Contract With The Alpha King by Brey Mitchylle

Chapter 20

63

Fiona felt the world shift beneath her feet as they walked through the forest. The air around them grew heavier, and the landscape blurred momentarily like they had crossed an invisilde barrier. A wave of dizziness hit her, causing her to stumble slightly. Before she could steady herself, Elijah was at her side, lih arms wrapping around her in a firm, reassuring embrace.

"Easy," he murmured, his voice calm and soothing. "It's the magle of the palace. It can be disorienting at first"

Fiona leaned into him, her head spinning. The warmth of his body against hers grounded her, and she focused on the steady rise and fall of his chest as she took slow, deep breaths.

Soon enough, the dizziness began to fade, though a dull headache lingered, a reminder of the powerful enchantments surrounding them. She'd heard about the magic hiding the werewolf palace from the eyes of humans. Still, she never knew that crossing this barrier could cause such disorientation.

Elijah kept one arm around her shoulders as they continued walking. She thought going to the palace would take them days. Who would have thought that after ten hours of driving, they would reach a forest that served as one of the many entrances to the palace? As they moved forward, the forest around them seemed to part, revealing the entrance to the palace. Fiona's breath caught in her throat as she took in the sight. The palace loomed before them, its massive stone walls etched with glowing runes that pulsed with an ancient, otherworldly energy. The entrance was guarded by towering gates made of a dark, gleaming metal that absorbed the surrounding light, making them appear almost alive.

The gates were flanked by statues of ancient wolves, their eyes glowing with a faint blue light that seemed to track their movements. The air here felt charged, almost electric, as if the very atmosphere was alive with the magic that protected this place. Fiona could feel it buzzing against her skin, a constant, low hum that made her uneasy.

Elijah paused before the gates, his arm still around Fiona, as he placed his free hand on one of the glowing runes. There was a soft, resonant sound, and the gates began to open slowly, without a creak or groan. Fiona felt another wave of dizziness. stronger this time as if the palace itself was testing her. She gripped Elijah's arm tighter, grateful for his steady presence.

"It's the old magic," Elijah explained, noticing her discomfort. "It's testing you. The palace does that to everyone who enters for the first time."

Fiona nodded, her throat tight with anxiety. There was a reason why normal wolves couldn't just visit the palace of the werewolves even if they wanted to. She knew this was because of the ancient magic surrounding it

Fiona had never felt so vulnerable, so out of place. The palace was a place for Alphas, a domain of power and authority far beyond anything she had ever known. She wasn't sure she belonged here.

The gates swung fully open, revealing the grand courtyard beyond. The moment she saw this, Fiona knew there was not turning back. She immediately noticed the vast courtyard, paved with smooth, dark stones that shimmered faintly under a moonlit sky that didn't match the one she had known. The palace itself was a colossal structure of dark stories with towers that reached high into the sky, their tips disappearing into the clouds.

technology-no lights, no wires nothing that could be called contemporary. She had heard that even electricity and phones didn't work inside this dimension. The palace was a relic of a time long past, preserved by the magic that infused every stone and shadow,

doors at the base of the main tower. The doors were engraved with intricate symbols, much like

Elijah said, his voice echoing slightly in the vast entrance hall beyond. The hall was grand and imposing, with high ceilings and walls lined with ancient paintings

entrance hall, her eyes scamming the vast space. It struck her as odd that there were

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Chapter 20

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amplifying her unease.

"We haven't actually entered the palace yet. What you're seeing now a protective layer, a sort of barrier created by ancient magic. The real palace is hidden behind several layers of enchantments." Fiona nodded. The stories she'd heard in her youth about the war that ravaged the palace came flooding back. That war had changed the supernatural world forever, leading to the creation of these powerful magical defenses. The palace wasn't just a place

time, she started to question why she was even here. She didn't belong in this place-she shouldn't be here. Without thinking, she reached out and took Elijah's hand, seeking comfort in his presence. He squeezed her hand gently, offering silent

entrance but still imposing. Elijah paused before it, turning to Fiona. "This door leads to my own palace," he explained, "It's a smaller one, separate from the main palace where the King and Queen live. Every child of the King gets their own palace

the rites, they are called Princes and treated like royalty until the King is chosen. The Rite of Kings started a few months back, so she assumed that they were staying in the palace as well. "Do they get their

nodded. "Yes, those who compete in the Rite of Kings also receive their own palaces. This place is vast,

big is it?" Fiona asked,

a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Big enough to accommodate all of us. This dimension, where

palace, was mind-boggling. But as

Adam Voss!" a voice boomed unexpectedly, startling Fiona. She quickly turned toward the source of the voice and saw a man who appeared to be around the same age as Elijah. While Elijah was dressed entirely in black, exuding an air of authority and seriousness, this man was the exact opposite. He wore a flamboyant pink shirt that looked like it belonged on a Hawaiian beach, paired with bright purple

evident. But before Elijah could respond, the man had already closed the distance between them and pulled Elijah into

his blue eyes sparkled with a playful energy. He led a dimple on each cheek that deepened when he grinned, giving him an endearing, roguish charm. Although Fiona was certain he was a werewolf from his scent alone,

Fiona as he released Elijah from the hug