Mated to the Alpha: Sold to the King

Chapter 14: 0014

Jaxen POV

"Repeat after me," the elder intoned, holding the ceremonial crown above my head. "I, Jaxen Reed, Alpha of the Silver Fang Pack, do solemnly swear—"

"I, Jaxen Reed, Alpha of the Silver Fang Pack, do solemnly swear—" I repeated.

"—to protect this pack with my life, to put its needs above my own, and to honor the Moon Goddess’s will in all things."

"—to protect this pack with my life, to put its needs above my own, and to honor the Moon Goddess’s will in all things."

The crown descended onto my head.

The same ritual was then performed for Callista, who stood beside me in a radiant gown of white and gold, with one hand pressed delicately against her growing belly.

The second her coronation was completed, the great hall erupted into thunderous cheers.

And when she slipped her hand into mine, the crowd roared even louder in approval.

Finally. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

After years of trying to prove my worth, I had finally become Alpha.

My smile stretched wider as I instinctively pulled Callista closer against my side.

The ceremony continued afterward with one handshake after another and endless congratulations.

Elders I had known my whole life alongside warriors I had trained beside all wished me well. Diplomats from allied packs who had traveled for days to witness the coronation.

"Congratulations, Alpha."

"Blessings upon your union."

"May the Moon Goddess favor your reign."

The reception was later held in the grand ballroom, where lovely music played while champagne flowed endlessly as the pack celebrated and made toast after toast to my future.

"Where is Lady Raven?" one of the elders suddenly asked while glancing around the crowded ballroom. "I haven’t seen her all day."

"She left," my father answered calmly from across the table, though I still noticed the slight shift in his expression. "You know how busy my daughter is. Always coming and going. Can’t stay in one place even if tied to a post. She gave her congratulations and went on her way."

The elder nodded easily, accepting the explanation.

But I didn’t.

I knew exactly why Raven had left, and it was because of the sentencing.

She hadn’t taken it well at all.

Actually, that was putting it mildly.

She had practically cursed everyone in the council chamber before storming out afterward.

The execution was scheduled to happen after the coronation ceremony, so I guessed she could no longer bear staying here knowing exactly what was waiting for Lorelei.

Honestly...

I didn’t blame her.

A part of me didn’t want to be here for it either.

But as Alpha, my duty came before my personal feelings.

And as my father always said, it was simply the reality of leadership.

"Do you think it’s because of me?"

Callista spoke softly so only I could hear as she nervously fidgeted with her napkin.

"I really thought my sister-in-law and I would get along, but it seems she doesn’t like me."

"Raven has always been like that," I reassured gently. "She doesn’t get along with most people. As you’ve seen, even my father doesn’t escape the heat." I let out a small amused breath. "But she’ll come around. She always does."

"Really?"

Callista’s eyes brightened slightly, and the corner of my lips curled upward.

"Really," I said before reaching forward to gently pinch the bridge of her nose. "Now stop overthinking. The doctor said stress would affect the baby’s health."

"What a lovely couple."

A visiting dignitary approached our table with a warm smile.

"The Moon Goddess has truly blessed this union."

"Thank you," Callista replied warmly, her hand once again drifting protectively toward her stomach.

The dignitary, a portly older man with graying temples, settled into an empty seat beside us. He was from the Crescent Moon Pack and had traveled here not only to witness the coronation but also to discuss future trade agreements with our company, which had become well known across multiple territories.

"I must say, Alpha Magnus, your pack is very impressive," the dignitary praised while glancing around the ballroom. "The strength of your warriors, the beauty of your territory..."

His gaze swept across the table before eventually landing on Beta Harlan.

"Oh, and I hear you have not one but two beautiful daughters."

That instantly made my jaw tighten.

I watched Beta Harlan visibly hesitate before forcing out a strained, "Yes."

"The younger one... Lorelei, was it?" the dignitary continued with an oblivious smile, completely unaware of the tension spreading across the table. "I met her briefly years ago when I first visited your territory as nothing more than a lowly messenger. I had gotten lost near the eastern gardens, and she kindly helped direct me."

My grip around my champagne glass tightened slightly.

"Such a striking young woman," he continued fondly. "Very polite. Graceful too. I remember being surprised when someone told me she was the spitting image of your lovely new Luna here."

The entire table went unnaturally quiet.

Callista’s smile stiffened almost instantly.

My father’s hand stopped midway toward his wine glass.

Beta Harlan’s knuckles turned bone white around his own glass, looking like he wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole.

And beside him, Elera had stopped eating entirely. Her expression darkened so quickly it was almost impressive.

"To be honest, I was hoping she would be here tonight," the dignitary continued, still completely oblivious to the heaviness settling over the table. "She seems like she would make an excellent match for my son. Is she married? Betrothed?"

Hearing that made my fist clench tightly beneath the table.

Because the truth was... she actually would have been married by now if none of this had happened.

The dignitary blinked in confusion when nobody answered immediately, and only then did he slowly realize something was wrong.

"Did I... say something inappropriate?"

"No," my father answered smoothly before anyone else could speak. "It’s simply an unfortunate topic."

"I see..." the man muttered awkwardly. freewēbnoveℓ.com

Unfortunately for him, the damage had already been done.

Because now Lorelei was back in my head again.

Her face.

Her voice.

The look in her eyes right before the rejection.

The bond was gone. I couldn’t feel her anymore.

Yet somehow my chest still tightened painfully whenever I thought about her.

Maybe it was because I had loved her long before the Moon Goddess had ever chosen her for me.

Since we were children.

I still remembered the first time I found her hiding in the abandoned garden behind the estate.

She had been sitting alone on the cracked stone bench beside the dry fountain with her knees pulled tightly against her chest.

I had stayed on the other side of the garden where she wouldn’t notice me watching.

Back then, I had already heard the whispers about her being the cursed twin, a bad omen, a monster.

And my father had strictly warned me to stay away from her.

But every time I secretly watched her sitting there alone, I started wondering if everyone had been mistaken.

Because the girl I saw didn’t look cursed.

She looked like a broken doll someone had thrown away.

I guess I was wrong.