Breaking Royal Protocol

Long before the first hints of dawn could even threaten to break the horizon, the digital clock on the bedside table flashed a glowing 4:00 a.m. in the pitch-black room. Roxana slipped out of the massive hotel bed, her movements completely silent, honed by years of living on the edge of survival. The world outside the thick glass window was still buried in absolute darkness, the sky a heavy canvas of deep, impenetrable charcoal. She moved efficiently through the cold room, quickly brushing her teeth and pulling on a simple, worn tracksuit. She grabbed a small duffel bag, tossing a plastic water bottle inside, and quietly made her way out of the expansive suite.

The massive hotel was dead quiet, save for the faint, steady hum of the central heating system. Avoiding the opulent main lobby, she took the carpeted service stairs down to the ground floor, slipping out through the heavy metal backdoor and into the biting chill of the pre-dawn air. She jogged at a steady, rhythmic pace toward the dense, untamed forest that loomed just behind the extravagant hotel grounds. Once she was thoroughly concealed by the thick canopy of ancient trees and thick underbrush, she stopped behind a massive oak. Quickly and quietly, she stripped off her clothes, folding them neatly and placing them into her duffel bag.

Taking a deep, centering breath, she let her instincts take over. The shift was fluid, a seamless transition of bone and muscle that she had perfected over the years. Within seconds, a magnificent white wolf stood in the place where the young woman had been. Her thick, pristine fur practically glowed in the ambient moonlight that filtered through the leaves. Her striking sapphire eyes scanned the dark woods, alert and perfectly adapted to the shadows.

But there was one distinct, entirely unique feature about her wolf form. Extending behind her was a tail heavily banded with stark stripes of pure white and deep, slate grey. It was an anomaly. She had never known why she bore such a strange marking. Over the years, she had scoured through countless dusty volumes and ancient texts in pack libraries, desperately searching for any recorded oddities regarding werewolves with striped tails, but she had found absolutely nothing. It was a complete biological mystery. Those who had witnessed her shifted form always immediately pointed out this blatant peculiarity. Some whispered in hushed, reverent tones that she possessed an unknown, dormant gift from the Moon Goddess. Others, more cruel and superstitious, blatantly stated she was cursed by dark magic. But the unique tail never bothered her in terms of practical functionality. It didn't hinder her balance or her speed, so she had long since learned to simply shrug off the endless comments and ignorant stares.

When her heavy paws hit the damp, grassy ground, she carefully clamped her jaws around the sturdy strap of her duffel bag and launched herself deep into the heart of the forest. The cool, crisp morning breeze aggressively whipped through her fur, invigorating her senses. The gentle, rhythmic rustling of the wind tearing through the high branches was a beautiful sound she deeply loved. The endless, towering rows of trees drew her deeper and deeper into the wild, pulling her away from the suffocating politics of the royal summit. She ran with pure, unadulterated speed, her powerful muscles working in perfect, flawless harmony. She only finally slowed her blistering pace when her highly sensitive ears picked up the distant, rushing sound of gushing water.

Breaking through the heavy tree line, she found a wide, fast-flowing river. There, she sat peacefully on the muddy riverbank, placing her bag gently on the grass. She leaned forward, looking down at her own rippling reflection in the dark, cold water. The white and grey tail flicked softly behind her. Roxana then lifted her massive head, staring up at the vast, star-speckled sky, and took a deep, profoundly satisfying breath of absolute freedom. The crisp air filled her massive lungs. She did this exact same routine every single morning back in her own pack territory. The profound, unbroken stillness of the early morning gave her the necessary mental space to completely clear her head of all anxieties. The absolute quietness offered her a rare, desperately needed sense of peace.

She sat there in silent meditation until the very first, faint ray of golden light began to violently pierce through the horizon. It was her undeniable cue to dash back. Snatching her bag up in her teeth, she spun around and sprinted fiercely through the forest, retracing the exact hidden path she had carved out earlier. Reaching her designated tree, she shifted back into her human form, the morning air biting harshly against her bare skin. She quickly dressed in her tracksuit, slung the bag over her shoulder, and stealthily re-entered the hotel building through the same backdoor.

Completely exhausted but mentally refreshed, she walked into the lobby and took the private elevator straight up to the seventh floor. The soft chime of the elevator doors opening echoed in the quiet hallway. As soon as she stepped out and turned around the sharp corner of the corridor, her eyes fixed on the glowing screen of her phone as she mindlessly scrolled through her morning notifications.

She never even saw the massive figure rushing frantically toward her.

Suddenly, her body was violently tugged forward. She collided heavily, crashing face-first into a solid, incredibly muscular chest that felt like a wall of pure granite.

