Alright... let’s make this fun for all of us. 😌

Here’s how I’m rewarding you, my special readers, and the ink to my pen.

1. Hit a top ranking for a week straight → mass release of 3 Chapters.

2. Send a super gift → mass release of 5 Chapters.

Now for the real mischief, these are the rewards. Also, this is where the real chaos lies.

1. Top interactive reader in a week → gets a shoutout

2. One-time super gift → gets a Chapter dedicated to you.

3. Repeated super gifts → you start getting little spoilers + future hints.

4. Highest Golden Ticket sender of the month (20–30 range) → you get a permanent role in the book

Yes, an actual role. 😅🥹 Immortality secured.

Let’s build this story together 🤍

....

The walk to the courtroom felt... wrong. She still had no idea what to expect and her stomach dropped with each step.

Her steps echoed, one after the other.

Aire kept her chin up anyway.

Madam’s voice lingered in her head. ’Do not look like you’ve already been defeated.’

Her fingers tightened slightly at her sides.

The guards outside the courtroom doors straightened the moment they saw her.

One of them pushed the door open. "Lady Aire." He gave her a light bow, almost reluctant.

The title carried her into the room before she walked in.

Aire stepped in.

Everything felt... placed. Her heart skipped two beats. She couldn’t tell why she was scared. Worse still, she was still in her hunting outfit.

Her gaze lifted. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Alpha Elijah sat at the far end of the room, relaxed in his King seat with a giant wolf head on the top of the seat.

One arm was draped over the armrest, with his fingers tapping once in a while, slowly like he wasn’t waiting for her.

Aire walked forward.

She frowned when she saw Damien seated in one of the arm chairs. However, her steps didn’t stop.

For a second, it felt like something old and buried tried to crawl back up her throat.

She remembered that day. The stares. The words. And his rejection.

She swallowed it down so fast it almost hurt.

Her face didn’t change.

She kept walking, stopped at the center, and bowed deeply. "King Elijah."

"Mm." He replied, unbothered.

Aire straightened slowly.

His gaze was already on her. He studied her with his eyes. "Aire," he said.

Her name didn’t sound warm coming from him. He tasted her name between his teeth, as it rolled out of his tongue.

"Lift your head."

Aire obeyed, and held his gaze. For a brief second, her stomach dipped out of awareness.

Alpha Elijah smiled faintly. "Silver hair.F" He tsked.

Aire didn’t respond. She didn’t even know if that was supposed to be a praise due to how he said it.

His eyes shifted to Damien. "Have you met him?" he questioned.

Aire didn’t need to turn. Reluctantly, she turned.

Damien stood there like he didn’t know where to put his hands. His shoulders were stiff. His jaw tight.

He still felt familiar to her. Annoyingly familiar.

"This is Alpha Damien of Redmoon Pack," Elijah continued. "Your first mate."

Aire jaw clenched, but she said nothing. She gave them nothing. No reaction that they would see.

"She was rejected," Elijah added, almost like he was explaining something simple. "In front of witnesses." He said to Damien.

Aire’s nails pressed lightly into her palm, just enough to feel something else. She could feel the humiliation from that night washing over her.

"But," Elijah continued, turing to her like this was a normal conversation about the weather. "I’ve given him conditions."

Aire shifted her eyes between Ling Elijah and Damien, now confused.

"The bond can grow again," he said. "If handled properly."

’Handled?’ Aire blinked at at him. What was he about to do?

Aire let out a small breath through her nose. She didn’t know why that word annoyed her more than everything else.

"Alphas don’t reject their mates," Elijah said, and this time, his gaze sharpened just a little.

"It’s... unnatural."

Silence stretched between them.

Aire didn’t look away. She knew this. Yet, it was easy for Damien to do so without getting cursed by the moon goddess.

Meanwhile, here she is, cursed for the sins of her parents. With no knowledge of why the curse appeared on her twelfth birthday.

Since the curse was becaue of her illegitimate blood, wasnt the curse suppsed to show frm birth?

Why did it wait until she was twelve and started destroying her hair to silver when she turned fifteen?

"There will be a council sitting in three days," King Elijah went on, stopping her train of thought.

Her chest felt tight again. She hated those council elders. They do not seem fair. Perhaps, just towards her.

Many things being decided without her.

"I would rather avoid complications." King Elijah added, finally going straight to the point. "I want you to reject my sons."

His request was simple, and clean, like it didn’t mean anything.

"And return to your original mate."

For a second, the room felt very quiet.

Then, Aire smiled. Her smile came slowly. She did not find it funny, but what else was there to do?

She turned her head, and looked at Damien properly this time.

She really looked, assessing his pathetic well built self. He have up having a brain for good looks.

"Wasn’t it Hannah you chose?" she asked lightly.

Damien’s jaw ticked. "I wanted her," he said. "And she wanted the Alphas."

Aire blinked feigning suprise. Then she let out a soft laugh. It slipped out before she could stop it.

"Of course she did." She didn’t even bother hiding the sarcasm.

Her gaze lingered on him for a second longer, then she turned back to Elijah.

The smile was still there, polite, and detached.

"If power is what you want," Elijah said, determined to have her accepting it. "I can give you that."

Aire’s expression didn’t change.

"Status, protection, wealth. You name what you want, and it’s yours," he pressed on. He paused lightly, and added. "You won’t have to fight for it."

That almost made her laugh again, but she didn’t. What she really anted was so different from all he named.

"You won’t be questioned," he added.

His eyes flicked over her, quick, and dismissive.

"You won’t be... this." He said with disgust, eying her from her head to her boots.

Aire felt that. It hurt but she had endured worse. And she would endure more untl she dies.

"Reject my sons," he said again. "Stand beside Damien when the council arrives."

Silence dropped between them. He waited for Aire to reply, but she said nothing.

Then Elijah leaned back, like he had already said everything that needed to be said. "Remember this, Aire." His voice dropped.

She held his gaze..

"To them... you are less than a slave. You are just a breeder. Also, I don’t think you’re heartless enough to want to bring kids into this world with your condition."

Aire’s chest tightened. The pain was sharp and brief. It left as quickly as it came..

Aire didn’t move. She stood for a few second, and when he said nothing more, she bowed deeply again.

"I’ll be in my room if you need anything."