Betrayed by an alpha claimed by a lycan king

Chapter 172 Chapter 172 SAGE It's been hours since the twins entered the labyrinth. There was no way to know whether they were safe inside or if the labyrinth had already begun testing them in ways beyond our comprehension. My heart felt like a battlefield, torn between trust in my children's strength and the overwhelming fear of what they might be facing alone.

The sun had begun to set, casting long shadows over the towering stone entrance, but I hadn't moved from my spot. The once-bustling crowd had dwindled, leaving behind only a handful of guards stationed near the entrance. Even the elders- the very people who had forced this trial upon my children-had retired for the night, their curiosity seemingly satisfied now that they had placed Harper and Cooper in the labyrinth's grasp.

"You should take a rest, my lady," Scott's voice cfrom behind me, gentle but firm.

I turned my gaze away from the entrance, finding him standing with his arms crossed, his face marked with concern.

"I'm going to wait for my children, Scott," I said without hesitation.

Scott let out a quiet sigh, as if he had expected that response. "Of course you are, my lady. But the labyrinth isn't going anywhere. And neither is the outcof the trial. You standing here, exhausting yourself, will not change what happens inside." I shook my head. "I can't just leave them." "I understand," he said patiently. "But you should at least rest, even if only for a while. This trial isn't a short one." I frowned, something about his tone making my stomach twist. "What do you mean?" Scott hesitated for a moment, then exhaled heavily. "These trials can take days, even weeks, my lady. It depends on how long it takes the labyrinth to reveal the truth it seeks." I stiffened, the weight of his words settling heavily on my chest. "Days?" The word cout in a whisper before I clenched my fists. "Nobody toldit would take that long!" "I'm sorry if I didn't manage to give you that information. But regardless of whether you knew it or not, there's nothing we can do. They are bound to do the test the moment everyone in the palace knows about them." "You said Titus also took the stest once he was crowned as the crown prince. How long did it take for him to finish this test?" "Seven days, my lady. It took him seven days. And that's the fastest one in history," he said.

"If the most powerful Lycan prince took seven days to complete the trial, how can mere children possibly survive it? They may look older, but technically, they're only three years old!" I complained despite knowing that it will not change anything. The palace is a cruel place for them. How naive I am to think that they can be possibly safe in here? Scott's expression softened, but there was a grim edge to his voice. "I understand your fear, my lady. But the labyrinth does not test strength alone. It measures truth, resilience, and one's right to the throne. Power is important, yes, but so is the heart. Their royal blood will guide and protect them. They are His Majesty's children; you have to trust them." I ran a shaky hand through my hair, my frustration mounting. "Even so, Scott, they're just children. How can they possibly be expected to endure what Titus, a fully grown and trained warrior, barely survived?" Scott exhaled, glancing toward the looming entrance of the labyrinth, its ancient stone archway bathed in the eerie glow of the torches. "I won't lie to you, my lady. This is unprecedented. No child has ever been forced to face the Labyrinth of Truth. But I also know this-those two are no ordinary children. You've seen it yourself. Their power, their instincts... they were 1/4 <3 7650 Chapter 172 born for this, just as much as His Majesty was." I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. "Born for this? No child should be born for this kind of cruelty" Scott didn't argue. He knew I was right.

I turned my gaze back to the labyrinth. "How will we know if they passed the test?" My voice trembled despite my attempt to sound strong.

"The walls of the labyrinth will be covered in flowers, allowing them to cout freely, unscathed." "And if they failed?" "The walls will be covered in thorns, and they have to go through it in order to cout." Scott hesitated, his jaw clenching. "But that's not the end of it; the palace will deny their claim to the throne." He didn't say the rest out loud, but we both knew what it meant. The elders would never allow children with such dangerous power to walk free among the territory.

I hugged my arms around myself, my breath coming in short, panicked bursts. "I should have run away when I had the chance," I murmured. "I should have taken them and disappeared before any of this happened." "You still believe you can outrun fate?" Scott asked gently.

I turned to him, my eyes burning with emotion. "I don't care about fate, Scott. I care about my children." He nodded, understanding. "Then believe in them. Believe in the fact that they're not alone in there. They have each other, just like they always have. And no matter what the labyrinth throws at them, I trust they'll fight their way through. Just like their father did." I bit my lip, my chest tightening. I wanted to believe that. I needed to believe that. But the days ahead felt impossibly long.

The first night felt like an eternity. I refused to move from my spot near the entrance of the labyrinth, my eyes never leaving the twisted stone walls as if sheer willpower alone could bring my children back to me.

