Chapter 14 - The Final Treaty
By nightfall, the Ural fortress was entirely secure. The surviving enemy soldiers had laid down their weapons, and the civilian hostages rescued from the dungeons were being safely escorted back toward the western border.
In the grand throne room of the conquered citadel—a cold, austere hall carved straight into the living stone of the mountain—General Orlov sat bound to a heavy wooden chair, glaring up at the Alpha King and Queen with unyielding hatred in his eyes.
"You can kill me," Orlov spat, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "You can burn this fortress to the ground. But the eastern packs will never bow to a king who lets an Omega sit on his throne—a broken toy who couldn't even drive a dagger when she was ordered to."
Cedric stepped forward, his hand dropping to the hilt of his sword with lethal intent.
Before the blade could clear the scabbard, Evangeline placed her hand gently over Cedric’s wrist, stopping him.
She walked past Cedric, stepping right up to Orlov. Her expression was entirely calm, devoid of anger, radiating a terrifying, absolute authority that made even the hardened general flinch.
"You talk of broken toys, General," Evangeline said softly, leaning down slightly so her voice carried a chilling, hypnotic resonance. "You talk of orders given and duties unfulfilled. But you made one fundamental mistake that every tyrant before you has made."
Orlov gritted his teeth. "And what is that?"
"You believed that because a mind can be fractured, a soul can be conquered," Evangeline replied evenly. She straightened up, her amethyst eyes flashing with cold fire. "The Romanovs tried to turn me into your weapon. Instead, I became the instrument of your destruction."
She turned away, gesturing dismissively to the guards standing by the doors. "Take him to the deepest cell in Dunstanburg. Let him live out his days in the dark, watching the empire he tried to build turn to dust."
As the guards hauled the screaming general out of the hall, the heavy oak doors slammed shut behind them with a final, echoing thud.
Cedric wrapped his arm around Evangeline’s waist, pulling her close against his side as they stood together looking out over the conquered mountain valley.
"Are you ready to go home, my queen?" he murmured softly against her hair.
May you like
Evangeline looked out at the horizon, where the first faint rays of dawn were beginning to paint the jagged peaks in brilliant shades of gold and violet.
"Yes," she whispered, leaning her head against his shoulder. "Let's go home."
