Murmurs rose from the crowd as they debated their choices. "Guards, restrain her," the alpha commanded. "Nooo, you'll hurt the baby too! Please!" Liora's eyes brimmed with tears, her lips trembling. The guards stepped forward, but a deep, steady voice cut through the tension. "Take another step and I'll ensure this pack ceases to exist." Immediately, they fell to their knees, pained expressions on their faces.
"My bear?" she stumbled toward him. "You came for me—I knew you would." Throwing her arms around him, her voice was barely a whisper, filled with fear. "They were going to hurt me and the baby. But it's mine. And yours too." She pressed her palm against his chest, looking so small in his embrace. He wrapped an arm around her waist while the other hand gently ran through her hair, his lips resting on her head. His gaze swept over the kneeling crowd before landing on the alpha, whose expression was surprisingly composed yet held an air of something unspoken.
"Mama told me babies come from love, so that means you love me, right? You want me and the baby, don't you?" She hugged him tighter, her voice muffled in his shirt. "Now I belong to you. Nyra said That's how it works." She glanced up at him, her lips forming a soft pout. He carefully lifted her in his arms and walked to a nearby chair. Kneeling in front of her, he asked in a soothing, velvety voice, "Did they scare you?" She nodded, sniffling. "They wanted to punish me, and they yelled at Mama."
He cupped her cheeks, using his thumbs to wipe away her tears. "That won't happen, not while I'm breathing. You're mine, my little alpha, and my mate. No one will ever hurt you." Standing beside her, he looked down at those still kneeling in terror and anguish. He released them from their dread, but not a single one dared to rise.
"Mama is in pain!" Liora shouted, pointing at Maeve. "You all may rise," echoed Malzahar's voice through the hall. They stood up, and Maeve immediately rushed to Liora's side.
"Oh, my baby! Are you hurt anywhere?" She examined Liora for any bruises, sighing in relief as she hugged her tightly, showering her with kisses.
"I'm okay, but you're hurt," Liora pointed out just as another low growl echoed from behind Malzahar. Silos stepped forward, his eyes glowing ominously as he glared at the crowd. Malzahar quickly placed his hands on Silos's shoulders to hold him back in time.
"Take her inside; there's some business we need to handle," Maeve said, nodding but avoiding eye contact with Silos. "I want to stay here," Liora insisted, pulling her hands from Maeve's grip. "Come on, pup. I'll come back for you once I'm finished. I'm not leaving you here after this." After a moment, Liora nodded and took her mother's hand. "Come on, Mama. Let me help you with the wound," she said, her expression serious as she gently pulled Maeve along. Maeve's attention shifted toward the crowd.
"Let's get down to business, shall we? But first, you can all head home now. There won't be any punishments today." The crowd quickly dispersed, making their way home. The only ones remaining were the alpha, Luna, and their children. The guards stood by, their heads bowed as a sign of respect. "Alpha Derek?" one of them called hesitantly. The Alpha wiped the sweat from his brow. "Yes, my king," he replied, tensing up to avoid any missteps. Malzahar stepped forward, his gaze intense. "You let them harm my mate, a female carrying a pup." The Alpha opened his mouth to defend himself, but was interrupted by Malzahar's sharp voice. "You allowed fear to turn you cruel, cruelty directed at my queen. You nearly punished her and the future heir to the throne." The Alpha attempted to stand firm, but the weight of Malzahar's presence bore down on him. " You have until sunrise to apologize to her and her mother. And if by any chance, I hear any of you taking her name with disrespect. I'll burn the house down, then build it again with wolves who know loyalty. " He stared down at him with a dare to challenge him. He smirked and walked away in the direction of Liora's home. " If she feels pain" Silos stepped closer eyes still glowing dangerously. " You will curse the day you were born." He stepped away and followed Malzahar.
"This is something you'll have to fix on your own," Luna said, her voice icy with disappointment as she turned and walked away. "You acted too hastily," Lyanne chimed in, following her mother closely. Her three sisters trailed behind, leaving Derek standing there, feeling isolated and remorseful, though he masked his emotions well. "You never listened to my warnings. Let go of this hatred and move on. You've touched the queen, and now you're alone in this. There's nothing I can do to help," Thornec snapped before his wolf dismissed him, retreating into the shadows. "They need to leave; only then will I find peace." His tone hardened as he turned away.
"Do they still cling to this ridiculous belief? Punishing a she-wolf for mating with someone other than her true mate?" Malzahar remained silent, walking straight ahead. "Why not punish both of them? But no," Silos grumbled, getting no response. Anger bubbled within him as he thought, what if he had arrived just a moment too late? What if his mate had been punished before he got there? Their pup was in danger. "I wouldn't have let that happen. As a king, with my abilities, I would have intervened," Drakon growled at the thought of Liora and their child facing harm. "Don't say 'I,' say 'we' instead. Because I would do far worse," Malzahar quickened his pace to reach his mate but stopped abruptly when he overheard the conversation between Liora and her mother.
"Do you think he'll come?" Liora asked her mother for the tenth time, pacing back and forth in her room. "Yes, sweetheart, he will come for you," her mother replied, rummaging through the closet. "But what if he's already left?" Liora plopped down on the bed, tugging nervously at her sleeve. Maeve entered, placing their luggage on the bed. "And why would he do that?" she asked, neatly folding their clothes and packing them away. "Because I'm not like other normal girls, like Serena and Lyanna. I talk too much and cry too often," Liora explained, her eyes wide with worry.