nodded, though I wasn’t entirely sure what she meant by that. Something about the way she said it made my chest feel warm and uneasy at the same time.

“We shall move on to the second part,” she continued, her tone shifting back into something firm and instructive.

I turned to look at her, curiosity flickering through me—but before I could ask anything, she snapped her fingers sharply.

The world around us folded in on itself.

In the blink of an eye, the scent of earth and greenery vanished, replaced by salt and wind. When my eyes adjusted, I found myself standing barefoot on warm sand, the sound of waves crashing rhythmically against the shore.

We were on a beach.

“This is the second phase, Verona—the water,” Lydia said, her gaze fixed on the endless blue stretching before us. “Water is the owner of the earth itself. It existed long before land was formed, and once you master it, the other elements will come to you naturally.”

She stood at the edge of the shore, and I followed her line of sight. The sea breathed before us—steady, vast, alive.

Lydia closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, the salty air filling her lungs. When she opened them again, the ocean answered her call. The water surged upward, rising high into the air, forming a towering wall that shimmered under the light.

“You must control it with your mind, Verona,” she said, her voice heavier now. “This is the hardest element to command.”

I could hear the strain beneath her words. Her shoulders tightened, her breath uneven as she fought to hold the water in place. Then, suddenly, her strength gave way. The wave crashed back into the sea with a thunderous roar, and Lydia collapsed to her knees, gasping.

I rushed to her side, steadying her when she swayed. When she looked up at me, my chest tightened.

Blood trailed from her nose.

“You’re bleeding,” I said, my voice barely steady.

She nodded faintly. “I pushed myself too far.”

“Because water isn’t your specialty?” I asked.

She smiled weakly. “My strength lies with the earth. Water demands more… and it always takes something in return.”

“So magic has consequences,” I murmured.

“It always does,” she replied softly. “And you learn quickly.”

I straightened and turned back toward the sea.

The water rolled gently now, waves whispering against the shore. I watched the way it moved—endless, patient, powerful without force. The scent of salt filled my lungs as I inhaled deeply, closing my eyes.

The moment I did, something shifted.

The coolness of the breeze wrapped around me. The rhythm of the waves settled my heartbeat. The water didn’t feel foreign or dangerous—it felt welcoming, familiar. Like it recognized me.

Like it had been waiting.

“V-Verona…” Lydia’s voice trembled behind me.

I opened my eyes slowly.

Before me, the sea had risen once more—not violently, not raging, but vast and controlled. A massive wall of water hovered in the air, responding to a command I hadn’t spoken aloud.

Lydia stood, staring at me, her eyes wide with something between fear and wonder.

“Go back,” I said gently. “Slowly.”

The water obeyed.

The wave lowered itself, melting back into the ocean as though nothing had disturbed it, the surface returning to its calm, endless rhythm.

Lydia exhaled shakily. “I don’t think there is much left for me to teach you.”

I turned to her, my voice steady, my resolve clear. “There is. I want to understand this world, Lydia. I want to understand myself. So please—guide me.” she swallowed as she nodded her head, her eyes looking at me in wonder.

The days that followed were filled with learning. Everything I was taught came so easily, as though it was already ingrained in me. Whatever Lydia showed me never felt new; instead, it felt like my body was remembering what it had lost along the way.

Before I realized it, our lessons came to an end, and I couldn’t deny how much fun I’d had learning all those little tricks.

“At least with what you know now, you should be able to protect yourself a little,” Obed said as he handed me a book of spells. Tori was there as well.

“This one is a good spellbook,” Obed added, placing it in front of me. “When you’re done with that, read this too.” He tossed another book onto the table.

“At least let her finish one first,” Tori countered, and I chuckled.

Just then, Lydia joined us. The two men noticed her even before I did—they had heard and scented her already. They both turned their heads, and I followed their gaze.

“I didn’t interrupt anything, did I?” she asked.

I smiled at her as Tori stood and pulled out a chair for her. “Please, do sit, madam.”

She glanced at me with a smile. “You see? Obed is much stricter than I am.”

“No, I’m not,” Obed countered as we were all seated. Silence stretching amongst us.

Moments later, the two men looked up again. I followed their gaze once more as a maid approached us and bowed deeply.

“Is there a problem?” Tori asked.

The maid brought out a letter. The instant Lydia saw it, she gasped, shock clearly written on her face.

“That seal is from the palace,” Obed said quietly, and my eyes widened.

“This was left for the lady,” the maid said.

Obed stood and took the letter from her. “You may leave,” he ordered, and she hurried away.

Obed tore the letter open while Tori moved to stand beside him so he could read as well. I had already dropped my book onto the table, waiting patiently for what the letter conveyed.

“What does it say?” Lydia asked.

Both men wore identical expressions of surprise as they slowly looked at each other.

“It says the Alpha King will be coming here himself tomorrow,” Obed replied.

Lydia immediately stood and walked over to take the letter, but I— I had a smile on my face. Tomorrow, he will come to visit.

When I looked at all three of them, their eyes were now focused on me.

“You’re not shocked?” Lydia asked.

“Haven’t you heard that he hasn’t left his tower in a century?” Tori added.

I nodded. “Evan did tell me that, and so did Obed. But Soren already said he would visit.”

It was as though I had poured hot water on Lydia. She cried out, “Oh dear, you must not call the king by his given name!”

I laughed, but they didn’t.

“It’s disrespectful,” Tori added.

I cleared my throat. “When I called him that, he liked it.”

They all stared at me, disbelief written on their faces, even Obed’s.

“He smiled too,” I added, my voice filled with quiet pride. That I was the only one who could call him that.

“Well then,” Obed said after a moment, “for courtesy’s sake, you can call him ‘the King’ in front of us, his subjects. When you’re alone, you may call him by his name.”

I smiled at that.

“It’s still a shock to me that he’s coming here himself,” Lydia said.

Suddenly, all three of them froze, looking at one another as if the words had only just sunk in.

“The Alpha King is coming,” they repeated, almost as though hearing it for the first time.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, totally confused.

Tori immediately rushed out of the room while Lydia came to me.

“You don’t understand what this means, do you?” she said, helping me to my feet. “It means we need to prepare—and we need to prepare you too.”

I followed her hurried steps as Obed walked alongside us.

“Is it really that big of a deal?” I asked.

Obed snapped his head toward me. “Very big,” he said, before heading off in another direction.

And just like that, Soren’s visit caused an uproar. Everyone was moving, busy with something—furniture was changed, rugs replaced, everything rearranged.

And most of all, me.

Pedicure, manicure, massages, my hair—everything.

So yes, it was a much bigger deal than I had thought.