The Alpha's Forsaken Feisty Mate-Chapter 177: Remove him from the throne

Tristan instinctively took a step forward, ready to act, but Alfred raised a hand, silently signaling him to stand down. Obediently, Tristan dropped his gaze and held his position, choosing to follow his superior’s command over the king’s.

"Why is any of you not listening to me?" King Phillipe demanded. "I am your king!" he declared, taking an uneasy step backward as Zenna slowly advanced toward him. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"Arrest her!" Loretta ordered sharply. Her eyes quickly shifted to Leon, silently urging him to act, but he, too, remained frozen, unwilling to move.

"Zenna, calm down. Let’s talk this through," Loretta said, attempting to defuse the rising storm.

"Stay out of this," Zenna warned coldly, her voice laced with fury. "Unless you want me to tear you to pieces."

Before anyone could react, Zenna vanished from her spot, only to reappear a heartbeat later right in front of King Phillipe. Without hesitation, she seized him by the throat, lifting him effortlessly off the ground. His feet dangled in the air as he gasped for breath, completely overpowered.

The entire hall fell into stunned silence. No one moved. No one spoke. It was as if time itself had paused in disbelief.

Zenna’s wrathful aura was divine, vengeful, and terrifying. In that moment, it no longer felt like a woman confronting a king, but the Moon goddess herself delivering judgment.

"Phillipe!" Zenna’s voice rang out like a war cry, filled with fury and righteous indignation. "Tell everyone how you sentenced two innocent people to death! How your greed led you to create chaos within the Shadow Hunter Pack by falsely accusing its Alpha!"

Her eyes burned with rage as she tightened her grip. "Speak the truth, or I’ll end your life right here and now."

Phillipe clawed at her hand, his fingers trembling as they tried in vain to pry her off. But her strength appeared almost outer worldly.

His face had turned a deep shade of red, veins bulging at his temples as he struggled to breathe.

"Radulf, stop her!" Karina pleaded because she didn’t wish her daughter to dirty her hands with Phillipe’s blood.

But Radulf remained still. "No. I don’t want to," he replied firmly. "Let her do what she desires."

A split second later, a boom cracked through the hall. Zenna hurled Phillipe’s body toward the throne with such violent force that it shattered part of the stone upon impact. The ornate structure crumbled into jagged pieces, her claws appeared which buried into his neck.

Blood began to trickle down Phillipe’s temple. For a fleeting moment, he felt as if his soul had been ripped from his body, hovering on the edge of death.

Before he could even groan, another wave of energy surged from Zenna. In less than a second, Phillipe was flung into the air like a lifeless puppet. His body crashed down at the very center of the hall, right between Karina and Radulf.

"What’s she doing? Mother, do something," Aria whispered as she clung to her mother’s side.

"Stay quiet," Loretta replied in a hushed tone, gripping Aria’s trembling hand tightly. Her heart pounded against her ribs. She knew better than to raise her voice now, one misstep, and Zenna might turn her fury on them.

Even she had been deceived by Phillipe. He had hidden Karina’s survival from her, fed her lies upon lies, and manipulated everyone for his own gain.

A part of her believed he deserved this downfall. But to see Zenna, of all people, exacting this brutal justice, it sent a chill down her spine.

Zenna’s voice thundered through the hall as she strode toward the fallen king. "Say it, Phillipe. Tell the truth to everyone. Tell them what you did to my husband. How you shattered our lives. How you used us to feed your twisted ambitions."

Phillipe, bloodied and gasping, turned his pleading eyes to Radulf. He pressed his palms together. "Radulf, forgive me... I was wrong. Please... stop her. I’ll admit everything. Just—just stop her."

Zenna wasn’t moved. Her steps were slow. Without a word, she approached Tristan, drew the sword from his sheath, and turned back to Phillipe with a resolve to end him.

But just as she approached Phillipe, who was begging for her, Radulf stopped her.

He blocked her path and gently placed a firm hand on her shoulder. With his other, he took the sword from her grasp. His touch wasn’t forceful, but steady enough to pull her back from the brink.

"Zenna, calm down," Radulf finally said in a warm tone. "You’re not supposed to kill him. You can’t do that."

"Why not?" Zenna snapped, the silvery glow in her eyes burning brighter. "He imprisoned my mother. He murdered your parents and sent you to a war where death followed your every step while he sat safe, basking in luxury. He deserves death, Radulf. He can’t be allowed to live among us."

Radulf nodded his head. "Of course he deserves death, for what he did to you, to my family, to your mother, and to the countless innocents who perished because of him. But you don’t need to be the one to spill his blood. You’re better than that. He won’t receive an easy death, Zenna. He’ll suffer, again and again, for every wicked deed he committed. And when justice is served, it will be by law, not vengeance. That’s what you’ve taught me, Zenna."

Zenna’s anger wavered as his words finally settled in her.

Around them, the hall remained silent. None of the pack Alphas spoke in Phillipe’s defense. The truth had unraveled before their eyes how he orchestrated the death of Radulf’s parents through deceit and conspiracy.

He was no longer a ruler in their eyes, just a criminal awaiting judgment.

Radulf gently pulled Zenna into his arms, wrapping her in a comforting embrace. His hand slowly caressed her hair, calming the storm within her.

As his touch grounded her, the silvery glow in Zenna’s eyes began to fade, returning to their natural hue. Her hair followed suit and they turned normal too.

Karina watched the scene with a soft smile tugging at her lips. In that moment, she understood, Zenna and Radulf balanced each other. Their connection wasn’t just forged through shared pain, but also in how they soothed each other’s chaos.

Once Zenna was calm, Radulf released her gently and turned toward Phillipe.

"Start speaking. The truth you twisted four years ago. The lies you used to manipulate the council and turn the world against an innocent Alpha. Unravel it now, before us all."

Phillipe, still trembling, lowered his gaze. The weight of every gaze pressed heavily on him.

"The Alpha of the Shadow Hunter Pack refused to obey my orders," he admitted, his voice shaking with shame. "I... I wanted him to perform forbidden magic, with the help of a witch. I craved the power of a dominant Alpha, the kind of power that could control entire packs with just a word."

He paused, swallowing hard. "But he defied me. He said no. So I... I branded him a traitor and spread false accusations. I lied to everyone, just to destroy him for standing in my way. The evidence were false."

Radulf stepped forward, his voice ringing with raw emotion as he turned to face the council.

"Did you all hear what Phillipe did to my parents?" he asked, his voice rising above the silence that had overtaken the hall. "For his own twisted ambition, he had them killed. He craved power so much, he was willing to sacrifice innocent lives, my family."

He paused, his breath shaking slightly. "I watched them die. I was forced to witness their final breaths. I begged all of you to believe me when I said my father was loyal, that he never stood against the throne. But no one listened. None of you believed me."

His fists clenched at his sides, the pain of the past bleeding into every word.

"For four long years, I fought a war none of you cared to understand. I didn’t know when the sun rose or when it set. Every day was a day of survival for me. But I lived because I needed to see this day. I lived so the truth could be known."

Radulf turned toward the members of the council, his gaze piercing. "Now I ask you...no, I demand you, tell me what must be done with Phillipe. You are the council. You are the voice of justice in our realm. I want you to strip this man of his title. Remove him from the throne."

His voice thundered with conviction. "Let us choose a new king, one who deserves it. One who will not rule with lies and blood, but with honor. If you ever believed in truth, in justice, then today... stand with me and punish Phillipe."

Leon stepped up and continued, "This man never deserved this throne. He asked me to kill Radulf just because he stood for the right and refused to stay loyal to him. The council should do justice to Radulf."