"Oof!" the breath was forcefully knocked out of her lungs as she stumbled back, but massive, powerful arms immediately clamped around her waist, hauling her flush against the hard body.

"Goddess, I was so worried! Where were you?!" a deep, wildly frantic voice exclaimed. The massive man immediately buried his face deep into the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent like a drowning man grasping for oxygen.

Roxana gasped, her hands flying up to press firmly against the rock-hard surface of his chest in an automatic attempt to part their bodies. The very second her palms made contact with his muscles, a violent, scorching wave of electric sparks exploded across her skin, shooting rapidly up her arms and straight down her spine. The overwhelming, incredibly comforting scent of rich acacia wood and fresh pine needles violently flooded her senses. It was the Lycan King.

When she managed to push back just enough to force their gaze to lock, the sheer intensity in his eyes literally took her breath away. She saw raw, unfiltered panic, profound relief, and a dark, swirling edge of protective anger burning in his irises.

"Oh, it’s you," she breathed out, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs. "Good morning, your... I mean, Kaelen."

His chest heaved with heavy, ragged breaths. He reached up, his large, trembling fingers gently tugging a stray strand of hair behind her ear. His voice was thick with lingering terror as he demanded, "Where did you go this morning, Roxana?"

"I went for a run in the forest at the back," she explained, her eyebrows furrowing in genuine confusion at his extreme reaction. "Why? Did something happen? Was there an attack?"

Instead of answering immediately, Kaelen surged forward, pressing their bodies flush together once more. The physical contact caused the searing sparks to violently intensify, making her toes curl in her sneakers. He buried his face in her hair again, his lips brushing against her neck as he aggressively inhaled her natural scent.

"I couldn’t hear anyone moving in your room," he whispered, his voice dark and painfully raw. "And your scent in the corridor was entirely too faint. I woke up and realized you were gone. I thought something bad had happened to you. My mind went to the darkest places. Don’t do that to me again, Roxana, please. I absolutely cannot afford to lose you."

The sheer, devastating sincerity in his low voice violently pulled at her heartstrings. The Lycan King, the most powerful and lethal creature on the entire continent, was physically trembling holding her. But a harsh, deeply ingrained instinct immediately kicked in. She forcefully reminded herself of the excruciating pain of her previous mates, the broken promises, and the ultimate betrayals. She desperately locked down her soaring emotions, forcing her tone to remain perfectly calm and casually detached.

"I’m sorry that I worried you," she uttered smoothly, deliberately ignoring the burning heat of his body. "But there aren’t any rogue attacks around this territory, are there?"

"No," he whispered directly into her ear. His warm, heavy breath tickled her sensitive skin, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine. "But that doesn’t mean I would be any less worried if I didn’t know exactly where you were. You are my mate."

She swallowed hard, trying desperately to keep her composure intact under the crushing weight of his possessive aura. "You could’ve just asked Garret," she uttered plainly. "He saw me leave."

Instantly, Kaelen's massive body stiffened to the point of turning into solid steel. The gentle, desperate grip he had on her shoulders violently tightened. He pulled away just enough to look directly at her face. The relief in his eyes was instantly incinerated by a dark, lethal flash of pure, unadulterated jealousy. His jaw clenched tightly, his tone dropping into a dangerous, heavily laced growl as he asked, "Who the hell is Garret?"

With her eyebrows deeply furrowed, thoroughly unimpressed by his sudden dominant posturing, Roxana answered simply and casually. "The guard at the backdoor. Six feet tall. Dark hair. Short cut. He is a guard of this hotel, isn’t he? Or, if he was on break, you could’ve just asked his partner, Caleb. He usually guards the front entrance, but I think he walked around and saw me leave from the back perimeter this morning."

For a terrifying second, Kaelen looked like he was going to rip the heavy corridor doors off their hinges just for the sheer audacity of other males looking at his mate. But then, the absolute casualness of her explanation completely registered in his brain. The dark, possessive fury evaporated as quickly as it had ignited. The rigid tension bleeding out of his massive shoulders, his body completely relaxed.

A slow, profoundly charmed smile broke across his handsome face. He reached up, his large thumb gently and reverently tracing the soft curve of her cheek. He stared down at her, utterly captivated. He thought about how incredibly amazing, how profoundly unique his mate was. She was a Luna of a prominent pack, attending a summit of the highest nobility, and yet she had genuinely bothered to learn the specific names, faces, and patrol routes of the lowly, completely overlooked hotel security guards. The Lycan King chuckled lightly, a deep, rumbling sound that vibrated pleasantly in his chest, smiling for absolutely no other reason than the sheer, overwhelming happiness he felt just standing in her presence.

Before he could pull her back into his arms, Roxana's phone beeped loudly in her hand, the sudden noise sharply pulling her gaze down to the bright screen. She tapped the notification, then looked back up at the King.

