Chapter 102: The Cursed Heart
Killian’s POV
“Is this the path you’ve chosen, Killian?”
That was the last thing I heard from my wolf. In response, I answered loudly, “Yes.”
Immediately, a mournful howl filled my head. I struggled and roared, fighting against the pain Elysian felt in my room. The waves of his disappointment crashed over me so strongly that I found myself angry at him; angry because what I did was to protect him as well, to protect both of their hearts.
But Elysian rejected it and ended up as before. A permanent severance of our connection. Because of that, I suffered for days on end.
“I will prove that everything is always right as long as I am the one choosing the path,” I insisted in my heart, determined to prove my wolf wrong.
Yet, everything connected to that woman never went according to plan–even after her death. I have bathed in blood and smeared the ashes of my enemies over it. But it did not cleanse the stench of betrayal. The scent still lingers. No matter how many times I burned the sheets, flooded the room with incense, or marked other women in my bed, Ruby Lucienne was still here.
I always saw her in the candlelit corners of the room, in the pools of red wine I drank like a man chasing oblivion. She lived in the silence between my breaths, whispering ghostly accusations in my ear.
And yet, I was the one truly wronged.
Why was it always me who had to bear the blame?
A king cannot afford to waver, even when his heart begs him otherwise.
Ruby was tried for treason against the throne, and I was the one who carried out her sentence. If I hadn’t, my court would have questioned my authority–and my ambition to conquer the world was my highest priority.
As a result, I shattered my own heart to
ensure my Row
Unfortunately, the kingdom did not mourn. It thrived.
remained unrivaled.
My power was absolute. My people were obedient. The Lycan Kingdom stood firm under my rule, though the weight of my crown grew heavier with each passing day. They saw me as their coldhearted sovereign–the Eternal Lycan King, a man above weakness, above sorrow.
I made sure they saw only what they needed to see. Nothing more, nothing less.
And tonight, I played my.role to perfection.
The anniversary ball was a grand affair, a spectacle of power and wealth. Golden chandeliers bathed the ballroom in luxurious light, the air was thick with the scent of rare spices and sweet wine, and the finest silks draped the noblewomen who flocked through the hall like peacocks in heat.
My people feasted, drank, danced, and gossiped as they always did.
They whispered about how their king had finally moved on. How he had returned to the man he once was.
A man who took what he desired without ever looking back.
The celebration met every expectation.
Tonight, my throne was not upon a podium but upon a bed tangled with bodies.
Four women surrounded me, their hands roaming over my arms, my chest, my throat. They moaned my name, each vying for my attention. Their lips pressed against mine, one after another, desperate to drown themselves in my dominance. And yet, damn it all, they still did not feel like Ruby.
I cursed all the heavens and every hell in existence. I was the greatest ruler to ever live so what divine cruelty was this, and what rights did the gods have to torment me when I was the true victim of their wretched scheme?
Slowly but surely, I finally managed to regain control of myself. Shifting my focus, I smirked and pulled the four of them into reckless abandon, making them believe that I was lost in their touch. Let them think they were the only ones occupying my thoughts. It was easier this way.
Then, the door slammed open.
Successfully unlocked!
hating the shift in the air. Lazily, I opened my eyes,
Silence spread through the hall like wildfire. The t already knowing who had come to ruin my night.
Leonidas.
My Beta stood before me, his stormy dark eyes cold and unreadable. He didn’t bow as he usually did nor did he subst
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Chapter 102: The Cursed Heart
acknowledge the debauchery surrounding me. An unforgivable breach of decorum. I briefly considered whether he needed a lesson–or a special kind of discipline.
Instead, he simply stepped forward and dropped something heavy onto the floor.
His Beta insignia.
“I resign.”
I blinked once, feeling as if I were hallucinating from the sheer amount of alcohol in my system. That notion was quickly dismissed when Leonidas firmly repeated his request.
The hall now resembled a funeral procession, with all the nobles watching in breathless anticipation. My lips curled into an easy smirk, even as my blood boiled and every ounce of patience evaporated.
“I’m sure this is just a case of miscommunication. Are you really going to sulk like this?”
There were a few chuckles around me at my poor attempt at a joke–because if not, this party would soon be reduced to rubble.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. But this is not a case of miscommunication,” he stated firmly.
I shook my head and gestured for one of the servers to pour more alcohol into my glass. “You must be drunk, Leonidas. I’ll let it slide this time. Now, come here. Sit down. Enjoy yourself.”
“Your Majesty. What I have said to you is absolute.”
I leaned forward, the amusement in my voice thinning into something far sharper. “Alright, alright. I’ll take your behavior seriously. But you’re my Beta. Do you really think you can just walk away?”
“Yes.”
A low growl rumbled from my throat. A flash of gold flickered in my eyes, bright and searing, a clear warning that I had reached the limits of my tolerance.
“And why is that?”
“I want a peaceful life.”
Leonidas met my gaze without fear. A few moments passed before I burst into laughter, loud and unrestrained. My body bent slightly forward, one arm clutching my stomach as I shook with amusement.
“A peaceful life, you say? What utter nonsense!”
The one–eyed man showed no further reaction, merely standing there with a grim expression. Running a hand through my hair, I took a slow drag from my cigar.
“Tell me, Leonidas. Is this about Ruby?”
At the mention of her name, the hall
grew as well.
“This has nothing to do with her,” he
e replied.
en
heavier. My wolves shifted uneasily, as if her specter now loomed over them
I wasn’t so easily convinced. My voice turned into a weapon, sharp enough to cut through him.
“Fine. Leave, and do not return. I will exile you from this palace. Do you accept?” “So be it.”
I rose from my seat, my emotions boiling beneath “Leonidas!”
my skin.
“You were the one who agreed. I merely accepted it. How generous of you.”
His steps faltered mid–stride, as if he had left out a crucial part of this farewell. Then, moving backward, he delivered his final blow in a flash.
Fresh blood trickled from the corner of my split lip. My courtesans gasped in alarm, some casting judgmental glances at Leonidas for his audacity.
“One day, you will realize that you killed the wrong traitor,” he hissed venomously.
And with that, he walked out of the hall without another word.
The scent of wine, spices, and perfume suddenly turned my stomach. The hands of the women beside me felt like the
touch of demons.
“Your Majesty, is something wrong?”
“We are here for you.”
Another chimed in, “Please, you’ll be fine if you let us take care of you.”
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Right. Everything was as it should be. I was always the King, and the King was always right. Only Leonidas and his delusions were the problem.
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