The whole world seems to stop. The whole place is numb and falls silent around me for a few seconds. Then I hear it. The scream of agony as bones are crushed, and limbs are taken away from a living body. That's not killing. That's slaughtering. Nothing but a bestial carnage.

"You're sentenced to death." The voice is bitter. No one dares to move. We are all turned into stone figures.

Then a head is taken from the already dead human body in the victor's hands.

"Burn him. He does not deserve a burial." Tears are rolling down my face.

Some people breathe in relief. Some others are just as immobilized as I am after what we witnessed. I fall to the ground as the realization strikes me. The fight is over. All of this can never be changed. I can just face my fate.

"I told you, you were mine. You were mine from the start," he whispers in my ears. He takes my still frozen body, holds me against his chest despite the blood, and walks us to Jonathan's house.

"I will need some water to clean myself and my mate from his blood. Thank you, Jonathan." Jonathan bows before he runs away.

He comes back a minute later with a large bucket with some water. We both get rid of the blood. The one he got in the battle. Once we are all washed, Jackson brings us some clothes.

"Let me help you, little wolf," Alec says as he helps me put on one of his shirts, then one of my pajama shorts. I look at him, my head starting to process that Nick is dead and that Alec will be mine, with no crazy-in-love people threatening our family.

"I thought I would lose you when I saw him shift while you were not looking at him." Tears are still rolling down my face, relieved but exhausted.

I just want to lie in my mate's arms and never have to leave his side ever again. He crouches before me and takes my head in his hands before lovingly kissing my lips. Sparkles erupt, and my body is brought back to life at the touch.

"I'm never leaving you, little wolf. I'm right here and will be for a long, long time, spending my life falling deeper in love with you. I promise you. You're my everything, and I'll let no one take you from me," he says after our lips parted. He takes me in his arms.

"Your car is here, Alexander," Jackson says, smiling at me.

Four SUVs are parked in front of the doors of our isolated pack members. I'm so sorry that we disturbed their peace. One lycan opens the backdoor of one of the cars, and Alec puts me in there.

"I'll just apologize to Jonathan and his family and thank him for everything. Then I'll be back, Liv," Alec says as I don't want him to go, one of his sleeves in my firmly closed fist.

He takes my hand to open it and moves back to Jonathan and his family. I don't know how long he stays with them as the lycan closes the door, and I fall asleep quickly.

Pregnancy and awful deaths are clearly not a good mixture.

It seems like a minute when I finally open my eyes, and one thing is sure, more than a minute has passed as the sunlight warms up my face.

I'm in my bedroom, and I can hear some whispers coming from the hallway in front of my room. As I move the bed sheets that cover me, I notice I'm still wearing Alec's shirt. I get up quietly and move to the door.

As I open it, I see Eva and Kate's luminous faces, who turn to me. Before I can react, Kate hugs me.

"I'm sorry. I didn't hear them coming. They took me by surprise," she cries, her head on my shoulder. I rub her back to comfort her and make her feel better. The situation is quite funny when I realize she should be the one to ease me as she is a Reader. Anyway, I suppose that right now, she is nothing but my scared best friend.

"That's okay, Kate. I'm fine. We're all fine, don't worry," I mumble.

"If you could make sure I stay fine by letting me breathe, I would highly appreciate it," I add, giggling.

She opens her arms and takes my head in her hands.

"Alec told me you had to join him in your brother's office as soon as you're up. So now that you're awake, I'll be downstairs with your mother to prepare everything for tonight," she says with a smile.

"Alec?" I ask her. Since when does she not call him Prince Alexander? What did I miss? Before I can ask her for more, Kate is already descending the stairs.

"How long did I sleep? She just acts like they've been great friends for years?" I ask Eva. She laughs loudly.

"She said you had a pinky promise she would be your witness the day you would be marked," she says before putting her hand on the top of my back.

"Prince Alexander will explain. Come on," she says as she leads me to my brother's office. I don't even take a moment to knock at the door before I enter it, my mate's perfume calling for me to join him as fast as possible.

I hit a large and hard body when I open the door. Then, as my head touches his torso, my body completely relaxes.

"I missed you, little wolf." Alec takes me in his arms and walks to the couch in my brother's office. He sits down, keeping me on his lap.

As I look around, I see my brother, my father, Caleb, Jackson, and Taylor looking at me. Alec's arms tighten around my waist when I try to get up. Despite being gentle, his hold is firm.

"I told you I was not letting you go away ever again," Alec whispers.

"They're my brother and my father, Alec. They're not going to kidnap me." I kiss his lips and move his hands slowly. I smile softly before I get up and move to my father to hug him.

"I thought you were gone with mum," I say. As he stops his hug, he kisses my forehead before looking into my eyes.

"We would not miss our little girl's marking ceremony," he says.

"My marking ceremony?" I ask, turning to my brother. He opens his arms to me.

"Congratulations, sis'. You've got your big day today. His parents insisted on this happening quickly for you to be introduced as a princess as soon as possible," my brother says, blinking an eye at me.

"That won't be as big as it would be in the Capitale, but your mother and Luna Julie worked hard to make it as magical as possible," Jackson adds before turning to Alexander.

"I wish I had already marked you, but there is a protocol, and my parents thought it would be better to have it respected, as we are now sure there are traitors among the lycans. We want to show that the Crown stands still despite the situation," Alec answers.

"We have to mark in front of your Alpha. It would mean your father is coming here," I say with a nervous chuckle.

"Yes, obviously, little wolf," Alec answers with a smile.