"Was there anything specific you needed?" she asked, taking a subtle step back to put some necessary distance between their bodies. "I have to get ready for breakfast. I should really get down to the hall before my Alpha and Luna arrive."

Kaelen took a quick glance at her phone when she held it up, seeing the bold calendar reminder for her morning schedule. His mind finally caught up to the present reality. He had been so utterly consumed by his blinding panic over her disappearance that he hadn’t even noticed she was standing in front of him wearing baggy sweatpants and a worn track jacket. Reluctantly, feeling the physical sting of separation anxiety already creeping in, he released his tight grip on her arms.

"I won’t keep you," he said softly, his eyes raking over her face one last time. "I should go get ready as well. I can’t wait to see you at breakfast, Roxana."

She managed a polite, tight-lipped smile and quickly walked past him, deeply eager to escape the suffocating intensity of his undivided attention. He stood perfectly still, watching her walk down the hall. He watched her slide the keycard, unlock her heavy oak door, and step inside. He didn't move an inch until the door firmly clicked shut behind her, cutting off the view. Kaelen stood rooted to his exact spot in the empty corridor for another five whole seconds, simply staring at the door. Then, he finally turned, entered the waiting elevator, and left the building smiling like an absolute, utterly completely love-struck fool.

When he finally returned to his expansive royal suite, for the first time in literal centuries, the Lycan King actually stood in front of his massive wardrobe and actively contemplated what he was going to wear for the day. He had never really cared about clothes. He viewed garments entirely as a functional necessity. When a man existed at the absolute pinnacle of absolute power, when you were the apex predator of the entire continent, your subordinates would physically bow to you and tremble in fear regardless of whether you wore royal silk or a blood-stained burlap sack. But today was entirely different. Today, he desperately wanted to look his absolute best for his mate. He wanted to impress her.

After aggressively discarding three different expensive suits, he finally settled on a deeply rich, teal green dress shirt that perfectly accentuated the unique color of his eyes, finishing the sharp, tailored look with a sleek, perfectly fitted black tuxedo jacket. He stood in front of the full-length mirror, running his large fingers through his dark, thick hair a few times, messing it up and fixing it repeatedly until he was finally satisfied with the rugged but refined way it looked. Nodding to his reflection, he left his room and drove his private vehicle straight to the grand dining hall.

The very moment his heavy, polished boots stepped across the threshold into the massive, opulent dining hall, the entire atmosphere of the room violently shifted. Every single conversation immediately died. The initial lively chatter evaporated into total, deafening silence. Every Lycan and werewolf present in the room instantly dropped what they were doing, bowing deeply in his direction. Kaelen’s sharp eyes immediately swept the massive crowd, effortlessly catching sight of the exact person he was desperately looking for. A sharp, painful pang violently struck his heart when he saw that Roxana, too, had her head bowed deeply, her knees slightly bent in total subservience.

The King forced a tight, entirely diplomatic smile onto his face. He projected his deep, commanding voice so it echoed flawlessly off the vaulted ceilings.

"Heads up, everyone," he announced with absolute, unyielding authority. "Please, help yourselves to the food and drink. And hear this clearly—wolves, you need absolutely not wait for the other Lycans to arrive or to take their plates first. As far as I am personally concerned, both species in this room are of entirely equal importance and standing. Please, start eating."

A heavy, stunned silence hung in the air for a fraction of a second. Some of the older, deeply traditional Lycan lords near the front visibly bristled, their faces contorting into expressions of profound displeasure and arrogant disgust at what their King had just commanded. To them, wolves were fundamentally lesser creatures. But the vast majority of the younger generation, both Lycan and wolf alike, were entirely pleasantly surprised, exchanging wide-eyed, hopeful glances. Many diplomats and pack leaders whom the King had purposefully taken the time to speak to the night before immediately walked up to him, entirely abandoning their previous apprehension, with the sole purpose of genuinely greeting him.

'It feels entirely different,' Kaelen thought to himself as he nodded to the passing nobles. In all the previous years of hosting this mandatory summit, wolves and Lycans would approach him and greet him, but their actions always looked deeply obligatory, driven entirely by sheer terror and strict political survival. This year, however, he could literally feel their genuine sincerity oozing from their scents when his subjects warmly wished him a ‘good morning’.

He politely dismissed the lingering nobles and immediately made a direct, unwavering beeline straight toward his mate. She had her back to him as he rapidly closed the distance. She was entirely engrossed in a deep, serious conversation with Luna Thalia, an older, highly respected female who was listening to Roxana with rapt, undivided attention. Thalia was the first to notice his massive, looming presence. The older Luna immediately stopped talking and bowed respectfully.

"My King. Good morning," Thalia greeted softly.

