Betrayed by an alpha claimed by a lycan king

We didn't have to travel far. Thanks to Elara's growing magic abilities, she created a portal that led directly to the secret passage. As soon as we stepped through, the portal behind us shunered and disappeared, leaving us in the dim, cold tunnel that stretched ahead "Let's go," I whispered, nodding to Scott and Elara. But we didn't even take a single step before Elara suddenly stumbled, nearly hitting the ground. "Elara!" Scott and I called her name in unison, our voices hushed but laced with panic. We rushed to her side.

"What happened?" I asked, my heart pounding as I kneeled down next to her, concern flooding my eyes.

Elara took a shaky breath, pressing a hand to her forehead. "I ju got dizzy. I'm sorry I'm still new to all this magic stuff," she admitted, looking embarrassed.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

"Are you sure you can do this?" I asked, my voice gentle but worried. "Maybe you should go back to the hideout and wait for us there. Scott and I can handle the rest."

Elara looked up, her eyes narrowing as if I'd insulted her. "And how do you plan to come back?" she challenged, her tone sharp. "Are you planning to fight your way through thousands of royal guards with a... dead weight when you successfully rescued His Majesty?" Jbit my lip, realizing she had a point. I'd been so focused on her well-being that I hadn't thought through our escape plan. Scort remained silent beside us, but his frown showed he was considering the same thing. throwing the word around," muttered, shaking my head. "No Not today, not any day."

Elara smiled weakly at my attempt to lighten the mood. Sure, sure, she replied, but I could see the fatigue in her eyes. "I think the best solution is that I stay here and wait for both of you. I'll be a lookout, and that way I won't be a hindrance to your rescue mission. She rifling through her bag before pulling out a small device that looked like an earpiece. "This will be our communication. Signal's terrible inside the palace, so I tweaked it with a little magic. We'll be able to hear each other as long as we're in the same general

paused,

I stared at her in surprise, impressed by her resourcefulness. "You're a genius, Elara," I said, a proud smile tugging at my lips.

Elara gave me a smug grin, clearly pleased with herself. "I know, I know,' she teased, her eyes twinkling with that familiar confidence.

Scott, who had been quietly observing the exchange, finally spoke up. "Alright, let's move. Élara, stay hidden and stay alert. We'll keep in touch through these. If something bad happened, save yourself, okay?" He took one of the earpieces from her, securing it in place. She raises her eyebrow at Scott's last words. "As if I will let you two die here alone." "Elara"

"Shut it,

Scott. Go back safe. That's not a request; that's an order, she said firmly.

We both nodded in response.

we

"You two be careful, she said, her voice softer now. "And remember, I'll be right here if you need me."

I met her gaze and gave her a reassuring smile. "We'll be fine. Just keep an ear out for us."

With that, Scott and I turned toward the tunnel. The heavy atmosphere of the underground passage pressed down on us. 1/4

We were walking into danger, and I'm not sure whether we'll be able to get out of this place alive, But I'd like to stay positive. As soon as we reached the end of the tunnel, we halted just before the exit. The passage opened into a small, hidden alcove behind the palace walls, a perfect vantage point. I cautiously peeled through the cracks in the stone, my heart pounding in my chest. The first thing that caught my eye was the rows of flags hanging from the castle towers, but something was off about them The flags..." Scott,

"I whispered, my voice barely audible.

sensing my unease, leaned over to take a look. His eyes nanowel, recognizing the symbol emblazoned on the flags. It wasn't the royal emblem we were used to. The colors were different, more menacing, like a signal of conquest.

"It can only mean one thing," Scott said grimly, his voice heavy with the weight of what this meant. "They've already ousted the previous king"

1 swallowed hardd, the realization sinking in like ice water down my spine. "How?" I muttered, mostly to myself. "How could they oust him so easily? I know Titus-he wouldn't go down without a fight. He's too strong, too fierce, to let them take the throne without a struggle." Somis jaw clenched his expressing together. Titus wasnt just powerful he was revered and feared by those who dared cross My mind buld have done to him clawing at me from the inside. pieces not fitting Titus wasn't just powerful-he was revered and feared by those who dared cross him. There was no way the royal elders or anyone else could have taken him down without resistance. My heart ached with fear, the thought of what they could "There's only one way to know for sure, Scott said, his voice breaking through my spiraling thoughts. He straightened his shoulders, determination in his eyes. "We need to find His Majesty." I nodded, my throat tight. The sense of urgency grew with every passing second. I couldn't stand the thought of what might have happened to him, and the longer we waited, the more dangerous this rescue mission became. If the palace had already fallen who knew what kind of forces were waiting for us inside? "Let's move," Scott urged. "We'll have to be careful, but we don't have time to waste."

