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CHAPTER 4
~Jade's POV~
That was all it took.
The next thing I knew, I was on a private flight to the Royal Capital, seated between three men who felt more like my captors than my mates—silent, imposing, and terrifyingly calm, as if my life hadn't just been ripped off its axis.
Thankfully, none of them mentioned anything about the video all through our journey, but I could feel their occasional stares suffocating me. I knew had my identity not been known, I may not have been spared
In all my life I had never stepped foot near the Lycan Kingdom, due to the hierarchy, but here I was, walking up the stairs like I belonged.
Thirty minutes after we arrived, I found myself standing behind massive closed doors inside the royal palace.
My gaze trailed down my body to my simple outfit: black fitted jeans, a white turtleneck, and stylish black boots. Nothing royal or special, thank goodness. Just me… and my phone clenched tightly in my hand like a lifeline.
I sighed for the umpteenth time. After all my protests, I was taken from Prestige Lunar Academy that morning, dressed like a wet rag. Only to stop at a hotel to shower and change into the outfit laid out for me.
Even with the New Year celebrations still lingering, the palace was eerily controlled. Gold-veined marble floors, towering chandeliers, carved pillars shimmering with ancient drawings, and wealth and history wrapped into every breath I took.
My foot tapped against the tiles, nerves spiralling out of control.
"You're bleeding anxiety," Javelin murmured in my head." Higher wolves will smell it. Especially him."
"I can't help it," I whispered back internally. "This is the Lycan King."
Before I could respond, the doors creaked open, and Xavier stepped out first. He gave me a quick, long glance, but not in the kind of way I'd hope my mate would look at me.
"He's ready."
My heart slammed violently against my ribs. Before I could say anything, Xavier pivoted, leading me inside. My body frozen as soon as the huge doors closed behind us.
The throne room was vast, overwhelming. My gaze lifted instinctively, and that was when I felt the weight and someone's stares pressing down on my spine.
"He's looking at you,"Javelin chipped in, making me swallow. The King sat upon his throne, flanked by two men looking no older than their early forties.
His silver hair streaked with black, fell forward, framing his face. "Come closer," he voiced.
My legs moved before my fear could stop them.
When I reached the fourth step beneath the throne, he extended the black and gold cane with a wolf's head carved into the top, he rested his right hand on. The gem embedded within it glowed suddenly, blazing ruby red.
Gasps erupted from the two men flanking him as I retracted my hand. For a moment there, the room went dead silent, anticipating the King's next step.
I did not know how to breathe, what to do next or how to behave in front of the Lycan King. As if sensing my worries, King Storm's gaze locked on mine.
However, his next words weren't what I expected. "Welcome home, Jade."
The King rose from his throne and only then did I understand what real authority looked like.
He wore a black tailored coat that fell to mid-calf, modern in cut yet unmistakably ceremonial. Silver embroidery lined the shoulders and cuffs in sharp patterns of ancient symbols.
Beneath it, a charcoal vest fit his broad frame perfectly, paired with a crisp white shirt left open at the collar with no tie. The cane stayed in his hand as he stepped down once, polished leather boots echoing softly against the marble.
The two men flanking him moved forward too.
One had ash-blond hair cut short, steel-blue eyes sharp behind thin-framed glasses. He wore a dark navy suit that felt more military than political, his posture straight and disciplined, like someone who never let his guard down. If I had to guess, he was the Beta.
The other was slightly broader, and darker—deep brown hair pulled neatly back, amber eyes that carried warmth without softness. He wore a forest-green jacket over black outfit, standing more relaxed than the first, yet no less intimidating. Probably his Gamma.
Both inclined their heads toward me and my chest tightened.
I suddenly felt very small… and very seen.
The movement alone silenced whatever breath I had left.
"You don't need to bow," King Storm said calmly as he descended the steps.
I swallowed. "I—I… Yes, Your Majesty."
A flicker of something unreadable crossed his face. "Including that. You are my daughter."
