Talon's POV
"Your Majesty, I am unaware of the source of this news, but someone appears to have ulterior motives. My loyalty to you is as evident as the sun and the moon; such accusations are nothing but a jest."
Tryndamere's words quicken my heartbeat. If I reveal myself at a time like this, death seems to be the only consequence. I'm beginning to regret not heeding Bard's advice.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Tryndamere nodded subtly, then turned his gaze toward a dark corner. In a silent approach, a figure in a wide cloak emerged.
"It's been a while, Alpha Talon."
The man slowly discarded his cloak, revealing a grotesque visage—none other than Alpha Shaco, who had nearly taken my life on several occasions before.
Alpha Shaco's presence signaled that escaping the palace wouldn't be so straightforward today.
"What a coincidence. I didn't expect to encounter you here, Alpha Shaco. You're still looking good."
I eyed Alpha Shaco coldly, noting the scars on his face—evidence of the trouble Caitlyn's attack had caused him that day.
"Oh, it's all thanks to you."
Alpha Shaco responded with a leathery smile, a trace of ferocity gleaming in his shadowy eyes.
"Alright, let's dispense with pleasantries. Let's get down to business."
Tryndamere, wearing a faint smile, gently defused the tension between Alpha Shaco and me. Although he looked at Alpha Shaco, it seemed he awaited the next words from him.
"Your Majesty, I initially intended to apprehend him and deliver him directly to you, adhering to your wishes. However, Alpha Kaisa claimed to be authorized by you to release Talon. Consequently, I had no choice but to abandon your directive."
Alpha Shaco glanced seemingly at Kaisa, who stood nearby.
"Is this true, Kaisa?"
The king regarded Kaisa condescendingly. His tone was severe, indicating Kaisa's words were not sanctioned by him at the time.
"Indeed, such a situation existed. When I arrived, Alpha Talon teetered on the brink of great peril. Had I not intervened, I fear I would have met only a lifeless corpse. Without concrete evidence proving Talon's lineage as the child of the late King Aatrox, I had no option but to take action."
Kaisa nodded, a tinge of resentment apparent as she glanced at Alpha Shaco.
"No, you must have witnessed it. Talon's body radiated with a golden light, and his wolf was golden—a clear sign of the old King Aatrox. Everyone knew it!"
Hearing Alpha Shaco's words, Tryndamere questioned skeptically, "Golden light?"
I calmly replied, meeting Alpha Shaco's nervous gaze, "What are you talking about? My wolf is black."
My nerves were on edge despite my composed exterior.
My father had cautioned me never to reveal my true self unless I could face Tryndamere head-on.
Yet, the urgency of the situation that day led me to unconsciously break the seal to ensure Caitlyn's survival. If someone familiar with my father had been present, they could have recognized my true identity.
However, Alpha Shaco's perplexed expression slightly eased my worries.
"Golden light, Kaisa? Did you witness it?" Tryndamere frowned thoughtfully, contemplating the truth in Alpha Shaco's words.
"It was like the light of the sun, blinding. Talon stood at the center of the radiance, and his power surged dramatically under the golden light enchantment. None of us stood a chance. Alpha Kaisa, you saw it too!"
Alpha Shaco recounted the day's events to Tryndamere in the grand hall.
"No... no," Kaisa hesitated, then gently shook her head. "You must have seen it. It's because of that human woman, Caitlyn. She transformed into a wolf, the power surge exceeding her body's limits, leading to a miscarriage and turning Talon into a golden wolf."
As the king's expression darkened, Alpha Shaco seemed flustered but suddenly shifted the focus to Caitlyn's body, giving me an ominous premonition.
"Suddenly? Without any ceremony?"
"No, she just transformed suddenly from a human to a giant white wolf, and she was so powerful that none of us could match her at the time. What I can confirm is that before she met Talon, she was an ignorant human, and it was all Talon's doing."
Noticing the King's interest in Caitlyn, Alpha Shaco added impatiently, "Alpha Talon, either come and explain, or I've heard that the human woman named Caitlyn was chosen by you as a mate?"
Tryndamere slowly stood up and approached me. I instantly felt a great oppression, but thinking of Caitlyn, I met Tryndamere's gaze without fear.
"Right. But regarding the abnormality in her, I don't know what's going on. Since we're almost separated, I assume she's likely left the palace by now."
Caitlyn's smiling face came to mind, and just for a moment, I never thought I'd wish her away from me so much. At the mention of Caitlyn's name, my heart felt like it had suffered a heavy blow, and the sharp pain made me gasp a little.
"Oh? Is that true?" Before my words left my mouth, Tryndamere fished out a crystal pendant from somewhere. I looked at the ornamentation on it, realizing it was a gift I had once given to Caitlyn.
"What did you do with Caitlyn?" I subconsciously raised my voice and looked angrily at Tryndamere, who had a smirk on his face.
Tryndamere played with the crystal pendant, seemingly not caring about my angry glare.
"Not much. If I wanted to do something, I would have done it on the first day you arrived at the palace. All I want now is the truth. I swear on the Moon God's name that if I get the answers I want, she will be at peace."
Tryndamere rubbed the pendant, seemingly indifferent to my angry glare.
"Now, I'm going to ask you again, are you Aatrox's son or not?"
Tryndamere snapped to his feet, his booming voice echoing over the palace, and almost everyone's eyes instantly converged on me. I raised my head and stared at the pendant in Tryndamere's hand, my fists clenched together.