"What are you talking about?" the King demanded, his voice a low growl.
Axel reaffirmed his words, his tone chillingly flat. "I don't want to be a prince anymore. I wish to renounce my title."
"What nonsense is this, Axel!" The King slammed his fists on the table, the wood groaning in protest. Axel remained unmoved, his expression unreadable.
"Have you lost your senses? You vanish for a night, only to return and tell me you wish to step down? Does that sound sane to you?"
"I am not sane, Father," Axel replied, the statement devoid of self-pity.
The King rubbed a hand over his face in sheer frustration. "Calm down, Father," Axel muttered.
"How can I calm down when you are spewing such foolishness? Tell me how!" the Alpha roared.
"You know what? I will pretend I did not hear that," the King said, forcing a deep, steadying breath. "I want the truth, Axel. Nothing but the truth. Remember, I am your Alpha. I can hear the skip in your heartbeat, so do not lie to me. Why did you leave the palace?"
"Because no one cares," Axel shrugged.
The King's brows furrowed deeply. "No one cares? Including me?"
Axel opened his mouth to speak but then fell silent. A sudden, jarring realization dawned on him: the King seemed genuinely unaware of the torture he had endured. For a moment, his resolve wavered in confusion.
Seeing his son's hesitation, the King sighed, the sound heavy with paternal concern. "Did Elsa do something to you while I was away?"
Axel looked up, a storm of emotions swirling in his chest, yet his eyes remained a placid, icy lake. The full extent of Elsa's manipulation crashed down on him. He had been a fool, falling perfectly into her trap. His heart clenched.
"Axel?" the King pressed, waiting.
"I don't think it matters, Your Majesty. Whether she did or not. But I will tell you this... you should be wary of your Luna."
"Axel," the King's voice was firm, laced with the command of both father and sovereign. "When I ask you a question, you will answer me directly. Now, tell me... what did Elsa do?"
"She framed me," he muttered, the words slow and deliberate. Then, he began to recount every single incident, holding nothing back. With each word, the King's blood boiled hotter, his jaw clenching so hard it was a wonder his teeth didn't crack.
"So, there you have it, Father. That is the hell I endured at the hands of your beloved Luna."
The King's face was carved from stone. "So that is the reason? That is why you wish to renounce your title?"
Axel shook his head, a new, determined light in his eyes. "No, Father. The truth is, I have never felt I belonged in this role. There is something different about me, something I must uncover. I cannot do that while bound by the title of 'Prince'."
The King could not argue. He, too, knew his son was different. But to step down entirely...
"So, what would you be? A commoner? Do you plan to leave the palace?"
"Not at all. I would rather serve as a guard than hold a title that feels like a mockery. This is not surrender, Father. It is the beginning of my search for who I truly am."
For a moment, the King did not see a fifteen-year-old boy before him, but a young man with the weight of a strange destiny on his shoulders.
"I understand your point, Axel. But you can still hold your title and embark on this journey. It does not have to be one or the other. We could even consult the Pack Seer."
Axel declined firmly. "If I am to do this, I cannot involve anyone tied to the palace, including the Seer. Please, just grant my request. I will be fine." His tone left no room for negotiation.
The King was at a loss. "I will... consider it," he finally said.
"Thank you, Father." Axel bowed and turned to leave.
"And, Father..." he called from the doorway. The King turned. "Do not make your Luna suspicious. She is a cunning woman, Your Majesty." With a final, respectful bow, he left the chamber.
King Kaden drew a deep, shuddering breath, grappling with the revelations. His own son, whom he had failed to protect, had seen the viper in their midst more clearly than he had. Elsa had nearly killed his heir. He clenched his fists, struggling to calm the raging wolf within him.
Why didn't the Moon Goddess bind us to Serena instead of that witch? his wolf, Rex, snarled internally.
The King sighed. "We cannot change the past. What we must do now is make her regret ever touching our son. But we must be patient, Rex. If she could deceive me so completely, her schemes run deep. We must not alert her." He pacified the furious beast. "So, let us make the first person on our list take the fall." A cold smirk touched his lips as he sent for Beta Orion.
---
"Is it true, Mother?" Darius asked, his eyes wide with a gleeful grin. He had just overheard the guards gossiping about the King ordering a guard's uniform for Axel.
Rumors of Axel's demotion had been swirling, but Darius had dismissed them. Why would the Alpha do that to his favorite son? Now, it seemed the wildest gossip was true.
Queen Elsa allowed herself a small, triumphant smile before her expression sobered into one of false concern. "I do not know what the Alpha is planning. Lately, I cannot read him. Why he would reduce Axel to a guard... I cannot comprehend it." She stroked her chin thoughtfully.
"Perhaps the King is punishing him for sneaking out?" Zade suggested.
Elsa shook her head. "No. That is not it. Kaden loves that boy too much for such a harsh and public punishment. A demotion, even temporary, means Axel will be treated as a common guard. He forfeits all the privileges of his royal status."
Darius's smile widened. "So, we can treat him however we want."
Elsa's eyes gleamed with a darker plot. "Better. We shall convince the King to assign him as my personal guard. That way, we can monitor his every move and discover the true motive behind this... demotion."
"That would be perfect," Darius agreed.
---
BETA ORION'S RESIDENCE
Beta Orion emerged from his bathroom, a towel slung low around his hips. His gaze was fixed on the naked woman waiting in his bed. The King's three-day leave had been a gift, and he was determined to enjoy every moment of it.
"Beta," the woman on his bed moaned, beckoning him with a seductive curl of her finger.
He smirked, stalking toward her like a wolf closing in on its prey. He was just about to discard his towel when a firm knock echoed at his door. He hissed in annoyance.
"I said I was not to be disturbed! Do you take my orders as a suggestion?" he barked.
A voice from the other side replied, "My apologies, Beta. But it is a matter of utmost importance."
"What could be so important that it cannot wait?" he snapped, his frustration mounting.
"Beta... I want you," the woman purred, clinging to his back and running her hands over his chest.
"Get off!" he snarled, shoving her away. "The mood is ruined. Just go."
Pouting, she slipped into her flimsy dress and slunk out of the room, shooting a venomous look at the stoic guard who had interrupted them.
Once dressed, Beta Orion waved the guard, Ace, inside. "This had better be worth my time."
"Your Highness..." Ace began, hesitating.
"Speak!" the Beta commanded impatiently.
"At the palace... the King is holding a council with the other ministers. They are planning the Royal Conclave."
Beta Orion's head snapped up. "The Royal Conclave?"
The Royal Conclave was the most significant event in Eleandora, occurring once every fifteen years. It was a festival where Alphas from across the nation were invited, filled with celebrations, and, most importantly, it was when the King made his most pivotal announcements.
The King was planning the Conclave without him? The Beta?
The hair on his arms stood on end, his face hardening into a mask of fury. "Are you certain of this, Ace? If this is a false report, I will have your head."
"I am certain, Your Highness. I verified it before coming to you," Ace confirmed.
Beta Orion's lip twitched. This was not merely an embarrassment; it was a profound insult to his rank and authority. The King had given him this leave on purpose, to show him he was irrelevant.
"The Grand Alpha is playing with fire," he seethed, the promise of retaliation burning in his eyes.