Chapter 97 97
Denzel’s POV
As my Jeep rolled through the towering gates of the Lycan Kingdom, a giddy anticipation curled in my chest. I already knew the chaos that would follow. A king presumed dead had returned and not only that, he had found his heir. I couldn’t help but wonder how Rochelle and her circle of co-conspirators would take that revelation.
The guards stared at my Jeep like it was an anomaly, and honestly, I couldn’t blame them. The vehicle still bore the scars of our encounter with the Silver Forest Clan. I only hoped that once the rightful Lycan king reclaimed his throne, this entire mess could finally be resolved because Fabian’s rule had been nothing short of disastrous.
Still, not everything sat right with me. His return meant less time with my wife, and we already had so little of that left. The thought clawed at me, leaving a sour frustration behind.
Someone approached as I parked, gesturing for us to follow him inside. The shift was obvious I was no longer considered an ally. Once, I would have walked in without so much as a glance in my direction.
I linked King Jamar, urging him to pull his hood lower as he carried my wife, her body wrapped securely in a blanket. A hooded man carrying a sleeping woman drew far less attention than if I carried her myself while he walked beside me. I also begged him quietly to suppress his intimidating aura. I needed us before Rochelle in the throne room before he revealed himself.
I needed her to speak. To say things she could never deny once he stepped forward.
The guards immediately went on edge when Jamar emerged from the Jeep with Venessa in his arms.
“Please,” I said quickly, lifting my hands. “We are guests. We were attacked, and that is my wife he’s carrying.”
Their claws retracted almost instantly.
We were ushered into a waiting room. Clothes were brought for Venessa, but no healer followed.
“I need a doctor,” I pleaded, even though I knew Venessa would recover regardless. This wasn’t just for her it was for Jamar. I wanted him to see, with his own eyes, the cruelty his people were capable of.
Two hours passed. No medical aid came.
Eventually, Venessa stirred and managed to change into the gown they’d brought. It did nothing to flatter her figure, but at least it covered her.
“What do you think happened back there?” she asked, exhaustion threading her voice.
I pulled her close, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
The goddess blessed you more than you realise, I linked softly, careful not to let her father overhear. Some truths would shatter him, and I needed him steady clear-headed enough to reclaim his throne and punish those responsible for poisoning him.
A guard finally arrived to escort us to the throne room.
The sight waiting for us was almost surreal. Rochelle sat far too comfortably on the throne, with Ashani Wright and his son, Jahlil, flanking her sides. She was basking in the illusion of power, soaking in the moment as if it truly belonged to her.
“Your Majesty,” I said, bowing. Venessa followed suit, and Jamar inclined his head as well, his hood still concealing his face.
What amazed me most was how insignificant she clearly thought me. Under normal circumstances, she should have demanded the hooded stranger reveal himself. Either she didn’t care or she was too stupid to see the danger standing before her.
“To what do I owe this visit, Denzel?” she asked, deliberately omitting my title.
A calculated slight.
“I want to know why the treaty was removed,” I said calmly. “You are not Queen. You’re merely holding the throne until His Majesty returns. So why are you reversing his orders and changing the kingdom’s structure?”
My gaze flicked to the former Beta, Gamma, and Delta.
The former Beta and his son stood beside Rochelle on the elevated platform, while the Gamma and Delta remained on the floor at my level clear evidence they were no longer part of her inner circle. Whatever she had done to them, it had been enough to silence their opposition.
“The King instructed the Gamma and Delta to take charge if anything happened to him,” I continued. “Why sideline them? This is wrong. It almost sounds like you never expected him to return.”
She smiled.
“You have no right to speak to Her Majesty that way,” Beta Jahlil snapped. “You have no right to question her authority.”
“You’re all acting as though His Majesty is never coming back,” I said, my voice steady. “As though this—this mockery is permanent.”
Rochelle dabbed at her eyes, feigning grief.
“Do not make me speak of my husband,” she said softly. “I begged him to stay. If he had listened, he’d still be alive. His life would have been longer. But no he insisted on leaving, and you helped him. You’re fortunate I’m merciful. I could have had you tried for his disappearance.”
I bowed my head in acknowledgment.
“Then it’s clear,” I said quietly. “You doubt he will return. And you are certain he never will.”
Her snarl was instant.
“He was already dead before he left.”
I nodded slowly.
“Then reinstate the treaty.”
She laughed sharp, mocking before stopping abruptly.
“Or else what?”
“You’ll compensate me,” I said evenly. “For not telling the king you sent Lycans to hunt Danisha Gordon and her child. For not telling him you abducted my wife and attempted to murder her because you believed she was Danisha Gordon’s daughter. You should be grateful I’ve kept quiet.”
The former Gamma and Delta gasped.
Rochelle burst into laughter.
“That gold-digging whore got exactly what she deserved,” she sneered. “She tried to steal my life and take my man. As for your wife I already apologised. We believed she was the bastard of that woman. I will not apologise again. I am Queen.”
I shook my head.
“If His Majesty is truly not returning, then you must vacate that throne,” I said. “King Fabian or King Donovan should ascend. You are not of royal blood. You have no heir.”
Her growl echoed through the hall.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the former Gamma and Delta again silent, tense, clearly not aligned with her rule. Whatever bound them to obedience was strong… but it wasn’t loyalty.
And it wouldn’t last forever.