Chapter 6

AUTHOR'S POV

Eliza got out of her car and walked up to the massive building in front of her.

White marble walls with black trimmings and huge columns stared back at her, highlighting the power and opulence contained in this one building.

Its importance and presence felt both empowering and unnerving at the same time.

This was the castle of the Lycan King—the center of power for the Lycan Kingdom.

She took a deep breath and calmed herself.

Even though she wanted to march in with guns blazing over the decision the king made regarding Derek and Maya, she had to keep herself in check.

He was her king, after all, and she had no wish to die because of a reckless mistake.

With a calm demeanor, Eliza walked up the stairs, intending to request an audience with the king. But as soon as she reached the doors, she was stopped by the two guards standing watch.

"What is your purpose here?" one of the guards asked, his eyes narrowing at Eliza.

"I am the Luna of the Silver Moon Pack, and I request an audience with the Lycan King. It is of utmost importance that I see him immediately," she responded, knowing full well that no one, not even an Alpha, could see the king without making an appointment beforehand.

Still, she had come on a whim and tried to use her somewhat ambiguous status to gain entrance.

Eliza watched the men, hoping they would give in to her request and let her enter the castle, but they just squinted at her, their mouths set firmly.

"Was a hearing appointment made?" the other questioned.

"There wasn't. Like I said, what I have to say to the Lycan King is important," she argued, her shoulders tense. She needed this to work.

The guards shared a look before one of them spoke again.

"Very well. You shall wait here while I inform the king of your arrival."

With that, the man who had just spoken turned and walked in through the gates, leaving Eliza and the other guard in uncomfortable silence.

The guard entered the castle, passing through several layers of security before stopping before two huge oak doors engraved with actual gold.

He gave a nod to his colleagues standing watch outside the doors.

Their wordless exchange communicated exactly what needed to be done.

After all, the outdoor guards came inside only when someone requested an audience with the king.

The guards opened the doors, allowing the main guard to enter.

He walked in, his eyes fixed on the ground, as those without high rank were not allowed to meet the king's eyes without permission.

"Praise be to the Lycan King," the guard greeted.

"What do you have to tell me?" King Kyle, the Lycan King, spoke, his voice thundering in the room as he studied the file in his hands.

"A Luna is here to see you. She is from the Silver Moon Pack."

The king paused his reading and looked up, immediately knowing who waited at his gates.

Eliza.

There was only one reason she would be here—his recent annulment of her marriage to Alpha Derek.

In his view, she had come to beg for his decision to be reversed—an outcome he had no intention of granting.

"She can wait outside until I'm done here. I don't want to be disturbed," King Kyle said with a sigh, returning to his work.

"Of course, Your Majesty," the guard replied with a bow before leaving and returning to his post.

In about twenty minutes, the guard made his way back to the front gate, a stoic look on his face.

"You are to wait here until you are called," he announced, causing Eliza to frown. She didn't have much time.

"Did you tell him who I was?" she asked, anxious to go in as quickly as possible.

The guard gave her a brief look before turning forward, choosing to ignore her for the rest of the time.

"Excuse me," Eliza said again, her nostrils flaring, but seeing that the man would say nothing else, she huffed and settled down, deciding to wait.

After all, how long could her entry possibly take?

Eliza groaned for what felt like the millionth time that day, the heat wearing her down.

She had waited for hours, her patience tested by the deliberate delay.

The palace guards stood like statues, their expressions unchanging, clearly following orders to make her wait.

Eliza knew exactly why.

King Kyle assumed she had come to beg, to plead for mercy, to reverse the impending marriage of Derek and Maya.

Little did he know, she was here for something far more calculated—something she wanted even more than being tied to her cheating husband.

Hours passed. The sun slid across the sky, casting long shadows on the ornate palace grounds.

Finally, a guard approached.

"The Lycan King will see you now," he announced, his voice devoid of emotion.

With a frown, Eliza walked with him through the gates as he led her to the throne room.

The room was immense, with high ceilings and walls adorned with historic tapestries depicting past Lycan rulers.

King Kyle sat on an elaborate throne, his presence commanding and intimidating.

"Eliza," he said, his voice deep and measured, "I understand you've come about your husband's pending marriage."

She met his gaze steadily, her voice calm.

"King Kyle," she acknowledged with a bow, "I've come to request your official intervention in my divorce proceedings. Not to stop it, but to assist in the dissolution."

A slight raise of an eyebrow was the only indication of his surprise. This was not what he'd expected.

"Go on," he prompted.

"I request that you personally oversee the bond dissolution ceremony," Eliza stated clearly. "And I ask that you send official representatives to adjudicate the fair division of my assets."

The room fell silent.

King Kyle studied her for a long moment, then a spark of recognition passed across his features. "Under normal circumstances, I would have laughed at your request, but because of your father and brother's service to the Lycan Kingdom, I will consider it," he said at last. "Their contributions were significant and the price they paid was more than enough for any man."

He paused, and Eliza held her breath.

"In light of this, your requests are granted," he declared, a small smile touching his rugged face.

Relief washed over Eliza, though she maintained her composure. She had thought this would be a battle, but it was as easy as anything.

It was a personal victory and a strategic move to secure herself and spite her husband.

With a smirk and one last bow, the king dismissed her and Eliza left.

After leaving the palace, Eliza felt a sense of liberation she hadn't experienced in months. The weight of her failed marriage seemed to lift with every step.

On a whim, she decided to visit the mall, a business venture she'd personally invested in and often supervised.

As soon as she walked in, the mall's manager approached her nervously.

"Luna Eliza, what an unexpected pleasure," he mumbled under his breath.

"Walk with me," Eliza commanded, her keen gaze already spotting several issues in the store.

She pointed out the problems, urging the manager to note them and fix everything before the end of the day.

The manager listened intently, nodding as he wrote it all down.

"We'll address these immediately, Luna. Thank you for bringing them to our attention."

With business matters handled, Eliza began browsing the shops. Since she was there, she decided she might as well shop.

She was examining a display of designer handbags when a familiar voice made her blood run cold.

"Well, well. Look who's here," the irritating voice called out, pulling Eliza's attention from the purses.

Derek stood only a few feet away, with a smiling Maya clinging to his arm.

Eliza licked her lips, her grip tightening on the handbag she was holding.

Of all the people she could run into today, it just had to be them.

Still, she was in a good mood after her talk with the king.

This day was about to get far more interesting.