Hearing the title, Roxana turned around ever so gracefully. Kaelen’s breath hitched in his throat. She was wearing a stunning, beautifully tailored turquoise dress that hugged her curves perfectly. The elegant sleeves reached down past her elbows, purposely designed to completely cover her old battle scar. She held a crystal glass of water delicately in her hand. The moment her eyes registered him, her body immediately moved on engrained instinct, her head beginning to tilt downwards, her shoulders dropping to execute a formal, subservient bow.

Before she could dip more than an inch, Kaelen closed the final gap between them. He reached out, his large hand gently but firmly grasping her shoulder to physically halt her downward momentum. At the exact same time, his other hand reached up, his fingers gently hooking under her chin, slowly lifting her beautiful face back up until her striking eyes were forced to meet his intense gaze.

"Roxana," he pleaded in a low, desperate whisper meant entirely only for her ears, completely ignoring the surrounding crowd. "You absolutely do not need to bow to me. Please. It genuinely hurts me deeply in my chest when you do that. I hate seeing you lower yourself."

Roxana’s eyes widened slightly in pure shock. She was utterly baffled to hear that the most terrifying warlord in history was physically hurt by the simple sight of her showing him standard respect. But her innate, deeply ingrained stubbornness immediately flared up.

"It would be rather odd if I don’t, though," she muttered quietly, her jaw setting in a firm line. "Especially when every single other person in this entire room has their heads firmly pointed at the floor."

Kaelen smiled, a soft, incredibly tender expression that completely transformed his lethal features. He shifted his hand from her chin, gently cupping her warm cheek. His thumb brushed over her cheekbone as he spoke with absolute, unwavering firmness. "It won’t be odd in the slightest. Because you are my mate. I will absolutely not have you bow to me. Ever."

With that absolute decree, he smoothly took her free hand in his. He slowly lifted her delicate fingers up to his lips, his eyes never breaking contact with hers, and pressed a deep, incredibly sweet, lingering kiss to the soft back of her hand.

"You look absolutely beautiful," he murmured against her skin.

He had offered her this exact same deeply romantic gesture the night before, but that didn’t mean Roxana was any less shocked by it now. Her heart hammered a frantic rhythm against her ribs. She desperately tried to formulate a coherent sentence, her brain short-circuiting under the sheer weight of his undivided adoration.

"Uh... thank you, Kaelen," she finally managed to stammer out, her cheeks heating up slightly.

Hearing his given name fall from her lips sent a violent, electrifying thrill straight down to his very core. He had literally never known his own name could sound so incredibly good until it came out of his mate’s beautiful mouth.

"Will you sit with me for breakfast?" he asked softly, his dark eyes wide and incredibly hopeful, practically begging her.

She hesitated, her teeth gently grazing her lower lip. She glanced over at Luna Thalia, who was standing awkwardly a few feet away, desperately trying to pretend she wasn't eavesdropping on the King's intimate conversation.

"Can I have just a few more minutes with Luna Thalia?" Roxana asked politely. "We were just finishing up a very important discussion about border patrols."

"Of course," Kaelen grinned widely, stepping back slightly to give her space, once again feeling a massive, overwhelming surge of profound pride at her deeply selfless, entirely duty-driven nature. She was the perfect Luna.

"Apologies, your Highness," Luna Thalia quickly interjected, bowing her head nervously. "I did not mean to monopolize her time."

Kaelen waved his large hand dismissively in the air with a warm, genuine smile. "Absolutely no need to apologize. It brings me great, immense joy to see such a fruitful, strategic exchange happening at this summit."

His unexpected graciousness and profound understanding instantly earned him a brilliant, entirely genuine smile from both Luna Thalia and Roxana. Seeing that absolutely breathtaking smile on Roxana's face made Kaelen’s brain completely short out. He got entirely lost in the beautiful curve of her lips. Completely driven by instinct, he immediately moved a step closer, smoothly sliding his heavy, muscular arm securely around her slender waist, pulling her flush against his side.

Roxana gasped softly at the sudden, dominating contact. She desperately tried to ignore the violent, crackling sparks and the intense, burning warm sensation radiating from his heavy arm and the large hand resting firmly on her hip. She swallowed hard, deliberately clearing her throat, and forcefully turned her attention back to Luna Thalia to finish outlining her training plan.

"Luna Thalia, as I was saying, you absolutely need not worry about the Sanguine Eclipse Pack," Roxana stated with absolute, unwavering confidence. "I can personally assure you that they are absolutely nothing like the horrific, exaggerated rumors being spread about them by the southern lords. They are fiercely territorial, yes. But that’s solely because they have to be when the rogue factions attack their borders so frequently. We’re all exactly like that when we are forced to fight for our survival. Their Alpha is deeply understanding, incredibly generous, and highly tactical. He will absolutely help your warriors."

