Chapter 106
"YOUR MAJESTY," Sierra's voice echoed through the hall, causing her brother Siegren to stop in his tracks and glance back at her. His expression tightened as he saw her shaking her head with pleading eyes. It was clear she didn't want him to go and risk any potential conflict between the two leaders.
"My apologies. I may have overstepped my bounds. Please take a seat, Mr. Siegren. I won't push you to let me meet with the Queen, so let's have a proper conversation instead." Riovanni said because he hadn't anticipated the Alpha King's boldness in abruptly ending the meeting. He had believed that threatening him with not following through on the treaty would make him reconsider and allow him to see Helga, but he had underestimated his strong determination. It caught him off guard but at the same timed, piqued his interest. He could't help but think that the coming days were bound to be filled with exciting events.
"Since the introduction was already done, can everyone please excuse themselves from the room? I need to have a private conversation with the Lycan King." Siegren whirled towards the table, causing a hush of murmurs to fill the room. But everyone still complied, aware that their presence was no longer necessary. Besides, the tension between the leaders was too unbearable for any of them to dare to step in.
"Don't cause any fight, think about the Queen." David communicated through their mind link as he walked by the Alpha King. However, Siegren didn't respond, and just sat down as soon as he was alone with Riovanni.
"What was your real intention behind wanting to see my wife?" he asked straightforwardly, his tone stripped of any false professionalism. After the threat he had just received, there was no need for pretenses. Siegren couldn't help but feel disrespected by the Lycan King, who seemed to prioritize his personal feelings over the crucial matter of treaty talks. It was obvious that he knew well about Helga and their attempt to hide her was pretty much useless now.
"I don't see why there's anything wrong with wanting to catch up with an old friend. After all, she's a fellow citizen of my country." Riovanni shrugged, leaning his back against the chair, "Why are you so hellbent on preventing me from seeing her anyway?
Are
you
afraid that I'll harm her because she was once a part of the royal blood pack that my father destroyed?”
Siegren's brows furrowed, his normally handsome features contorting into a cold and hostile expression. Riovanni could feel the tension in the air, but he remained unfazed, a small smirk playing on his lips. The answers were already clear without the Alpha King even needing to say them aloud.
"Don't worry, I have no intention of harming her," he spoke, making the situation clear as it appeared that Siegren was already familiar with both his and Helga's history. Suddenly,
everything clicked for him; he finally understood why they had prevented him from seeing the queen. They must have believed that he would cause harm to her, which is why they kept her hidden away on purpose. "My intention was simply to see her and apologize."
"I could tell you already know about our relationship," Riovanni added with a sigh, raking his fingers through his hair. "I'm sure she was thinking I'm an enemy and I betrayed her, but you see... I had no idea my father would attack their pack."
Siegren's gaze remained fixed and unwavering, his eyes filled with hostility that refused to soften. He knew that anything the Lycan King said would sound like nothing but a lie to him. After all, Lycans were notorious for their cunning and deceptive nature, and there was no way he was buying any of this nonsense.
"Of course, you wouldn't believe me." Riovanni let out a low, rumbling chuckle as he watched Siegren's skeptical expression. The Alpha King seemed to think that every word that came from his mouth was nothing but a web of lies. And perhaps he had every right to be suspicious. But Riovanni was determined to explain his side of the story, even if it fell on deaf ears. He needed Siegren to understand, to see that his actions were not driven by malice or ill intent.
"I knew that my words would sound like lies, but they were the truth. My father brought me to the palace whenever he met with the Alpha King and Queen of Narva because I was next in line to lead our pack. I always assumed their meetings were for forming alliances, but I was mistaken... I didn't know my father was scheming things."
"Before I realized it, my pack was already plotting a rebellion to overthrow the ruling royal pack. I immediately tried to warn Helga once I found out, but my father caught on to my plans." Riovanni explained, "The guilt was eating me alive ever since, which is why when I learned that she survived and married the Alpha King of a neighboring country, I immediately called to inform that our delegation would visit early than expected."
"Although my father is getting older, he is still alive and holds a great deal of power... I came here early to warn both Helga and you that he may try to harm her. After all, he knew that she is not just a member of the fallen royal blood pack, but also the rightful heir to the throne." Siegren's eyes widened in shock as those words escaped Riovanni's lips. In that moment, his mind went blank, and a wave of disbelief washed over him. After all these years, they had known the truth about Helga's existence.
