Chapter 34: 34. Charlie’s reverse alpha(s) and a castle
AT THE SAME TIME
MICHAEL
I barely had time to absorb the Elder’s revelation before Charlie bounced forward, grin wide and impossible.
"Wait... so you’re really Valerion?!" He squealed. "Like... royalty royalty? That’s amazing!"
I froze, holding my head, trying not to faint again. My wolf buried itself deeper into me.
"Yes... I—uh..."I muttered.
Charlie spun around to everyone else.
"You hear that?! Our Michael is a royal! Can you imagine?"Charlie smirked.
Adrian’s eyes went wide, but instead of awe, he smirked devilishly.
"So... does that mean you’re extra hot now, Your Highness?" "He teased, leaning closer, one brow raised.
Terrence groaned, muttering something under his breath about how he didn’t sign up for this circus. Xavier, for once, looked like he was both calculating and exasperated, rubbing his temples.
"Hot?" I sputtered, glaring. "I’m... I’m processing family secrets, not... hotness!"
Charlie rolled his eyes, ignoring me completely.
"Oh, come on! You’re royalty and carrying a pup! The drama just wrote itself. Zavier, you better be taking notes!"Charlie said.
Zavier’s silver eyes narrowed, but a tiny smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
"I am already taking notes. And Michael, don’t even think about fainting again." He tightened his hold on me.
Adrian leaned closer to Charlie, smirk never leaving his face.
"So... now that you know Michael’s a Valerion... do you finally admit you like me?"Adrian grinned. "Like properly and telling me?"
Charlie’s jaw dropped.
"What?!"He asked.
"Come on." Adrian teased, sliding an arm around my brother. "You’ve been grinning at me the entire time! Own it!"
Terrence and Xavier, who had been standing stiffly, suddenly looked like they wanted to vanish into the nearest tree.
"Why are we even here..."Terrence muttered.
"This is chaos... but I like it."Selene smirked for the first time ever.
Rose simply grinned.
"I... I mean..." Charlie stammered, cheeks burning. "I... uh... I do like you, Adrian!"
Adrian’s smirk finally faltered into a genuine blush. "Well... about time someone admitted it around here." He muttered, ducking his head.
Zavier pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing audibly.
"And here I thought the only chaos today was going to be Michael discovering he’s carrying a pup."Zavier said.
Terrence growled under his breath, leaning slightly forward.
"I swear... if anyone teases me one more second..."He started.
Charlie laughed, nudging me.
"Big brother, see what your royal blood attracts? Chaos, hot blushes, and dramatic swooning. Welcome to your family reunion!"Charlie grinned.
I groaned, hiding my face in my hands, wolf letting out a pitiful whine. The Goddess floated above us, radiant and still smiling.
"Oh, Michael." She said cheerily. "Don’t tell me you thought being chosen was going to be quiet and dignified. I did warn you about the... extracurricular excitement."
I peeked through my fingers.
"Extracurricular excitement? You chose me... knowing this would happen?!"Godness asked.
"Absolutely." She said with a wink, eyes twinkling. "And now, let the chaos continue!"
Before anyone could protest, Charlie grabbed Adrian’s arm again, Adrian groaned, Terrence and Xavier groaned louder, and Zavier just held me tighter, smirking faintly. My wolf whimpered, tail puffing out, as I realized... I wasn’t just royalty. I was the epicenter of a storm of teasing, chaos, and absurdity. And somehow... I was already plotting revenge. Selene’s eyes narrowed, green and sharp, like she was about to interrogate a suspect.
"Charlie... what exactly are you planning to do with Terrence and Xavier?" She asked, tone suspicious but tinged with amusement.
Charlie grinned, bouncing in place like he’d just been asked the best question of his life.
"Oh... them? I mean... they can try. You know... I like having a few mates. Not just one."Charlie said.
Silence hit the room like someone had dropped a thunderbolt. Terrence choked mid breath, eyes widening as his face turned an alarming shade of red. Xavier’s calculating gaze faltered entirely, and the tips of his ears flushed deep crimson. Both were practically vibrating in place, trying, and failing to maintain their usual alpha composure. Adrian, of course, smirked devilishly, leaning closer to me.
