The Alpha King's Nemesis-Chapter 251: A Bastard ()

Zariah winced visibly, her heart constricted within her chest and it was a struggle to contain the tears, a struggle Zariah did not win.

"Mhijani, don’t cry... I am fine now." Askel coaxed gently, pulling Zariah closer to himself.

"You should not have had to go through any of that...you did not deserve any of the pain you have had to suffer. Tortured by such darkness from such a tender age..." Zariah murmured, her tone pained.

Her finger trailed the black markings on Askel’s bare chest that attested to the existence of the beast and she breathed a heavy sigh.

"Even at this moment, you do not deserve this... I will not let you go through any more pain, not if I have a say in it." Zariah continued.

Askel stroked Zariah’s hair in a bid to offer his comfort.

"I do not want you to do anything that would endanger you or your people. I do not want you involved in this at all." Askel reasoned.

"I am already involved, I have been from the moment I first met you... and I became irreversibly damned the moment I fell in love with you." Zariah said to him.

"I love you, Askel... your name is the very rhythm my heart beats to. I cannot turn a blind eye...if you can bear an injustice to you, I cannot do it. I refuse to do it." Zariah said firmly.

"I will not let them take you away, Askel. I don’t care what you think about it or if you have accepted this fate, because I will do no such thing. I will find a way out of this...at any cost." Zariah finished.

Zariah got up to her feet, and grabbed her robes, putting them on whilst Askel watched her with a pained expression.

"Mhijani...stay, please." Askel pleaded,

Zariah hesitated for a moment but she shook her head knowing Askel would only attempt to deter her, she got dressed after which, she headed out.

"I will come to see you when it is all settled. And if I am unable to settle it, I will still be here to take you away." Zariah said as she got to the door.

"What am I to do if you get hurt because of me?" Askel asked Zariah.

"Exactly what you expected me to do...turn a blind eye, I hope you find more success than I have." Zariah said and then she left.

Zariah was lost in her own thoughts and sought solace in the woods. Sitting in an open clearing, she sorted through her thoughts until she felt centered enough to return to the Ethereal Palace.

As Zariah walked through the courtyard, she caught sight of a familiar silhouette far in the distance.

"Queen Sancia?" Zariah murmured, her brows furrowed slightly in confusion as she watched the silhouette disappear into the woods.

Despite the attempt at a disguise, Zariah could recognise Askel’s mother easily and she was certain she was not the only one.

Zariah frowned slightly, Lord Kodin had placed a ban on all who shared close ties with Askel, they were not permitted to leave palace grounds until the investigation was concluded and this primarily included Queen Sancia.

"And here she goes causing trouble again." Zariah grumbled.

Zariah was about to continue on her way but she breathed a heavy sigh and changed her course, trailing after Queen Sancia.

At this point, Zariah knew Askel’s worries would only grow if Queen Sancia caused anymore trouble and was taken into custody by the supernatural council and Zariah knew the council would not hesitate to,

They could even arrest Askel without a second thought, Queen Sancia was not as significant.

"What in the name of the Creator could she be up to at these hours?" Zariah murmured to herself.

Zariah soon caught sight of Queen Sancia again and she trailed her from a distance, but did not approach too closely.

Queen Sancia seemed to already have a destination in mind, making it clear to Zariah that this was not a random stroll in the woods.

Queen Sancia hurried through the woods determinedly, skillfully avoiding the royal lycan patrol with her knowledge of their routes.

It took only a short walk before she headed into a small clearing and Zariah followed but kept herself hidden.

"You wanted to meet, yet you arrived late." Said a voice Zariah had hoped never to hear again.

’That is...Morden?’ Zariah recognized immediately, that voice was etched into Zariah’s mind even after just a brief encounter.

"I am under close watch by the supernatural council. I cannot leave the palace grounds at will." Queen Sancia responded in a tight tone.

"Yet you asked to meet away from palace grounds. Why? Too embarrassed to let anyone realize we are already acquainted?" Morden asked Queen Sancia, his tone taunting.

"Acquainted?! You are nothing but my husband’s bastard! How are we acquainted?!" Queen Sancia hissed in a furious whisper.

Zariah did not move or make any attempts to get closer, she instead tuned her senses and listened.

"What could the respected Queen Sancia want from a ’bastard’ then?" Morden asked, unfazed by the condescending address.

"Naturally, I want you to return to whatever pit you crawled out from! How dare you come here and announce that you are Ridge’s son?! Did I not already warn you to never show your face here again?!" Queen Sancia snarled. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"You did. You said everything that belonged to my father now belongs to my brother, and I have no place in the Ethereal Domain..." Morden recalled.

"But the thing is...my brother is now out of the picture. All that was his is now left for the claim, so I would say I have not truly caused any loss to you." Morden pointed out, his tone smug.

Zariah’s hands clenched into tight fists as rage surged through her veins but she contained her wrath.

"You have no place here!" Queen Sancia hissed.

Morden chuckled quietly at that, his tone deeply amused.

"Someone will have to replace Askel, regardless of if you make peace with it or not. I am also a son of the royal lineage...Ridge Niolen’s blood flows in my veins just as it does in Askel’s. Would I not be a better candidate than just any random Alpha?" Morden quizzed.

"Anyone else can have the Ethereal throne, but not you. Never you." Queen Sancia replied bitingly.

"Would ’anyone else’ spare Askel’s life? Do you suppose any of the challengers would let off the living and breathing, previous Ethereal King?" Morden posed another worrisome yet undeniably realistic question.

Zariah also could not prevent the sinking feeling in her chest, Askel would always be seen as a threat to the new royal lineage in the same manner the Royal Lycans had always considered Crimson Moon to be a threat to their authority.

It was only that this would be even worse. The dominant nature of wolves would never permit the new Ethereal King to tolerate a possible threat...and what would that mean for Askel?

"I am different from the rest of them. Askel and I may not be well acquainted, but we share the same father...they say blood ties are not so easily shaken off. I would not be so inclined to kill my own brother." Morden continued.