Chapter 128
The hidden city had been liberated.
Women once chained, their faces drawn with trauma and starvation, now sat in warm rooms, wrapped in clean blankets, receiving heating and comfort.
For days, the palace was transformed into a place of recovery and reunion.
Francesco stood at the highest balcony of the western wing, gazing over the valley that now sparkled under the sunlight. It had only been weeks since the magic veil collapsed, revealing lands, cities, and secrets that had been buried under Luca’s cursed reign. But the light did more than reveal physical terrain. It unearthed truths, families, and wounds.
The door behind him creaked.
“My King,” came the voice of Beta Alfonso, his tone steady as ever. “A message from Alpha Gregory of Barcelona.”
Francesco turned slightly, his expression neutral but attentive.
“His daughter was among the rescued. Her name is Kiera.”
A beat passed before his brow furrowed. “Wait… Gregory’s daughter is one among them?”
Alfonso gave a tight nod. “Yes, My king. Apparently, she was taken almost two years ago. Alpha Gregory had assumed she was dead. He only discovered the truth after the veil fell and saw the list of rescued names.”
Francesco’s expression shifted with rare surprise, a flicker of guilt flashing in his eyes. “I never knew she was his. Gods… he must have suffered.”
“Yes. Alpha Gregory sends his gratitude and requested to visit in person. He is arriving in three days.”
Francesco turned fully to face his Beta, brows drawing slightly together. “Prepare accommodations. And make sure the rescued women and their families are treated with dignity.”
“Of course. There’s something else,” Alfonso hesitated. “Word is spreading across territories. More families are arriving, claiming their daughters, sisters, and mates. The people are calling this place a sanctuary.”
Francesco’s gaze drifted toward the east, toward the wing where Ellaine still slept.
A month had passed, and she remained in her enchanted slumber. Lira’s potions kept her stable, her skin warm and vibrant again, but her
soul was still mending.
He exhaled slowly. “Let them come.”
The day Alpha Gregory arrived was clear and bright, with soft wind trailing the mountain air.
The courtyard was filled with laughter and the scent of baked bread and roasted meat. Dozens of rescued women were reunited with their families, their tearful embraces echoing through the marble halls of the castle.
Francesco did not greet them.
As always, he delegated public appearances to Beta Alfonso, choosing to maintain distance from celebration.
Because he had never cared for praise
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Chapter 128
Until a knock came at his private chamber,
“My king Alpha” Alfonso said through the crack in the door. “Alpha Gregory requests an audience. He insists it must be in person
Francesco stood, brushing his cloak aside. “Very well. Bring him to the southern garden.
The garden, once shrouded by dark vines and poisoned roots, had been restored since Ellaine’s power burst. Now, golden sunlight trickled through wide trees, and the scent of fresh blossoms perfumed the air.
Alpha Gregory was a broad man with white–streaked hair and sharp eyes. He bowed deeply. “King Francesco. I owe you more than words can ever express.”
“You owe me nothing,” Francesco replied curtly. “Your daughter is alive. That is enough.”
The older Alpha smiled faintly. “Still, you’ve done something no one else could. And I see now the rumors were wrong. You are not a
monster.”
Francesco offered no response.
From the castle door, a soft voice called, “Father!”
Kiera entered the garden in a flowing lavender gown, her hair braided and adorned with silver pins. Her eyes met Francesco’s.
And she stopped.
For a moment, it was as if the world had narrowed.
has striking. Tall, broad–shouldered, with dark hair that curled
She had imagined the King as cold and grizzled, but the man before her
slightly at his neck and silver eyes that pierced like ice. A scar traced his jawline, only making him more enigmatic.
She lowered her gaze quickly, cheeks warming. But in her heart, something fluttered.
That night, a lunch was held for the rescued victims and their families. Long tables filled the outer terrace, with food and music and a sense of safety that hadn’t existed for years.
Francesco walked into the celebration only because Alfonso insisted. He moved through the crowd like a phantom–distant, dignified,
untouchable.
Kiera, seated next to her father, couldn’t take her eyes off him.
He barely looked her way.
Instead, his gaze was drawn to the upper floor balcony, where Lira stood, watching quietly from Ellaine’s room.
A signal passed between them. Francesco gave a slight nod, and Lira bowed her head before returning inside.
Kiera noticed.
She leaned toward her father. “What do you know of the King’s Luna?”
Gregory sighed. “She’s in an enchanted sleep. Powerful magic holds her soul. It’s said she sacrificed everything to destroy the Black Curse.”
Kiera’s lips parted. “Is she… still alive?”
“Barely. But the King believes she will return.”
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Chapter 128
Kiera turned her gaze back to Francesco, something sharp blooming in her chest. “Belief is not certainty.”
The following morning, Francesco returned to Ellaine’s side. As he did every
day.
He held her hand, spoke softly to her as though she could hear him.
He told her about the new cities discovered, the hidden rivers that sparkled with strange magic, the underground lake he had found that glowed in moonlight.
He described it all with the hope that one day, she’d see it herself.
Outside her room, Lira mixed her potions.
“She’s healing,” Lira said gently. “But her soul was fractured. Her magic… it fought against itself.”
Francesco didn’t look away from Ellaine, “Will she wake?”
“She will. But not if she senses despair. Her soul is sti
I searching for the way
back.”
In the days that followed, Kiera found excuses to linger.
To pass the training fields where Francesco commanded his warriors. To visit the library where he often read in silence. She offered polite smiles, asked careful questions.
Francesco responded only as necessary.
His attention was never on her.
One day, she gathered her courage.
“My king Alpha,” she said as he exited the war room.
He paused. “Lady Kiera?”
She stepped closer. “I know you carry many burdens. But you deserve peace, too. I would be honored to help.” She dares herself to bravely speak.
His expression did not change. “Peace is not something one receives. It is something one earns.”
Kiera hesitated. “Then let me help you earn it.”
His gaze, cold and sharp, finally met hers.
“I have a Luna,” he said firmly. “And I would burn the world before I dishonor her.”
Kiera flinched.
Francesco walked past her without another word.
