Betrayed By My Mate, Claimed By His Lycan King Uncle-Chapter 40: You Should Move Back.

Sorayah froze.

Arata's eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she leaned in slightly, her lips curving into an almost teasing smile.

"I trust you already know that it wasn't His Highness, the Beta Lord, who gave the order," she murmured, her tone silky yet sharp. "Someone else sent your dear sister on that fateful errand to heaven."

She tilted her head, studying Sorayah's expression like a cat toying with a mouse. "Surely, you don't believe you can unravel the truth on your own? Without help? Without power?"

Oh, she knew. She had suspected it from the start. But before she acted, she needed to be certain. The truth was a weapon best wielded only when sharpened to perfection.

And besides, no one could be trusted. Not Arata. Not Dimitri. No one in this wretched mansion. The only person Sorayah could trust now was herself. She would handle things her own way, on her own terms.

But if she outright refused Arata's offer, she might as well be signing her own death warrant.

Arata was playing a game, that much was obvious, though the rules remained unclear. If Sorayah pretended to play along, she might just get the answers she needed. And since Arata had so freely spoken about her sister's killer, it meant she either knew the culprit's identity or perhaps was the culprit herself.

The harem is a battlefield, a place where power was won or lost with a whisper, a lie, or a well-placed dagger. If she wasn't careful, she'd become nothing more than a sacrificial pawn.

And Sorayah had no intention of being anyone's pawn. She intended to control the game itself.

She straightened, schooling her expression into something grateful.

"Thank you for this, my lady." she said smoothly, rising from her seat and offering Arata a respectful bow. "I was wrong to think you did not have my best interests at heart. You do."

Arata's smile widened as she stood as well, reaching out to take Sorayah's hand in hers, giving it a soft, deliberate pat.

"Oh, it's quite alright, Sister," she said sweetly. "I only want justice. You must already have some idea who the culprit is, and if not, I'm sure you will soon."

Her fingers tightened slightly around Sorayah's hand, the warmth of her palm betraying an underlying intent. "Staying close to the Beta Lord gives you a certain... advantage. Even though you have not officially been declared as one of his concubines, I believe it is only a matter of time. You are a clever woman, and I am rooting for you."

Sorayah met her gaze with an unreadable smile. "Thank you, Sister. When I discover the one responsible, I will make sure they suffer for every ounce of pain they have caused me. They will beg for mercy... and they will find none."

Arata chuckled lightly, stepping back. "That's the spirit, dear Sister." She brushed a hand over her silk robes, her posture elegant as ever. "I'll be taking my leave now. Take good care of yourself."

Sorayah's eyes flickered down to Arata's stomach before meeting her gaze again. "And you take care as well... both of yourself and the little prince in your womb."

Arata's smile didn't falter, but something flickered behind her eyes. A fraction of a second too long before she responded.

"Of course. How thoughtful of you."

She turned, gliding toward the doors with her personal maid trailing obediently behind her. The soft rustle of fabric and footsteps faded into silence.

Sorayah exhaled slowly, her gaze darkening.

I need to seal my power's scent soon if I am to use it freely. There are seven essential items needed for the ritual, but to obtain them, I must be able to leave Dimitri's mansion. And now... I believe that will be possible.

Even though she despised every last werewolf in this cursed kingdom, she had no choice but to make Dimitri trust her.

~•~

∆∆∆

The moment Dimitri left his study room after meeting with Mira, he made his way directly to Lupien's palace.

He had been summoned.

The grand imperial court was an expanse of cold marble and towering pillars, the scent of burning incense thick in the air. Rows of men stood assembled, some dressed in deep blue, others in red. These were the ranking officials of the kingdom, the Gammas and Deltas who served as the backbone of the empire.

Yet even among them, Dimitri stood apart. The sole Beta in a room of lesser ranks.

New novel 𝓬hapters are published on freёwebnoѵel.com.

Lupien sat on his golden throne, dressed in a black shirt and matching trousers, his broad shoulders draped in a luxurious golden fur jacket. A golden crown rested atop his head, gleaming under the flickering candlelight.

Despite the royal officials gathered before him, debating issues concerning the empire and his pack, Lupien barely heard them. His mind was elsewhere, drowning in a whirlpool of restless thoughts. And besides, he had never handled any official documents, doesn't know how to read and write. Only Dimitri was allowed to do all these and of course he's the one meant to listen to the officials. As for Lupien, he's just to sit there, an emperor in name alone without an actual power.

