THE CROWN OF THE ALPHA KING

BOOK 4 OF THE BOUND SERIES

MARCELLO AZAZEL’S POV

The d*mn b*st*rd was alive, and his dragon had awakened. Fury burned in my veins as I paced up and down the cold, damp dungeon by the sea in Yukon. Each step echoed off the stone walls, a rhythmic drumbeat of my escalating rage.

I spun on my heel and glared at the human man cowering in the corner. His white hair fell over his shoulders in disarray, giving him a pitiful, disheveled appearance. “You told me you knew your adopted son well,” I hissed, my voice like venom. “Why the hell did he survive?”

The man’s lip curled into a bitter sneer as he finally turned to face me. “My name is Joseph Roman,” he spat, his tone defiant. “I adopted Luka. Ten years later, I lost my parents, my wife... my entire family. That boy is a d*mn curse!”

He took a step closer, his voice rising with deranged anger. “He’s gay, an embarrassment to everything I built, to my name! And you—” he pointed a trembling finger at me, his eyes bloodshot—“you didn’t tell me he was a supernatural being! A dragon and a wolf?!”

Joseph’s bitter laugh echoed through the chamber, harsh and manic. “You think I could have stopped something like that? Ha! I was set up to fail from the start!”

“Shut up,” Alice Vance growled from the far corner. She sat stiffly with her daughter, niece, and nephew gathered around her like a council of failure. Her icy glare cut through Joseph’s rant, but it did little to cool the fire roaring in my chest.

“You all failed!” I roared, my voice shaking the walls. My fists clenched at my sides as I fought the urge to strike something—or someone. “All of you! You promised me that boy would die, and now look at the mess we’re in!”

Joseph smirked bitterly, unrepentant even in the face of my fury. “Maybe you should’ve done it yourself,” he muttered, loud enough to earn him another glare from Alice.

I stopped pacing, my gaze narrowing on him like a predator locking onto its prey. “Careful, old man,” I warned, my voice low and dangerous. “You might just find out how merciless I can be.”

The room fell silent, the tension so thick it choked the air. Alice’s daughter shifted uneasily, her eyes darting to her mother for guidance. But no one dared speak. They all knew the truth—we had all underestimated Luka Roman Ander.

I turned to Roman, my patience wearing thin. The man leaned against the damp stone wall of the dungeon, his white hair falling loosely around his shoulders. His posture was deceptively calm, but his eyes flickered with unease as he avoided my piercing glare.

“What about his mother, your wife ?” I demanded, my voice laced with barely restrained fury. “Have you found out where she’s hiding?”

Roman pushed off the wall, his expression hardening as he met my gaze. “I’ve searched for years,” he said, his tone flat but resolute. “Every lead I followed turned into nothing. She’s either dead or so d*mn good at hiding that no one can find her—not even me.”

I stepped closer to him, the air between us charged with tension. “You expect me to believe that?” I growled. “A woman who betrayed her bloodline and brought a dragon-born child into this world just vanished without a trace?!”

Roman’s jaw tightened, and he folded his arms across his chest. “Believe what you want, Marcello,” he snapped. “But I’ve done more than anyone else to find her. She’s either buried in some unmarked grave or hiding in a place no one dares to look.”

His words only stoked the fire of my frustration. I turned away, pacing the length of the room as my thoughts churned. The idea of her out there somewhere, possibly scheming, was infuriating. She had been the key to all of this—the woman who had ensured that b*st*rd’s survival.

From the corner, Alice Vance’s icy voice broke the silence. “If she’s alive, she’s a threat. A mother will do anything to protect her child.”

I spun to face her, my eyes narrowing. “You think I don’t know that?” I snapped. “If she’s alive, she’ll regret the day she chose to defy me. I’ll make sure of it.”

Alice tilted her head, her lips curling into a sinister smirk. “Then perhaps it’s time to focus on drawing her out. Use her precious son as bait.”

I didn’t respond, though her words settled heavily in my mind. A plan was forming, dark and calculated, as I stared at the cold, damp walls of the dungeon. If Luka Roman Ander was the key to finding his mother, I would use him in any way necessary.

Roman shifted uncomfortably, clearing his throat. “Be careful, Marcello. If she’s alive, she’s survived this long for a reason. She won’t go down easily.”

I turned to him, my eyes blazing with determination. “Neither will I.”

A faint sound echoed from outside the dungeon, interrupting our conversation. All heads turned toward the heavy wooden door, the air crackling with anticipation. Moments later, the door creaked open, revealing my spy from the Yukon—Gregory Molls.

He staggered inside, his face pale and slick with sweat, his chest rising and falling as though he had run for miles. His usual composure was nowhere to be seen, replaced by an aura of barely contained fury. His eyes darted around the room, assessing the situation before finally locking onto me.

“What happened?” I demanded, my voice sharp and cutting through the tension like a blade.

Gregory took a few steps closer, his fists clenched at his sides. “The Timber Pack… they held a conference,” he began, his voice low and bitter. “They brought everyone into that damned room—Elliana, Lady Celine, me—put us on trial like criminals.” He spat on the dungeon floor, his disgust evident.

“They had the seer,” he continued, his gaze darkening as he mentioned Samara Yasha. “She exposed everything. Lady Celine’s betrayal, my supposed ‘collusion.’ I had to stand there and pretend I didn’t know a thing, while they dragged me into their twisted game. And now…” He paused, his voice faltering as anger flashed across his face. “Now they’ve sentenced me to be a slave in the Dragon Realm.”

A grim smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I stared at him down, my mind already calculating the opportunities. “Good,” I said finally, my tone calm and deliberate. “Let them take you to the Dragon Realm. It’s the perfect place for you to gather information for me. Lay low until the heat dies, and I will find you.”

Gregory hesitated, his anger giving way to reluctant understanding. He nodded once, the weight of his fate evident in his slumped shoulders. But before he turned to leave, he glanced back at me.

“Marcello,” he said, his voice quieter but no less urgent. “Samara Yasha… She's no ordinary seer. She’s powerful. Taking her down will be difficult—if not impossible—.”

I narrowed my eyes, his words fueling my smoldering anger. As Gregory exited the room, his footsteps fading into the distance, I turned to face the others. Their eyes reflected a mix of fear and anticipation.

“We’re leaving for the Demon Realm,” I announced, my voice resolute. “It’s the only place we can hide for now. We’ll regroup, plan, and strike when the time is right.”

Alice shifted in her chair, her lips curling into a cold smile. “And what’s the plan, Marcello?”

I stepped forward, my gaze sweeping over each of them as my resolve hardened. “We will ensure Luka Roman Ander never becomes the Alpha King. He will not live long enough to claim his throne.”

LUKA’S POV

Staring at Cornwell, sound asleep beside me, made my heart flutter in ways I could not explain. A small breath of happiness escaped my lips before I could stop it. It was clear—I was completely and irrevocably in love with him. The way his chest rose and fell so steadily, the soft glow of moonlight brushing his features—it was perfect.

I reached out, rubbing his back gently, savoring the warmth of his skin under my fingertips. His wolf, Mark, stirred at the contact, rising within him, and a low, happy whine filled the bond between us. He is still hesitant about leaving the Yukon pack, Mark pushed the thought forward, his tone soft but tinged with concern.

“I know,” I whispered, nodding even though Cornwell was deep in sleep. “I understand. But you do not need to worry. Dylan will stay behind Emmet to run the Timber pack business. They will keep things steady, protect it from outsiders.”

Mark growled softly, a sound of agreement, but