"Would it be entirely possible for you to personally introduce us at the tea gathering later this afternoon?" Luna Thalia suggested, her voice lacing with desperate hope. "I was heavily banking on the fact that, since he already deeply respects you, he’ll be significantly more willing to offer his elite warriors to help cross-train our struggling pack."

"That wouldn’t be a problem at all, Luna Thalia," Roxana smiled warmly, entirely in her element as a diplomatic leader. "I should also introduce you to Luna Rosalind from the Obsidian Pack while we are at it. Their frontline warriors are incredibly well-trained in mountain terrain combat as well, and their pack borders aren’t very far from your northern territory, so perhaps you would want to seriously consider drafting a mutual collaboration treaty with them in the near future."

"Oh, that would be absolutely wonderful! Thank you so much, Roxana," Thalia beamed, visibly relieved. "It’s so truly wonderful to finally make your acquaintance after hearing so many incredible things about your leadership. I definitely won’t keep you and the King any longer now."

"Likewise, Luna Thalia," Roxana nodded respectfully.

Luna Thalia bowed deeply to Kaelen one final time before turning and taking her leave, practically jogging toward her own pack's assigned table. When the older woman was far away enough to be completely out of earshot, Kaelen leaned his head down, his lips brushing against the shell of Roxana's ear.

"It is so incredibly difficult to not completely fall madly in love with you after watching you seamlessly handle pack politics like that," he whispered huskily, his breath sending violent shivers down her neck.

She felt the heat rush to her cheeks but forced a casual shrug, desperately trying to play off the massive compliment. "I was just helping them out. It’s what Lunas do."

"Incredibly helpful and profoundly humble," he uttered, a deep, rumbling smile evident in his tone. He pulled his arm from her waist and instead offered her his large, calloused hand, his palm facing upward. "Come. Let’s go get something to eat before the spread is completely ravaged."

She nodded in agreement. Carefully, she placed her smaller hand inside his massive one. He gently threaded his fingers through hers, securing their grip. Hand-in-hand, drawing the shocked, unblinking stares of literally every single person in the massive room, they slowly made their way toward the extravagant buffet table.

As they approached the long, velvet-draped tables piled high with exquisite food, the wolves and Lycans who were currently loading their plates immediately scrambled, violently shoving each other aside to clear a massive, empty path for their terrifying King. They expected him to march straight to the front and demand the freshest cuts. But, shocking absolutely everyone present, His Royal Highness immediately held up his hand, sternly insisting that his subjects absolutely finish taking their food first. Then, the most powerful predator on earth calmly and happily took his place at the absolute back of the buffet line, waiting his turn like a common foot soldier.

Roxana let out a long, heavy sigh of profound relief when he did this. He knew. He completely understood. He actively didn’t want her to feel the crushing, uncomfortable pressure of being treated like an untouchable royal. But far more importantly, he desperately didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable just being seen in public with him. It was a massive, unprecedented display of public equality.

Seating in the grand dining hall was technically free, but there was a deeply entrenched, strictly unspoken societal rule that wolves could absolutely not sit at a table if a Lycan was already sitting there. As a result, the massive room was heavily segregated, with both species clustering entirely among their own kind. When Roxana finally finished filling her plate and placed it down on an empty, ornate table near the center of the room, Kaelen immediately stepped behind her, smoothly pulling out her heavy wooden chair.

As she sat down, he leaned over and uttered softly, "If you would like, you could absolutely have your pack leaders come and sit with us."

"Really?" Her head snapped up, her bright eyes sparkling with genuine surprise and immense excitement, the sheer beauty of her expression sending a massive, violent electric spark straight through his entire being.

"Of course," his lips curled up into a devastatingly handsome grin as he chuckled lightly. "This table is far too big for just the two of us anyway."

Her eyes immediately glazed over with that faint, distant silver glow as she actively tapped into her pack's mind-link, reaching out to Alpha Castor and Luna Maura. Within moments, the two senior wolves rapidly approached the table. They looked deeply apprehensive, stopping a respectful distance away and bowing deeply to the King before nervously taking the empty seats across from them.

The initial conversation at the table started out incredibly careful, stiff, and suffocatingly polite. Castor and Maura were practically walking on eggshells, measuring every single syllable before speaking to the Lycan King. But Kaelen was determined to break down the walls. When Kaelen actively shifted the conversation, showing a deep, highly genuine interest in Alpha Castor’s recent, highly controversial military efforts to aggressively challenge ruthless, abusive Alphas in neighboring territories to take over their packs and provide vastly better care to the suffering pack members, the heavy, suffocating atmosphere around the table finally eased considerably.

