Eero's perspective
“Claudius won't harm you nor your claim. A deal between us has been made. You'll be fine, sweetling.”
“And you believe him? Are you believe that the son of the shifter that you killed in order for you to acquire all of this will easily make peace with you?” I asked him to knock some senses off his head.
The Alpha King glanced at where Claudius was, and my eyes remained on him.
“He didn't make peace with me. He struck a deal. I had to lose big things to pacify him.”
“What deal?” I continued to acquire. His frustrations started to flood his eyes.
“Is this more important than your coronation, my dear?” He asked, which made me speechless.
Stealing a glimpse of the crowd, every single shifter was wondering what could it be that the two of us were talking about.
“Perhaps we carry on with a way more important matter and once we are through, I'll let you in with our deal,” he said to me.
“If you may excuse our confusion, Alpha King… who is this lovely woman?” Someone from the crowd asked. He was next to Octavio who was eyeing his daughter.
“And where is your heir? I am afraid that our future Alpha is running late,” he continued before he looked at the table.
“All of you are now looking at my heir and your future Alpha Queen,” he said, and buzzes filled the court.
I found a woman with the same color of hair as I am.
“Is she the Princess Onora?” I asked the Alpha King, but heard nothing from him.
Beta Octavio stepped forward.
“I am well aware of your wish to adopt her as your daughter, but Alpha King, you never said a word, about making the stranger your heir.”
“I am no stranger. I was legally adopted by the Alpha King, which means I am now the princess of the realm and I demand you to not talk lightly about me.”
“You were installed in that position not even a week ago, and yet, you dare to act as if you're above me?” Octavio spat hatefully, losing his cool.
“You're just a beta of the pack, my father's advisor. I am a princess, and legally, his daughter. Those are more than enough for me, to assume that I am higher and hold more power than you are.” I held my head up high while the beta charged towards the Alpha King.
“On behalf of everyone in the pack, I ask you to think thoroughly. You're making a big mistake, Alpha King.”
Codrus stomped his golden cane against the marble floor of the hall, that made everyone go quiet.
“Alpha, by making her your heir, you're breaking a centuries old tradition. You're dividing us, and a rebellion will surely break out from this decision of yours,” Beta Octavio spoke once more.
“And as my beta, are you not supposed to punish those who'll do that and not condemn such treason?” Codrus asked, and no words came out of his lips.
“If I wasn't sure of my decision to make Eero, my daughter, as my heir and your future Alpha Queen, there will be no feast to celebrate her coronation, but here we all are,” he said.
“Anyone who dares to slander her claim to the throne and to the pack, will face a severe punishment,” he said. The crowd exchanged gazes with each other.
“I expected this reaction from all of you. Shocking, and so I am giving you all the pardon, but I won't be lenient to you the next time you question my heir or my decision. I'll have your tongue cut for doing that,” he said.
My eyes fixated on Claudius, whose emotions I couldn't read as he blocked my wolf from being able to read his mind.
I kept my walls guarded even after he bent his knees in front of me, making him the first one to do so.
“I, Claudius Cormac, from the house Cormac of Howling Island and Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack, supports and swear my loyalty to Princess Eero as the next Alpha Queen of the realm and the Regulus Pack.” His bow remained in head before he stood up and went back to his place.
“I wonder what is it that he got to make him bend his knees to you?” My wolf asked me.
“I know him. I heard him promise to kill anyone who'll try to take his birth right from him, and I did.”
“But it's not his birth right. With you being alive, and as the daughter of Aramis, your biological father, the Regulus was your birth right, even if Codrus didn't choose to adopt you now.” My wolf countered.
While every man of powerful families swore their loyalty to me, my wolf and I continued to lay down theories as to what made Claudius change his mind.
I turned to look at the Alpha King who was now on his way to me as Princess Onora sworn her loyalty to me too.
“I, Codrus, King of the realm and Alpha of the Great Regulus make Eero, my heir, princess of the realm and the future Alpha of the pack. Long live her grace!"
“Long live her grace!” I watched them clap their hands and stared at me with envy.
“Eero, will you stop that?” Codrus whispered. We sat at the long table and on the farther left side sat Claudius who didn't take his eyes off me either.
“Stop what? What am I doing?”
“You and Claudius will give me a heart attack. Do you know him?” He asked and I blinked my eyes.
“N-No, not at all, aside from the fact that he was Luzeres Cormac's son, I know nothing about him,” I lied.
How was I supposed to tell him that my mate was the son of the same man who used to be his enemy?
“Good. I do not wish you to be seen with that man. I don't trust him. He's a vicious one.”
“I know.” I tore my eyes off Claudius.
I wondered where his true mate was, or if he went out and looked for me after I ran away.
“You know?”
“I mean, he looked like a vicious type of shifter.” I cocked my eyes at the Alpha King.
“You don't trust him too, so why is he here?”
“As the Alpha and your new father, there are things that I must compromise to protect you. Claudius asked for huge shares from the companies that we own, a position in my small council and a chamber of his own in the realm.”