He Stole My Children I Refused His Crown Chapter 14
She paused, then smiled.
“Go on.”
“Why didn’t you choose Celeste as Lucian’s alliance consort?”
The smile on her face faltered.
“Celeste is the daughter of Redhaven Pack’s Alpha. She received a full royal education in etiquette, the arts, and pack governance. She’s quiet, obedient, and never challenges Lucian in public.”
“I come from a border pack that has been looked down on for years. Apart from dancing and some basic Healer training, I have no accomplishments that meet royal standards. Everyone says I’m proud, impulsive, and difficult to control.”
“By any measure, Celeste is the better choice for the royal family.”
“And yet, in front of every pack representative, you overruled Lucian’s choice and insisted on giving the formal betrothal to me.”
“Why?”
The room went quiet.
The warmth on Queen Helena’s face slowly drained away, leaving only a lofty, assessing gaze.
After a long moment, she rose and walked toward me.
“Because you are foolish enough, arrogant enough, and Lucian despises you enough.”
She no longer bothered to hide her contempt.
“Ironvale used to be nothing but an impoverished border pack. Now it commands the northern allied army. The other Alphas fear your father, and King Adrian will never allow a single pack to influence the succession.”
“If Lucian entered a formal betrothal with Redhaven, the royal council, the crown’s resources, and the northern army would form an alliance too powerful to control.”
“Marrying you is different. As long as everyone believes you forced the royal family’s hand, Ironvale will have to prove its loyalty over and over. And once you move into the castle, you will become the perfect leverage against your father.”