Cold and entirely lethal as the King may normally seem to the rest of the world, he felt genuinely touched when the conversation smoothly pivoted to Luna Maura. The older Luna passionately talked about how their pack, completely under her direct, daily supervision, took immense care of the terrified, displaced new pups from the broken packs they successfully took over, especially if the children had tragically lost their parents in the violent conflicts. Maura proudly stated that she had personally legally adopted five of the orphaned pups herself. She laughed, her eyes crinkling warmly, and blatantly stated that she absolutely would’ve continued to take in even more orphans had it not been for Alpha Castor’s absolutely firm, unyielding objection.

"I completely cannot allow her to do it anymore, your Highness. I really, truly can’t," Alpha Castor groaned, dragging his massive hand down his face in pure, exhausted exasperation, earning a sharp, playful slap on his thick bicep from his entirely unrepentant mate. "We already have three biological children of our own, and I absolutely love the five orphans we have taken in with all my heart, but if we take in any more than that, we are literally going to have to forcefully annex a commercial hotel just to build a pack house big enough to fit them all."

Roxana threw her head back and giggled, a bright, beautiful sound that immediately completely captured Kaelen’s undivided attention. He sat completely mesmerized. He had already thought her speaking voice was the absolute most beautiful thing he had ever heard in his long life, but her genuine, uninhibited laughter sounded exponentially better. It was like music. He desperately wanted to do whatever it took to hear more of it.

Kaelen smoothly leaned forward, looking directly at Alpha Castor with a wide, completely relaxed smile. "Well, should Luna Maura decide to take in any more pups in the future against your wishes, Alpha Castor, please do let me know immediately. I will absolutely happily contribute the financial backing required to build that hotel."

Both Luna Maura and Roxana instantly burst into bright, echoing laughter at the sheer, unadulterated look of absolute terror that violently crossed Alpha Castor’s face. In that exact moment, the man looked absolutely nothing like the stern, terrifyingly ruthless Alpha warlord that so many neighboring packs desperately feared. Castor forcefully cleared his throat, desperately trying to regain his dominant composure before playfully suggesting, "Your Highness, if you are offering, perhaps we should strictly strike a formal deal right here and now. For every single orphan pup we take in, you have to formally adopt one, too."

It was instantly the King’s turn to look absolutely terrified. His eyes widened comically. He immediately turned his gaze to Luna Maura, dramatically holding up his hands in surrender as he jokingly said, "Please forgive me, Luna Maura. I am terribly afraid I must firmly take your Alpha’s side on this entirely critical matter. You absolutely should stop at the number of pups you already currently possess."

Alpha Castor immediately smirked victoriously in his mate’s direction, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

Luna Maura let out a loud gasp, her hands flying to her hips as she narrowed her eyes at Kaelen in entirely mock, deeply theatrical anger. "You spineless traitor, your Highness!"

Roxana and Kaelen were just opening their mouths, fully prepared to burst into another round of loud, roaring laughter, when a dark, suffocatingly heavy pressure suddenly crashed down upon the table.

A low, vibrating, incredibly vicious growl erupted from directly behind them.

"How absolute dare you speak to our King in such a highly disrespectful manner, you filthy wolf!"

The lighthearted joy at the table shattered like fragile glass hit by a massive hammer. Alpha Castor and Luna Maura violently flinched in their seats, their bodies immediately locking up in sheer, ingrained terror. Roxana completely froze, her breath catching painfully in her throat, her entire spine going rigid.

But Kaelen was instantly furious.

A massive, entirely blinding wave of pure, unadulterated, murderous fury violently exploded outward from the King. The sheer force of his Lycan aura slammed into the room, physically dropping the temperature by several degrees. Who the hell dared to aggressively speak to his honored guests—to his mate's family—like that?!

His massive head slowly snapped around. His eyes, now entirely pitch-black and swirling with lethal, unrestrained violence, instantly locked onto the target. It was Victor Croft, his high-ranking Lycan Defence Minister. The arrogant man was standing tall, his chest puffed out in entirely misplaced righteous indignation. Croft’s spoiled daughter, Nadia, was standing right behind him, flanked by a tall, heavily muscled male escort.

Kaelen didn't stand up. He didn't need to. He simply sat there, his massive hands gripping the edge of the heavy wooden table tight enough to make the solid oak audibly splinter and crack under his fingers.

"Is there a massive problem here, Croft?" Kaelen growled. His voice wasn't loud, but it possessed a dark, lethal, vibrating frequency that physically rattled the silverware on the tables twenty feet away.

Completely oblivious to the fact that he was currently standing on an active landmine, Croft executed a stiff, incredibly arrogant bow. "Your Highness. I heard the blatant disrespect. Should I immediately dispatch the royal security detail to strictly deal with this incredibly insolent she-wolf?"

