Chapter 73

Lucas' POV

The chains were heavy, but not as heavy as the weight of humiliation that pressed down on my shoulders. My father had orchestrated this spectacle with meticulous cruelty, ensuring every step I took was witnessed by the pack.

The streets were lined with faces I had grown up with. Children who once played at my feet, elders who taught me the stories of our ancestors, warriors who had sparred alongside me—all of them stood in silence as I was paraded through the heart of my home like a criminal.

My father’s voice rang out, commanding the pack’s attention. “Look at him! The so-called heir to my throne. A weakling who couldn’t even stand against his own blood.”

I kept my head low, the chains around my wrists clinking with every step. My throat tightened as shame threatened to consume me, but then something unexpected happened.

An elder stepped forward, her gnarled hands trembling as she reached out to me. Her voice cracked as she whispered, “You are our true Alpha.”