Alpha's STOLEN Mate (by Abigail Hayes) novel Chapter 233

Chapter 233

Kajus

I watched Elowen’s face as the weight of the moment pressed down on her. Her expression shifted-confusion, anger, resignation-each emotion flickering across her features in rapid succession.

Below us, Scarlett had tensed like a coiled spring, ready to storm the platform and pull Elowen away. But Elowen shook her head slightly.

She wouldn’t run. That wasn’t who she was.

Evelyn’s voice cut through the murmuring crowd: ‘Elowen! Don’t overthink this! It doesn’t mean anything-nothing at all! Just pretend you tripped! Then after tonight, we’ll abolish this stupid law together!”

I saw Elowen’s lips moving, repeating the words under her breath like a mantra. “Just tripping. Just falling. Fuck… it’s nothing. Just an

accident…”

But her eyes told a different story. This wasn’t nothing to her.

She began walking toward me-each step uncertain, wavering. I could hear her muttering with every footfall: “Whoever invented this ritual was a complete idiot… one gesture means nothing… you want a show? Fine. I’ll give you a show…”

My chest tightened. I’d known. Of course I’d known this was the truly difficult part of the coronation-the part that Faelan couldn’t bring himself to explain. Most people never brought it up, choosing to let the tradition fade into obscurity. But then Ronan had to appear, dragging this archaic humiliation into the light.

Elowen reached me and stood there, her head bowed. Then her hand shot out and grabbed my arm-hard. Her nails dug into my skin through the fabric, the pain sharp and immediate. I didn’t make a sound. She needed this outlet for her fury, and I would give it to her.

“Kaius.” Her voice was low, venomous. “You owe me for this. You owe me everything for this.”

She took a shaky breath. “I’m about to perform my ‘accident’ now. My little ‘trip. But don’t you dare-don’t you fucking dare-think this

means anything!”

Hearing her like this-my fierce, legendary Queen reduced to performing some degrading pantomime-ignited something savage in my

chest.

No.

If I let this happen, what did that make me? What kind of King-what kind of mate-allowed the woman he loved to humiliate herself because of some ancient, misogynistic tradition?

Fuck that.

As Elowen began to kneel, as her body started lowering toward the ground, I moved.

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14:45 Thu, Jan 22

Chapter 233

My hand shot out and caught her, pulling her upright with perhaps more force than necessary.

The crowd gasped-a collective intake of breath that echoed across the sanctuary.

“Alpha King!” Ronan’s voice cracked like a whip. “Do not interfere with the sacred ritual!”

I turned to him, and the look I gave him must have conveyed exactly how close he was to death. “Fuck your traditions.”

Then I dropped to one knee before Elowen.

She made a small, shocked sound, her hand flying to cover her mouth.

I took her hand in both of mine, bringing it to my lips for a gentle kiss. “My Queen,” I said clearly, my voice carrying to every corner of

the sanctuary. “You will never-never-do something you hate for my sake. Not today. Not ever.”

Before anyone could react, before Ronan could protest or the crowd could process what was happening, I moved again.

I prostrated myself fully-forehead pressed to the ground at Elowen’s feet, arms extended in the traditional gesture of complete submission. I held the position for a long moment, letting everyone see, letting them understand exactly what I was doing.

Then I rose smoothly, dirt from the ground still visible on my forehead like a badge of honor.

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“There.” I brushed off my clothes with deliberate casualness. “I’ve completed the ritual on the Queen’s behalf. Consider it my declaration of love-and of our equality.” My gaze swept across the audience, settling on Ronan last. “If anyone has something to say about it, speak now. Because whoever dares to obstruct my Queen’s coronation will die on this platform. And I’ll make sure that law gets written into the

new codes by morning.”

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