Valen stood in front of the whole council, King Kaelvryn on the throne with a foreign face sitting close to him, he resembled Daphne, it clicked to her that he was definitely Daphne's father.
"Valen..." King Kaelvryn started, his keen eyes gazed into her soul.
"Your Majesty..." she bowed.
"What happened?" His voice was calm but it hide the anger the was laced under it, "I want nothing but the truth."
"I was captured..." gasps filled the room after her words.
"By who?" Kaelvryn relaxed on his throne like he already knew the answer.
"Alpha Princess Daphne."
"Lies!!!" The man sitting next to Kaelvryn yelled and slammed his fists on the chair he sat on.
Valen faced him, her face pale but expression unreadable, "I tell no lies, I was returning back to my chambers after King Kaelvryn had attended to Daphne when I was suddenly knocked out cold by some wolves."
"I opened my eyes and found myself in a cave chained up," Valen drew up her sleeves and showed the chain marks on her wrists, "I was ridiculed, slapped and beaten up by Daphne and her men."
Valen showed them the marks on her face that hadn't completely healed.
"And the blood on your side...? Who caused that?" A council man spoke up calmly.
Valen turned to his side and looked at the dripping blood that she never noticed.
"I got that after I had escaped, I arrived at the palace in my wolf form and was mistaken to be a spy hence the injury, you can confirm from the station guards."
"My daughter would never..." the man yelled angrily.
King Kaelvryn slammed his fist on his throne and silence came upon the room, he slightly turned to face the man, "Alpha Liam, I would want to see this before you defend your daughter."
"Let them in..."
A couple of guards came in with the men that had captured Valen with Daphne still unconscious.
"Wake her up," King Kaelvryn ordered.
The guards bowed and splashed water on her and she jolted awake, "who dare-" Her face froze the moment she saw King Kaelvryn and her father.
"Father..."
Alpha Liam shook his head and retreated back to his chair.
"Father...I can explain," Daphne pleaded then turned her neck to Valen, her eyes slightly faced Daphne.
"It was her...she caused all this," she screamed, her hands still chained.
"Silence...you stupid child," Alpha Liam's voice was cold but shivered in fear.
King Kaelvryn stood and slowly came down from his throne, walking straight to Daphne, he trailed his fingers on her face and dragged her face close to him, her eyes flickered in fear.
"Alpha Liam..." King Kaelvryn faced him with his hand still on Daphne's face, "would you like a new corpse added to your collection?" He laughed.
Alpha Liam rose to his feet immediately, "Your Majesty...please, I will punish her myself."
"But I would like to punish her," he placed his hands on her neck and pressed his hands tightly raising her off from the ground, she gasped for air.
"I told you that the next time you did something stupid, you would be paying with your life, never thought it would be so soon," King Kaelvryn grinned so wide, it touched his ears.
Valen couldn't believe her eyes, she didn't like Daphne but wouldn't wish death upon her, Alpha Liam couldn't do anything, he dared not say another word when the king was already in action.
"Please...for...give...me..." Daphne struggled to speak but King Kaelvryn eyes were filled with pleasure with seeing struggle.
Valen dropped to her knees immediately, "your Majesty...please tamper justice with mercy and let her be punish by her father."
The whole room dropped to silence, no one has ever begged the king before, all those who dared always end up dead.
King Kaelvryn looked at Valen who was on her knees and Daphne who was close to the brink of death.
"Please..."
King Kaelvryn released her and she dropped to the floor then he smiled.
"What gives you the right to plead on her behalf?" He walked to where Valen knelt.
"No right, your Majesty and I would gladly accept any punishment you place before me for disrupting you."
King Kaelvryn faced Alpha Liam and let out a hysterical laughter then his face turned unreadable, "you owe my bodyguard your life, the next time you enter my kingdom and do something like this, I won't be so merciful."
Alpha Liam bowed his head and hurried to his daughter, assisted her and rushed to safety alongside his men.
"Wait..."
They stopped in their tracks, King Kaelvryn dropped to his knees and brought Valen's face to his and whispered softly in her ears, "which of them hit you, don't talk, just point."
Valen refused to point because she knew what would befall the person but her body betrayed her, King Kaelvryn gaze always found a way to break a person's mind.
She tried her best but couldn't even without looking, she pointed to the man who had slapped her then a voice rang louder, blood dripping from every part of his body.
He dropped dead and Valen closer her eyes in despair.
"You take that trash alongside you," King Kaelvryn rose to his feet, as they scrambled to their feet.
"Council dismissed...someone get me a healer," King Kaelvryn voice echoed through the walls of the room.
Valen still on her knees refused to open her eyes, she saved one life but couldn't save the other.
"He truly is a mad man..." she whispered under breath.
She finally stood up but stumbled a bit, missing her steps and fell right into Kaelvryn's arms, gazing deep into his eyes, there was something about his eyes that she couldn't describe.
His eyes held warmth but something these eyes could kill a soul without remorse.
Valen slowly removed her body from his grasp, she cleared her throat calmly, Kaelvryn folded his wrists and move back slowly.
"Does your wolf form take that much strength from you?" He asked calmly.
"Yes, your Majesty."
"Then go rest, a healer will attend to you at your chambers, also take a day off tomorrow, I don't want you fainting on duty."
"But..."
His eyes quickly shut her up, "yes...your majesty," she bowed and left making her way to her chambers.
Still in the throneroom, Kaelvryn placed his hands on his chest, "what is wrong with you Kael?"
He couldn't explain the fluttering feeling that was growing slowly in his chest, was he falling for a man?
"Ridiculous..." he snapped that thought from his head.
Whether man or woman? He would never fall in love.