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. This was it. We were stepping into the heart of danger, and there was no turning back. We had to find Titus-before it was too late. There was only one place that made sense-the one place capable of holding a powerful lycan like Titus. Scott and 1 exchanged a brief, determined glance before hurrying in that direction. The palace, now under the control of the Royal Elders, was crawling with guards, making every corner we turned a dangerous gamble. We had some close calls along the way. The guards were scattered all over the palace, their sharp eyes and keen senses making it difficult to slip by unnoticed. Scott and I had to hide more than once, ducking into shadowed alcoves or behind. ornate statues as patcols passed. My heart raced with every close call, the fear of being caught gnawing at me, but we pressed

on.

After what felt like hours of sneaking, hiding, and silently praying not to be discovered, we finally reached our destination the special prison. This wasn't just any prison-it was designed specifically to hold the most dangerous and powerful creatures the palace had ever encountered. Titus had once used this very place to lock himself away when the leviathan was manifesting inside him, threatening to tear apart the world.

4

As soon as we stepped inside the dank, cold space, a sickening sense of familiarity washed over me. My breath hitched as I took in the sight before me. Titan was there, just as I had feared. Both of his massive arms were shackled to opposite corners of the cell, his once- proud figure now kneeling on the cold stone floor. His head hung low, his face obscured by blood and tangled hair, but I could still make out the telltale signs of torment. The scene mirrored the horrors I had witnessed when he'd fought the demon within himself-the same demon I had helped him defeat. Titus." I whispered, my voice trembling, barely audible. My heart clenched painfully at the sight of him, reduced to this broken state. @ G Chapter 82

B9%8

before we could rush into his cell, we had one more obstacle Several guards were posted just outside the heavy silver bars of the cell, their posture tense, their eyes sharp. They were the final barrier standing between us and Titus. And judging by their numbers and the steely look in their eyes, they weren't going to be easy to get rid of. Scott and 1 exchanged a quick, determined glance, tension cracking between us like a live wire. Five werewolves stood→ → our way, their eyes glowing with a mix of suspicion and hostility. As soon as they caught sight of us, their forms ripple d contorted, fur sprouting from their skin as they shifted into their wolf forms. A low growl rumbled through the chamber. but I knew that was their fir mistake. In their wolf forms, they were faster and more dangerous, but they also couldn't wield weapons. Scort and I still had the upper hand if we played this right.

He took the lead, moving swiftly and silently as he darted toward the nearest wolf. I followed closely behind, my heart pounding in my chest but my hands steady. There was no room for hesitation. We had to strike quickly and efficiently, or we wouldn't stand a chance. The first wolf lunged at Scott, jaws snapping, but Scott dodged to the side with a fluid motion, slicing through the air with his dagger. The blade found its mark, and the wolf howled in pain, collapsing to the ground. I moved in next, driving my blade into the side of a second wolf as it leapt toward me. The least whimpered and fell, its body hitting the stone floor with a dull thud

The remaining three wolves were on us in a flash, their massive forms circling us, but we were ready. Scott met one head-on. ducking low as it charged, and drove his dagger into its chest with brutal precision. I sidestepped another wolf's attack, spinning around and slicing through its hind leg. It collapsed, unable to move, and I swiftly finished it off.

