Third Person’s POV


    Suddenly, the vibe shifted.


    It started with a few voices, but the chant spreading through the crowd began to morph.


    “Trust in Lycan Erasmus!”


    “Our King will be fair to Alpha Zander!”


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    At first, it was just a few stray shouts, but like a virus, the sentiment infected the entire street. Thousands ofmoners began roaring these slogans in unison.


    It feltpletely organic, with no–trace of being staged.


    After thirty minutes of being stuck in a standstill, the raw, confrontational anger of the mob had been cleverly redirected into a song of praise for Lycan Erasmus.


    The masterminds behind this shift were members of the ckthorns, led by Avery, all disguised as average low–tier wolves.


    Avery’s voice was the loudest, cutting through the chaotic din of the crowd with piercing rity.


    Of course, they hadn’t just changed clothes.


    Wendy and her team had used their elite disguise skills topletely overhaul their looks.


    Not even the Pce’s top secret agents would recognize these rugged, rough–around–the–edges wolves as elite ckthorn guards.


    This wave of “We trust Lycan Erasmus” sounded like the ultimatepliment–the exact kind of validation Lycan Erasmus craved.


    But on a day like today, it wasn’t apliment; it was a golden cage.


    It signaled that the public had a very specific expectation of how Zander should be treated. If Lycan Erasmus dared to use “enhanced interrogation” or toss Zander into a hole, he would be betraying the very trust and praise the people were heaping on


    him.


    He was being forced into showing mercy.


    Just then, as if sensing <b>a </b>shift in the wind–or perhaps smelling a familiar scent tinged with salt and grief–Alpha Zander looked up.


    His gaze cut through the sea of wolves and locked onto the second–floor window of the Golden Deer.


    Their eyes met. Seeing Adide drenched in tears, her lips trembling as she mouthed his name, Zander’s eyes instantly turned a deep, burning red.


    <b>A </b>single, heavy tear rolled down his weathered cheek and shattered against his ck armor.


    Seeing her grandfather weep made Adide’s heart break all over again. Her tears fell like rain.


    Zander let out a silent sigh<b>, </b>but a faint, loving smile touched his lips.


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    This little pup… she was always so stubborn, rarely crying. but once she starts, it’s a flood that <i>no </i><i>one </i>can stop. Look at those swollen eyes–how is she going to fix that?


    His gaze shifted slightly to the man standing behind her. Alpha Lance stood firm, his hands resting steadily on Adide’s shoulders, effectively shielding her.


    Lance’s expression was calm and resolute. Across the distance, he gave Zander a slow, solemn nod–a silent promise: “Don’t worry. I’ve got her.”


    The worry in Zander’s eyes finally began to fade, reced by a sense of peace.


    As long as someone was looking out for her, he could face whatever the capital threw at him. He had nothing left to fear, even death.


    Eventually, Ellen and Anilo arrived with a fully–armed squad of the Royal Patrol. They had to use their shields and release waves of aura just to wedge a path through the boiling crowd. They slowly carved out a narrowne, allowing Zander and his escort to pass through.


    Under Zach’s lead, Zander began the heavy walk through the Pce gates to face Lycan Erasmus.


    But before he even stepped foot inside, secret reports of the crowd’s frenzy and their chants had already reached Lycan Erasmus’s desk.


    Inside the Pce study, the air was freezing.


    Lycan Erasmus sat high on his throne, his brow pinched in a deep scowl.


    The deafening shouts of “We trust Lycan Erasmus” and “His Majesty is merciful” felt like invisible golden chains wrapping around his throat.


    Originally, his n was simple: the moment Zander arrived, he’d have him detained.


    He’d prepared a decent cell for him, of course–nothing too grimy.


    That way, when the Western delegation arrived in three days, he’d have Zander as a bargaining chip to show the formidable Helia.


    He could say, “Look, I’ve already locked him up,” as a show of good faith.


    But now? Could he still do that?


    If he tossed the people’s hero into a dungeon tonight, the capital might actually riot by morning.


    A high–ranking omega announced the arrival, and the heavy doors groaned open.


    Led by Zach, Alpha Zander entered the study. Unlike in his youth, his steps were slow, almost heavy.


    He walked to the front of the desk and dropped to one knee, lowering his head in a submissive posture to expose the back of his


    neck.


    “Zander greets His Majesty,” the old man said, his voice raspy and hollow. “May the Moon Goddess watch over Lycan Erasmus.”


    Before seeing Zander in the flesh, Lycan Erasmus’s mind had been a chess board of power ys and diplomatic trade–offs.


    But in this moment, he froze.


    <b>2/3 </b>


    23


    The Zander standing before him was nothing like the towering, de–sharp Alpha from his memories.


    It was like looking at a mountain peak that had finally crumbled after a thousand years of storms.


    A sudden, uncharacteristic pang of sadness hit Lycan Erasmus right in the chest.


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    <strong>Olivia Harris</strong> is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy novels. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.