I stood chained to a podium in the center of a large room. All around me there were the faces of curious pure bloods who had turned out for the occasion as if were some kind of gala event. I yanked at my bonds lightly trying to test their strength but all I was given was a glare from the guard standing nearby. If I could have flipped him off I would have but instead I gave him a sarcastic smile before looking away.

Sir bitch-slap walked past the podium into the center of the room drawing everyone's attention, "The royal family!" He announces with a bow. The others in the room follow his lead as a door nearby opens and a familiar faces file through. Illyiana walks next to Constantine arm and arm, and I feel the urge to leap over the podium at them. I yank at my chains again in frustration which calls Constantine's attention toward me. His eyes spark with wicked amusement and he flashes me a smile. A bite back a growl as he lead his sister to a fancy chair at the front of the room before taking a seat himself.

, My wolf snarls and I nod my head in complete agreement with her wishes. 

Lennicks comes into the room next with his causal gait but when our gazes meet there is something new written in his expression. It's as if he is trying to communicate something to me silently but I can't comprehend what he wants to say. He looks away from me when a couple of females in the crowd begging for his attention. He winked at them and they swoon like a bunch of teenage girls. I rolled my eyes, "Just kill me now and get it over with..." I mumble under my breath. Another brother entered but I couldn't be bothered with him because my whole reason for being here walked through the door.

 He looked as handsome as I remembered. He seemed tower over most of the people and walked with powerful steps. His lips were drawn down into a frown and I watched his body freeze mid step. When Silver's gaze met mine it was if the world around me faded away. I was surrounded by complete silence and the sole focus of my existence was centered on him. The ache that had been constant was suddenly gone and I took in a deep breath for the first time in what felt like weeks. It didn't matter that I was probably about to die. All that matter is that Silver was right in front of me and he was alive.

I wasn't sure what he was thinking but from the emotions rushing over his face I could tell he was surprised but relieved to see. Quickly thought it all turned into anger and I felt myself recoil under the heat of his gaze. My wolf whimpered inside of me not sure why our mate would be angry with us. He turned away and took a seat near Lennicks looking extremely tense as he did so.

Lennicks leaned over and whispered something to him which earned him a snarled expression from Silver. Lennicks smiled before he turned and winked at me. I looked away quickly though I itched to be closer to Silver. My wolf was practically chomping at the bit to get to our mate. 

 "The Monarch!" Sir Bitch-slap announces and I focus my attention on the man who walks through the door. My body seems to feel the weight of his power even from where I am standing. My lip pulls back into a sneer as he proudly walks towards the only empty seat. He has the same white blond hair as Silver and his eyes are green as well but they seem muted. His gaze sweeps over the room until finally landing on me. He might have a different face and a different name but the only thing I see when I look at him is Kellan. They are men cut of the same cloth, and this sends a shiver of disgust through me. He waves towards his announcer and I turn my attention away with a small sigh of relief.

"Today we are here to lay witness to the trial of this prisoner and her crimes against our monarch and our pack." He spins around to face the crowd, before focusing his attention on me. 

"Please state your full name for the record."

I ran my tongue over my teeth as I looked at the group of royals before me, "Grace renee Black." The crowd seemed to begin whispering excitedly at the announcement of my name which caused me to have a moment of pause. The man raised his hands to silence the crowd before he continued, "Is your father Orion Merrick Black?"

My eyebrows furrowed at the question and the sound of my fathers name coming from his lips, "Why are you asking me that?" I question back which lands a blow to the back of my knee from a baton my guard had been holding. I fall to my knees clenching my teeth together from the surge of pain. Slowly I pull myself back up into the standing position with a glare in royals direction. 

"The prisoner will answer the question." The man standing as my accuser states firmly as if to say if I don't I'll get another show of force. I bite back a snarl, "Yes! That is the name of my father." With that the crowd surges with exclamations of shock. I had no idea what was going on and what this had to do with the fact that I had trespassed. Apparently there was something more going on then I had originally thought. My eyes roamed over to Silver who was glaring at the guard who had struck me with a murderous look in his eyes and I tried to suppress a smile at the though of him ripping the guy apart for me. How romantic. 

"Quiet!" The accuser yelled and the crowd slowly quieted down but I could feel the heat of there eyes on me which made me shift uncomfortably from foot to foot. The monarch sat in the middle of his family with his dull green eyes focused on me. The weight of his gaze made a shiver of fear race up my spine. This man hated me—I could see it in the depth of his eyes. Kellans sinister laugh echoed through my mind and I shook my head quickly looking away from him.

"As your fathers successor and in accordance with our great Monarch's laws you will bear the weight of his crimes against the Monarch and his house." He explained to me with a flat tone and I clenched my hands into tight fists as he continued, "You now stand accused of high treason. It is our knowledge that your father conspired with several other members of the Alpha council to usurp the Monarchs rightful claim to his fathers throne. They fled from the territory with plans to build an army to use in these nefarious schemes. The rebel gathering still stirs under your fathers name and wishes to see this great house destroyed."

