Alpha’s Black Furred Slave Mate
Chapter 96

It was a race against time to get to Mooncrest. None of them were really sure what to expect once they arrived. But Marlon was determined to stop his son from doing whatever it was he was planning on doing; he was about to destroy everything Marlon and his family had built up over the years. It was never supposed to go down like this.

The closer they got to the manor, the more fury that rose within Marlon.

The manor came into view, and this only made him run faster. He could smell Alex and he knew the king was nearby as well.

He was surprised that his remaining guards weren't at the gates when they arrived at the manor. But he remembered Petra mentioning that she got rid of everybody at the manor, driving them away. He didn't think that meant his guards as well though. It didn't matter. He was going to get everybody back, once he found them. He's not sure what Petra said to everyone to get them to leave, but she said she didn't kill anybody so that was a relief on his end.

As he barged into the doors of his manor, he transitioned back into his human form. Petra wasn't exaggerating; she completely destroyed the manor. It looked as if no one has lived there in years. He couldn't help but wonder if she did this alone, or if she had help alongside her. But it looked like a complete rampage stormed through the manor.

Everything was broken; the floorboards were ripped apart; the walls had holes along with them and the decals were shattered across the ground. The frames that held together Marlon's family and late family were crushed. Chairs were flipped upside down and the legs broke off, same with the tables. It smelled of mildew. Dust piled in the corners of the walls with spiderwebs.

All the lamps were shattered; the manor was completely dark with only a couple of candles to keep the area lit.

This wasn't the home he had left only a few days ago.

Alex stood in the center of the foyer with the king who was looking around with dismay written all over his face. They both turned to face Marlon as he entered and Alex's eyes widened in shock as he stared at his father who was no longer trapped in the castle. "Father..." Alex said, practically speechless. "You're alive."

"Is that a problem?" Marlon asked, staring his son up and down.

Not before long, Bob ran in with Deonna and Kamala trailing behind him. Kamala still looked weak from when she broke the shield. Deonna had mentioned that it took a lot out of her, and she nearly didn't make it through. Her wolf was rejecting the powers that the light magic was giving her and at the same time, the light magic nearly took her body over. She wasn't strong enough for such power and it nearly killed her.

"Your majesty, it isn't what it looks like," Bob said as he approached his brother. "This man set this whole thing up to make it look like my father isn't fit to run this kingdom. But he was trapped for days and within that time my brother took it upon himself to destroy everything my father worked so hard to build and maintain."

The king looked between everyone; there was concern on his face for only a brief moment. Marlon could tell he felt a bit lost and overwhelmed. But that only lasted a moment; he straightened his back and looked over at Deonna.

"What it looks like is you have deceived me!! Those dirtballs were supposed to die and yet here they are... alive," the king hissed through his teeth. "You disrespected me and my kingdom."

"I won't allow any harm to come to Deonna or my son," Marlon said, stepping forward.

"So, the rumors are true? You mated with the dirtball?" The king spat. "Pathetic."

"This kingdom means the world to me," Marlon tried to argue.

"Then prove it!" This king hissed. "Kill the dirtballs."

Deonna tensed from beside him.

"And if I refuse?" Marlon asked.

"Perhaps a trial. Fair and square. Winner takes all and the loser... well loser dies," Alex suggested, staring directly at Deonna. They all turned to look at him for a moment.

"Hear our stories and decide for yourself, your majesty, who takes the estate and who meets a fatal end," Alex continued.

Marlon tensed at his words; he was ready to fight if it was necessary to keep Deonna safe.

"Alright..." The king finally answered after a long pause. "We will hold a trial at the palace. I will hear both your stories and the queen and I will decide who gets the estate and who dies. But I promise you... the dirtballs will die regardless of the outcome. We cannot have this outrageous behavior in the kingdoms."

"When will this trial be held?" Marlon asked, keeping his stance straightened and his eyes locked on Alex.

"The trial will take place tomorrow at sundown," the king announced. "We will decide once and for all the true holder of the estate. But rest assured... the dirtballs will die."

The king started to walk out of the manor, but he stopped as he reached Deonna.

"I will not allow a dirtball to obtain such power over my noblemen," he hissed, low enough for only Deonna to hear.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Deonna heard herself saying straightening her stance.

She surprised herself with how straightforward she was against the king, but she wasn't going to let him intimidate her.

He gave her a sly smile and a low laugh in his throat.

"We'll see about that," he said as he walked out the manor doors.

Marlon stared at Deonna as she began breathing heavily; she looked as if she was about to burst into tears at any moment. There was so much about his discoveries that he needed to tell her; he wasn't sure how, to begin with, the fact that she was actually a duchess and that it's been hidden from her.

Alex stood in front of his father; sizing him up. He seemed so small in comparison to Marlon but that didn't seem to faze him.

He glanced over at Petra who was standing off in the distance from Marlon; she looked almost ashamed as Alex approached her.

"I knew you'd betray me," he spat at her. "After everything I have done for you..."

"All you did was lie to me," she said to him, tears filling her eyes. "You never intended to marry me."

"And so what? You still would have gotten what you wanted. Deonna to be gone," he hissed.

"That's not everything I wanted. I wanted her gone because I wanted the power. I wanted to be in her position. It wasn't fair that a dirtball got everything I wanted," she hissed back.

"You were never going to get what you wanted, even if she was never around. You'd always be the bottom-of-the-barrel maid," he said through gritted teeth.

"Go to hell," she seethed.

He laughed, but the laughter didn't meet his eyes; it sounded strained and forced as he left the manor.

"We aren't going to let him win," Marlon promised as they watched the door slamming shut.