Titus still hadn't woken up. His wounds had healed, but his body remained unresponsive. It was as if he was trapped somewhere beyond my reach, lost in a place where neither my voice nor my touch could pull him back. While I prayed for my children's safety inside the labyrinth, I found myself praying just as desperately for him. Every night, I sat by his bedside, clutching his hand as I whispered my pleas to the Moon Goddess. "Please... bring him back to me. Bring them all back to me." The guards rotated shifts, torches flickering in the cold night air, but I barely registered them. My mind was trapped in the labyrinth with my children, imagining every possible danger they might be facing.

On the third night, I choose to stay right outside the labyrinth. I know Scott said that the shortest tTitus finished the test was seven days. It's only been three days, but I have a feeling that something's about to happen.

The wind carried distant howls from the forest beyond, eerie and bone-chilling. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to suppress the growing dread curling in my stomach.

"It's cold out, right, my lady? You should get back to your chamber," Scott said quietly, sensing my unease.

I swallowed hard. "I'm fine, Scott. I'm going to wait for my children.

"It's too early for that, my lady. Stop worrying about them. They're the heirs of the strongest alpha this kingdom has ever seen, he reminded me, repeating his words from before.

2/4 16:17 Mon, 10 Mar MM Chapter 172 I wanted to believe him. I needed to.

Just then, a shift in the air sent a shiver down my spine. It was subtle, but undeniable. A pulse of energy, almost like a heartbeat, resonated from the labyrinth's entrance.

I gasped, stepping forward instinctively. "Did you feel that?" Scott nodded, his brows furrowing. "Something's happening inside." The guards tensed, gripping their weapons, eyes flicking between each other.

76% I held my breath. Was it a sign that the twins were in trouble? Or was this proof that they were fighting their way through? "Harper... Cooper...." I whispered, my fingers curling into fists.

The wind outside the palace seemed to shift, carrying an eerie stillness that sent a chill down my spine. The flickering torches lining the courtyard trembled, as if responding to an unseen force. Scott took a step closer to me, his body tense, his eyes scanning the surroundings. "Stay alert," he murmured under his breath.

I swallowed hard. My heart pounded against my ribs as I turned back toward the labyrinth. My children were in there, facing dangers I couldn't even begin to imagine. Was this a sign of their struggle? A cry for help? Then suddenly, a pulse of energy rippled through the air, so strong it sent shivers down my spine.

The guards straightened, their hands tightening around their weapons. Scott's expression darkened, his jaw clenching.

We waited, which feels like forever, checking every movement and sound coming from the inside. After what seems like forever, the green walls surrounding the maze started changing.

The walls of the labyrinth burst into bloom, vibrant flowers unfurling in a breathtaking display-a clear sign that the twins had successfully completed the trial. Moments later, Harper and Cooper emerged, hand in hand. A collective gasp rippled through the gathered crowd as they took in the astonishing sight. The twins, who had entered as young children, now appeared years older, their features more refined, their frames taller. By the tthey stepped fully into the light, they looked to be around thirteen years old. I clutched my chest, my breath hitching as I took in the sight before me.

Harper and Cooper-my babies-were no longer the schildren who had stepped into the labyrinth. Their bodies had stretched, their faces more defined their once-childish features now carrying the hints of maturity. Though their eyes remained the same, filled with warmth and wisdom beyond their years, there was something new in them-a quiet strength, a silent understanding of what they had endured. The murmurs from the remaining onlookers filled the courtyard, whispers of disbelief and awe rippling through the air.

"They... they aged?" One of the guards muttered, his grip tightening on his weapon.

"It's true. That they were aging faster than any normal werewolves," Scott said under his breath, his eyes locked on the twins.

Tears welled in my eyes as I stumbled forward. "Harper... Cooper..." My voice broke, my feet moving before my mind could Catch up.

Both of them turned toat the stime, their expressions softening the moment they saw me.

"Mom!" they called out in unison, and before I knew it, they were running.

1 I barely had tto catch them before they crashed into me, their arms wrapping aroundtightly. I sobbed, clutching them close, feeling their warmth, their strength, their very presence that I had feared I might lose.

3/4 16:17 Mon, 10 Mar Chapter 172 "You did it," I whispered against their hair. "You did it, my loves." Harper pulled back slightly, looking up atwith a knowing smile. “We promised, didn't we?" Cooper grinned. "And we don't break promises, Mom." I let out a choked laugh, brushing my fingers through their hair. They were taller, stronger... but they were still mine.

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Scott stepped beside us, his arms crossed over his chest, pride evident O in his expression. "Wel, if anyone dous doubted whether they were His Majesty's children before, I think this answers it." The murmurs from the remaining guards and witnesses shifted. Sbowed their heads in silent respect. Others exchanged wary glances, understanding the weight of what had just happened.

The heirs had returned.

***