Chapter 18
For the first time in five weeks, Ralphine felt like she could breathe. She hadn’t expected the Lycan King to give her that hoice, but she wouldn’t waste it. There were so many ways the encounter earlier could have gone, but she couldn’t have expected how it turned out. So, as she stood there with the few clothes she had taken a liking to, Ralphine was ready to take her first leap at freedom.
-Your Highness,” Kara said as she looked at her queen the woman had changed and had stripped herself of the royal clothing. almost like she didn’t want to be known as the woman who was making a run at the first chance she got. It was heartbreaking for a moment, but Kara understood her. This was a once–in–a–lifetime opportunity and the Lycan King was a man known for
his word.
“You shouldn’t call me that now, Kara. Ralphine will do just fine. I’m no longer the queen or the queen in waiting for your people. There is no need for the formalities anymore,” Ralphine said softly, and Kara sighed in silence. She should have expected this, but then nothing had prepared her for the King’s own choice. It was almost like there was more to this than they
knew.
“Are you really leaving us?” Kara asked while standing near the wall at the queen’s window. She had grown to love Ralphie, a woman whose selflessness had become something Kara admired over the weeks. No one would have been able to be that patient with the Lycan King and not lose their minds, hell no one would have managed what she had done. But then she was leaving.
“I have nothing binding me here, Kara. I have nothing anywhere anyway. My parents are dead, my former mate rejected me and is way too powerful for me even to go back and fight for myself. I haven’t stepped into a training field, despite being a dormant royal. Everything about me screams weak, and that isn’t what your King needs.
“I am a weak queen, one who can’t even match the strength of your regular Lycans. I am not even in a position to tell you, guys, anything because at the end of the day, I am just another rogue werewolf in your kingdom,” Ralphine stated and this time, Kara didn’t say anything. She just watched in silence as her queen sat dutifully on one of the seats in the room, like she was waiting for someone who wasn’t showing up.
“Well, in that case, all I can do is wish you the best in your endeavors, Kara said before bowing to her one last time and making her way out. She didn’t know what she was supposed to do with her really, given they couldn’t force her to stay and their master was letting her leave. Perhaps it was for the best, but was it really?
“Goodbye, Kara,” Ralphine said.
“You too, Your Highness,” the warrior responded before she closed the door on her way out.
Ralphine was waiting for Miroslav, at least that much was obvious, with how she was hoping to hear the door open. She knew he was certainly waiting for her to make a decision, but then she had already made a decision. The only thing she needed right now was to tell Miroslav about it. There was no bad blood between them, so why was Kara worried about how things would
She wanted to trust that all of this was for the best, but she was a little confused at how easily the man who was known to be the worst of the worst was letting her leave and even giving her a choice. It felt more like a trap, but perhaps it wasn’t. So, after three hours of waiting, Ralphne figured she would leave herself. It was almost dusk anyway.
“I don’t think I will miss this room, Ralph whispered as she made her way out, with nothing but the clothes on her body. She had changed her mind about taking anything with her because as much as she wanted to lay claim, nothing here was truly hers. It all belonged to the future queen of Asmoria and right now, she wasn’t that for them.
“Excuse me, could you please light up the hallways here?” Ralphine said to the first warrior she came across on her way out of
Asmoria
He looked at her curiously but did what she asked regardless, given he didn’t know that she was leaving. If anything, she didn’t look like someone on her last walk down the never–lit hallways. The dark hallways had always been a horror for her, and if she was going to use this one last time, at least she would see what it looked like, right? If anything, there weren’t any consequences wasting for her, right?
“As you wish, Your Highness, the warrior said before he tapped on a switch Ralphine could have sworn she had never seen and the lights came on. The hallways were beautiful and they were covered in portraits. Beautiful portraits of what she assumed were once Miroslav’s family. Then again, their faces were covered in black paint, like no one was supposed to know
about them
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Chapter 9
“Where is your King?” Ralphine asked and once again, the warrior stared at her like she was already supposed to know where her mate was. Wasn’t that the point of them having a queen anyway, or was this rogue trying to do something with them?
“Busy. What do you need, Your Highness?” the warrior asked.
“Tell your King, that I need to talk to him one last time before I leave Asmoria. Tell him I shall be waiting for him at the south. of the Asmoria, and tell him I would appreciate it if he came alone. Some goodbyes don’t need an army,” Ralphine said and the warrior faltered.
