Rewriting Her Destiny With The Lycan Kings-Chapter 70: The Turning Point Of The Story

Albus sat alone beneath the towering tree in the secluded garden, his shoulders slumped in defeat. His face bore fresh bruises, a silent testimony to the torment he endured. He was lost in his thoughts, drowning in his misery, when a voice suddenly broke the silence behind him.

"Bullying seems to be becoming common here, doesn’t it?"

Albus turned toward the voice, and the moment his eyes met the speaker, he froze.

Maldrak.

The man stood there with a charming smile, dimples deepening on his sculpted cheeks. His curly hair fell in effortless waves, framing his strikingly handsome face. His tall, well-built frame radiated power. six feet of raw dominance wrapped in a magnetic aura. At first glance, anyone would be drawn to his charisma.

But Albus knew better.

Still, out of respect for the queen’s mate, he rose to his feet and bowed.

"Lord Maldrak. I did not expect your arrival here," he said cautiously.

Maldrak’s smile didn’t waver as he took slow, deliberate steps toward Albus, his shadow engulfing him entirely.

"I go where the wounded souls cry in silence," Maldrak said smoothly, his voice dripping with empathy. "The agony of the forgotten calls to me."

He reached out and gently wiped the blood from Albus’s bruised face, his touch unnervingly tender.

Albus stiffened. He wasn’t used to kindness. Aside from Seraphina, no one had ever treated him with genuine concern.

"Innocent souls like you deserve more respect than this kingdom is willing to give," Maldrak continued, his tone soft yet filled with an undercurrent of persuasion. "This land was built for all its people, yet those in power choose who to favor. That is not fairness. That is corruption."

Albus remained silent, his expression unreadable, but the flicker of agreement in his eyes did not go unnoticed.

A smirk ghosted across Maldrak’s lips before he masked it behind a look of sympathy.

"It was different when Queen Seraphina ruled alone," he went on. "But everything changed when the Lycan brothers merged their clan with this kingdom. Their dominance grew unchecked. Their cruelty spread like wildfire. Those of us who were born of this land. who hold its blood in our veins. are being pushed aside. Tell me, Albus... isn’t that unjust?"

Maldrak’s voice was smooth as silk, yet laced with venom.

Albus didn’t respond, but the slight clench of his fists, the flicker of resentment in his gaze, was enough.

Maldrak inwardly smiled. It’s working.

With calculated ease, he knelt beside Albus, taking out a small vial of ointment and applying it gently to his wounds.

"We cannot blame Seraphina," Maldrak sighed, feigning sorrow. "She is trapped, forced into silence because of her ties to the Knight brothers. They hold too much power, and opposing them could throw the kingdom into chaos.

"But silence cannot be her answer forever.

"We must fight for our rights, Albus. We must reclaim what is ours. our freedom, our land, our birthright."

Maldrak’s words seeped into Albus’s mind like a slow-burning fire, igniting something deep within him. His pulse quickened, his blood rushing through his veins as each word struck like a hammer against his long-held pain.

He had spent years enduring humiliation. Countless days of suffering. Endless nights haunted by nightmares of punishment and cruelty. And now, here was a man, perhaps the only man besides Seraphina, who truly saw him. Who promised him justice. Respect. A future.

Maldrak’s lips curled into a smile, his dark eyes gleaming with wicked satisfaction.

"So tell me, Albus," he said smoothly, his voice dripping with persuasion. "Are you willing to take a step toward a better future for our descendants? Are you ready to claim the respect we deserve in this kingdom?"

Albus shot to his feet, fists clenched at his sides. His mind replayed every painful moment, every insult, every lash, every time he was reminded that he was lesser. He met Maldrak’s gaze, and this time, there was no hesitation.

"Yes, my lord," he declared, his voice brimming with determination. "I am ready. Ready to create a better future for my next generation. Tell me what I must do."

Maldrak’s smile widened, his dimples deepening as he reached out and gently stroked Albus’s hair, like a master soothing his prized pawn. His touch was light, but his grip on Albus’s fate was tightening.

"You don’t have to do much, Albus," Maldrak murmured, his voice as sweet as honey, yet laced with unseen venom. "You only need to play the role I have written for you."

