Betrayed by an alpha claimed by a lycan king

Chapter 172 Chapter 172

SAGE

It's been hours since the twins entered the labyrinth. There was no way to know whether they were safe inside or if the labyrinth had already begun testing them in ways beyond our comprehension. My heart felt like a battlefield, torn between trust in my children's strength and the overwhelming fear of what they might be facing alone.

The sun had begun to set, casting long shadows over the towering stone entrance, but I hadn't moved from my spot. The once-bustling crowd had dwindled, leaving behind only a handful of guards stationed near the entrance. Even the elders- the very people who had forced this trial upon my children-had retired for the night, their curiosity seemingly satisfied now that they had placed Harper and Cooper in the labyrinth's grasp.

"You should take a rest, my lady," Scott's voice came from behind me, gentle but firm.

I turned my gaze away from the entrance, finding him standing with his arms crossed, his face marked with concern.

"I'm going to wait for my children, Scott," I said without hesitation.

Scott let out a quiet sigh, as if he had expected that response. “Of course you are, my lady. But the labyrinth isn't going anywhere. And neither is the outcome of the trial. You standing here, exhausting yourself, will not change what happens inside."

I shook my head. "I can't just leave them."

"I understand," he said patiently. "But you should at least rest, even if only for a while. This trial isn't a short one."

I frowned, something about his tone making my stomach twist. "What do you mean?"

Scott hesitated for a moment, then exhaled heavily. "These trials can take days, even weeks, my lady. It depends on how long it takes the labyrinth to reveal the truth it seeks."

I stiffened, the weight of his words settling heavily on my chest. "Days?" The word came out in a whisper before I clenched my fists. "Nobody told me it would take that long!"

"I'm sorry if I didn't manage to give you that information. But regardless of whether you knew it or not, there's nothing we can do. They are bound to do the test the moment everyone in the palace knows about them."

"You said Titus also took the same test once he was crowned as the crown prince. How long did it take for him to finish this

test?"

"Seven days, my lady. It took him seven days. And that's the fastest one in history," he said.

"If the most powerful Lycan prince took seven days to complete the trial, how can mere children possibly survive it? They may look older, but technically, they're only three years old!"

I complained despite knowing that it will not change anything. The palace is a cruel place for them. How naive I am to think that they can be possibly safe in here?

Scott's expression softened, but there was a grim edge to his voice. "I understand your fear, my lady. But the labyrinth does not test strength alone. It measures truth, resilience, and one's right to the throne. Power is important, yes, but so is the heart. Their royal blood will guide and protect them. They are His Majesty's children; you have to trust them."

I ran a shaky hand through my hair, my frustration mounting. "Even so, Scott, they're just children. How can they possibly be expected to endure what Titus, a fully grown and trained warrior, barely survived?"

Scott exhaled, glancing toward the looming entrance of the labyrinth, its ancient stone archway bathed in the eerie glow of the torches. "I won't lie to you, my lady. This is unprecedented. No child has ever been forced to face the Labyrinth of Truth. But I also know this-those two are no ordinary children. You've seen it yourself. Their power, their instincts... they were

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Chapter 172

this, just as

laugh, shaking my head.

kind of

didn't argue. He

"How will we know if they passed the test?" My

labyrinth will be covered in flowers, allowing them to come out

"And if they failed?"

will deny their claim to the throne." He didn't say the rest out loud, but

in short, panicked bursts. "I should have run away when I had the chance," I murmured. "I should have taken them and disappeared

believe you can outrun fate?"

my eyes burning with emotion. "I don't care about fate,

alone in there. They have each other, just like they always have. And no matter what the labyrinth throws at them, I trust they'll fight their way through. Just like their father

wanted to believe that. I needed to

days ahead felt

labyrinth, my eyes never leaving the twisted stone walls as if sheer willpower alone could bring

was as if he was trapped somewhere beyond my reach, lost in a place where neither my voice nor my touch

inside the labyrinth, I found

by his bedside, clutching his hand as I whispered my pleas to the Moon Goddess. "Please... bring him back to me. Bring

night air, but I barely registered them. My mind was trapped in the labyrinth with my children, imagining every possible danger

choose to stay right outside the labyrinth. I know Scott said that the shortest time Titus finished the test

from the forest beyond, eerie and bone-chilling. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to suppress the growing

get back to your chamber,"

"I'm fine, Scott. I'm going to wait

them. They're the heirs of the strongest alpha this kingdom has ever

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Chapter 172

to believe him.

sent a shiver down my spine. It was subtle, but undeniable. A pulse of energy, almost like

instinctively. "Did you

brows furrowing. "Something's happening

gripping their weapons, eyes flicking between

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breath. Was it a sign that the

they were fighting their way

Cooper...." I whispered, my

the palace seemed to shift, carrying

down my spine. The flickering torches lining the courtyard trembled, as if

body tense, his eyes scanning the surroundings. "Stay alert," he murmured under

toward the labyrinth. My children were in there, facing dangers I couldn't even begin to imagine. Was this a sign of their struggle? A cry

of energy rippled through the air, so strong it

down my spine.

straightened, their hands tightening around their