Chapter 650 – Coronation day drama II

Chapter 650: Chapter 650 – Coronation day drama II

Pandora’s gaze turned to her husband, disappointment filling her eyes, a deep, wounding disappointment that cut through the years of silence she had endured at his side.

She knew the room where the crowns were kept. She had seen it with her own eyes, had counted them herself. There were five identical crowns to hers, just as there were five identical crowns to Jaron’s.

He always told her it was for the security of the crown, for preventing theft. But now, standing in front of the assembled Alphas and leaders, she was beginning to see stars, the kind that preceded a devastating realization.

"Jay." Her voice was barely above a whisper, meant only for him. "Is there anything I should know?"

She needn’t be afraid because of all the people around them. Had it been just the two of them, she wouldn’t dare to open her mouth for fear he would lose his temper and abuse her.

The years had taught her that much, how to read the storm in his eyes, how to navigate his moods like a sailor navigating treacherous waters. But here, surrounded by witnesses, she was safe. At least for now.

Jaron’s heart was thumping violently in his chest, a wild drumbeat of panic. But his gaze remained hard, unyielding. "What nonsense?" His voice was sharp, dismissive. "No one knows the crown better than me."

Oriana smiled, a serene expression that didn’t reach her ancient eyes. She ambled to the podium, her movements graceful and unhurried, as if she had all the time in the world. "I’ll demonstrate the authenticity of the crown then."

Jaron wanted to stop her, his hand twitching at his side. But then again, he was the only one who knew the real crown. How could Oriana possibly know? To him, Oriana had been close friends with his wife but if she knew, then why did she never mention it before? The question gnawed at him, but he pushed it aside. She was bluffing.

"Sera, draw closer." Oriana’s voice carried across the hall, calm and commanding.

Seraphine looked at Voren, her eyes questioning. After his nod of approval, she stood up and began walking toward the podium, her ruby gown swishing softly against the marble floor. Before she stepped on the stairs, Oriana shook her head, raising a hand to stop her.

"Don’t waste your time." Oriana’s voice was gentle but firm. "If this crown was authentic, the mythical ruby necklace on your neck would have begun to glow by now."

Jaron’s gaze darkened dangerously, his eyes burning with cold fury. "Impossible." The word came out like a curse.

He’d heard about the mystical ruby, the most powerful stone used in activating the stones in the ancient protection relics. It was legendary, whispered about in ancient texts and forgotten histories.

Since those stones were too huge to carry around, they had been broken into both tiny and big crystals. Those broken stones were used to form the crown and other jewelry in the possession of the Lycans.

Now, how could Jaron have known that the greatest of all stones had been at the Grimroot pack all this while? According to ancient history, the crystal mythical ruby had long been missing, lost to time, to war, to the chaos that had scattered their kind across the world.

"How did you get it?" His voice cracked, shock registering in every syllable.

Even Vladimir was stunned by the revelation, his eyes widening. Oriana had only told him to gift it to their son on the day of his wedding if she didn’t make it out alive.

He had no idea that the rare rubies were mythical stones, had thought them merely beautiful, a family heirloom passed down through generations.

Oriana smiled faintly, her eyes carrying the weight of centuries. "Your question will be answered at the Blood Moon festival." She paused, her gaze sharpening. "But for now, I’m giving you the chance to bring out the real crown. The choice is yours, King Jaron. But I suggest you choose wisely."

Jaron’s teeth gritted together so hard his jaw ached. Then he suddenly forced a smile, the expression grotesque on his face. "You can’t blame me." His voice was oily, smooth. "To protect the crown, I had a lot of fakes made to look exactly like the originals." He spread his hands in a gesture of innocence. "Even I get confused sometimes."

Though Oriana knew he was lying, she didn’t expose him. Not for his sake, but for Liah’s. The young woman was now a member of the Grimroot pack, the wife of Corvine. This was Corvine’s father-in-law, and some mercies were necessary.

"I beg you not to waste anybody’s time." Oriana’s voice was soft but carried an undercurrent of steel. "Bring the real crowns before we proceed."

As soon as Jaron stood up to go fetch the crown, Jasper spoke behind him, his voice flat. "I’ll go with you."

Seraphine returned to her seat, still bewildered from all that was happening. Her mind raced, trying to piece together the fragments of revelation. She turned to Voren, her voice low. "Were you aware of this?"

Voren shook his head, his expression troubled. "No." He reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. "I guess we’ll just have to write down all our questions. The Blood Moon festival will not be so simple." His voice carried a note of foreboding.

Jaron returned with Jasper, the real crowns in their hands. The genuine articles gleamed with a different kind of light, richer, deeper, alive. To save Seraphine from walking over again, Jasper began to walk toward her, the crown in his hands, to test the authenticity of what Oriana had said.

As soon as he descended the podium, the crown in his hand glowed, a soft, pulsing light that seemed to breathe. Everyone was stunned, gasps rippling through the crowd like wind through wheat.

But Voren noticed something else, a reflection on Seraphine’s face. His gaze dropped to her chest.

There, the ruby necklace on her chest was glowing too, a deep, pulsating crimson that seemed to beat in time with her heart.

Jaron was stunned, his face draining of all color. Indeed, the mythical stone could activate the power of the crown. But the Lycans said it didn’t exist because they couldn’t find it.

That was the reason why the blood of the white wolf was needed to activate the crown’s power when the stone was absent. But now, it was clear that the blood of the white wolf wasn’t needed to activate the crown anymore.

"Queen Pandora, please proceed." Oriana’s voice cut through the stunned silence. She walked back to her chair beside her husband, her posture serene.

Vladimir looked at her with pride shimmering in his eyes, his chest swelling with emotion. "Will you tell me about this mythical stone?" His voice was low, meant only for her. "How come I know nothing about it? How long have you kept this secret?"