As if on exact, calculated purpose, the Lycan minister projected his voice so incredibly loudly that literally half the occupants of the massive dining hall immediately stopped eating and turned their heads directly in their direction, watching the horrific spectacle unfold.

Before the words fully left Croft's mouth, Alpha Castor was already moving. He violently shoved his heavy chair back, his massive body shooting up to his full, towering height. Without a single word, Castor seamlessly stepped directly in front of Maura, his broad back completely shielding his mate from the Lycan threat. Castor’s dark, furious eyes bored violently straight into Croft’s arrogant face, his own Alpha aura aggressively flaring up in pure, unadulterated defense.

Kaelen let out another low, furiously vibrating growl, a sound so entirely terrifying that it immediately obliged Croft and the two cowards standing directly behind him to instantly flinch and bow deeply in submissive terror.

Kaelen stood up slowly. He smoothed the front of his jacket, his movements entirely too calm, entirely too lethal. He stared down at his minister, his voice ringing out in a crystal-clear, incredibly dangerous tone that carried across the completely silent room.

"These people sitting at this table are my personally invited, highly honored guests," Kaelen stated coldly, entirely devoid of any mercy. "I will personally deal with you violently before you ever have a single chance to deal with absolutely anyone without a solid, legally proven basis."

Croft’s arrogant face completely drained of all color, turning an incredibly sickly shade of pale white. "But your Highness!" he stuttered desperately, trying to save face in front of the massive crowd. "She literally just verbally accused you of being a traitor! She insulted the crown!"

Behind him, Nadia let out a loud, highly dramatic gasp of entirely mock, completely theatrical surprise.

Kaelen took one single, heavy step forward. The floorboards practically groaned under his boots. "Did you actively partake in our private conversation, Croft? DID YOU HEAR WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT?!"

The sudden, violent explosion of the King’s roaring outburst made every single person within a fifty-foot radius physically flinch.

Croft began to visibly shake, completely losing his arrogant posture. "N-no, your Highness."

"Then how in the absolute hell would you know the exact context in which we were speaking?" Kaelen demanded, his black eyes practically burning holes straight through the minister's skull.

Croft was trembling so violently now that his knees were visibly knocking together. Kaelen completely ignored him, turning his massive head to address the massive crowd, his voice projecting flawlessly.

"For the sake of complete public clarification," Kaelen announced firmly. "Our conversation merely trailed around lighthearted humor regarding adopting orphaned pups. What your esteemed Defence Minister just overheard was simply the punchline of a joke. If he fundamentally didn’t manage to possess the basic intellect required to decipher that simple social cue, I must publicly state that I am deeply, incredibly worried about allowing such an incompetent fool to continue being the one solely responsible to protect my people."

Loud, heavy murmurs instantly filled the massive room as every single wolf and Lycan present started violently throwing deeply disapproving, disgusted looks directly at the humiliated minister. The complete public teardown was absolute.

Croft instantly dropped into a much lower, desperate bow, staring strictly at the floor. "A thousand profound apologies, your Highness. It absolutely won’t happen again. I deeply misunderstood the situation. I sincerely apologize for my grievous mistake."

Kaelen didn't even look at the pathetic man. Instead, he slowly glanced over at Roxana. She was still sitting at the table, her beautiful eyes fixed entirely on Croft with a look of pure, unadulterated displeasure and fiery defiance. Seeing her anger, Kaelen looked back down at his trembling minister.

"Do not apologize to me," Kaelen commanded loudly, his voice echoing with absolute authority. "Apologize directly to Luna Maura. She is the respectable wolf whom you’ve just publicly wronged."

Loud, completely audible gasps violently ripped through the grand dining hall. Even Nadia let out a loud gasp, though hers was entirely genuine this time, fueled by sheer, unadulterated horror. Their King was completely unperturbed by the massive shockwave he just caused. Since Lycans were widely considered the vastly superior, apex species of the world, it was completely, entirely unheard of for a high-ranking Lycan lord to ever show basic respect to a common wolf, let alone be forcefully commanded by the King to publicly apologize to one.

Croft raised his head only slightly, his face contorted in sheer, absolute humiliation. He opened his mouth, entirely about to say something defiant, completely ready to argue against the crushing indignity of bowing to a lesser species. But the very second his eyes flicked up and he saw the utterly murderous, absolutely lethal promise of horrific violence burning violently in the King’s black eyes, Croft instantly snapped his jaw shut.

Defeated and seething with suppressed rage, Croft slowly turned his body to face the table where Luna Maura sat perfectly still behind her mate. Croft visibly gritted his teeth, the muscles in his jaw ticking violently as he forced the bitter words out of his mouth.

"Please entirely forgive me, Luna Laura."

