Contract With The Alpha King by Brey Mitchylle

Chapter 53

Queen Lyanna paced furiously inside King Nicholas's study, her footsteps loud and erratic, the tension in the room mounting with every sharp turn she made. Her normally calm, composed demeanor had been shattered, replaced by a storm of emotions she could no longer contain. Across the room, Carissa sat on the couch, her face buried in her hands as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I can't believe this!" Lyanna hissed, her voice tight with frustration. "How dare he treat us this way? How dare he treat me this way?"

King Nicholas sat behind his desk, rubbing his temples as if trying to ward off the growing headache caused by his wife's relentless pacing. "Lyanna," he muttered, his voice filled with exasperation. "Your pacing is making this worse. Sit down, for heaven's sake." Lyanna stopped abruptly, turning to face him, her eyes blazing with fury. "Why are you treating me like this?" she demanded, her voice rising. "As if I'm the problem here! Why are you favoring him-your son-over me? Over your Queen?"

King Nicholas raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair as he regarded her with cool detachment. "Favoring him?" he asked, his tone calm, almost bored. "What are you talking about?"

Lyanna's face twisted with frustration. "You know exactly what I mean!" she shot back, taking a step closer to his desk. "You let him disrespect me in front of everyone! You allow him to do as he pleases without consequences! Why are you always on his side?" Nicholas frowned, his gaze hardening. "And what exactly would you like me to do, Lyanna?" His voice dropped, an edge of warning creeping in. "Remove Elijah from the Rite of Kings? Imprison him in the dungeon? Or perhaps... kill him?"

The Queen flinched at his words, her anger momentarily silenced. She hadn't expected such a sharp retort. For a moment, she said nothing, her lips pressed into a thin line as she searched for a response.

When no words came, King Nicholas continued, his tone firm but weary. "You may not like it, but Elijah is my son. He is the strongest contender for the throne, and whether you approve of him or not, he will not be removed from this path." He stood, walking around his desk to face her directly. "Do not ask me to choose between you and him. You will not like the answer."

The room fell into a tense silence, the Queen's expression unreadable as she stood there, grappling with her emotions. After a long pause, she straightened, her chin lifting slightly in defiance. "We are leaving," she said quietly, turning to Carissa. "Let's go." Carissa who was still trembling from her earlier encounter with Elijah, wiped her tears and nodded, standing up shakily. She glanced at King Nicholas and give him a low bow, but he said nothing, his attention already shifting back to the matters at hand.

As the Queen and Carissa made their way out of the study, Nicholas's voice called out behind them. "I will be at the questioning as well," he stated firmly. "Make sure you are prepared."

Lyanna didn't respond, simply leaving the room with Carissa in tow.

Meanwhile, Fiona remained inside the cold, dark cell, her back pressed against the rough stone wall. Her eyes drifted toward the small piece of bread left for her earlier, sitting untouched on the floor beside her. She stared at it, but the thought of eating made her stomach turn.

She wasn't hungry. She wasn't anything. Just trapped, her mind swirling with thoughts of what had happened and what was

yet to come.

The dungeon remained silent, save for the distant dripping of water somewhere deep within its walls. Fiona exhaled softly, her body heavy with exhaustion, but her mind too restless to find any peace.

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older man who was chained against the walls interrupted the silence. "Where did you

on

take her silence well. She heard the chains rattle as he tugged against them, the metal groaning under the strain. "Where did you get that necklace?" he hissed, his

but kept her mouth shut, determined not to engage with him. The dungeon felt smaller now, the oppressive atmosphere closing in around her. The man's

escalate, a guard's voice rang out. "Shut up in there, or I'll make

Instead, his growls deepened, and Fiona could feel his eyes burning into her, the intensity of his gaze making her shiver inwardly. She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing he would just stop, but the air seemed to thicken with his growing hostility. Suddenly, the door to the man's cell clanged open, and a group of guards stormed inside. Fiona heard the scuffle,

The dungeon was silent again, save for the man's labored breathing. Fiona kept

voice muttered from a nearby cell. It was the younger man with the tattoos, his tone flat but carrying a hint of bitterness. "That liquid they gave

the man. "What do you mean?" she asked cautiously,

with your head. Keeps your mind foggy. makes it hard to think clearly. It won't kill you, but it'll make sure you're not

She hadn't understood why they'd given her that water earlier, but now it was becoming clearer. It wasn't about weakening her

came to her

think clearly when it mattered most.

the Queen? Was it Carissa? Was it Carissa's father? Or

even in this place? She shivered as she thought of her father

who might be behind the scheme, but before she could analyze further, the sound of approaching footsteps cut through the silence. The guards had returned. Her heart quickened, but she forced herself to remain calm, steeling her expression as they reached

with a loud creak, and two of the guards stepped inside. For a brief moment, she thought they might try to force her to eat the bread, but instead, they grabbed her

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go limp, her head lolling slightly as if she was no longer in control of herself. She had to play the part and make them

lit corridor. Fiona kept her eyes half-closed, her mind focused on staying in character. But as they