13: Alpha king to-be

Killian’s POV

With a heavy heart and a resolve born of newfound determination, I returned to the grand hall, where the weight of responsibility hung heavy in the air like a shroud of sorrow. As the only living royal remaining, I knew that the burden of justice now fell squarely upon my shoulders, and I would not shirk from its weight.

Stepping into the center of the hall, I addressed the assembled throng with a voice that rang out clear and unwavering, despite the turmoil that churned within me. I have done this countless times but this feels very different.

"People of the realm," I began, my words echoing off the stone walls with a solemn resonance. "It grieves me deeply to stand before you today, for we have suffered a great loss."

A hushed silence fell over the crowd as I recounted the tragic events that had befallen our kingdom, the treachery and betrayal that had torn apart the fabric of our once-proud dynasty.

But as I spoke, a steely resolve settled over me like a mantle of