(Dorian POV)
The fanfare struck like thunder through the marble halls.Trumpets blared. Banners of crimson and gold unfurled from the balconies as the great doors to the Council Chamber swung open.
Cassian followed one pace behind me, every step measured. To my right walked King Jonas — my father — his calm authority enough to make even the most pompous lord lower his head.
The Queen's seat, however, remained empty.The gilded chair beside mine glimmered under the chandeliers, a silent accusation of absence, of distance, of unanswered questions.
I took my place at the head of the chamber. The scent of nerves hung heavy — ink, perfume, and fear.
The elder rose, scroll in hand."Under the eyes of the Moon Goddess," he declared, "this council convenes to discuss matters of royal propriety. Lady Liana Morvain was witnessed departing His Majesty's private chambers… unclothed. The questions before this council are threefold:
Did the King mark Lady Liana as a second-chance mate?
Did he bed and claim her, thereby nullifying his bond with the absent Queen?
And given Her Majesty's six-week disappearance without word or duty, shall the Council proceed with annulment of the first union in favor of Lady Liana, who"—he paused delicately—"is viewed as a more present and, some argue, more suitable replacement?"
The room erupted — murmurs, hisses, the rustle of robes.I felt Cassian stiffen behind me. My father's jaw clenched.
I rose slowly. "Before we drown in speculation," I said, voice steady, "understand this: a king's private chambers are not a stage for gossip, nor will I dignify voyeurism disguised as duty. Proceed."
The elder swallowed and gestured toward Liana. "Lady Morvain, you may speak."
Liana stepped forward in pale silk that caught the light like innocence itself. She bowed gracefully, eyes lowered."I did not seek scandal," she began. "His Majesty summoned me to deliver correspondence. Circumstances… became personal. I left in haste."
A murmur of excitement rippled through the room.
She lifted her chin then, revealing the faint bruise blooming along her throat. "This mark," she said, touching it lightly, "is not self-inflicted. I will not shame my King by describing more. The Moon Goddess sees all."
Cassian exhaled sharply through his nose. My wolf rumbled beneath my skin.
"Lady Liana," I said, keeping my voice cold, "tell them precisely what happened. Did I mark you?"
She hesitated — just long enough for the cameras to catch the tremor in her lip."You bit me," she whispered. "You called me mine."
The chamber erupted again.
My father slammed his palm on the table. "Order!"
I let the noise crest, then fade."When a wolf loses control," I said evenly, "he may bruise, he may growl. That is not a mark. A mark binds souls. I have one bond, and it is not with you."
The elder cleared his throat. "Your Majesty, the Queen has been absent for forty-two days. The people whisper that she abandoned her post. The throne cannot endure uncertainty forever. The Council must protect succession."
"Succession," I repeated quietly, "or ambition?"
Varo — the slick-tongued councilor whose loyalty shifted with the wind — rose with a rustle of velvet."Majesty," he said smoothly, "the Moon Goddess grants second chances. It is said She corrects errors of fate. Perhaps She meant for you to find balance with the other twin—"
"Finish that sentence," I warned, "and you'll find yourself balancing on the outer wall."
A nervous laugh rippled through the room. Varo sat.
I looked to the elder. "You want procedure? Then record this properly. I will cooperate with your investigation. Specimen testing, scent confirmation, every sacred rite you wish. But we are at war, and I will not let bureaucracy strangle this kingdom while enemies gather at our borders. Invoke the Military Exigency Clause. Halve all timelines."
The elder scribbled notes, voice trembling. "So… ordered."
Cassian leaned toward me. You're done being patient, his thought brushed mine.Completely, I answered.
Liana wasn't finished. "If the Queen loved you, she would not have left you to rule alone," she said suddenly, loud enough for the gallery. "Six weeks without word. That is abandonment, Majesty. I would never leave you. I would stand beside you, bear your heirs, serve your court—"
"Enough."
The word cracked through the chamber like thunder.Every wolf in the room felt the pulse of alpha command and froze.
I stepped forward until only the council table separated us."Do not speak of my mate again," I said quietly. "She fights for this kingdom while you posture for cameras."
Liana's eyes glistened; she turned to the council. "You see? He cannot admit she is gone. For the good of Veyrune, annulment is mercy."
A few councilors murmured in agreement.
King Jonas rose then, his presence filling the hall. "Mercy?" he growled. "Do you think of rewriting the Goddess's law in the name of gossip? This court will not trade a living Queen for a conniving imposter."
The elder banged his gavel, more from nerves than authority. "Motions recorded:(a) Specimen and scent testing by the Collegium.(b) Rite of Mate Confirmation under fasting conditions.(c) Audit of registry logs for the royal wing.(d) Temporary restriction of Lady Morvain's movement pending outcome."
I added, "And (e), the clause for military priority. All matters resolved within twenty-four hours."
The elder hesitated. "It is the weekend, Majesty—"
"Then work through it," I said.
He swallowed. "So entered. Council adjourned."
The gavel hit the table with a sharp crack that echoed off marble and gold.
Outside, the courtyard was chaos — press lights flashing, microphones thrust forward like spears.
Liana was already there, tears perfectly timed."She denies it," she cried to the crowd, "but we both know the truth! The King has chosen me."
I strode past her. Cassian shadowed my flank.
"King Dorian!" someone shouted. "Is it true? Did you take Lady Liana as your mate?"
I stopped at the top of the stairs. The courtyard hushed.
"First," I said, my voice carrying clearly, "Lady Liana is a guest on these grounds. She will respect that — and avoid restricted areas."A ripple passed through the reporters.
"Second, I am your King. You will address me as such."The air seemed to tighten.
"And finally," I turned fully toward her, "that mark is not mine. We can verify by testing at any time. Do not push me."
Gasps. Cameras clicked like hail. Liana paled.
I nodded to the guards. "Escort Lady Liana to her quarters. If she leaves without an escort, arrest her."
Cassian murmured, "You just made her an enemy."
"She made herself one," I said. "Now she'll live with it."
As the guards led her away, my father joined me."The council wanted a scandal," he said quietly. "You gave them law."
I watched Liana vanish through the doors."The kingdom needs truth," I said, voice low, "and truth always bleeds before it heals."
Cassian's gaze swept the horizon. "Then let's pray the Queen returns soon."
I met his eyes. I'm done praying. I sent through the link. I'm bringing her home myself.