Alpha's STOLEN Mate Chapter 147

Elowen

The day before my coronation arrived faster than I'd expected.

According to tradition, all the important guests would arrive a day early to settle in. Kaius and I stood at the castle entrance, ready to greet them as they came.

Alpha after Alpha approached, each one offering their respects. But what struck me—what made me want to laugh—was how dramatically the dynamic had shifted.

"Queen Elowen! It's an honor to finally meet you in person!" A broad-shouldered Alpha from the northern territories bowed deeply. "Your defeat of Morgath the Flesh-Weaver has saved us all! You're a hero to every pack!"

"The White Wolf has returned in our darkest hour!" Another Alpha, this one elderly with silver threading through his hair. "We are blessed by the Moon Goddess!"

Meanwhile, Kaius stood beside me, practically invisible. Several Alphas barely acknowledged him beyond a perfunctory nod.

One particularly bold Alpha even stepped right past Kaius to address me directly. "My Queen, I must ask—there were reports that our King attacked you during the conflict with Morgath? Some sort of mind control?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously at Kaius. "Are you certain you're safe now?"

Kaius's jaw tightened. "I was under magical compulsion. It's been resolved."

"Hmm." The Alpha didn't look convinced.

I bit back a smile as I watched Kaius's increasingly uncomfortable expression. So this was what being Queen meant—apparently I'd already been elevated to legendary status before the coronation had even happened. Poor Kaius was being treated like an afterthought at his own castle.

As the Alphas filed inside, I noticed an unusual figure approaching the entrance.

An unremarkable old man shuffled toward the castle gates, moving with an odd, meandering gait. He'd stop every few steps to examine something—a carved stone in the wall, the iron hinges on the gate, the moss growing between cobblestones. He'd mutter to himself, running his weathered hands over surfaces like a tourist seeing a grand building for the first time.

The guards immediately took notice.

Two of them stepped forward, blocking his path. "Hey, old man! Do you have any idea where you are?" The taller guard's voice was sharp with suspicion. "This is the King and Queen's castle! State your business!"

The old man looked up with a pleasant, almost vacant smile. "Oh! I'm here as a representative from the Elder Council. My name is Ronan." He spoke slowly, as if the words required great effort. "I've come to offer congratulations... and to witness our Queen's coronation trial."

The guards exchanged skeptical glances.

"An Elder?" The shorter guard actually laughed. "You? I've never seen an Elder with such terrible manners! You look like some country bumpkin who wandered in from a farm!" He gestured at Ronan's stooped posture. "Real Elders have centuries of discipline. They stand straight as spears, sit perfectly still. And you're shuffling around like you've never seen a castle before!"

The old man's smile didn't waver. "Oh, you think I've never seen a castle?"

In an instant, everything changed.

Ronan straightened to his full height—which was considerably taller than his previous hunched posture had suggested. His eyes, which had seemed cloudy and unfocused, suddenly sharpened into something piercing and ancient. Though his mouth kept that same pleasant smile, there was steel behind it now.

"I know this mountain is Moon Peak. I know this castle was originally built by the Silverbrook Pack—they brought master craftsmen from across the kingdom to construct it into the mountainside." His voice had lost its meandering quality, becoming crisp and precise. "Then, due to territorial disputes, it was conquered by Thornridge Peak Pack, who held it for three generations."

He paused, his gaze drifting to the castle walls with something like nostalgia.

"And then, our current Alpha King decided this location was strategically valuable. He brought rather... convenient accusations against Thornridge Pack. False charges of treason, if I recall correctly." Ronan's smile turned sharp. "Wiped them out completely. Took their castle for himself."

The old man looked back at the guards, and despite his smile, there was something dangerous in his expression. "So you see, I was just thinking... such a magnificent castle. I wonder who its next owner will be?"

The guards' faces went pale. One of them opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out.

I heard rapid footsteps behind me—Kaius, striding forward with barely contained anger.

"What exactly are you implying, old man?" Kaius's voice was low and dangerous.

Ronan's expression returned to innocent pleasantness. "Implying? Nothing at all! I merely said I'm here to congratulate the Queen and witness her coronation trial!"

"That's not what I'm asking about." Kaius moved closer, his presence radiating authority. "You just accused me of destroying Thornridge Pack based on false charges. Care to explain that?"

