Caitlyn's POV
"Caitlyn, are you... are you okay?"
Talon gave me a somewhat shocked look, then turned his head back to the crystal pendant that had been twisted in half.
"Well, I'm fine. I heard that the king wanted to meet me, so I came." I twisted my head to look at the king; his expression was a bit deep at the moment, making it impossible to discern his emotions. So, I slightly inclined my body and bowed to the king on the stage. "Your Majesty."
"Hmm. You're the human woman Talon chose?"
The king nodded gently, then looked at me playfully.
"Yes, but I've heard that it seems the king supports Alpha Kaisa to be Talon's mate?"
I finished by glancing at Kaisa, who stood not too far away, her expression looking a bit stunned as she obviously didn't expect me to mention her name out of the blue.
"I'll be honest; you have a lot of courage. Kaisa is a very good child, and I've been worrying about the choice of her mate for so many years. So, after she spoke up about Talon, I'm definitely in favor of it. But in the end, how she chooses to do it will depend on Talon. After all, he's the Alpha of their pack."
The king responded lightly to my words while hinting at Talon a bit more, suggesting that before pursuing happiness, he was, first and foremost, an Alpha. Thus, he must be responsible for his pack.
"So, Talon, what do you think?" The king finished, not waiting for my reaction before looking back at Talon. His words brought all eyes to Talon's.
"Although, as your subject, I have to obey your will, this kind of thing, I think it's still..."
"Your Majesty, don't believe them. I dare to guarantee with my life that Talon is definitely the son of the old Lycan King Aatrox, and a plot must be brewing for them to be so obedient!"
Just at this time, the Alpha Shaco, who had been left out for a long time, suddenly spoke up and interrupted Talon.
"Your life doesn't value that much. It's the king who's questioning Talon now."
Seeing that the king appeared somewhat displeased, I raised my voice to interrogate Shaco. Alpha Shaco, evidently recognizing the inappropriateness of his recent actions, promptly admitted his mistake sincerely.
"Your Majesty, that wasn't my intention. I merely meant to convey that we haven't thoroughly investigated Talon, and we shouldn't let him off lightly based solely on his defense. My inquiry revealed the implausibility of his claim to have few relatives and independently amassed power."
Alpha Shaco's words darkened the king's expression, and hostility flickered in his eyes as he scrutinized Talon.
"Fandom."
The king's sudden command prompted a scar-faced werewolf to rush to the front of the hall, bowing respectfully.
"Follow Alpha Shaco's instructions and look into it," the king ordered with a gentle wave. Fandom nodded and cast a brief glance at Talon before swiftly withdrawing.
Fandom's ponderous footsteps resonated through the halls, weighing on everyone's hearts.
"Talon, this is your last chance. Perhaps if you confess before Fandom returns, but if…"
The king's slow, narrowed eyes exuded a stern, murderous aura, sending a chill down my spine. Instinctively, I glanced at Talon.
Talon maintained his usual composure, even wearing a seemingly placid smile as he met the king's gaze.
"Your Majesty, I'm not sure what you're implying. If you're genuinely suspicious, why not take direct action instead of creating unnecessary trouble?"
"Very well, then tell me, whose son are you really?"
Talon's calm response surprised the king, but it was evident that his patience was wearing thin. As time ticked away, everyone awaited Talon's answer.
Standing beside Talon, I observed his profile and realized how little I knew about him. His origins, plans, preferences, and intentions remained shrouded in mystery, much like when we first met.
This uncertainty fueled my anxiety, dreading that his words would plunge us into the heart of the unfolding events.
After an unknown duration, Talon remained silent, simply raising his head to offer a smile to the king.
Standing next to him, I could sense the wolf inside him growing a bit agitated, emitting low whimpering noises.
Thud thud thud!
Finally, footsteps resonated once again at the entrance of the hall. Fandom walked over, wearing an expressionless face. He saluted the king first, then approached the king's ear and whispered a few words.
The king's eyes widened abruptly after hearing Fandom's words, as if the outcome was unexpected. However, he quickly regained composure, fixing his gaze on Talon. His eyes gradually softened.
"I wasn't aware you were Yone's son. This is the first time I've heard of it," the king spoke slowly.
"Your majesty. It's normal not to know about these minor details. Lately, my power has been developing uneventfully, so I haven't had the face to return to the royal family," Talon explained nonchalantly, wearing a smile.
"But, as far as I know, Yone only has one child, and that child should be a girl. So, who the hell are you?"
Just as I sighed in relief, the king's entire aura surged, and a sharp growl escaped his throat. The powerful sound nearly toppled the palace.
"If the king still has any objections, he might as well ask my father," Talon retorted.
"Don't get smart! Alpha Yone is always stationed at the border. It must be your boy deceiving the king again. In my opinion, just take him down directly!" Alpha Shaco huffed, ready to pounce on Talon.
"Then, as you said, we'll find out when we get Yone to confront him. It just so happens that he arrived at the palace today," the king declared, a hint of cunning flashing across his face.