His smile remained soft, reassuring. But inside, he was rejoicing. The game has begun.

•••

It was mid-autumn, and the sky stretched wide in a canvas of soft hues. Lucian made his way back to the castle after a long meeting with the higher officials. His steps were brisk, eager. It had been a while since he’d spent a peaceful moment with Seraphina, thanks to Maldrak’s unwelcome presence. He missed her. her warmth, her laughter, her scent.

He lifted the bouquet of roses in his hands, inhaling their intoxicating fragrance. Fresh. Enchanting. Just like her. His lips curled into a soft smile as he quickened his pace, longing to hold her in his arms.

As he reached Seraphina’s chamber, he placed his hand on the door. only to freeze.

A sound. A voice.

"My goodness, Maldrak, stop it! I’m already worn out completely. I can’t do it one more time."

Seraphina’s light laughter rang out from within, playful, breathless.

Lucian’s blood turned to ice.

"Why so?" Maldrak’s voice followed, teasing, possessive. "I want to love my woman as much as I desire. I’ve already lost so many moments. I can’t waste another second. I must cherish every inch of you."

Lucian felt his grip tighten around the bouquet, the petals trembling in his hand.

"Trust me, my lord," Seraphina’s voice carried on, tender, affectionate. "I regret meeting you so late. You are the only one who makes me feel complete. The things I feel with you... the Knight brothers have failed to give me. I can say with certainty. my heart beats for you with divine love."

A faint, wet sound echoed through the chamber. Kisses.

The roses slipped from Lucian’s trembling fingers, their petals falling in crushed, broken fragments onto the floor. His entire body had gone rigid, his mind refusing to believe what he had just heard.

No... It can’t be...

With a heart hammering in desperate denial, he pushed the doors open wide.

His world shattered.

There, tangled in the silken sheets of her grand bed, were Seraphina and Maldrak. Skin against skin, lost in each other.

Lucian’s breath caught in his throat. The room spun, his vision darkening at the edges. The pain, sharp and merciless, twisted inside his chest.

A lone tear slipped down his cheek.

And then, without another second’s hesitation, he turned and fled.

His feet carried him far from the room, the castle, the woman he had sworn his heart to. His vision blurred. not just from the tears, but from the unbearable ache clawing at his soul.

He never noticed Seraphina approaching from the gardens, chatting with Albus.

He was gone before he could learn the truth.

••••• ••••• •••••

Both Denzal and Devonte listened with stone-cold expressions, their jaws clenched, their bodies still.

On the other side, Albus was wheezing, his breath shaky under the crushing weight of the truth he was revealing truths buried for centuries, truths no one had dared to speak until this moment. He dared not look them in the eyes, but he could feel the tension, the storm brewing in the room.

"I... he created that scene as..."

"He fabricated it..." Devonte finished, his voice cracking with raw emotion. His hands clenched into fists as his chest rose and fell sharply. His head slowly lifted, and when his burning eyes met Albus’s, they were filled with an unfathomable rage.

"You helped him."

His voice was low, dangerous, vibrating with venomous fury.

"You helped him deceive them. To make them believe that Seraphina had betrayed them. That she had gone behind their backs."

Devonte’s hand instinctively reached for the sword at his waist, his restraint slipping with every second. The weight of a thousand years of buried agony was surfacing all at once, clawing at him, demanding justice.

But before he could unsheath it, Denzal grabbed his wrist, his grip firm.

"Devonte, not now." His voice was calm, but his gaze held authority. "We can’t change what has already happened. We must focus on the present. the present we need to protect."

Devonte’s breath was ragged, his knuckles white from gripping his sword. He knew what his brother meant. Zara. Their Zara.

They had to protect her.

At least this time.

And for that, they needed to know everything.

He exhaled sharply, lowering his hand in reluctant surrender.

Denzal turned to Albus, his gaze piercing. "Continue."

Albus swallowed hard, his throat dry as he forced himself to speak again.

"Maldrak’s plan was to manipulate the situation. to create a misunderstanding between the Knight Kings and the Queen. But he never expected something else to happen..."

Albus’s voice wavered. His eyes darkened, haunted.

"Something... that turned everything backward."