The Alpha Queen Returns – Episode 12
Silence swept through the banquet hall before the first Royal Guard appeared. One by one, powerful Alphas turned toward the entrance, wineglasses suspended halfway to their mouths. An overwhelming aura pressed against the estate, demanding submission from every wolf beneath its roof.
“What is that?” someone whispered. The question trembled beneath the pressure.
Alpha Hunter placed his glass on a passing tray. His expression sharpened as he searched memories of battle and court. Even his own wolf had fallen completely still. Only one wolf in the kingdom possessed an aura strong enough to suppress a hall filled with Alphas—and she had not worn her crown in years.
Outside, armored units encircled the estate. Soldiers sealed the drive, gardens, service tunnels, and private landing grounds with practiced speed. Guests who approached an exit were politely but firmly turned back. No one would escape before the Queen learned who belonged to Darkmoon.
General Sarabeth entered first, followed by Mina and rows of elite guards. The musicians faltered into silence. Behind the soldiers, Ambassador Ansel moved toward the center of the room, one side of his jaw already darkening from Sarabeth’s earlier blow.
“General, why have you brought the Royal Guard to my estate?” Ansel asked for the benefit of the guests. He knew the answer, but the banquet’s host had to make the seizure of his own hall official.
Sarabeth surveyed every face. “No one moves. By order of the Alpha Queen, this gathering is under royal investigation.”
Whispers broke across the room. Some guests demanded to know the accusation; others went pale at the mention of a ruler they had assumed would never return. Long-standing rivals abandoned their conversations and studied one another for signs of guilt. Rex’s heartbeat hammered beneath his formal coat. Every instinct warned that the soldiers had come too soon and knew too much.
In the locked guest room, Caroline heard boots and raised voices beyond the walls. She sat on the edge of the bed, fighting dizziness while the poison dragged at her consciousness. The commotion could mean rescue or another danger, and experience had taught her not to hope too quickly.
The lock turned. Alpha Hunter entered alone and closed the door behind him. Caroline recoiled toward the headboard, gathering the blanket against her chest as if thin fabric could protect her. Her pulse jumped whenever his boots crossed the carpet. “Please. I only want to go home.”
Hunter stopped several paces away. Earlier, he had assumed Rex was presenting a willing young omega seeking advancement through an influential Alpha. The arrival of the Royal Guard—and the terror in Caroline’s face—made that assumption feel dangerously convenient.
“Who are you?” he asked.
Caroline lowered her eyes. Rex’s threat still lived inside her, sharper than the drug. “I’m nobody.”
“No.” Hunter crouched enough to seem less imposing but did not come closer. Bruises circled her wrists, and each sound from the hall made her flinch. “Someone worked very hard to convince you of that. Tell me the truth.”
Before she could answer, Sarabeth’s voice carried through the doors. In the grand hall, Rex approached the general with a nervous smile. “Surely this is a misunderstanding. My family has always supported the Council.”
Sarabeth did not acknowledge the performance. “Royal investigators have uncovered evidence of treason. The Russo family is accused of secretly collaborating with Lord Killian Darkmoon.”
Shock rolled through the guests. Darkmoon’s name invoked burned settlements, murdered patrols, and the fall of their king. Melissa seized Rex’s arm as if physical contact might keep their lies from collapsing.
Rex forced a laugh. “Those are serious allegations, General. I assume even you require proof before humiliating an Alpha family in public.”
“We have proof.” Mina placed encrypted correspondence and financial records on the central table. Glowing transaction lines rose above the documents for every guest to see. “The Russos received one billion dollars from Queen Jessica, intended for Princess Caroline’s care.”
Rex froze. Mina continued before he could recover. “Minutes later, the money was routed through concealed accounts linked to Darkmoon’s network. None was used for the child or the Russo pack.”
