Chapter 237
More Than Anything
Althea’s lips parted as she stared at Melva, her eyes widening while Melva continued to recount the story her memories refused to give back to her.
The last thing Althea remembered clearly was preparing to escape with Melva. News had reached them that her father, Cain, had failed in his attempt to usurp the Alpha King’s throne. Panic had followed, urgency and fear to Cain’s household that were left to stay in the pack.
Then everything blurred.
She remembered Luna Meena’s men dragging her down into the dungeon, the cold stone biting into her skin as the iron door slammed shut. She did not know how long she remained there.
Time had dissolved into hunger, darkness, and exhaustion. The last sensation she recalled was dozing off, her body too weak to stay awake any longer.
What unsettled her most now was something else entirely.
She could not read Melva’s thoughts anymore.
Melva noticed her silence and continued gently, her voice steady. “We all lost our abilities, my lady. Our inner wolves. The mages’ magic. All powers vanished at once. We don’t know if it’s temporary or if it’s gone for good.”
Althea’s brows knit together.
“The Alpha King did everything he could to save you,” Melva went on. “He waged war against the Cross Clan here in Aetherion to ensure you could reach the Tree of Life.”
Althea lifted a trembling hand to her temple as a dull ache throbbed behind her eyes. It was too much. Too many truths crashing into her all at once.
Cain was not her real father and he was dead now.
So were Rett and the others involved in the rebellion. Luna Meena as well.
Her chest tightened. “The twins,” she asked urgently. “And my other siblings?”
“They are safe, my lady,” Melva answered at once. “They are being well taken care of within the pack.”
She hesitated before adding quietly, “Except for those who treated you cruelly. The Alpha King punished them. They have been stripped of their status and turned into slaves.”
Althea absorbed that in silence.
Then her gaze drifted toward the far corner of the bedchamber. Her expression sharpened slightly.
“Melva,” she asked slowly, “is there anyone else in the chamber?”
Melva turned and followed her line of sight, then frowned. “No, my lady. It’s just the two of us.” She softened her tone. “Later, when you’re ready, we can try using your mother’s memory shard. Though… I’m not certain it will still work without magic.”
“Give it to me,” Althea said weakly.
Melva nodded and carefully retrieved the shard from the chain resting against Althea’s chest. As she stepped closer, she noticed Althea’s gaze fixed on the same empty corner.
She paused. “What is it, my lady?” she asked, concern creeping into her voice.
Althea shook her head faintly. “It’s nothing.”
Melva placed the shard in her palm. It felt like nothing more than an ordinary stone now, cold. Althea could no longer feel anything from it.
She closed her fingers around it and let out a slow breath. Then the dream returned to her.
The sun. The moon. The stars. All of them bowing, not just to her, but to the man standing beside her.
Her heart skipped painfully. That man.
The same man who had looked at her earlier with eyes full of devotion and grief. The man who told her, with a voice that carried too much weight to be a lie, that he was her husband.
Althea stared down at the shard in her palm, her chest tightening. She did not remember him. But for some reason, the dream refused to let him go.
Althea shifted on her seat. “Melva… can you get me something to eat? After that, I’ll bathe.”
Melva nodded quickly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Of course, milady. I’ll bring it right away.”
Soon, a small tray was placed gently before Althea. She ate slowly, savoring each bite, her mind still processing everything Melva had told her. Between bites, she listened as Melva continued speaking, her voice soft but steady.
“At first,” Melva began, “the Alpha King intended for you to be… his breeder. He would have claimed you, regardless of what you wanted.” She glanced at Althea, her eyes sympathetic. “But you… you found a way to capture his heart instead.”
Althea paused mid-bite, looking up sharply. “I… made him fall in love with me?”
Melva nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Yes, my lady. You challenged him, matched his temperament, his cunning… and slowly, he could not resist you. You fought not just for your life, but for yourself. For him. And he—he chose you in return.”
Althea’s fingers tightened around her fork, her cheeks warming. “And… did I… love him too?”
Melva’s gaze softened, and she leaned closer. “More than anything. You endured more than anyone should, just to be near him. The dangers, the schemes, the rebellion… everything. You risked everything to make sure you could stay by his side.”
Althea swallowed, the weight of her own courage and love hitting her all at once.
Melva hesitated slightly, then spoke, almost timidly. “Milady… once you are ready… I think it would be wise to accept your title as the Princess of Aetherion and proceed with the wedding ceremony with the Alpha King. That way, when you return to Lunaris, no one will question your place as their queen… or the Alpha Queen. You have no blood connection to the traitor
Cain, so this will ensure everyone accepts you fully.”
Althea nodded slowly, letting the idea sink in. She had so much to reclaim, so much to rebuild—not just herself, but her place in the world.
When she finished eating, she set the tray aside and let out a long, tired breath. “I’ll bathe now,” she said softly.
Melva curtsied lightly. “I’ll leave you to it, milady. I’ll get you a towel and some fresh clothes.”
Althea stripped down and stepped into the warm water, letting it wash over her body. The steam rose around her, soothing her muscles and mind, even as fragments of memory still swirled in her head.
Then there was a soft knock at the door.
“Come in,” Althea called, assuming it was Melva returning with the towel.
The door creaked open. She rose slowly from the bathtub, water slid down her skin and pooled at her feet.
“Melva… the towel,” she murmured softly, droplets still clinging to her hair and shoulders as steam lingered in the air.
A towel was draped across her arms.
She took it, wrapping it carefully around herself. But before she could secure it fully, strong arms slipped around her from behind. Warm, steady, and protective.
Her eyes widened, heart hammering. She froze, feeling the familiar strength and safety of the embrace.
“I miss you so much,” the voice murmured softly into her hair.