Before Maura could even react to the blatant, entirely intentional insult, Roxana’s sharp, incredibly irritated voice loudly echoed in the tense space between them.

"It’s ‘Maura’, Minister," Roxana stated with absolute, icy perfection, remaining completely seated, refusing to yield an inch.

Croft’s head snapped toward her. "Pardon me?" he asked sharply, genuinely surprised and deeply offended by the sudden, highly aggressive remark coming from a tiny, seemingly insignificant white wolf whom he absolutely did not recall ever meeting. Since he had arrived late the previous night, he had absolutely no idea who she was or what she meant to the King.

Alpha Castor immediately stepped slightly to the side, maintaining his protective stance over his mate, and stated in a dark, heavily threatening Alpha tone. "It is Maura. With an ‘M’."

Croft was visibly getting incredibly agitated, his chest heaving, entirely ready to violently snap at the wolves for daring to correct him in front of the King, until Kaelen’s cold, absolutely lethal voice violently rang through his ears, freezing the blood in his veins.

"How can you possibly dare to call yourself a superior Lycan if you can’t even manage to hear a simple name correctly, Croft?" Kaelen whispered darkly.

The threat was entirely undeniable. Croft instantly aborted his reckless plan to violently retort. He completely swallowed his massive pride, bowed deeply in the direct direction of the wolves, and stated clearly, "My profound apologies, Luna Maura. I deeply misunderstood the context and I completely misspoke your name. I sincerely hope you will forgive my massive intrusion."

Luna Maura slowly stepped out from behind Castor. She glanced over Croft’s bowed form with complete, undisguised disdain before she entirely ignored him and confidently locked her eyes directly with Kaelen. She stood up tall, radiating pure poise and incredible grace as she projected her smooth, commanding Luna voice across the silent room.

"Thank you profoundly for firmly clarifying the situation, your Highness," Maura stated gracefully. "Otherwise, there would absolutely be a severe, highly damaging misunderstanding among our two species that may take far too much time and unnecessary bloodshed to mend."

"I can personally assure you that absolutely won’t happen on my watch, Luna Maura," Kaelen smiled warmly at her, his demeanor entirely shifting back to the gracious host. He then stood up straight, his massive frame towering over the room, and looked around the completely frozen dining hall. "Everyone else, exactly as you were."

The loud hum of highly anxious chatter immediately resumed as people desperately tried to pretend they hadn't just witnessed history. Croft and the two completely silent cowards behind him immediately turned tail and practically fled the area, walking quickly and humiliatingly towards the far end of the buffet table, completely eager to escape the King's crushing presence.

Alpha Castor, who was still standing defensively by the table, immediately thrust out his massive, scarred hand. He looked Kaelen dead in the eye and sincerely thanked him for entirely resolving the horrific confrontation without shedding any blood.

Kaelen reached out and shook the Alpha's hand graciously, a firm grip of mutual respect. "You absolutely need not thank me, Castor. Right now, I am completely, profoundly embarrassed to even publicly admit that that fool is actually one of my acting ministers."

When Castor finally sat back down and Kaelen resumed his own seat next to Roxana, the heavy tension finally left the table.

Roxana immediately turned her body fully toward him. Her bright, beautiful eyes were wide and filled with profound, overwhelming appreciation. She leaned in slightly, closing the distance between them, and whispered softly, "Thank you, Kaelen. Really. Thank you."

The absolute, genuine shine in her beautiful eyes and the sheer, breathtaking adorableness of her soft, completely unguarded smile violently ignited a massive, roaring fire directly inside Kaelen’s chest. His heart hammered wildly against his ribs. Completely unable to resist the magnetic pull of her gravity, he leaned heavily over, invading her personal space until his mouth was hovering right next to her ear.

"Absolutely do not thank me, Roxana," he murmured huskily, his deep voice vibrating against her skin. "Defending your family was simply the right thing to do."

Then, completely taking full, entirely unapologetic advantage of their extreme physical proximity, Kaelen slightly turned his head. He gently pressed his warm lips directly to the soft skin of her cheek, leaving a sweet, incredibly tender, lingering kiss right on her cheekbone.

The moment his lips made contact, a violent jolt of electricity shot straight through her. When he finally pulled back, slowly opening his dark eyes, he was immediately greeted by the sight of a beautiful, vibrant, incredibly deep red blush rapidly painting across her entire face and traveling all the way down her neck. Her eyes were wide, completely flustered, her breath hitching audibly in the back of her throat.

Seeing her profound, incredibly beautiful physical reaction to his simple gesture, Kaelen couldn't help himself. He leaned back in his heavy wooden chair and let out a soft, incredibly deep, entirely victorious chuckle, utterly captivated by how her entire body responded so violently to his simple touch.