The last wolf hesitated, its eyes flicking between us and the fallen bodies of its comrades. It snarled, baring its teeth, but Scott didn't give it a chance to attack. He threw his dagger with deadly accuracy, the blade embedding itself in the wolf's throat. It crumpled to the floor, lifeless. Breathing heavily, I wiped the sweat from my brow, my heart still racing from the fight. Scott and I exchanged a quick look of relief, but we weren't out of the woods yet. The werewolves were down, but now we had to face the real challenge getting Titus out of that silver cage. We rushed toward the cell, and my heart clenched at the sight of Titus still shackled inside. His skin was pale, his body weak, but his eyes-though half-closed-still flickered with life. But the silver... it was everywhere. The bars of the cage gleamed with it, and even the chains that bound him were made of the same cursed metal. I could see the way it burned his skin, leaving angry red welts in its wake. Silver was deadly to lycans, and Titus had been trapped here for far too long. "We need to get him out, now," I said, panic rising in my chest as looked around for a solution

Scott's face was grim as he inspected the silver bars. "We can't touch it. Not with our bare hands," he muttered, frustration seeping into his voice. "The silver will burn us too."

I cursed under my breath. "There has to be something-anything we can use to break these bars or at least get those chains

off him"

Scott rummaged through his bag, pulling out various tools, but none of them were meant to handle silver. "Damn it," he growled, throwing a wrench to the ground in frustration. "Even if we had something strong enough, we'd need more time. The moment we start trying to break these bars, someone's going to hear it." Time was slipping through our fingers, and with every heartbeat the weight of the situation grew heavier. I could feel the urgency pressing down on me like a suffocating force. I need to do something.

Scott's eyes widened when he saw what I was about to do. "My lady, not he exclaimed. He reached out to stop me, but I shook my head. There was no other choice, no other way. I had to do this.

I stepped forward and placed my hands on the cold, silver cell bars, bracing myself for the searing pain I expected to feel. But to my surprise, the burn didn't come. My skin didn't blister or sizzle under the touch of the cursed silver. I could feel the sharp edges digging into my palms, cutting into the soft flesh, but the silver's poison didn't affect me like it should have. It was a miracle, or maybe something more.

100

13-23

Chapter 82 How..."

Scott whispered in disbelief, but I had no time to wonder why. All that mattered was that it worked.

Ignoring the pain from the sharp edges biting into my skin, I gripped the bars tighter and used every ounce of strength I could summon. I had no idea where this sudden surge of power came from. It was as if something deep inside me harl awakened-something stronger, more primal. My muscles strailed, and my hands trembled from the effort, but I kept pushing. The sound of the metal groaning under pressure filled the small chamber, and with one final burst of energy. bars bent and snapped, breaking just enough to create an opening. I stepped back, breathing heavily, my hands stinging from the fresh cuts that now dripped blood onto the cold floor. But it didn't matter. I had done it. The way was clear.

Scott stood f frozen

for a moment, staring at the broken bars with wide eyes. "I don't understand," he muttered, shaking hist head. "No one, not even a lycan, should be able to touch silver like that."

I glanced down at my hands, at the red streaks that marred my skin, and shrugged. "I don't know either. But we don't have time to figure it out. We need to get Titus out of here."

Scott snapped out of of his shock and nodded, moving quickly. Together, we stepped into the cell and rushed to Titus's side. His body was limp, his head hanging forward, but his breathing was steady-if only just. His skin was pale, and the wounds from the silver chains around his wrists and ankles were raw and angry. "Titus, we're here," I whispered, crouching down beside him. "We're getting you out."

He stirred slightly, his eyelids fluttering open just a crack, but he was too weak to speak. His body had been drained of strength, ravaged by the silver and whatever tortures the Royal Elders had subjected him to. My heart clenched painfully in my chest at the sight of him like this-so vulnerable, so broken. But I refused to give in to despair. Not yet.

"Come on." Scott said as he grabbed one of Titus's arms, slinging it over his shoulder. I did the same with the other arm, and together we hoisted him up, supporting his weight between us. He was heavy, his body sagging between us, but we managed

to stand

As we maneuvered him through the gap in the bars, I cast one last glance at the shattered remnants of the silver cage. There was something different about me, something I couldn't explain But whatever it was, I would deal with it later. Right now, I had to focus on getting Titus to safety.

"Let's move," Scott urged, his voice tense. The longer we stay, the more likely someone will notice the guards are down." He then held the earpiece, "Elara, get ready. We're coming"

We slipped out of the cell, dragging Titus between us. My arms burned from the strain, and my hands throbbed from the cuts, but I didn't care. We were so close now I could almost taste freedom.

But as we were about to exit the prison cell, we bumped into a familiar face.

"Anna