Gavriel’s face was dark as he walked down the hallway, his steps heavy with conflict. Emotions swirled inside him, emotions he wanted to ignore. Being ruled by them was weakness, and weakness was sothing he couldn’t afford.
He raked a hand through his hair in annoyance before entering the throne hall. Everyone connected to Althea’s case imdiately dropped to their knees. Gavriel said nothing as he strode to his throne, sat down, and closed his eyes.
“My King,” Head Stewardess Dorothy was the first to speak, her voice trembling but determined. “I only did what was right. That woman cannot be trusted. I am certain she is the one who poisoned Elsa—”
“Who cares about it, Nanny Dorothy?” His voice cut her off, cold and sharp. Gavriel lazily opened his eyes, the weight of his glare falling on the older woman. “You knew she was my fated mate, yet you still dared to bypass my authority.”
Dorothy’s lips parted to argue, “But Gavriel—” but she stopped when his piercing glare t hers.
She wasn’t just the High Stewardess. She was like a mother to him, the one who had raised him when his parents could not. She alone had the right to call him by his first na. She should have known better.
“I gave you too much authority,” he said coldly. “Now you have forgotten yourself, questioning by touching my mate.”
His gaze shifted to Simon. “Strip Lady Dorothy of her position as High Stewardess of the North Palace. Send her to serve my mother, since her loyalty lies there rather than with .”
Dorothy’s eyes widened in shock, tears spilling as she cried, “Gavriel, please... I only wanted to stay by your side and protect you.”
He rose from his seat and walked toward her. Slowly, he helped her up, but his expression was hard. “You should know by now—I do not need protection.” He leaned down, his voice a low whisper in her ear. “But you... You should not appear before during the Blood Moon if you value your life, Nanny Dorothy. We both know why...”
His wolf, Chaos, was one who never forgot a grudge. And now, Nanny Dorothy was already on his wolf’s list. Sending her away from his main palace was the best decision for her own safety.
Straightening, Gavriel turned to a guard. “Escort Nanny Dorothy to the West Palace.”
The guards imdiately moved, Dorothy’s muffled sobs echoing through the hall as she was led away.
Gavriel’s gaze then shifted to the guards who had dared to lay hands on Althea, following Dorothy’s commands.
His eyes turned icy. “Take these fools to the gallows. Let them serve as an example, the sa way as the executioner who dared to whip Althea. Hang their heads there for all to see.”
“No! Please, Your Majesty!” the guards scread together, dropping to the floor, crying and begging for their lives.
Gavriel didn’t even flinch. He simply signaled to the royal guards. The n were dragged away, their screams fading down the corridor.
On their knees, Rudy, Trudis, and Ben exchanged nervous glances. Cold sweat ran down their backs, but relief washed over them too—they had chosen wisely by obeying the Alpha King. Everyone in the kingdom knew how deep his grudges ran and how brutal his punishnts could be.
Gavriel’s sharp gaze swept over them, his tone lazy but firm. “You three... get up. Return to your posts. Now.”
The three imdiately bowed low, voices shaking in unison. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
With that, they hurriedly left the throne hall to guard Althea’s bedchamber, not daring to look back.
Now, only one remained kneeling, trembling. The servant girl. Elsa. The sa girl Althea had saved.
She lowered her head until her forehead nearly touched the floor, her shoulders shaking.
Gavriel’s piercing gaze fell on her like a weight too heavy to bear.
“M-My King,” she stuttered. “Lady Althea saved . Please... allow to repay her by giving my life in service to her.”
Gavriel’s brows drew together. He hadn’t asked Althea if she had read this woman’s thoughts. He had been too consud by his own burning need whenever he was near her. A low growl rumbled in his chest, and Elsa dropped even lower to the ground, trembling.
“Take her to the dungeons until I decide what to do with her,” Gavriel ordered Simon. “Sothing about this reeks of lies. Investigate thoroughly.”
Elsa cried out, “Please, Your Majesty! At least let speak to Lady Althea—”
But her plea was cut short when the door swung open. A guard rushed inside, panting heavily. “Your Majesty! The Queen Dowager demands your presence. Princess Riella is missing!”
Gavriel didn’t waste a second and hurried out with Simon who signaled the guards to take Elsa to the dungeon while he followed Gavriel.
At the West Palace, everyone was busy looking for Riela. “What happened?!” he grunted to Riela’s wounded maidservants.
“We lost her in the maze, Your Majesty,” one of the servants stamred, lips trembling. “She shifted into her wolf form without warning... then went mad and attacked us.”
The Queen Dowager, still sobbing, hurried toward him the mont she saw him.
“Gavriel!” she cried, her voice breaking. “Riela is missing. What should we do? I already sent all the guards, and even Uriel is helping in the search, but still... there’s no news.”
Her words tumbled out in panic, but then her expression suddenly twisted darkly. She stopped in her tracks, her eyes narrowing as she caught his scent.
“You...!” she hissed, her voice rising to a shriek. “You reek of her! Your sister is gone, driven insane by that woman’s traitor father, and yet instead of punishing her, you keep protecting that whore!”
The Queen Dowager’s sobs hitched, but her anger didn’t falter. “I will not stay silent while you throw everything away for her! Riela is your sister, your blood! That woman should have been executed the mont she set foot in this palace!”
Ignoring his mother’s outburst, Gavriel turned to her head maidservant, Marga. His tone was sharp, leaving no room for argunt.
“Take the Queen Mother back to her chambers. I’ll handle the search myself and send word as soon as there’s news.”
Without waiting for a reply, his gaze shifted to Nilda, the mage healer who had been tending both Riela and the Queen Dowager.
“Calm her. Put her to sleep if you must.”
“Gavriel!!!” the Queen Dowager scread, her voice echoing through the hall as Marga and Nilda moved quickly to obey.
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