"Well... this just got interesting." He whispered, clearly entertained by their discomfort.
Selene’s jaw dropped, Rose immediately covered her mouth to stifle laughter, and even Zavier’s silver eyes flicked between the blushing alphas and Charlie, trying to hide his own smirk. Charlie, blissfully unaware of the chaos he’d just unleashed, shrugged innocently.
"What? I like to keep things fair. More mates = more fun, right?"Charlie asked.
Terrence groaned, pressing a hand to his face.
"Fair? This is... not fair!"He said.
"I cannot believe this... an omega..."Xavier muttered.
"Yes, an omega." Charlie said cheerfully, cutting him off. "And not just any omega. Me! So... go ahead. Try your luck!"
Adrian’s smirk widened, clearly enjoying watching the usually unshakable alphas squirm.
"Oh... this is going to be entertaining." He murmured, tail twitching with amusement.
I groaned inwardly, wolf pressing close as if to shield me from further chaos, but there was no hiding. The room was erupting into a mix of blushing, muttered protests, and laughter, and I knew... somehow, this was all my fault. And somewhere deep inside, I had to admit that Charlie’s grin was infectious. I was still burying my burning face in my hands when the Elder shuffled closer, staff tapping against the floor with deliberate weight. The chaos around me, Charlie bouncing, Adrian smirking, Terrence and Xavier blushing like guilty pups, Selene looking ready to collapse into her teacup, froze instantly as the old man cleared his throat.
"Enough." He said, voice carrying the kind of gravity that silenced even Rose’s grin for a second. His sharp, weathered eyes pinned me in place. "It is time."
"Time?" I croaked, peeking out between my fingers.
My wolf lifted its head inside me, ears flicked forward, cautious. The Elder’s gaze softened just a fraction.
"You have been told who you are, boy. Now you must see what that means. The Valerion castle awaits you. Your true home."Elder said.
For a second, my brain didn’t register the words.
"Castle?!" I squeaked, nearly tipping sideways in Zavier’s arms.
Charlie gasped dramatically, grabbing Adrian’s sleeve.
"Oh my gods! A castle?! Big brother, you’ve been holding out on us!"Charlie shouted.
"I didn’t know about a castle!" I yelped. "I thought my last name was Stoneheart! I grew up in a pack that treated me like I was a broken tool, and now you’re telling me I have a-" My voice cracked. "-castle?!"
Rose actually clapped, grinning wide.
"This is getting better by the minute. First a pup, now a castle reveal. You really are living in a drama saga."Rose grinned.
Selene’s sharp eyes narrowed in thought, but her lips twitched, almost amused despite herself.
"Valerion castle..."She whispered. "So it really does exist."
Adrian smirked at me.
"Well, Highness, does that mean we’ll have to start bowing to you? Or are you more of a ’kiss the hand’ kind of royal?"Adrian asked.
I turned so red I thought I might combust on the spot.
"I no! Don’t! Nobody is kissing anything-!"I shouted.
Charlie waved his hands dramatically.
"Excuse you, Adrian, I get first dibs on being his hand kissing brother. The rest of you can fight over scraps!"Charlie grinned.
Terrence muttered something like ’kill me now’ under his breath. Xavier’s face was stone, but his ears were still betraying him with a deep crimson flush. The Elder slammed his staff once against the floor.
"Gather yourselves. We leave at dawn. The Valerion castle has been waiting long enough."Elder said.
Zavier’s arms tightened around me, his voice low and steady against my ear.
"Then that’s where we’re going."Zavier said.
The room erupted all over again, priestesses squealing, Rose openly laughing, Selene muttering about destiny, Adrian teasing Charlie, Terrence and Xavier trying not to look like they were imploding, Charlie declaring he wanted his own royal room with velvet curtains and me? I just groaned, clutching Zavier’s shirt, wolf pressed tight against my chest. A castle. A pup. A title. And apparently, enough chaos to kill me twice over before sundown.
"Moon Goddess save me." I muttered.
