Betrayed By One. Bound To Three-Chapter 61: The Crown.

The corridor outside the healer’s chamber was quiet when Silas stepped out. The door had barely closed behind him before his expression shifted. The pleasant smile he had worn in front of Selena vanished entirely, replaced by the cold calculation that lay beneath it.

He walked a few steps down the hallway and stopped.

"Come out."

His voice was calm, but it carried an authority that made disobedience unthinkable.

A moment later, the healer stepped from the corner where she had been standing. Her head remained lowered as she approached him.

"Alpha Silas."

He studied her carefully. She tried to appear composed, but the tension in her shoulders betrayed her.

"You spoke with the princess," he said.

"Yes."

"What did you tell her?"

The healer hesitated, just slightly.

"Nothing."

Silas’s gaze hardened.

"Nothing?"

"She asked questions," she said carefully, "but I told her only that she needs rest."

He watched her face for any sign of deception. When he spoke again, his tone softened.

"You did not mention what you noticed."

The healer swallowed.

"No, Alpha."

Silas stepped closer, close enough that the weight of his presence pressed against her awareness.

"That would have been a mistake."

She said nothing.

He reached into the inner pocket of his coat and produced a small cloth bundle, tied with thin twine. He held it out toward her.

"From now on," he said calmly, "you will prepare tea for the princess using this mixture."

The healer accepted the bundle slowly. Even before opening it, she sensed something strange. Silas watched as she loosened the twine and carefully unfolded the cloth. Inside lay several dried herbs. Most looked ordinary, but one immediately caught her attention.

Her fingers paused. Subtle. Carefully ground and mixed, imperceptible to anyone who did not know what to look for—but she knew. Her breath caught slightly.

The herb would not kill. At least, not quickly. Taken over time, it would weaken the body, drain strength, cause dizziness, fainting, and gradual exhaustion. Anyone drinking it regularly would appear fragile.

She closed the cloth again, slowly, carefully, and did not raise her eyes.

"You understand what to do," Silas said.

"Yes, Alpha."

"And you understand what happens if you speak."

Her fingers tightened around the bundle.

"Yes."

Silas gave a faint smile. "Good." Then he turned and walked away without another word.

The healer remained in the corridor long after he had gone, the bundle of herbs still clutched tightly in her hand.

Satisfied, Silas shifted his mind to the next problem waiting in the palace: Loretta.

The building rose slightly apart from the rest of the pack house, its tall stone towers cutting into the evening sky. Torches flickered along the entrance walls, their flames dancing in the cool air. The guards at the doors stepped aside immediately.

"Alpha Silas," they murmured.

He acknowledged them with a small nod and entered. Inside, the palace was quieter than usual. Most of the pack still moved through the day’s aftermath—the council meeting, Selena’s collapse, and the rumors beginning to spread through the halls. Silas ignored them all.

He moved lightly down the corridor. At the foot of Loretta’s door, a young maid knelt, balancing a small tray of food. She straightened when she saw him, a mix of awe and apprehension in her expression.

"Alpha Silas," she murmured, bowing slightly.

"Bring it here," he said, calm but edged with authority.

The girl hesitated, then handed him the tray, her fingers brushing his in the process. Silas took it without a word, eyes scanning the hallway for any sign of disruption. The clatter of the ceramic dishes was muffled in his hands, yet even that small sound seemed to carry weight in the silent corridor.

Satisfied, he adjusted the blanket covering the tray and approached Loretta’s door, the faint scent of broth and bread drifting ahead of him. He knocked once, then opened it.

The room was dimly lit by a single lantern on the bedside table. Loretta sat near the window, wrapped in a light blanket. She looked up as he entered, and even from the doorway, Silas could see the difference in her appearance. Her skin had grown paler over the past few days, faint shadows under her eyes, her usual confident posture softened by exhaustion. Morning sickness. He had expected it, but now it was becoming impossible to ignore.

Time was a problem. Sooner or later, someone would notice. And once that happened, the whispers would begin.

He stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

"You should be resting."

Loretta gave a small, tired smile.

"I was."

Her eyes moved to the tray he carried.

"You brought food."

He placed it carefully on the table beside her.

"Something light," he said. "The kitchen prepared broth and bread."

She looked grateful. Silas watched as she ate slowly, and only after a few bites did she glance up.

"What happened with the triplets?"

He leaned casually against a nearby chair. "I’m handling them."

"And Selena?" she asked. His voice remained calm.

"She is exactly where I want her."

Loretta relaxed slightly. "That’s good." She ate another piece of bread before speaking again.

"There’s something else," she said, hesitating. "People will start asking questions if I stay hidden too long."

Which was why he had come. "You won’t leave this room," he said calmly.

"Until when?" she asked.

"Until the wedding."

Her brows drew together. "Silas—"

He stepped closer, tone gentle. "It’s only for a short time."

She looked uncertain. He continued before she could argue. "If anyone sees you now, rumors will start. Questions we don’t need people asking. Once the wedding happens, everything will settle."

Reluctantly, she nodded.

"Alright."

He gave a small approving smile. "That’s wise."

Loretta finished eating slowly, the exhaustion of the day finally catching up. By the time she pushed the tray aside, her eyes were already growing heavy. Silas pulled the blanket more securely around her shoulders.

"You should sleep."

She nodded faintly. Within minutes, her breathing grew slow and steady.

Silas stood beside her for a moment, watching her pale face, the subtle rise and fall of her chest, the future complication she represented.

Soon, the pregnancy would be harder to hide.

But by then, the wedding would already be done. Selena would be his. The crown would be on his head. And once that happened... nothing would stop him from becoming the Alpha King.

He turned quietly and left the room, closing the door behind him. The corridor outside was silent. But the small smile that returned to his face was anything but gentle.