Mated to the Alpha: Sold to the King

Chapter 109: 0109

Lorelei POV

Guests?

He came back with guests?

Well, that was definitely something new.

Did I even want to see him right now?

Not really.

My head was still a complete mess, and my chest hadn’t stopped aching since everything Maya had told me.

Before I could answer, Skye beat me to it.

"Who are the guests, Isaac?"

By then, Maya had already slipped out of the room and disappeared down the hallway.

Isaac straightened his posture, his expression turning serious.

"The royal witches’ coven."

Hearing that, a soft gasp escaped Skye as her eyes widened in surprise.

I glanced at her, raising a brow.

Was this the same coven she had mentioned to me before?

Despite everything weighing on my mind, my curiosity immediately flared.

"Okay," I finally said, turning back to Isaac.

Skye shot me a look that practically screamed, Are you sure about this?

I understood her concern, but I wasn’t planning to stay long. I just wanted a quick look at these legendary witches everyone seemed to talk about before retreating straight back to the safety of my room, so I gave her a small, reassuring nod.

Realizing she wasn’t going to change my mind, she sighed and forced a reluctant smile.

Thankfully, I didn’t need to change since I was already dressed.

With Isaac leading the way, Skye and I followed him through the long hallways toward the grand staircase.

However, my steps slowed the moment we reached the landing overlooking the foyer.

From where we stood, we had a perfect bird’s eye view of the estate’s main entrance.

The enormous double doors stood wide open, while rows of guards and maids lined both sides of the foyer in flawless formation, waiting in complete silence.

"How important are these people?" I whispered to Skye, leaning closer.

From our position on the landing, we were completely hidden from anyone standing below.

It was the perfect place to watch everything unfold without having to come face to face with Kaelen.

"Very important," Skye whispered back, her eyes glued to the entrance. "They’re royals. Just not for werewolves. They rule over the witches and wizards. They’re from the Kingdom of N’zari, the most powerful witch kingdom in existence. Most people don’t even know it exists."

"Don’t know it exists?" I muttered, my brows knitting together. "What do you mean?"

"You can’t enter their kingdom unless you’ve been personally invited," Skye explained in a low voice. "Their magic keeps it completely hidden from the outside world. You could walk right through the place where it’s supposed to be and see nothing but an ordinary forest. Without their permission, you’ll never find it."

"Why, though?" I asked, shifting slightly to get a better view. "Why do they need to stay hidden if they’re that powerful?"

"Because power doesn’t always mean invincible," Isaac answered quietly, never taking his eyes off the entrance below.

"Werewolves have overwhelming physical strength, incredible healing abilities, and the advantage of numbers. Vampires possess unmatched speed, heightened senses, and mind control. Demons are nearly immortal and command destructive elemental powers. But witches..." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Witches rely almost entirely on magic. And magic can be bound, suppressed, or drained. Strip a witch of their magic, and they’re as vulnerable as any ordinary human. If their enemies ever discovered where the Kingdom of N’zari was hidden, they could wipe out an entire bloodline in a single night."

A chill crawled down my spine.

"So they hide," I murmured.

"They hide," Skye confirmed with a nod. "And they’ve been doing it for centuries. That’s why this visit is such a big deal. The royal family of N’zari almost never leaves their kingdom."

"If it’s that big of a deal, then why are they here?" I asked, watching as every maid and guard below lowered their heads in perfect unison.

A group of dark-skinned, broad-shouldered men dressed in dark ceremonial tunics stepped through the grand entrance first, moving with disciplined precision.

"From what I’ve heard," Isaac said quietly, "the Alpha King is trying to form an alliance between the empire and the Kingdom of N’zari. Something involving mutual protection, trade, and the sharing of resources."

Ah, that explained a lot.

Before I could ask another question, two figures immediately caught my attention.

The first was a tall man dressed in flowing black robes layered over elegant ceremonial garments embroidered with antique gold patterns. His skin was a rich, deep brown, his eyes glowed a striking shade of gold, and long white dreadlocks cascaded all the way to his waist, adorned with intricate gold beads and rings.

Walking beside him was a woman dressed in a flowing black gown with a daring thigh-high slit, a matching draped robe trailing behind her. Multiple gold cuffs circled her wrists and ankles, and she shared the same mesmerizing golden eyes as the man beside her. Her long white braids flowed almost to her thighs, giving her an ethereal, almost divine appearance.

"Are they twins?" I asked instinctively, completely captivated by how otherworldly they looked.

"Yes," Isaac replied. "Prince Kalu and Princess Nala of the Kingdom of N’zari."

He paused briefly before adding, "They’re also incredibly dangerous."

The very second the words left his mouth, the loose ends of Princess Nala’s braids suddenly began to move.

At first, I thought it was the wind.

Then I realized they weren’t strands of hair anymore.

They were snakes.

The ends of her white braids transformed into living serpents that slithered lazily over her shoulders and around her neck, their tiny forked tongues flicking in and out as soft hisses echoed through the foyer.

A horrified gasp escaped me as my hand flew to my mouth.

How the hell was that even possible?

Before I could recover from the shock, another figure stepped into view.

Kaelen entered the foyer with Darius walking at his side.

The instant my eyes landed on him, my fingers tightened around the railing until my knuckles turned white.

Just a little while ago, I had been counting down the minutes until I could see him again. The thought alone had been enough to make me smile.

Now, simply looking at him made my chest ache.

From where I stood, I couldn’t make out a single word they were saying. Still, judging by the polite gestures and the movement of the servants, it looked as though they were escorting the royal guests to the guest wing. Several maids hurried forward to collect the heavy trunks while members of the royal guard followed closely behind them.

I watched as Princess Nala turned to Kaelen. As she spoke, one of the snakes resting on her shoulder slowly slithered forward with a soft hiss. It glided across his chest before coiling comfortably around the side of his neck.

Kaelen didn’t even flinch.

Then again, why would he?

I had watched him tear a snake apart with his bare hands just days ago.

But that wasn’t what made my chest tighten.

What truly hurt was the smile on his face.

It wasn’t forced or polite.

It was genuine.

As he spoke to her, there was an ease in his expression that sent a dull, suffocating ache spreading through my chest.

I couldn’t bear to watch another second.

I had already seen what I came here to see.

I turned to leave, fully intending to sneak back to my room before anyone noticed I had been spying.

But the moment I turned around, Kaelen’s gaze suddenly lifted toward the landing and locked onto mine.

It was almost as though he had sensed my presence the entire time.

"Oh, God," Skye whispered sharply beside me, completely caught off guard as I froze where I stood.

Princess Nala immediately noticed the sudden shift in Kaelen’s attention. She followed his line of sight, her glowing golden eyes traveling up the grand staircase until they landed directly on me.

She slowly tilted her head, her expression impossible to read.

Panic surged through me.

I didn’t wait another second.

Spinning on my heel, I bolted up the stairs and ran as fast as I could, not stopping until I reached the safety of my room.