Betrayed by an alpha claimed by a lycan king

Chapter 181

SAGE

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"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 time I'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 over me like 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.

asked, my voice barely above a whisper. I hated how vulnerable I sounded,

turned toward me, his blue eyes softening as he cupped my cheek. "Always," he promised. "I'm not going

his lips brushed softly against my forehead, his

me when everything else felt uncertain.

ghosts of the past-none of it mattered. There was

but comforting, until I found myself speaking again. "After this... will

"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

doubt his

would be time for those worries later. Right now, I just wanted to hold on to the calm we had fought so

earn.

him, seeking warmth in his embrace.

ti

a fierce protectiveness in

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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 only thing that mattered-they were

from curious eyes. The last thing our children needed was to see the aftermath of the battle. They had already been

rang out, bright and full of relief, as she

them-whole, safe, and untouched by the violence that had nearly stolen everything from us. I barely had time to brace myself before Harper collided into me, wrapping her arms around my waist. "You're okay," she whispered, her voice trembling as she

me.

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

quietly, his small fingers curling into Titus's shirt. "The guards took us to the safe room. They said

the right thing." Titus assured him, his voice