Betrayed by an alpha claimed by a lycan king

SAGE

We brought Titus back to his chamber. As soon as we reached the doorstep, 1 let go of Titus to allow Scott to bring him inside his room so the healers and the mages can continue treating him, Scott noticed it and looked over his shoulder to look at me.

"What's wrong, my lady?" he asked.

"I'm not a woman of the palace. I can't come inside his room," I answered, repeating, what he just said yesterday when we arrived here.

He smiled, "He already announced in front of the elders that he has every intention of making, you his queen. I think that makes you a woman of the palace now," he explained.

I blinked, my heart skipping a beat. His queen.

Scott must have seen the hesitation still lingering in my expression because he took a step closer and added, “He wants you by his side, my lady. There's no doubt about that.

And that was all I needed to hear.

With a deep breath, I nodded, pushing aside my doubts. Without another moment's hesitation, I moved forward, slipping my arm around Titus once again. Together, Scott and I guided him toward the grand bed, carefully laying him down.

Titus didn't even stir. His body was completely slack, his face pale, and his breaths shallow. He was utterly exhausted- drained from forcing himself to stand, to fight for me when he should have been resting.

As soon as he was on the bed, the healers rushed forward. They worked quickly, removing his royal robe, then his shirt.

My breath caught in my throat.

Beneath the layers of fabric, the true extent of his injuries was revealed. His body was still wrapped in thick bandages, but they were stained deep red, fresh blood seeping through, evidence of the pain he had endured. Evidence of how hard it must have been for him to even stand-let alone walk into that courtroom with the weight of an entire kingdom on his shoulders.

All of that

just to save me.

A gasp escaped my lips before I could stop it. My hands trembled at my sides as I stared at him, my heart clenching painfully.

Titus remained unconscious, his chest rising and falling in slow, labored breaths. The healers worked efficiently, peeling away the bloodied bandages and murmuring incantations under their breath. A faint golden glow spread over his wounds, sealing some of the worst gashes, but it wasn't enough. His body was still too weak.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms.

"Why did you push yourself like that?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. "You should have been resting, not throwing yourself into another battle."

Scott exhaled sharply beside me. "There was no force on this earth that could have kept him in that bed when he knew you were in danger."

I pressed my lips together, my heart tightening at his words.

One of the healers-a woman with streaks of silver in-her dark hair-lifted her gaze

to me. "His Majesty will recover, but he needs rest and constant care."

11:31 Fri, 7 Mar i w

☐ 51%-

+13)

I looked down at him, my fingers itching to touch him, to reassure him that he wasn't alone. The fierce, untouchable Alpha King looked so vulnerable lying there, his face etched with exhaustion.

I couldn't leave him like this.

With a deep breath, I stepped closer, reaching for a clean cloth. I dipped it into the warm water a healer had brought and began gently wiping the dried blood from his skin. My movements were slow and careful, my touch lighter than a feather.

Scott watched me for a moment before nodding to the guards. "Everyone, give Her Ladyship some space," he commanded.

Without protest, the room slowly emptied, leaving only me and Titus.

The silence was heavy, broken only by the crackling of the fireplace and his steady breathing. I continued cleaning his wounds, my fingers grazing over scars both old and new.

"You're so stubborn," I murmured, shaking my head as I wrung out the cloth.

His lips parted slightly, as if he could hear me in his unconscious state.

I set the cloth aside and reached for his hand, lacing my fingers through his. His skin was warm, his pulse steady beneath my touch.

"You need to wake up, Titus," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "You have

to hear what I have to say. So, don't you dare die on me."

And for the first time since he collapsed, his fingers twitched in response.

I sucked in a sharp breath, my eyes darting to his face. It was faint-barely there-

but I knew I hadn't imagined it. His fingers had moved..

“Titus?” I called softly, tightening my grip on his hand. “Can you hear me?"

His eyelids flickered, his brow creasing slightly as if he was caught in some kind of internal battle. He was trying.

I reached up and brushed a damp lock of hair from his forehead. "I know you're tired, and I know you're in pain. But you can't leave me. Not like this." My voice wavered, but I forced myself to stay strong. "You fought for me back there. Now it's my turn to fight for you."

Silence stretched between us, and for a moment, I feared I had imagined it all- that my desperation was playing tricks on me. But then, ever so weakly, his lips parted, and a hoarse sound escaped-a whisper of my name.

"Sage..."

My heart nearly stopped.

"I'm here," I breathed, leaning closer.

His lashes lifted just enough for me to see a sliver of his icy blue eyes, hazy but filled with something raw and deep. His fingers curled ever so slightly around mine.noveldrama

A choked sob caught in my throat. Relief, fear, and something else-something unspoken-crashed over me like a tidal

wave.

Titus was still fighting.