Betrayed By My Mate, Claimed By His Lycan King Uncle
Chapter 145: All Hail The Alpha Emperor!

Chapter 145: All Hail The Alpha Emperor!

The entire imperial palace was now adorned in lavish silk decorations of deep red and gold. Palace maids moved swiftly through the corridors, each carrying various items in their hands ranging from ornate trays of food and goblets of fine wine to ceremonial garments prepared for esteemed guests. The air was thick with anticipation, for today marked the coronation of the new Alpha Emperor.

Above the grand palace, the golden sun blazed brightly in the sky, casting a radiant glow over everything on earth.

At the entrance of the imperial palace, where the throne resided in majestic splendor...rows upon rows of high-ranking officials lined the stone path. Each of them was dressed in resplendent red robes, their heads slightly bowed in solemn respect.

It was only yesterday that they had completed the mourning rites, escorting the late Alpha Emperor to his final resting place within the sacred tombs. And now, without pause, they were gathered again...this time to install a new sovereign upon the throne.

"All hail the new Alpha Emperor!" a deep, commanding voice rang out, echoing powerfully through the palace courtyard.

With practiced precision, every court official fell to their knees, the rustle of silk and the thud of kneeling echoing in unison as Dimitri came into view.

He strode forward, dressed in a voluminous robe of red embroidered with golden stripes. His bearing was regal, his emerald eyes cold and unreadable beneath his mask. Walking beside him was Luna Empress Melissa, graceful and composed, her attire matching his perfectly.

Trailing behind them...though noticeably distanced was Dimitri’s official wife, who had now been relegated to the rank of concubine. She stood among a gathering of influential nobles, her face unreadable as she watched the man she once called husband ascend to power with another by his side.

As Dimitri and Melissa entered the grand royal hall, they paused before the towering golden throne. Court officials, now gathered inside, remained kneeling in rows that lined the long, ornate hallway. The silence was near sacred, broken only by the sound of the ceremonial procession leader stepping forward.

"We now commence the coronation of the new Alpha Emperor," the man announced, his voice formal and unwavering as he led Dimitri and Melissa toward the throne.

They both approached the steps. Dimitri ascended, preparing to take his seat. Just as the officiant reached for the imperial crown, preparing to place it upon Dimitri’s head, a loud crash echoed through the hall as the heavy doors burst open.

Gasps rippled through the crowd as all heads turned.

"You truly believe you deserve the title of Alpha Emperor, don’t you?" came a sharp, resonant voice.

All eyes fell upon the intruder.

A striking man, dressed in royal blue, stood at the entrance with a defiant gleam in his eyes. His long, curly black hair flowed behind him. Broad-shouldered and muscular, he cut a powerful figure, standing tall with a bow in one hand and a silver arrow already notched, aimed squarely at Dimitri.

His gaze burned with fury.

"Isn’t that the dead Alpha Emperor’s brother? The one rumored to be insane?" one of the officials whispered in a shaken voice.

Before he could utter another word, a silver arrow whizzed through the air and lodged itself in the man’s throat, silencing him forever. A sickening gurgle escaped his lips before he slumped to the floor, blood staining the palace tiles.

"I deserve to be the Alpha Emperor!" the intruder bellowed with fiery conviction. "Thank you for clearing the path for me, Dimitri. Now, it’s your turn to follow our brother into the afterlife."

The man.. Draven....pulled his bowstring taut and released the arrow.

Gasps echoed throughout the hall.

But before the deadly projectile could find its mark, Dimitri’s hand shot out and caught the arrow midair with a single, practiced motion. He crushed the shaft in his palm, his eyes sharp and unreadable.

"I know you’re skilled, Dimitri," Draven said, his voice as calm as it was cutting. "But I was ready for you."

"Come in!" he shouted, his voice echoing as he awaited the arrival of his soldiers. "Let’s finish this now!"

But before even a footstep could sound behind him, Dimitri gave a cold chuckle.

"You mean your soldiers, Draven?" he asked, his voice smooth and mocking. "Oh, they’ve all been captured."

"What?" Draven’s eyes widened.

"I knew you’d pull a stunt like this today," Dimitri continued, "so I came prepared."

At that moment, the palace doors swung open with a thunderous crash. A regiment of imperial guards marched in, each one holding captured soldiers dressed in black. Their faces were bloodied, their weapons confiscated, and their spirits broken.

"You knew I wasn’t mad?!" Draven screamed, fury and disbelief painting his face. "All this time, you knew I wasn’t crazy, Dimitri!"

