Hades' Cursed Luna novel Chapter 188

Hades

The scene that greeted me made my skin prickle with unease, every nerve on edge. My security personnel’s surrounded James in a circle, some had their claws extended, fangs elongating, watching warily, the rest had their weapons aimed straight at his head.

Yet, the beta did not look intimidated, even had blood oozed from a fresh wound in his face, his left eye has been clawed at, leaving a ghastly mass of torn flesh and blood and seeping out his face, down to his attire.

I glanced at the claw of one of the security personnel to see his claw marred with blood.

Of course, this was exactly what I needed, a diplomatic disaster, on top of everything else on my fucking plate. This was the problem that Kael had been referring to.

I glanced at the door, my blood boiling when I noticed the claw marks on it. It had really wanted enter. At least it was constellation that he had not been able to reach Ellen. I fought back the urge to enter our room, to assure her that everything was okay but I had to deal with this first.

I proceeded forward as I assessed the situation, As I stepped forward, the thick tension in the hallway crackled like a live wire. Every gaze flickered toward me—my guards standing resolute, James panting heavily, his one uninjured eye seething.

I stopped a few feet away from them my expression a carefully composed mask of control. "The rest of you, leave," I ordered.

The personnel scrambled away leaving Kael by my side. "Beta James," I said, my voice low and cold, "you have exactly ten seconds to tell me why the hell you thought it was a good idea to force your way into the princess’s chambers."

James spat blood onto the marble floor, his breathing ragged. "I want to talk to the princess?" he replied calmly "Alone."

I fought back another wave of loathing. "Why?"

"I want to give her chance to speak her truth while you are not there manipulating her and breathing down her neck." He arched a brow. "I believe I should at least allowed that.

A slow, simmering rage curled in my chest, but I kept my expression impassive. I exhaled sharply through my nose, my fingers twitching at my sides, aching for violence.

"You believe you should be allowed that," I echoed, my voice eerily calm. My guards tensed at the dangerous edge beneath my tone. "And tell me, Beta James, did you truly think clawing your way through my doors like a rabid animal would grant you this… privilege?"

His uninjured eye flashed with defiance. "She’s not yours to keep like a prisoner, that was not in the contract

I took a slow step forward, and despite his bravado, I saw the way his muscles tightened, the subtle flinch he tried to suppress. "She is my chosen mate," I reminded him, voice dangerously low. "And I will protect her from anyone who threatens her well-being. Including you."

James scoffed, shifting his stance, ignoring the blood dripping down his face. "I don’t threaten her. You do." His voice gained an edge of urgency. "Look at her. Really look at her, Your majesty. She’s breaking, and we both know why." He took a shallow breath. "Let me speak to her. Let her decide."

James was pushing boundaries, testing limits, gambling on some shred of humanity in me.

I let the silence stretch until it was thick enough to choke. Then I exhaled and tilted my head.

"You believe she hasn’t already chosen?"

James clenched his jaw. "She hasn’t had a real choice. Not with you hovering over her, controlling every move she makes."

I let out a quiet, humorless laugh. "And you think bursting into her chambers like a deranged beast is giving her one?"

A flicker of uncertainty crossed his face, but he held his ground. "She deserves to hear the truth without you poisoning it."

My patience thinned to a knife’s edge. "You’re a fool if you think she doesn’t already know the truth," I said, voice dangerously even. "Ellen is not a pawn to be moved as you see fit." I stepped closer, my power rolling off me in slow, suffocating waves. "She is a queen in her own right. And you—" my gaze flicked to the deep gashes on his face, "—have just proven yourself an enemy to her safety."

James stiffened. "I would never hurt her."

"No?" I gestured to the door, to the deep claw marks marring the wood. "Because this looks like the actions of a rational, trustworthy man."

"Her parents, the Alpha and Luna of Silverpine want a private audience with their daughter and I as Silverpine’s beta attempted to carry out my duty."

"So, in essence, you decided to bypass protocol, disregard the authority of this kingdom, and force your way into the chambers of a woman who has made it clear she does not wish to see her family." My voice was razor-sharp, slicing through the thick tension.

James straightened, his chin lifting defiantly. "Her family has the right—"

"They lost that right the moment they broke her," I cut in, voice quiet but lethal. "Do you think I’m blind to what they did to her? Do you think I don’t see the way she flinches at their name, the way the ghosts of her past choke the life from her?" I took another slow step toward him, watching the way his muscles tensed. "You can dress this up as duty all you want, Beta, but you and I both know what this really is."

James exhaled sharply through his nose. "And what do you think this is?"

"A power play," I murmured, tilting my head. "Silverpine is grasping at control they no longer have. And you—" I let my eyes drag over him, the blood smeared down his face, the barely restrained fury in his stance, "—are just another desperate hand reaching for a leash that has long cut."

"You cut that leash, that was not in the agreement we made for the betterment of the relationship between our two packs."