Chapter195:King's Mark

|| Lilac’s POV || The grand hall fell into a hushed silence as Alpha King Darius rose from his throne, the ancient silver crown of the realm glinting under the chandeliers. Every eye followed his slow, deliberate steps toward the center of the dais where Alaric stood tall, regal, and utterly devastating in his Nightshade armor. "Tonight," Darius's voice boomed through the hall, "we restore what was stolen centuries ago." A murmur rippled through the crowd. I caught Ezra's wide-eyed stare from where he stood beside our parents, his new Royal Beta insignia gleaming on his chest. Darius lifted a black-velvet pillow from a waiting attendant, revealing a crown unlike any I'd ever seen— twisted obsidian and silver, shaped like intertwined wolves, their eyes set with glowing moonstones. "Kneel, Alpha of the Nightshades." The command sent a shiver down my spine. Alaric obeyed, dropping to one knee with a grace that spoke of both power and reverence. The chandelier cast flickering shadows acros