"Did I?" Ronan blinked owlishly. "I was simply recounting history. Thornridge Pack was accused of treason. They were eliminated. These are facts, are they not?"

"They *were* planning rebellion!" Kaius's voice rose slightly. "The charges were legitimate!"

Other guests had started to gather, drawn by the commotion. I could feel dozens of eyes watching us.

I quickly stepped forward, placing myself between Kaius and the old man. "Elder Ronan, is it? I apologize, but I'm not familiar with your name on the Elder Council roster. Would you mind confirming your credentials?"

Ronan reached into his worn coat and produced an invitation—official seal and all. "I may not be well-known, my Queen, but I was indeed selected by my fellow Elders to attend." He handed me the parchment with a slight bow. "You understand, of course—after you appointed that useless bookworm Faelan Willowbrook as Chief Elder, most of the senior council members refused to attend your coronation."

There were a few gasps from the watching crowd.

Ronan continued, completely unbothered by the reaction. "They sent me instead! Consider me the consolation prize!" He laughed, the sound oddly cheerful. "But I'm genuinely delighted to be here! Truly! It's my honor to witness the White Wolf's ascension to Queen!"

I examined the invitation carefully. Everything appeared legitimate—proper seals, correct formatting, Ronan's name clearly written.

"Well then." I forced a smile, though something about this old man made my instincts scream warnings. "Welcome, Elder Ronan. Please, allow me to show you to your quarters."

I gestured for a servant to guide him inside, then turned to Kaius. His jaw was still clenched, his hands balled into fists.

"Let it go," I murmured quietly. "Not here. Not now."

He took a slow breath, then nodded stiffly.

---

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of introductions.

Arabella, the Arch-Witch and representative of the High Coven, arrived with an entourage of her people. She was nothing like what I'd expected—no dark robes or creepy accessories. Instead, she wore practical clothing and had a warm, almost maternal presence. Her red hair cascaded down her back, and her slightly plump figure only added to her approachable demeanor.

"Queen Elowen." She took my hands in hers, her grip firm. "On behalf of all witches who practice honorable magic, I apologize for those who chose the dark path. Morgath and her followers do not represent us."

"I know," I assured her. "Thank you for coming."

Then there was Zane, the vampire representative.

Everything about him screamed predator. Those green eyes seemed to glow with an inner light, and when he smiled, I caught a glimpse of fangs. His entire presence made my wolf bristle with instinctive wariness.

Yet when he spoke, his voice was surprisingly warm. Modern. Almost... friendly?

"It's a pleasure to finally meet the legendary White Wolf," he said smoothly. "I've heard so many stories. I hope we can build a strong alliance between our peoples."

The contradiction between his cold, vampiric appearance and his cordial manner left me deeply unsettled.

By five in the afternoon, we'd greeted every single guest—including Kaius's parents, the former Alpha King and Queen. Seeing his mother again brought back her warning about how power changes people, but I pushed the thought aside.

I'd never seen so many important figures gathered in one place. The castle was practically overflowing with supernatural royalty.

Part of me was thrilled—tomorrow, I'd receive the Moon Goddess's blessing in front of all these witnesses. But another part of me couldn't shake a creeping anxiety. At least a third of these guests weren't here to offer blessings. They were here to watch. To judge. Maybe even to see me fail.

And that Elder Ronan... something about him bothered me more than I wanted to admit.

That evening, I found myself at Chief Elder Faelan's door, knocking urgently.

He opened it looking slightly disheveled, his spectacles askew. "Queen Elowen? Is everything alright?"

"Faelan, I need to ask you about one of the guests. An Elder named Ronan—do you know anything about him?"

I described the strange old man's behavior, his knowledge of the castle's history, the veiled hostility toward Kaius.

Faelan's face went pale. "Ronan? As in... Elder Ronan from Thornridge Pack?"

My stomach dropped. "Thornridge Pack?"

"Yes." Faelan pushed his spectacles up nervously. "He was their chief advisor before... before the King destroyed them. From what I understand, Ronan was away on some kind of spiritual journey when the attack happened. When he returned and found his entire pack slaughtered..." He trailed off. "He disappeared after that. No one's heard from him in years."

We stared at each other in silence.

An Elder whose entire pack had been wiped out by Kaius.

And now he was here. In our castle. The day before my coronation.

"Fuck," I breathed.