"Yes," Dimitri replied coolly, eyes never leaving Draven’s.

Blood spilled once more.

One by one, Dimitri’s soldiers slit the throats of the captured traitors before Draven’s very eyes. Their lifeless bodies collapsed, staining the white marble tiles in blood.

Draven fell to his knees, his hands trembling. "Are you going to kill me too, Dimitri?" he whispered. "You knew I wasn’t insane. You knew I was coming for the crown."

Dimitri stepped forward slowly, his voice low and calm, but edged with menace.

"No," he said. "I won’t kill you... but someone else will."

He paused, then added with gravity, "The punishment for treason is death. And you’ll meet your punishment soon enough."

With a silent command, Dimitri’s guards seized Draven by the arms and dragged him away along with the corpses.

"Resume the coronation," Dimitri commanded, his voice snapping the eunuch and the trembling officials back to attention.

The eunuch nodded hastily, his hands shaking as he stepped forward once more. The other court officials slowly rose from their kneeling positions, though some could barely stand without assistance.

"Are you alright, Empress?" Dimitri asked gently, turning toward Melissa.

She sat stiffly on the chair, her gaze fixed on him. Her hands trembled slightly, resting protectively over her abdomen.

"I’m fine," she replied, her voice soft but unsteady. "I was frightened... and so was the baby."

Dimitri reached out instinctively, his hand moving toward her stomach. But before he could make contact, Melissa drew back and pushed his hand away.

"You shouldn’t touch me," she said firmly. "This child belongs to the late Alpha Emperor. No other man is permitted to lay a hand on me."

Dimitri arched an eyebrow. "Is that so? I only meant to comfort the child... to ease his fear. But I’m glad you’re both unharmed."

Melissa swallowed hard and looked away.

"I will now place the crown upon the head of the new Alpha Emperor," the eunuch announced, his voice regaining its formality as he lifted the golden crown studded with shimmering gems.

With great care, he placed it atop Dimitri’s head.

"All hail the Alpha Emperor!" he proclaimed.

Immediately, the court officials fell to their knees, their heads pressed to the floor. The palace servants followed, and outside the palace walls, even the civilians bowed deeply in reverence.

"Long live the Alpha Emperor!" they all chanted in unison.

A warm, triumphant smile played on Dimitri’s lips as he looked over the bowed heads of his empire.

"Please, rise...all of you," Dimitri commanded, rising from the throne with a regal gesture. "You may continue with the celebrations. As for me, I would like to rest now that the coronation has concluded."

"But Your Highness," a voice called out...deep and authoritative. It was Gamma Lord Vallon, Melissa’s father. "We officials have documents that require your urgent review."

Dimitri halted mid-step and turned to face the man.

"I just became the Alpha Emperor today, Gamma Lord Vallon," he said coldly. "I have no interest in reviewing any documents at the moment. They can wait until tomorrow."

He swept his gaze across the room once more. "Enjoy the festivities."

And with that, he turned and strode out of the imperial palace.

Outside, Liam waited silently.

"How is she?" Dimitri asked without preamble, his voice laced with worry.

"She was beaten," Liam replied grimly. "Nothing too serious. She was deprived of food too. Concubine Mirabel went to her cell last night. She didn’t harm her directly but she did order the guards to beat her again."

Dimitri’s jaw tightened.

"Do you really intend to go to the imperial prison now? In that attire?" Liam asked hesitantly. "The Empress Dowager will talk."

Dimitri raised a brow and scoffed.

"Do I look like a man willing to be anyone’s dog?" he asked. "Let them talk. They think I’ll play by their rules, but they don’t know what’s coming."

Liam hesitated before asking, "How did you know Prince Draven would show up? He’s been pretending to be mad all this time..."

"Oh, I know what each of them is up to," Dimitri replied with a smug smirk. "I was prepared. But of course, the Empress Dowager won’t let me kill Draven...at least not yet. He’s Lupien’s brother. They’ll say he had every right to be angry. They’ll claim he was merely fighting for what should have been his....the crown."

He continued, "They think I’m easy to remove instead of Draven, since I’m not blood-related. The plan is simple, wait for the Luna Empress to give birth, then replace me."

Dimitri’s expression hardened as he added, "I’ll keep Draven alive for now. A man like him won’t stay still for long. Once he commits another crime, I’ll let Sorayah end him herself. After all, he’s the one who killed Lily. And I know he’ll come after Sorayah again....she’s always been his target."

"Anyway," Dimitri said, pausing before the entrance, "let me save my woman now. We’ll talk more later."

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