Sera's Pov
Murmurs.
At first, they were hushed, scattered like dry leaves in the wind, whispered behind cupped hands and guarded glances.
Then they grew louder.
Bolder.
"But why should we leave anyone behind?" an Alpha from a northern pack demanded, his voice sharp with protest. "We came here to discuss a war, not to be treated as criminals!"
A ripple of agreement moved through the room.
"Yes," another spoke up, "our packs aren't the ones plotting against the crown."
"I will not leave my people at the mercy of another pack," someone else grumbled.
Muttered refusals spread like wildfire, each Alpha speaking over the other, voices rising, spilling frustration into the room like a storm waiting to break.
And through it all, Lucian stood still.
Watching.
Waiting.
Then—
A sharp crack echoed through the hall as Lucian's hand slammed onto the table, the heavy wood groaning under the force.
Silence fell instantly.
"I do not recall asking for your approval."
His voice was calm. Too calm.
The kind of calm that sent a shiver down your spine because you just knew that beneath it—there was something dangerous.
Something deadly.
Lucian's golden eyes swept across the room, cold and calculating.
"You seem to have forgotten that you are not here as guests," he continued, his tone low, measured, lethal. "You are here because there is a threat—a traitor among us."
His gaze darkened.
"And I do not trust a single one of you."
The weight of his words settled over the room like a suffocating fog.
A few Alphas clenched their jaws, their eyes flashing with irritation, but no one spoke.
No one dared.
Lucian leaned back slightly, his expression eerily composed. "Those left behind will be treated well and trained should war break out. That is not a request—it is a decision. You may either accept it, or you may leave your packs vulnerable in my absence."
A long, tense pause followed.
Then—
A reluctant murmur of agreement rippled through the hall.
Some Alphas exchanged wary glances, others nodded stiffly. A few still looked like they wanted to argue—but even they knew better.
Lucian had spoken.
And no one dared to defy the Alpha King.
One by one, the decisions were made.
Since most Alphas had come with their Betas or Lunas, it was obvious who they would leave behind.
The same was true for those who had brought renowned warriors—their fate had already been sealed.
I turned to my father.
He had brought two of us—his Beta and me.
I could already see the decision forming in his mind, the same one every other Alpha had made.
He would leave behind his Beta.
It was the logical choice.
The safe choice.
And I would be going home.
Relief swelled in my chest as my father opened his mouth to speak—
Only to be cut off.
"She stays."
Lucian's voice sliced through the air like a blade.
A chill ripped through my body.
For a moment, I thought I had misheard him.
But then my father stiffened beside me, his entire body going rigid.
And I knew.
I hadn't.
I felt the weight of every single gaze in the room shift to me.
I swallowed hard.
"What?" my father said slowly, his voice carefully controlled.
Lucian met his gaze, unfazed. "She stays."
A thick, oppressive silence settled over the hall.
I could feel the whispers, the questions forming behind hushed breaths—
Why her?
My father's hands clenched at his sides, his expression still unreadable. "Your Majesty," he said, carefully respectful, dangerously restrained, "I understand your reasoning for keeping a representative from each pack, but surely you can see that my Beta is the better choice. He is experienced, well-trained—"
"I do not need experience," Lucian cut in smoothly. "I need obedience."
His golden eyes flickered to me, his gaze like a heavy weight against my skin.
My stomach twisted.
I had a feeling this wasn't just about the war.
Lucian was punishing me.
For speaking out. For challenging him. For being his mate when he didn't want one.
"I will leave behind my Beta," my father said firmly, his voice taking on the quiet edge of an Alpha unwilling to bend.
Lucian's expression didn't change.
He just looked at my father for a long moment. A moment that stretched too long, too dangerous.
And then he said, simply, "No."
A muscle ticked in my father's jaw.
Tension thickened in the room.
I knew my father.
I knew that he was pushing it—pushing Lucian.
And the longer this dragged on, the more dangerous it became.
I knew what Lucian was capable of.
I knew what he had already done to me.
And I also knew that if my father kept fighting this battle, he would lose.
Lucian wasn't going to let me leave.
Not now.
Not ever.
A sharp pang shot through my chest, biting, suffocating.
I didn't want to stay.
Not with him.
Not after everything.
Not after the way he had humiliated me, rejected me, torn me apart in front of everyone.
But I had no choice.
I turned to my father.
He was staring at Lucian, his face blank, but his eyes burning.
I forced my lips into a smile, even as my insides churned with emotions I couldn't even name.
"It's okay, Father," I said softly.
He snapped his gaze to me, his expression tightening.
But I kept my smile in place.
I needed him to believe it.
I needed him to let go.
He had already lost my mother.
Now, he was losing me too.
But I wouldn't let him see the pain.
I wouldn't let him carry that weight.
"I'll be fine," I lied.
My father stared at me for a long, long moment.
Then, finally, slowly, he gave a single nod.
The murmurs swelled again, but I barely heard them.
Lucian turned away, uninterested in any further discussion.
And just like that—
I was trapped.
A prisoner in his castle.