He Stole My Children I Refused His Crown Chapter 01
In my last life, after Lucian inherited the throne, he did something that set the entire Kingdom of Vislan talking.
He named Celeste Arden his one and only Luna Queen, then installed me in the south wing of the royal castle as his “alliance consort,” a title he claimed was equal to hers.
Pack law didn’t recognize two Luna Queens, but Lucian insisted. He swore he would be completely fair to both of us.
He divided his time between us with mathematical precision. The gifts sent to the south and north wings had to be identical.
When Celeste went four years without a child, he used a legal loophole to force me through four consecutive pregnancies, then transferred custody of two of our children to her.
Later, when my brother, Elliot, won a major victory on the border and was promoted to Royal Border Commander, Lucian, worried Celeste might feel slighted, quickly arranged an equivalent honor for her brother.
That brand of “fairness” lasted for ten years.
Until a neighboring kingdom sent a shipment of golden honey peaches. The royal staff, without so much as a word to me, delivered the entire batch to the north wing, where Celeste lived.
My attendant, Maya, was so furious she chased after them and managed to snatch back only two.
I took a bite and tasted nothing.
Her eyes were red. “Elliot had a military transport plane detour specifically to bring these back for you. Why does she get all of them?”
I just shook my head, a wave of exhaustion washing over me.
When I woke again, I was back at the royal mating banquet.
Prince Lucian walked right past me and handed the blue crystal badge of formal betrothal to Celeste. Then, he held out a hand-carved pendant to me.
Thinking of the children torn from my arms, of those two golden honey peaches, I took a step back.
“Thank you, Your Highness. But I already have someone I want to spend my life with. We’ll be engaged soon.”
…
Tonight was the royal alliance mating banquet for Prince Lucian.
Adult Alpha daughters and pack heirs from every territory had gathered at the royal castle. Just like in my last life, they were all vying to become the future king’s alliance consort.
Representing Ironvale Pack, I performed a contemporary dance that scored higher than Celeste’s in the overall judging.
Queen Helena had stated publicly that the winner would receive the royal badge signifying a formal betrothal.
But in front of every pack representative and every camera, Lucian took the badge and walked straight to Celeste.
In my last life, I challenged him on the spot.
My father was the Alpha of Ironvale Pack, and I commanded the northern border defense. In the end, Lucian gave the badge to me.
I became his political fiancée. Celeste moved into his royal estate as his private lover.
Later, after Lucian inherited the throne, he publicly chose Celeste as his Luna Queen, leaving me with the empty title of alliance consort.
I refused to accept it and fought him in the royal council for what felt like an eternity.
At the time, my father and Elliot were fighting in the northern territory. To keep Ironvale’s troops from turning against him, Lucian forcibly issued his “Declaration of Equal Status for Dual Consorts.”
Celeste lived in the north wing. I lived in the south.
We fought over gowns, paintings, and seating at public events.
To prove his so-called fairness, Lucian even kept a schedule, alternating between our bedrooms.
Every gift had to be prepared in duplicate.
Later, I gave birth to twins while Celeste remained unable to conceive.
Lucian deliberated for a week. Then he walked into my rooms with a team of lawyers and a custody transfer document, and took our eldest son from my arms.
“You and Celeste are both under royal protection,” he’d said. “The children should be divided equally as well.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll register Aiden as first in line to the throne.”
In that moment, all I could hear was static.
I understood then that all my fighting had been for nothing.
Later, Lucian showered me with more jewelry, artwork, and private assets, filling every room in the south wing.
He even added three days a month to his time with me.
Everyone said King Lucian favored me more.
I tried to believe it.
But when my fourth child was born, he came to my hospital room again.
“The north wing only has Aiden. He’s always wanted a little brother or sister. Transfer this child’s custody to Celeste, too.”
I was still lying in a bloodstained hospital bed, hadn’t even seen my baby’s face, when he had security take the child away.
From that day on, I never fought him again.
Four pregnancies had drained me. My body, weakened by untreated postnatal complications, slowly gave out.
Before I died, I sent a message to Elliot, stationed far away on the border, telling him I craved the golden honey peaches from the Kingdom of Cassia.
After the fruit arrived at the royal castle, the staff, following protocol, sent the entire shipment to the north wing first.
Celeste, unable to finish them all, casually handed the leftovers to the staff.
Maya only managed to get two back.
The day before I died, Lucian and Celeste, each holding the hand of a child he’d taken from me, asked if I had any last wishes.
I stared at the sky outside my window and said nothing.
When I opened my eyes again, the first thing I saw was the pendant in Lucian’s hand.
This time, I wouldn’t accept a single thing he offered me.
After I spoke, the entire banquet hall fell silent. The silence was so complete I could hear the last, fading notes of the music.
Lucian’s brow furrowed. “Willa Donovan, don’t make a scene,” he snapped, his voice low.
That same line. Again.