Alpha's Rejected becomes the Lycan's Obsession
Chapter 136: What evil is that?

Chapter 136: What evil is that?

At the top of the grand staircase, Roman suddenly halted. The golden glow of the chandeliers above cast sharp shadows against the edges of his chiselled face as he slowly turned around to meet Tessy’s gaze.

She had stopped walking too, a frown folding into her forehead, her eyes narrowing slightly at him like she was trying to decipher something that just didn’t make sense. Her feet barely made a sound against the clean marbles, but her stare was loud, piercing even.

He raised a brow. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Your Majesty?" Tessy replied, the confusion in her voice as clear as daylight.

Roman didn’t say anything at first. His eyes remained fixed on hers, unreadable. She took a hesitant step closer, then added, "I just heard her call you Your Majesty. You’re a king?"

Roman let out a low breath, his eyes softening just a little. "Yes, I am a king," he confirmed, his voice calm, steady, almost too casual for the weight of his words.

"What?!" Tessy’s voice rose an octave, her eyes widening as she stared at him like he had just told her he ruled the entire galaxy. "I thought you were an alpha or something like that."

Now it was Roman’s turn to look a little surprised. "How did you know about alphas?"

"Daniel told me about the ranks while we were returning from Freya’s place," she said, watching him closely. "I thought the alpha was the ruler, like, the overall head."

He gave a slight nod, a flicker of amusement tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Yes, that’s true. The alpha is the overall head... of a pack. I am the overall head of the werewolf community. I’m the one the alphas answer to. Just like a supreme leader or something like that." he explained to her.

Tessy’s mouth fell open slightly, her mind running in circles trying to process what she was hearing.

"But I’m not the king anymore," Roman added, the casual tone in his voice replaced with a quiet heaviness. "I dropped the position after something tragic happened to me."

Tessy’s brows drew together, her lips parting slightly as she absorbed his words. Something inside of her twisted, not from fear, but from curiosity and a lot of concern.

"Now they want you to take it up again?" she asked carefully, deciding not to probe the tragic part just yet.

"Yep," Roman replied simply, his deep voice echoing softly off the high walls of the corridor.

There was a pause. Tessy could feel the tension rise like steam between them. Her fingers brushed against her arm unconsciously, her voice dropping lower, almost hesitant. "What was this tragic thing that happened to you?"

Roman turned fully to her now. The air around them felt charged, heavy with memories she hadn’t been invited into yet. But can you I couldn’t keep them away from her anymore. She needed to know all about him, and despite how painful his story was, he was going to share it with her, hoping she would understand.

"It’s a long story, my love," he said, his tone gentle.

Tessy shrugged lightly, a small smile forming despite the heaviness in the air. "I’m not doing anything right now, so I think I have time. Moreover, I think I’m ready to hear everything. ’Cause I need to understand the world I suddenly found myself in... unless you’re busy at the moment."

Roman’s lips twitched slightly at the corners, the kind of smile that barely reached his eyes but was still full of warmth. "I’m not busy. I can never be too busy for you," he said, and then added with a chuckle, "But I can’t have you standing while I deliver a long story. So let’s sit down."

Tessy gave a nod. "All right."

Roman gestured toward her room, but she shook her head, her voice firmer now. "I would prefer to talk in your room."

That surprised him. His eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t question it. Instead, he gave a short nod and turned, leading her down the hallway to the largest room in the house—his.

The door swung open, revealing a space that was as dark and opulent as the man himself. Black curtains framed the windows, heavy and thick enough to block out sunlight entirely. A fireplace crackled gently at the far end of the room, and in the center, a luxurious black-and-silver sofa faced a tall bookshelf lined with leather-bound volumes.

Roman led her to the sofa and sat down beside her. She didn’t say anything at first, but her eyes bore into him, full of silent expectation.

The look in her eyes suggested that she was ready for the story, and that she wouldn’t leave without it.

Roman exhaled quietly and smiled to himself. "I don’t know if you understand the concept of mates," he began, his voice slower now, steadier.

Tessy nodded. "I do. I did a little research of my own," she answered, her gaze unwavering.

He nodded too. "All right. Here goes the story. I’ll try to summarize as best as I can."

He shifted slightly on the sofa, resting one arm along the back as he leaned in, eyes fixed on a point in the distance, as if he were staring into the past.

"Before I was born, the werewolf community was in shambles. There was a particular family terrorizing everybody and ruining things, declaring themselves the supreme leaders of the werewolf community. Tired of their evil acts and the wickedness they perpetuated, the Moon Goddess decided it was time to bring in a king. One who would be more powerful than this family and every other werewolf alive, who could put everything and everyone in order.

And I was born."

His voice was calm but carried a weight that felt like thunder trapped beneath a surface of still water.

"When I grew up, I went to war with this family. I defeated them and took over the throne. But the ones who survived? They wouldn’t have it. They were angry, bitter... vengeful. And fully aware that they could never defeat me in battle.

So they plotted.

They plotted with the same werewolves I had been fighting for. And a few witches joined in. They went after my first mate, who I had just met at that time."

Tessy’s breath caught in her throat, but she said nothing, her eyes wide.

"They ended up killing her. And that was when I went mad. I lost it. I killed a lot of people—both guilty and innocent. I didn’t care anymore."

His voice cracked ever so slightly on the last word, but he didn’t pause.

"The Moon Goddess punished me for that. She made me develop a feeling of repulsion for women. Couldn’t bear to be near them, couldn’t even stand their scent. But she also promised that after serving my punishment... she would give me another mate."

His eyes turned toward her now.

"I remained celibate for several decades. I only surrounded myself with men because I couldn’t stand the sight or smell of women. That was why you met only men when you first arrived here."

Tessy’s eyes fluttered, something dawning on her.

"But she kept her word," Roman said softly. "And she sent me another mate. One I am going to do everything I can to protect."

He didn’t blink as he looked at her, the corners of his eyes taut with unspoken emotion.

"You."

The word dropped between them like a weight. "So when I told you that day we got married that you were my soulmate... I wasn’t kidding. I knew exactly what I was saying."

His voice faded out, and silence followed. Tessy hadn’t said a word since he started talking, but now she shifted in her seat, her face unreadable as she absorbed every last word.

Her lips parted slowly. "So... how did you know that I was a tri—something?"

"A tribrid," Roman supplied gently.

She nodded. "Yeah... that."

"The Moon Goddess said it. She said my next mate would be a tribrid. Part witch, part werewolf, and part human."

Tessy’s head tilted slightly, the information swirling around in her brain like a storm she was trying to catch with her hands. Her heart was beating so loudly she could barely hear the fire crackling anymore.

"So..." she started slowly, her voice almost inaudible, "are you going to return to being the King?"

Roman didn’t hesitate. "And risk losing you?" His voice turned firm, solid like stone. "I don’t think so."

There was no space left for doubt in that answer.

"But Zilia said there’s an evil or something... that you need to help them defeat before it consumes everyone," Tessy said, her voice now edged with urgency. "What evil is that?"

Roman’s jaw clenched slightly.

"The son of the same evil that killed my first mate," he said, his voice low, deadly.

"His name is Casper. And he’s after completing what his ancestors started."

Tessy’s heart skipped a beat. Her breath caught in her chest as her eyes widened in horror.