"The beta of the royal pack had betrayed his Alpha and revealed the existence of their hidden child to my father." Riovanni continued explaining, hoping this would make him believe him and convince him that he wasn't the enemy here, but his father. Everything he revealed was the truth, he always hated his father for being greedy, and even though he was crowned the Lycan King, most of his decisions were still influenced by his father.
“In a desperate attempt to escape from the dungeon, he confided in my father and revealed a secret. Ever since then, my father has been determined to track down Helga and her parents-"
"Wait, are you saying her parents weren't dead?" After a period of being silent, Siegren finally spoke up. He grudgingly began to doubt his own beliefs and consider that the Lycan King's words might hold some truth. However, he couldn't fully trust him until he was certain of his true intentions.
"They were never caught. And even after years of searching them, they were never found, which could only mean something... They were still alive—”
Siegren and Riovanni both jumped at the sudden burst of the double doors, their eyes widening in surprise as Helga stormed into the room. Her long red hair trailed behind her like a fiery comet, while Ludwig and Portia scurried after her, trying to catch up but it seemed they were too late.
"What are you doing-"
"Is that true?" Helga cut Siegren's sentence before approaching the table. She knew she was being rude and acting rashly by coming here just because she learned what had happened during the meeting. In her heart, she knew this was a dangerous move, but the thought of her long-lost parents being alive pushed aside any rational thoughts.Text © by N0ve/lDrama.Org.
She had come here with the intention of mediating the conflict between Siegren and Riovanni because she was afraid that war might break out, but she could never have anticipated the shocking revelation that awaited her.
"Helga.” Riovanni pushed his chair back, the legs scraping loudly against the wooden floor. He took a step towards Helga, but before he could get any closer, Siegren was on his feet, pulling her tightly against his chest. The look in his eyes was fierce and possessive which warned Riovanni not to come any closer or risk igniting a war right there in the room. Riovanni sighed inwardly, not expecting such an intense display of territoriality from the Alpha King. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance at Siegren's lack of trust in him, despite all the reassurances he had given.
"Answer me, are my parents really alive?" Helga spoke up, choosing to ignore the tension between the leaders. Riovanni's heart raced as he locked eyes with her; the girl who made his miserable and lonely days brighter was standing in front of him, alive and well. In that moment, all the guilt he had been carrying for years dissipated, leaving him feeling relieved and grateful to be reunited with her at last.
As soon as he discovered her identity as the hidden daughter of the former Alpha King and Queen, he made a promise to himself to correct his and his father's wrongdoing. And throughout all trials, his determination remained unwavering.
"That's right, my father never caught them... And when I descended to the throne, I ordered my members not to look for them anymore without my father knowing." Riovanni explained, his lips curling into a bitter smile, "I understand that you view me as a villain, but I want you to know that all of my actions towards you during our childhood were genuine. I cared for you and that didn't change even after I became king."
Riovanni took a bold step forward, his eyes burning with determination. TheAlpha King's powerful presence filled the room, causing an uneasiness to settle in the air. Helga furrowed her brow in concern and gently touched his arm, urging him to let her handle the situation. After a moment of hesitation, Siegren reluctantly released her from his grasp, feeling helpless as she bravely stepped forward to confront the looming figure of the Lycan King.
"Do you really mean that?" she asked with a serious and skeptical expression. Riovanni nodded in response, letting out a deep breath as he reached out to touch Helga's shoulder.
Siegren's hand balled into a fist, his wolf side almost letting out a growl at the sight of another man touching his mate. Still, he tried his best to keep his emotions in check and not let them run wild, knowing things would get messy.
"Yes... I truly did care about you," Riovanni's response was filled with sincerity, and Helga felt her chest tighten as his words brought back memories of their time together when they were children. She knew she shouldn't trust him easily yet, her insticts were telling her to let go of all the doubts she was feeling. Her mind was in turmoil, but when Riovanni spoke again, all her conflicted thoughts disappeared.
"I am not your enemy; I arrived ahead of schedule to assure you that I am on your side... This time, I will protect you from my father."