Chapter 51
Chapter 51
Killian’s POV
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As I walked away from Jessica, my mood only worsened. I had to admit, her persistence was commendable–there weren’t many women bold enough to keep trying even after being turned down repeatedly. But that didn’t make it any less exhausting. Irritating.
Women like her always assumed that beauty and status could bend men like me to their will.
Pathetic.
From the opposite direction, Leonidas appeared, his stride noticeably more relaxed than usual. But my sharp gaze immediately caught the faint red smudge on his collar and the lingering trace of Jessica’s perfume. I arched an eyebrow as he stopped before me, utterly unfazed.
“Anything worthwhile from the party?” I asked.
Leonidas shook his head. “Nothing worth mentioning, Your Majesty. Just the usual pleasantries.”
My gaze flickered to the lipstick stain. I stepped closer, a dark smile playing at my lips. “Though it seems you found a way to keep yourself entertained, Leonidas. I wasn’t aware we had an official diplomatic arrangement with Jessica Marjorie.”
Leonidas smirked, unbothered. “I was merely being courteous to the princess. She’s quite… persistent, as you may have already noticed.”
“Persistent? That’s certainly one way to put it,” I said dryly. “Perhaps I should send her father the bill for your wardrobe damages.”
“I’m sure he’d pay handsomely, given how protective he is of her,” Leonidas remarked, amusement lacing his tone.
I scoffed. “So, before she came to me, she visited you first? How utterly charming.”
“Did she truly manage that? I did offer myself as a diversion to keep her from disturbing you.”
A laugh escaped me at the feigned innocence of his words. Leonidas and his antics never failed to amuse.
“You go to great lengths to please me, Leonidas,” I mused, shaking my head.
Leonidas chuckled softly, falling into step beside me.
“I am your most loyal right hand. Ensuring your comfort is part of my duty,” he said smoothly.
The grand hall only grew livelier with each passing minute, yet the event had yet to reach its peak. Even so, I had already grown weary of it all. The weight of countless gazes seeking to pull me into their circles was suffocating.
“Shall we take our leave, Your Majesty?”
“Yes.”
I nodded, letting the moment slip away. Together, we made our way toward the palace exit–only for our path to be blocked by a figure that sent my blood simmering.
Lucius.
The King of the Northern Kingdom stood tall and imposing, his very presence exuding arrogance. He was clad in a deep green robe embroidered with gold, an ostentatious display of his kingdom’s wealth. His blond hair, as always, contrasted sharply with his ice–blue eyes, which gleamed with thinly veiled disdain. His was the face of a man who had witnessed much
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Chapter 51
yet learned nothing.
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I often wondered how he managed to change his hair color at every gathering. Did he truly believe it would conceal his graying strands?
This wretched swine never missed a chance to provoke me into taking his head.
“Killian,” Lucius greeted, his voice a silk–wrapped dagger. “Leaving so soon? I had hoped we might indulge in a bit of small talk.”
I stopped in my tracks, my crimson eyes locking onto his.
“Lucius, my dear friend,” I said smoothly, a ghost of a smile curling my lips. “What a delight to see you at such a grand affair. Small talk–why, that would be a first for the both of us to genuinely appreciate
Leonidas, ever perceptive, picked up on my unspoken cue. Without a word, he stepped forward, subtly positioning himself between Lucius and me, ensuring the conversation would not last a moment longer than necessary.
“Alas,” I sighed, “I have urgent matters that demand
my
attention.”
“Oh, but why the rush, King Killian?”
Lucius took a step closer, flashing a predatory grin.
“I had hoped to discuss something rather intriguing. Your relationships, for instance. The whispers about you and Luna have been quite… entertaining.”
Any flicker of surprise I felt was quickly buried beneath my practiced indifference. This insufferable swine–where had he learned of my ties to Ruby?
My response came effortlessly, a low chuckle slipping past my lips, laced with the unmistakable edge of warning.
“Curious,” I mused, my voice carrying the weight of mockery. “Are these whispers anything like the ones concerning failed diplomatic endeavors? Or perhaps… the ones regarding your wife’s wandering affections?”
His smile wavered, the amusement in his gaze hardening into something colder, sharper. “Tread carefully, Killian. That tongue of yours may invite consequences beyond even your grasp.”
“Too easy to toy with, this fool.‘
I stepped forward, towering over him, my smirk widening. “Consequences? You mean the kind your wife faced when she couldn’t keep her hands to herself?”
Watching the fragile restraints of this shrimp–brained man snap was beyond satisfying. Just a little more, and—
He broke.
“She flirted with me, Lucius. A queen, throwing herself at the king of another kingdom. How disgraceful. Ah, would you like the full story?”
He lunged, fire meeting oil, his animalistic golden eyes burning with rage. But before he could reach me, Leonidas moved, stepping between us like an immovable wall.
“One more step,” Leonidas growled, his voice frigid, claws beginning to unsheathe, “and I’ll tear your throat out.”
Lucius sneered, shifting his gaze to my Beta. “Oh? And look who’s decided to bark.”
His eyes trailed over Leonidas with slow, deliberate contempt, as if he were nothing more than dirt beneath his boot.
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Chapter 51
“A pathetic little mutt, groveling at his master’s feet. How pitiful,” he spat.
Leonidas chuckled darkly. “Better a loyal dog than a snake feasting on its own tail, King Lucius.”
I placed a steady hand on Leonidas’s shoulder, a silent command.
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“That’s enough,” I said smoothly. “Lucius, your tantrum is entertaining, truly, but I have far more pressing matters to attend to. Try not to embarrass yourself so openly next time.”
With that, I turned on my heel and strode away, Leonidas falling into step beside me.
Lucius’s curses rang through the hall, thick with rage–but I didn’t so much as glance back.
Entertaining an old, fat pig any further would be a waste of time.
On the way back to the palace, Leonidas was strangely quiet. Not in his usual manner–I knew this silence well.
“Spit it out. What’s on your mind?” I commanded.
He sighed, raking a hand through his hair. “I’ve received some new information.”
“Oh? And what exactly is it about?”
A pause. Irritating. Then, at last, he spoke.
“I’ve received some… concerning news, Your Majesty.” He watched me carefully as if measuring my reaction to every “One of our informants spotted Luna Ruby at a small restaurant. She wasn’t alone.”
My steps slowed, my focus sharpening like a blade.
“She… what?”
word.
Leonidas hesitated, as though steadying himself. “A man. From what I’ve gathered, he’s affiliated with the Rivermoon group.”
I halted completely, turning to face him. My eyes burned, my patience razor–thin.
“What exactly did you see?”
“They were speaking,” Leonidas replied swiftly. “It looked… intimate, but I can’t confirm anything yet.”
Intimate.
A growl rumbled in my chest. The thought of another man near Ruby–talking to her, looking at her–was enough to make my wolf claw at the surface.
But I knew Ruby. She wasn’t reckless. She wouldn’t dare entertain another man–not after our arrangement, not when she understood the consequences.
Whatever this was, I didn’t like it.
“Find out everything,” I ordered, my voice carrying the weight of an unspoken threat. “Who he is, what they discussed, and why he thinks he has the right to exist in her presence.”
Leonidas inclined his head without hesitation.
“It will be done, Your Majesty.”