"But Kate said tonight. So it would mean they are on their way," I murmur, more pointing out things for myself than the others, my eyes fixed on my very interesting bare feet.

"They left the Capitale as soon as we called them to let them know about Amber's betrayal," Jackson says. I lift my head to look at Alec.

"Did you?" I start to ask. I don't want to speak the rest of the sentence. 'Did you kill her?' is what I would like to ask out loud, but I don't, as I am unsure what answers would please me the most.

On the one hand, I think she deserves to pay for what she did. She threatened my bond with Alec. She betrayed the Royale family and put our whole people in a dangerous situation.

On the other hand, I don't want to think about killing another person. Maybe the King and the Queen could make her see the point and realize that no matter who promised her things, they were lies.

"I did not do anything, Liv. She is in the wolfbane room, guarded by some of your men, as they don't seem to suffer the wolfbane's proximity. She will be judged by the Council tomorrow," Alec answers, coming closer to me to kiss my forehead.

"The Council is coming too?" I ask.

I thought having the King, and the Queen was a big deal. Now, I have to swallow another giant pill.

"Amber is Andrew Johnson's daughter. She is from one of the Council's bloodlines," Jackson says. I gulp as I realize I could have killed one of the Council's heiress.

"You did not. That's what matters. We stopped you whenever you hurt her, and you did not need to know. Once the Council knows about you being special, they will probably take your side anyway," Alec says.

The Council is made of the five families who fought against the Graysons during the Dark Days. This war took place centuries ago, as werewolves' packs fought. Everything was pure chaos, and the Graysons decided it would help to have the lycans rule to improve things. There are seven lycan noble families.

The Graysons, the Jeffersons, the Johnsons, the Clarksons, the Deckonsons, the Cravensons, and the Michaelsons.

Even if the Graysons were the most substantial lycan pack, the other packs thought they could fit as much as the new rulers. Lycans having a real giant ego, a war started, every family fighting for the title of Royale family.

The Jeffersons and the Johnsons quickly made an alliance to face the Graysons. Nevertheless, the other packs also led their own attacks. The four other packs were smaller, but decided to unite. After almost two years of a bloodbath, the Graysons Alpha finally reached the Jeffersons and Johnsons Alpha. If the Jeffersons' Alpha died, the Johnsons' one accepted to surrender. All the other packs followed the example.

The newly crowned king, King Arthur Grayson, proposed to create the Council to ensure the other pack Alphas that his family would rule as fair sovereigns, with only the lycans and the werewolves good as a motive. Each of the original families provides one member to represent them in the Council.

If Amber is the heiress of the Johnsons, then it means that his father is probably one of the Council's members.

Brilliant news.

"Amber's father, is he?" I ask, turning to Jackson.

"Yes. He is powerful but respectful of the King. He will protect his daughter as much as possible, but he won't risk a war for her. He is a loving father, but not a crazy fool," he answers with a smile.

The room stays silent for a few seconds that seem to last hours.

"I don't want you to think about that right now. Tonight is our marking ceremony. I want you to focus on that and nothing else. This is our beautiful day after weeks of battle. Okay, little wolf?" Alec's arms tighten around me as he hides his face in my neck. He kisses the exact spot where his mark will soon be.

I suddenly feel Alec stiffen while Jackson chuckles.

"I think it's time you meet the most dangerous wolf of our world, Princess," Jackson spits at me. As he ends his sentence, I hear people speaking louder outside, and some cars stop in front of the packhouse.

"Well, I suppose I should welcome the King before he decides to destroy our pack, then," Eli says loudly, taking a deep breath.

To my surprise, Jackson, Taylor, and even my father chuckle at his words. I don't see what is actually funny. I take a quick look at Alec's face, but contrary to the others, he does not seem really amused. More than that, he sincerely seems to be worried for the first time since I met him.

I can't believe his father is that terrible.

As Elijah walks out first, quickly followed by my father, Alec takes my hand. His grasp on it is almost painful and only eases as I start to rub the back of his hand. Jackson and Taylor walk just behind us. Everyone is strangely silent as we go down the stairs.

I understand why everyone is so silent when we reach the hall.

A tall and muscular man, who looks like he is in his late fifties, stands in the middle of it. I can't have any single doubt about who this man is. He is clearly the King. He has the same green eyes as Alec and the same dark hair.

We could almost mistake him for Alec's older brother, except that Alec has no older brother.

Elijah is already joining him, and I see him bow as he salutes the King.

"Thank you for welcoming us in such a hurry, Alpha Elijah. I remember the last time I saw you at this training camp. I could not have thought we would meet under such circumstances. I am happy to know that the Evans and the Graysons will be bound thanks to this blessing," King Gregory answers to my brother.

"This is such an honor, your Highness. I hope we can all go along well," Eli answers back.

"I'm sure we will. We're family now, I suppose," he says as he takes my brother's hand and shakes it amicably.

This man seems really lovely. I don't know why Alec was so nervous at the idea of joining his father.

"And here is the lovely Olivia. Welcome to the family. You look so much like your mother," Alec's father says as he walks toward me. I slowly bow to show my respect.

"Don't be ridiculous. You're my son's mate. You don't need to bow," he says as he hugs me. His hold just reminds me of my father's embrace. There is nothing scary about him.

He lets me go before he turns to Alexander and hugs him.

"I'm glad you are fine, son," he says before freeing his son.

"Where is she?" Alec asks, his voice sounding nervous as hell. What the hell is wrong with him? Before I can open my mouth, another voice shouts from right to the front door, and I finally understand who my mate was nervous about encountering.

"We need to talk, Alexander Joshua Grayson."