Page 26

"A lie! A fabricated story, that's what this is!" Lord Lorcan roared in disbelief. He alone dared to break the silence as the rest remain quiet, still chewing on what the king has just implied.

Bowen's breathing became ragged. Sara gave Bowen his space. All of these were too much to contemplate.

"He is not king! You designed this story to place Alpha Bowen to the throne!" Lord Lorcan was out of control, seething in anger.

"No one cares if you believe this or not.

We are first and foremost assembled here today because of your sentencing.

I just want you to bring to the grave this truth, that none of you were worthy of the crown.

You coveted it from me and that alone counts as treason.

You all failed! And do you realize now, why?

It's because the real king and queen defended the throne!

You were no match to the black and white wolves!

" The king's voice boomed, matching the rage of his cousin.

"And for those having doubts, mark my words that if Alpha Bowen stays in the royal pack for a few more days, the lenkacea flowers will begin to grow here and wither at the Stone Pack!" King Adar challenged.

"Let him stay in the Willow Pack for ten or more days and the flowers will follow him there. The flowers will only bloom where the true king of the werewolves is!" He reinforced.

Alpha Bowen stood, pulled Sara's hand and left the throne room without a word. As they passed by, wolves knelt and exposed their necks as submission to them.

Pappy and Isolde were having mixed emotions and both were in tears.

King Adar and Queen Einid stood as the head council blew the horn.

"I, King Adar, king regent of the werewolf kingdom do sentence the witches and the wizards to death by hanging!

Their graves will never be found. Lord Lorcan, you are sentenced to death by beheading, your family may bury your remains in which way they wish.

Your family will be stripped off their royal titles and privileges and serve as omegas.

Guards! Take these five now and carry the sentence without delay. " The king gave a resolute order.

Lord Lorcan was spitting his outrage and was gaged. The witches and wizards were trashing and mumbling under their gags as well.

"You, Lord Jethro, Lord Niall, and Lady Saoirse, you are given this last ounce of mercy.

Kneel before the assembly and offer your life and loyalty to the real Alpha King and Luna Queen.

And with this your life will be spared; however, you and you family will be demoted as omegas in the farthest pack in the south.

Kneel if you accept. Stand and meet the same fate as Lord Lorcan. " The king offered.

Lord Niall was the only one who knelt. Immediately, the guards gaged Lord Jethro and Lady Saoirse and was brought to the dungeons to meet their doom. Their royal pride took over the desire to live.

Lord Niall publicly cut his palm with a knife and pledge his life and loyalty to Bowen and Sara as he knelt. King Adar pulled him up and embraced his cousin. He was then escorted to his mansion to get his family and prepare for the journey to the south of the kingdom.

The king announced a general meeting in two days time and the crowd dispersed bringing with them the juicy story of the day.

"It's time Bowen learns the entire truth." Queen Einid told her mate.

"Yes." King Adar agreed despite the heaviness in his heart. He carries the burden of informing Bowen of the deaths of his real parents and why his adoptive parents so easily surrendered to Marius that day.

"How are you doing?" Sara worries for Bowen.

"I never wanted nor needed to be king." Bowen replied.

"I know." Sara stroked his back as they stood by the window of their room. She, too, was ambivalent about how this new development and how it may affect their future. It was overwhelming.

Bowen went back to being pensive.

Sara jerked when Bowen growled in anger! Upon realizing that he caused her fears, Bowen pulled Sara and tightly enveloped her in his arms. "I'm sorry to have startled you. Sara-"

Bowen was unable to say more because there was a rap on the door. And so it seems, the inevitable moment of truth could not wait any longer as King Adar requested the presence of Bowen and Sara.

Hand in hand Bowen and Sara entered the parlor.

"Please have a seat." Queen Einid offered. "We know you have some questions. We would be happy to answer them, but, for now we need you to listen to the entire story of your birth, Alpha King Bowen." She employed.

"Don't..." Bowen refused the accolade.

King Adar started. "The lenkacea flowers has always been normally growing in the royal pack.

So many generations of royals have passed before it was discovered that it was not the land but the alpha king itself that the flowers follow.

This was discovered when an alpha king went to war, years back.

He was captured and imprisoned by the vampires for thirteen days before he was rescued.

Curiously, the vampires found a bunch of lenkacea flowers on their land but soon died out.

The royals suspected things and tried to experiment on this.

One alpha king camped out at the human territory incognito for ten days.

He woke up with bunches of the flowers near his tent.

We went home and told his family. One omega overheard the conversation as she served refreshments.

She told the other omegas, though no one believed her.

We do not know exactly how, but one young wizard got a whiff of the story and became obsessed with it.

He knew that without the lenkacea flowers the werewolves are vulnerable to wolfsbane and silver thus easier to fight off or capture.

He grew up mastering his craft and black magic with one purpose in mind, end the line of kings to end the growth of the lenkacea flowers.

That wizard targeted your real parents, Bowen. He tried thrice to assassinate King Gunnar and Queen Birna but failed. All efforts were made to find the wizard but he is good. My brother lived in fear. Especially when we found out that the queen was pregnant.

Your father and mother had to go to extreme measures to keep your existence unknown until you have a fighting chance. And that chance is now! Now that you found your mate." King Adar narrated.