Betrayed by an alpha claimed by a lycan king

Chapter 181 SAGE 73% "What will happen to her?" I can't help but ask as we still sit in the middle of the main hall. The floor was covered in blood; yet, there's a peaceful air surrounding us. The blood on the floor indicates that the war was finally over.

Other guards have already cleaned up the dead bodies, but the traces of the chaos that happened here remain. Despite the scent of blood seeping through my nose, I felt utterly calm. It's probably because this tI'm truly sure that my children are safe.

"There's no punishment for what she did other than death. She'll be executed right before dawn," Titus answered.

I swallowed hard, the weight of his words settling overlike a heavy cloak. Death. It seemed so final-even for someone like Anna, who had caused nothing but pain. I should have felt relief, maybe even satisfaction, but instead, there was a strange hollowness in my chest.

Titus's grip on my hand tightened as if he sensed the turmoil in my thoughts. "She chose this path," he said quietly, his voice steady but not unkind. "I gave her chances-more than she deserved. But she crossed a line that cannot be forgiven." I nodded slowly, letting my gaze drift across the grand hall. The once-beautiful space was a haunting reminder of what had happened here. Guards moved swiftly and silently, carrying away the bodies of the fallen. Though the blood was being scrubbed away, the echoes of violence still clung to the air. Yet beneath all the destruction, there was an odd sense of stillness -a calm that settled over the palace like the first light after a storm.

My children. They were safe. That thought alone was enough to soothe the raw edges of my heart. Nothing else mattered more than that. But still...

"I never wanted it to end like this," I admitted softly, leaning my head against Titus' shoulder.

Titus exhaled, his warm breath brushing against my temple. "I know," he murmured. "But people make their choices, Sage. And sometimes, those choices leave no room for mercy." His words held no malice-only a quiet resignation that made my heart ache for him. As much as Anna had betrayed me, she had betrayed him too. She had once been part of our lives, woven into our trust, and now... she was nothing but a shadow we would leave behind.

"Will you stay with me?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. I hated how vulnerable I sounded, but after everything, I just needed him close.

Titus turned toward me, his blue eyes softening as he cupped my cheek. "Always," he promised. "I'm not going anywhere." I closed my eyes as his lips brushed softly against my forehead, his touch groundingwhen everything else felt uncertain. For a brief moment, the chaos, the blood, the ghosts of the past-none of it mattered. There was only us.

The silence stretched between us, heavy but comforting, until I found myself speaking again. "After this... will it be over? Will there be peace?" Titus hesitated, his jaw tightening. "For now," he answered carefully, but there was something unreadable in his tone- something that sent a faint shiver down my spine. "But if anyone else dares to threaten what's mine... I'll destroy them without hesitation." I didn't doubt his words for a second.

A chill crept over me, but I pushed it aside. There would be tfor those worries later. Right now, I just wanted to hold on to the calm we had fought so hard to earn.

I shifted closer to him, seeking warmth in his embrace. "Then let's face whatever comes next together," | whispered.

ti His arms tightened around me, a fierce protectiveness in his hold. "Together," he vowed.

73% We rose from where we were seated and left the grand hall. As soon as we stepped out of the main hall, I spotted Harper and Cooper rushing toward us. My heart swelled with relief at the sight of them-safe and unharmed. Before I could move, Titus swiftly shut the door behind us, his movements tense and deliberate. I knew why. He didn't want them to see the horror that lay beyond those doors-the blood, the bodies, the proof of how close we had cto losing everything.

I took a shaky breath, forcing myself to focus on the only thing that mattered-they were here, and they were safe.

The heavy door groaned shut behind us as Titus swung it closed, sealing off the bloodstained chaos from curious eyes. The last thing our children needed was to see the aftermath of the battle. They had already been through enough.

"Mom!" Harper's voice rang out, bright and full of relief, as she sprinted toward us. Cooper was right behind her. My heart swelled the moment I saw them-whole, safe, and untouched by the violence that had nearly stolen everything from us. I barely had tto brace myself before Harper collided into me, wrapping her arms around my waist. "You're okay," she whispered, her voice trembling as she buried her face against me.

"I'm okay, sweetheart," I murmured, holding her close. "We're all okay now." Titus knelt beside us just as Cooper reached him. Without a word, he scooped our son into his arms, cradling him tightly against his chest. For all his strength and power, the sight of our children seemed to undo him. His shoulders, so tense and unyielding moments before, softened as he pressed a kiss to the top of Cooper's head.

"I was scared," Cooper admitted quietly, his small fingers curling into Titus's shirt. "The guards took us to the safe room. They said we had to stay there no matter what." "You did the right thing." Titus assured him, his voice rough with emotion. "I'm so proud of both of you." Harper pulled back slightly, her wide eyes searching my face. "Is it over?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

I hesitated for half a second before nodding. "Yes," I promised. "It's over."

Titus met my gaze over their heads, his icy blue eyes filled with something deeper-something m heavier We both knew the truth.

Battles like these may end, but peace was never guaranteed. Still, for them-for our family-we would fight for it every day. Harper's hands gripped mine tightly as if she were afraid I might disappear. "Are you and Dad still getting married?" she blunted out.

A soft, breathless laugh escaped me, the sound strange after everything that had happened. "Of course we are," I said, brushing her hair from her face. "Nothing's going to stop that." A rare smile tugged at Titus's lips as he stood, keeping Cooper tucked against his side. "I'd marry your mother right here and now if she let me." Harper giggled softly, the sound breaking through the last remnants of fear lingering in the air. "I want to help," she declared. "With the wedding." Cooper's face lit up. too!" I felt tears sting the back of my eyes again, but this time, they weren't from fear or sadness. They were from something much sweeter-hope. After everything we had been through, we were still here. Still standing. Still together,

Titus reached for my hand, threading his fingers through mine and giving it a gentle squeeze. "You know," hen said, his voice lowland meant only for me, didn't think it was possible to love you more-but watching you fight for us today..." He shook his head, his thumb brushing against my palm. "I am the luckiest man alive." A soft smile curved my lips as I leaned into his warmth. "I think we're both pretty lucky."

He kissed my forehead, lingering there as if grounding himself in the moment. "Con," he said, turning his attention back to the kids. "Why don't we go back to our room? I think we've all had Lenough excitement for one day." Harper and Cooper cheered in unison, their laughter echoing down the corridor as we began to walk away from the grand hall-and everything we had survived. And as we stepped into the fading light of the evening, with our family safe in our arms, I realized something. No matter what storms might come, as long as we held onto each other, we could face anything. Together. Always.

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