He stopped a few steps away, close enough that I could see the sharp lines of age and power carved into him. "I am King Asherion Storm," he said. "Lycan King of the Lunaria."
The two men beside him stepped forward.
"I am His Majesty's Beta, Davion Zevran," the taller one said, just like I had suspected.
"And I'm the Gamma, Elias Crowe," the other added with a small nod. "You're safe here."
Safe. Right now that word felt foreign.
"I imagine you have questions," King Storm continued, studying me closely. "Many of them. About the me, who you are. About why you were never with me." His gaze softened, just slightly. "I will answer them. All of them."
My fingers tightened around my phone. "Then why not now?"
"Because you're overwhelmed," he replied simply. "And exhausted. Whatever strength you think you lack, you've already shown more than enough today."
I didn't know what to say to that. He paused, then asked, "Your foster mother. Is she well?"
The question caught me off guard. "She… yes. I hope. Though she doesn't know where I am."
"She will," he said gently. "Soon."
Before I could respond, a loud voice called from outside the door, announced. "Your Majesty," Alpha Varkain of the Eastern Ridge seeks an audience."
The King exhaled slowly. "Of course he does." His gaze returned to me. "We'll continue later, Jade." I gave him a nod. That was honestly the best i could do in this situation.
Then, he turned to the Alpha Triplets. "Take her to her chambers. Get her settled. A little feast shall be prepared for her later on."
All three of them inclined their heads. "As you wish, Your Majesty."
As they guided me away, the King's voice followed softly, "Rest now, child. Tomorrow, everything changes."
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~Xavier's POV~
We'd only arrived in the capital that afternoon.
New city, new academy partnership, new responsibilities dumped straight into our laps. Reports to review, security to tighten, student lists to vet—an entire mountain of work waiting before the principal's precious New Year's celebration we had already decided we weren't attending.
By 10 p.m., we'd finally stopped moving. Xade had stretched out on the couch, I was going through faculty files, and Xander was checking training schedules. Then his phone vibrated multiple times on the table.
All three of us glanced up.
"Probably the gym inventory pictures I was expecting—" Xander started and reached for it.
He didn't finish before he went still.
Too still. His blue eyes narrowed slightly, his brows creasing in the way they did when something caught his attention in an offensive way.
Xander's jaw locked as his thumb hovered, then moved again, scrolling, opening, stopping. I watched the shift in his expression, the way his shoulders tensed, the sudden heat in the air.
"What is it?" I asked.
He didn't answer. Xade and I glanced at each other, then moved, coming around the table, as we looked over his shoulder.
It wasn't inventory he was looking at but a video of a girl on a bed, masturbating in her not so fluid amertuerish moves, clearly recorded without decency.
My forehead creased as I watched. Everyone in this realm knew who we were, and exactly what we did not tolerate.
My anger rose first coldly. Xade's burned hotter while Xander's was volcanic. He stood so fast the chair scraped. Power rolled off him in waves.
"Call Ms. Rowan," he snapped. "She's going to answer for this."
"Or we find the girl ourselves," Xade countered. "Tonight, and punish her for trying to seduce you."
That had been the plan until the truth landed like a blow when the gem glowed the second we got to the school, leading us to her.
Ace roared internally when we first saw her but that joy of finding our mate instantly died when I realised who and what she was. Anger soared through me but I did my best to contain it, as much as my brothers.
Either that or the soothing feeling to my rage each time I looked at her, made us not react. Because as much as we wanted to judge her, punish her… she was weak, our mate and yet, still above us.
"We're here."
Xade's voice cut through my spiraling thought. I lifted my head to see we had arrived in front of her designated room, then my eyes darted over to her… and her bitten lip.
"Are we going to address the big elephant in the room or are we going to stand here like lost puppies?"
My gaze darted to my Xander, then Xade.
Xade scoffed through the mindlink. "Which are we addressing first? The fact that our mate is the Lycan Princess or…?"
"The fact that we three share the same mate."