Bought By The Ruthless Alpha King (Ruby) novel Chapter 68

The scent of the land of my dominion surrounds me as I arrived in my kingdom. My mood should have improved upon returning home, but it didn’t.

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Right at the main gate of the kingdom, the scent of blood was thick in the air, even though not a single drop could be seen. I inhaled deeper. My expression darkened instantly.

Leonidas provided his first confirmation.

“Your Majesty, it’s likely that one of our own has been injured.”

I hummed in agreement. “And I have a feeling that the source isn’t from within our territory.”

I may be a tyrant, but I have never taken pleasure in anyone daring to lay a hand on my people. Not even if it was just an ordinary soldier. The fury boiling inside me threatened to spill over, demanding retribution. As I stepped further into my domain, I was met with news that shattered the last shred of my patience.

Gamma Jordan was dead.

One of my elite officers knelt before me, his leather uniform still stained with dirt and remnants of battle. His voice was hoarse with pain, yet he forced himself to speak, determined to uphold his rank.

“Your Majesty, Gamma Jordan fell while protecting our convoy. The attack came from the North. Lucius’s forces ambushed us–they outnumbered us-”

He choked on his own blood, and Leonidas immediately rushed to his side along with the others. Some had already brought a healer for him.

Then, the soldier continued, “Gamma held them off long enough for the prisoners and the rest of our troops to retreat safely.”

An overwhelming guilt flashed across the soldier’s face. He looked devastated, ashamed that he had been unable to aid Gamma Jordan. He was one of the best and most respected Gammas in the kingdom. His loss broke the spirits of many warriors–even mine.

That man was loyal to this kingdom and never once a leech at my heels.

My jaw tightened, and both my fists clenched.

“And the perpetrators?” I asked, keeping my voice as steady as possible.

“T–they vanished into the Northern border, Your Majesty,” he stammered.

A slow breath escaped my lips, but it did nothing to quell the rage crawling beneath my skin. The Northern Kingdom had finally crossed the line. Lucius had always been a bastard, but now? Now, he had signed his own death warrant.

My hand landed on the soldier’s shoulder, and I felt his body tense, trembling.

“Thank you, soldier. Rest and mourn with the others,” I commanded.

Without even turning around, I could sense his shocked reaction. I lifted my hand to stop him from uttering meaningless words.

“This one is not your fault. Leave.”

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07:30 Sat, 26 Apr S.

Chapter 68

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Without delay, his comrades carried him away, followed closely by the healers who struggled to tend to his wounds as they made their way to the medical camp.

I turned to Leonidas, who stood beside me, his expression mirroring my displeasure. “Assemble four squads. We march North. I want that bastard to understand what happens when he takes what is mine.”

Leonidas bowed, a smirk playing on his lips. “I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time, though this loss is unfortunate.”

“We will have our justice. Let’s move.”

The Northern Kingdom stood in stark contrast to mine. A land shrouded in eternal frost, its sky a dull gray, as if mourning the souls lost here long before today. Stone castles with jagged towers loomed in the distance, their walls weathered by centuries of war and betrayal.

When I arrived, there was no grand welcome. Only one figure stood at the entrance of the main fortress–the newly appointed right hand of Lucius. The bastard barely had time to blink before Leonidas gave a silent command, and my men descended upon them like wolves in a den of sheep.

Screams tore through the air. Swords clashed, claws met claws, and the scent of freshly spilled blood filled my lungs like a drug. I strode leisurely through the chaos, stepping over corpses, the heels of my boots crunching against the icy stone. My soldiers shredded through Lucius’s forces without mercy, leaving a crimson trail in their wake.

Elysian’s voice echoed in my head, “Finish them quickly. I want to go home!”

“You’re not the only one,

brat.”

“W–what did you just call me?! How dare you!”

I easily dismissed Elysian’s curses and tantrums from my mind. I continued my path through the bloody spectacle. And then, finally, he appeared.

King Lucius. The man who fancied himself my equal. A grand delusion in its purest form. His golden eyes burned with rage as he descended the stone steps, his fur–lined cloak billowing behind him.

“You’ve got some nerve setting your filthy foot in my palace!”

“I do.” I cut him off smoothly, watching the veins in his neck strain. “You took something that belongs to me, Lucius. And now, I’m here to take something from you.”

A flicker of understanding passed through the old man’s eyes. Instead of offering a defense, the pathetic little king had the audacity to puff out his chest before me. To add an extra touch of his meaningless arrogance, he shook his head with a laugh.

“If you’ve forgotten, Killian Rudwick, you were the one who started this feud. Should I bash that thick skull of yours?!” he spat, his saliva flying.

A brief flicker of pity surfaced before it was swept away by the wind.

“Are you seriously still holding a grudge over your late wife?”

Lucius’s nostrils flared. “You are her murderer. A life for a life, oh Cruel Tyrant!”

“I must have misheard.” I tilted my head, crimson eyes glinting with disdain. “Did you just scream ‘cruel‘ when you are the very embodiment of the word, boy?”

Amusement sparked in my chest as realization dawned on him.

I am immortal.

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07.30 Sat, 26 Apr

Chapter 68

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Which meant I had outlived his predecessors. A mere child.

“Your arrogance will be your downfall, Killian! You act as if you are untouchable!”

I smiled, baring my fangs. “And yet, here I stand. Untouched.”

“Mind your manners before our king, King Killian.”

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“Where the hell did that fool of a king pick up this jester?”

The only issue was that this man, younger than Leonidas, carried the scent of strength and potential. Killing him would be a waste of good resources, wouldn’t it?

The tension between us shattered like lightning before a storm. And then, we moved.

“Is this all you’ve got? Have your bones grown brittle, Lucius?”