“What?”
“You heard me, warrior. Now will you do it, or should I find another warrior to do it, then tell your King later on about your incompetence?” Ralphine asked and the warrior let out a low growl.
Lycans had an intense spite for werewolves and even worse, rogue werewolves. Standing there with one giving him orders wasn’t exactly pleasing for the warrior in the hallways. However, he considered his option and the rogue wolf before him was right.
“I will go,” the warrior responded with a stiff voice.
“I expected as much,” Ralph said before she made her way out of the palace and to the place she told the warrior to inform her mate about. Hopefully, this wouldn’t end in a bloodbath, even though there were chances that the only one who would lose would be Ralph. But did she care anymore, now that she had lost everything?
eyes
King Miroslav, his enforcer, and his beta were in the game room when the warrior interrupted them a little too respectfully. Of course, he probably knew what was at stake and all that could happen to him, but there was something else in his that got the King excusing himself to go with him. Heion and Viktor could only hope it was all good, even though they were always ready to engage in a battle for Miro if ever there came a time for that.
“What is it?” King Miroslav asked and the warrior relayed his Erasthai’s words to him, making the King stop in his tracks for a moment before he regained his composure. He was a King. He was a good King to his people and a terrible menace to everyone else. He was Miroslav, surely he didn’t have anythin
to worry about, right?
“Thank you. You can go back to your station,” the King said to the warrior who bowed and left.
“What is it, Miro! Do we need to come along?” Viktor asked when the King came back looking like he had seen the devil himself. Perhaps they needed to come with him so he didn’t make a fool of himself, but would it help him in any way, especially with what he had heard?
“She’s leaving and wants me to bid her goodbye. I have to go, even if it means seeing her one last time,” the King said and Heion just 1sked, making his brother stare hopelessly at him. this was new to them, just like it was new to Miro but perhaps they would let fate take its course right?
Leaving his worried friends, King Miroslav portaled to where his Erasthai was. He stopped a few meters from where she was, masking his scent so he could at least see her one more time. He had expected this, so he wasn’t somewhat disappointed by the outcome, but a part of him was hoping that she would choose him. All his life, he had never had someone as precious as Ralphine, and frankly.
Miroslav had made up his mind earlier. He had told his friends that if Ralphie left, then he wouldn’t find another mate. He would run the kingdom on his own, and never bother with taking on a new wife. He wouldn’t replace her, even if he ever learned that she had replaced him in his life. It was a bitter moment for him, but then he had made up his mind, and knowing him, he wouldn’t backslide.
“I guess this is the last we see of each other, huh?” the King spoke after a few minutes. He couldn’t take standing that far from her, especially when the wind was so mercilessly sending her scent his way. He loved that lavender scent and he wished it didn’t have to be this way.
“Drescher,” Ralphine spoke, not even turning to look at the King. It was almost like she was telling him that he would have to come in front of her if he wanted to see her face one last time. But was it really goodbye for the both of them? Was this the end of a story that hadn’t even begun?
“What?” the Lycan King asked, like he hadn’t heard her well. He didn’t want to have hope, because that would rip him apart. faster than the fear of losing this woman was tearing through him like it was the only thing he could afford at the moment Maybe he was overthinking, but maybe she was making peace with him and his demands. Was that even making any sense to
the both of them
“Beta Drescher Volkov, Ralphine said, this time, her voice was clear, even though it was filled with a newfound rage at something or rather someone.
“Don’t you think it’s unfair for you to give me a name when you’re leaving my side?” King Miroslav said softly as he walked to stand in front of her. She was still as pretty as the first time he had seen her. She looked like a goddess, his goddess, no matter what happened between them. If only he knew what was going on in her head maybe he would be able to help her out with it.
“Maybe it is unfair. But my mate did ask me for a name, and I don’t see the point I keeping it safe, when I want to be with him Ralphine sud her distant eyes focusing on the Lycan king standing at a safe distance from her
I’m not leaving you. Ibrahim. I’ll stay by your side. no matter what storms come our way. Of course, if you will still have me. I’m sorry I gave you a rough time tod–Ralph began, but her mate shut her up with a kiss his rainforest scent filling up her nose in the most pleasant of ways.