I felt completely shocked by all the things that he was saying. There was no way that we could be talking about the same man. My father wasn't some renegade pure blood who was building an army. My father had been a kind and fair man who cared for our pack before his life had been cut short by my power hungry uncle.

"What you're saying doesn't make any sense..." I speak up. I take another hit from the baton to the back of my knee. I let out a fierce growl and turn my head toward my guard, "Hit me one more time and I promise when I get out of these chains I will shove that thing so far up your ass that you can taste it." The guard takes a small step back away from the podium and I can help but feel a slight satisfaction in his submission. 

 I swung my gaze back to the accuser and then focused on the Royal family, "I don't know anything about any rebels or plans to attack you and your family, sadly. I wish I did though—" I say with a small mocking sigh, "Because I would gladly have signed up." The whole crowd roared to life at my words and I watched Silvers eyes widen in horror. Yeah, I probably shouldn't have said that but at this point what did I have to lose. The Monarch's eyes narrowed into slits and he raised his hand which silenced the crowd instantly.

He slowly pushed himself up out of his seat and all eyes in the room fixated on him, "You remind me very much of your father Grace. He was brave but he was foolish—" A growl bubbled out of my lips and I pulled at my chains. He made no indication of concern over my reaction, "I heard that your father and mother died at the hands of rogues. Slaughter like pigs..." 

 My wolf surged forward and I noticed the crowd move a step back as I'm sure my alpha power was leaking out. He approached the center of the room with slow and steady steps, "I heard that you were held by the very same rogues and turned into their leaders whore..." I was shaking with rage and I yanked hard against my chains. I was going to kill him. I was going to rip my way through his flesh until there was nothing left. The chains creaked and groaned under the strain until they snapped. 

 The crowd moved back with a cry of fear as I hoisted myself up and over the podium toward their king. I caught the small glimmer of a smirk before I shifted into my wolf. This is the reaction that he wanted from us, because he had wanted to fight me all along I realize as I feel the air shifting around. My wolf pushes out a vicious roar, both of us lost in a state of bloodlust.

"Father, wait!" Lennicks yelled above all of the chaos, "She's been claimed!" Everything seems to slow down and then become quiet. The energy in the room draws back in on itself, "What did you say?" The king growls never taking his eyes off of me.

"Silver has taken this one as his—uh—pet..." Lennicks says with less certainty, "Can't you tell by her scent?" 

"That's right father!" Silver's voice booms through the room and causes the red haze of my bloodlust to evaporate. Silver pushes up out of his seats and strides towards me his eyes focused solely on me, "I claimed her as mine—she bares my mark, therefore by our laws any of her crimes are also mine." I felt confusion rush through me.

His fathers eyes narrow as he took in my scent before turning to Silver, "You are still a foolish child! What were you thinking?" He growled before backhanding him. I leapt forward with a snarl and his father took a step back from the two of us. I moved my body closer to Silver so that I was now rubbing up against his side. He reached out and ran his hand over my fur, sending a rush of warmth through me. His father looked at the scene with disgust and frustration. 

"What is to be my punishment father? Is it death, then?" Silver questions venomously. I realize then that my mate is trying to take my place on the chopping block. The crowd is silent but I can feel the tension in the air as they wait for his reply to the turn of events. 

With a growl of frustration, "I will postpone my verdict until I can look over all the facts." He says in a faked impartial tone which the crowd falls for with sighs of relief. His dull green eyes look over Silver, "You will keep your pet with you at all times—she will not be allowed to wander about with you unless she where's one of the collars."

His eyes roam to me, "This isn't over." He says so only we can hear before he turns to the crowd with a smile, "Never let it be said that I am not a merciful and generous man." They all applaud him as he slowly makes his exit from the room. Silver's hand is gently fisting some of my fur, "You and I have a lot of things to talk about—" He says in a tone that tells me he's not happy. I would be angry with him too but It's hard to do when all I can think about is how comforting it is to have him close to me.

Lennicks approaches us, "Wonderful to see you again Grace—" I let out a low growl which only earns me an amused grin before his attention is pulled to Silver, "You are welcome brother. It looks as though I've saved your mate from fathers wrath—at least for one more day..." With that he turns and waltz's away whistling a soft tune. 

 Silver snorts, "Come on Grace. Let's get the hell out of here before anyone else gets ideas about killing you. I swear you are going to be the death of me..." He mumbles out as he leads us away from the crowd and his family towards a door on the opposite side of the room. I have no idea what is happening or why his father seems to despise me so much. What I do know is that I would follow Silver anywhere at this point, even through the fires of hell if I had to. 

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Song: 'Everybody Wants to Rule The World' --Lorde