From somewhere above, the Goddess’s amused voice rang like bells.
"Oh, Michael." She laughed. "I am saving you. In my own way."
I was not reassured. I thought I was prepared. Really, I did. We’d been walking all morning, through forest and valley, past hills that seemed to stretch on forever. Zavier, as always, stayed steady at my side, his hand brushing mine every so often like a silent anchor. But then the trees parted. And there it was. The Valerion castle.
"That’s..." I whispered, throat catching. "That’s mine?"
The Elder nodded gravely.
"Your bloodline’s home. The Valerion seat."He said.
My heart flipped upside down.
"No, no, no... see, castles are for royals. Important people. Not for fainting, chaos magnet omegas who accidentally collect alphas like stray cats."I explained fast.
Charlie gasped dramatically, clutching my arm.
"Don’t you dare downplay this! Our family has a castle! I call dibs on the biggest window room!"He said happily.
"Window room?!" I squeaked. "You don’t even live here!"
Adrian grinned, sliding up beside Charlie.
"Actually, if he mates me, technically I’d live here too. Which means-" He winked. "-I get first dibs on royal bedrooms."
Terrence growled low, storm grey eyes flashing.
"Over my dead body."Terrence said.
"Tempting." Adrian shot back, smirk sharp.
Before Terrence could lunge, Xavier finally spoke, his voice smooth and dangerously calm.
"If anyone thinks they’re laying claim to a Valerion chamber before I calculate the defensive wards, they’re fools."He said annoyed.
Charlie clapped like this was the best play he’d ever seen.
"See, big brother? You already have knights fighting over your castle."Charlie said.
My face burned hotter than the sun. My wolf whimpered.
"They’re not knights, they’re lunatics." I muttered.
The Elder ignored the chaos entirely, gesturing forward.
"Come. There is something you must see."He said.
We crossed the gates. Priestesses gasped audibly as we passed Selene actually pressed her hands together, reverent for once, whispering about ’the Goddess’s blessed chambers.’ Rose leaned in, smirking.
"Do you know what those rooms are for, Michael?" She asked sweetly.
I blinked at her.
"What... rooms?"I asked.
"The nursery wings." Selene said before Rose could tease more, eyes sharp but shining. "Rooms protected by the Goddess herself. For royal pups and their mates. The wards are... ancient."
I choked on air.
"NURSERY WINGS?!"I shouted.
Zavier smirked beside me, silver eyes glinting.
"Sounds useful."He said.
"Useful?!" I yelped. "We’re not even-!" My face turned crimson. "I do have pup but...Stop looking at me like that!"
The Elder led me down a quiet hallway, past velvet banners and portraits I didn’t dare look too closely at. We stopped at a door.
"This was... your room."He said.
I froze. My hand shook as I reached for the handle. And when the door swung open and there it was. A room frozen in time. Little trinkets on the shelves, blankets folded neatly, the faintest shimmer of protective wards woven into the walls. A room for a child who’d never grown up here. For me. My knees wobbled. My chest caved in. Tears burned hot down my cheeks before I could stop them. My wolf whimpered, tail low, pressing against me in grief and longing. Behind me, no one said a word. For once, even Charlie was silent.
"This was yours." The Elder whispered again.
I pressed a trembling hand to the frame of the bed, shoulders shaking.
"Then why... why was I left out there? Why didn’t anyone come for me?"I asked.
No one answered. Only silence. Heavy, suffocating, filled with questions that burned holes through my chest.
And somewhere, faint as moonlight, I heard her. The Goddess.
"Because destiny waited for you, little wolf." She whispered, her voice soft but unshakable.
"Your legacy is why I chose you second. The world needed you to survive this far... to return here."
My breath hitched. Selene gasped, clutching her chest, and even Rose’s smile faltered with something softer. Zavier stepped closer, hand brushing mine. Not pushing. Just... there. And me? I broke. I sank onto the bed, tears spilling freely, wolf howling softly in my chest, and for the first time since this madness began... I felt the weight of who I really was. Not just Michael Stoneheart. Not just a chaotic omega. Michael Valerion. And my story wasn’t even close to done.