"Your Highness, that is all from the officials."

The voice of his royal eunuch rang through the vast court, finally pulling him from his trance.

Lupien blinked, his expression briefly clouded with confusion. His wolf had warned him countless times to focus, to stay vigilant even though it's not important, yet his mind remained fragmented. He exhaled sharply before speaking.

"You are all dismissed." His voice was calm, yet held an unmistakable edge. "My uncle will stay."

The gathered officials bowed in acknowledgment before exiting the royal court. The remaining eunuchs and guards followed suit, leaving only Lupien and Dimitri in the grand hall.

Silence settled between them, thick and heavy.

Lupien finally let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. His once-stern demeanor softened as he stepped forward, grasping Dimitri's hands with an almost desperate grip.

"Thank the goodness you came, Uncle." His voice wavered, his golden eyes dark with unease. "Did you discover anything about the assassins from the Alpha Gala?"

He clenched his jaw before continuing, his tone thick with restrained emotion. "All of my brothers are dead. I am the only one left to inherit the throne. And now... they're coming for me too."

His voice cracked slightly, and for the briefest moment, his vulnerability showed, an emperor, a werewolf, yet still a man burdened by fear.

Dimitri let out a heavy sigh, his gaze unreadable. "The investigation is not yet complete. You must remain patient and composed."

Lupien swallowed, nodding stiffly, but his hands still trembled.

Dimitri's gaze sharpened. "But tell me, what were you thinking, setting fire to the entire organization? Killing the dancers?" His voice carried a note of reproach. "You burned it all to ashes."

Lupien flinched slightly, his face filled with fear. "They dared to defy my orders, Uncle." His voice wavered, betraying the fear beneath his anger. "I did it to assert my authority. If I don't... no one will respect me as Alpha Emperor."

A slow smirk curled on Dimitri's lips, his emerald eyes glinting with something unreadable. He gave a slight nod of approval.

Lupien exhaled, some of the tension leaving his body. But after a moment, his gaze flickered with curiosity.

"Have you found the missing prince of the human kingdom?" he asked, tilting his head.

Dimitri's smirk didn't falter. "You need not concern yourself with such matters. Official duties are handled by me."

With that, he stepped forward, brushing past Lupien as he made his way toward the throne. Without hesitation, he sank into the golden seat, his long fingers lazily reaching for the stack of documents on the nearby desk. He flipped through them with practiced ease before picking up a quill and signing one.

"I'll be traveling soon," Dimitri continued, his tone casual despite the weight of his words. "I intend to wipe out the citizens of the human kingdom whose king sold their land." He barely glanced up as he signed another document. "I will also be acquiring new maids, considering nearly all of the palace servants have been slaughtered by the Third Prince."

Lupien's brows furrowed slightly before he sighed, his posture rigid.

"Thank you, Uncle." His voice was quieter now, almost resigned. "He is the only sibling I have left. I cannot stop him from doing as he pleases."

A faint, bitter smile ghosted over his lips. "The humans are merely servants... they should consider themselves fortunate to be his playthings. Toys to be used by the Third Prince."

Dimitri let out a dark chuckle, his smirk widening as he finally stood from the throne.

"Even so," he mused, "you should be careful. People are beginning to talk. The rate at which servants are dying in this palace is... alarming."

Lupien stiffened, his golden eyes darting away. "I will be more cautious, Uncle." His voice still trembled slightly.

Dimitri studied him for a moment before speaking again, his voice taking on a knowing edge.

"You should anticipate my coming back into the imperial palace."

Lupien blinked at him in surprise.

"Your father is dead. The war between us is over." Dimitri's smirk deepened. "It is time for me to return... to better handle the empire's affairs and, of course, to ensure my family's safety while I'm away at war."

Lupien hesitated before bowing his head in submission. "You are right, Uncle. I have been meaning to speak to you about that. You should move back."

Dimitri chuckled under his breath. "I already planned to."

With that, he turned, his dark cloak billowing behind him as he strode toward the grand doors of the royal court.

"Take care of yourself, Your Highness." His voice carried a hint of amusement. "Until we meet again."

And with that, Dimitri left, leaving the young emperor alone in the cavernous hall, his crown feeling heavier than ever.