Mated to A Rival Alpha-Chapter 167: I Saw A Ghost And Lived?

[RANIA]

The night that had been dark was slowly making its way through to the morning, a realization that dawned on the siblings that had chosen to walk the long road to Incayon instead of using portals.

With Chang Wook’s portals, their journey would have been mere seconds long, but then they needed to take in what had happened. They needed to face reality and remind themselves of what was waiting for them when dawn came.

It had been weird that they had come to Calindra, but as it was, that was the only motivation Kim Rania needed to finally bring karma to Obren’s front door.

She knew that there was a chance that she would forever lose Jihoon if she pursued her vengeance and refused to be forgiving. She was very aware of that, but what was she even going to be fighting for?

A man who she didn’t truly know?

A man who had been a pain in her ass for years on end?

What was there to lose with Jihoon really?

The mate bond she had never gotten to experience in the first place?

Hell, she barely knew the man outside of what the wolves knew about him; and that was all the general information out there.

Everything just wasn’t as easy as it could have been if they had met at the ball, and rejected each other. It wouldn’t have been a fight of who screwed who over but it would have been a dead fight of what not to fight for anymore.

However, just like Rania had sworn to herself, if she was going to lose anything this time, then everyone else would feel the pinch of her pain.

"We’re here," Chang Wook said to Rania when they reached the gates of Incayon. It was already dawn and the sun was making its way slowly from the horizon. It could have been a beautiful sight, but if only there was something for the siblings to be happier about today.

"Yeah. Let’s do this," Rani said, taking a deep breath.

It had been months since the gates of Incayon had closed on her and standing here, she felt like this was just deja vu again. She could hear Dalrae’s voice telling her that she didn’t have to accept the king’s banishment and that Incayon could be a rebellious state.

She could hear Dalrae’s pleas for her not to leave and yet she had eventually left.

She could hear her father’s voice as he proudly announced before everyone that Kim Rania was disowned.

She could hear the cheers of the wolves who had once been her friends until the mating ball opened.

She had so many memories within the compound evening these gates and even in front of these gates as she trained with her best friends like they were practicing or war.

These gates had been her home for so many years and yet they didn’t hesitate to shut on her face when she needed them the most.

"Rani, are you okay?" Chang Wook asked when he noticed that she had once again zoned out. He didn’t know much of her experience in Incayon, but seeing her that hesitant, he could tell that she was being hit by a wave of memories.

He wasn’t sure whether they were happy or sad, but he could see that whatever it was had taken a toll on her and got her contemplating if coming home was ever really a good idea. Then again, the only way to know was to make herself known, right?

"Yes, of course, I’m okay. What could go wrong other than them shutting these same gates at my face again, right?" Rania said before she knocked on the very gates that had closed on her like she was an outcast to them.

But maybe she really was an outcast.

Coming back home was never Rani’s plan, but she figured that she needed more than her army of friends. Granted, her friends were powerful, loyal, and would definitely be tagging along on all her wars, but Rania needed a large army if she was going to win this.

She needed an army that she had worked with and an army that she had brought to life. She needed an army that she trusted and while this particular battalion hated her, she didn’t have a choice but to turn to them for help.

Incayon was going to help her fight her battles, voluntarily, or Rani would have to coerce them into helping her.

After all, according to the Obren laws, Kim Rania was still the reigning alpha.

"Open the gates, Kylian," Rania said, her voice so strong, when she noticed that the warriors were there, had heard her gentle knocks, and yet they had declined to open the gates.

Hearing Rani’s voice was like an illusion to the Incayon warriors who hadn’t yet gotten word that the king wanted Incayon to take on the mission to hunt down Rania and Chang Wook. It was like a lost dream, one that they couldn’t pursue at any time.

"Is it me, or do I hear alpha Rania’s voice?" one of the warriors asked and the others just looked at him as if he had gone crazy.

Maybe he had, because everyone knew that Rania was supposed to be away from the realm for ten years, before living her life outside Obren for eternity.

"She’s banished from the realm for ten years, remember? Besides, she is not the kind to skip a punishment. Her pride wouldn’t let her" another warrior said and Rani let out a light scoff, before banging the gates again.

Of course, her warriors knew just how prideful she was and yet even with all that pride and confidence, Kim Rania was back home where she wasn’t wanted.

She knew that she was being a little irrational waking the whole pack like that, but she didn’t have the time to explain and deal with their worries and doubts. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

If they had things that they needed to sort, then they could always feel free to ask her, but until then, she was out of time and her patience had run thin.

"Kylian, Greymark, and Darell, you three have five seconds to open these goddamn gates or I’m bringing them down. Your choice," Rani said, and this time, there was command in her voice.

The trio that was at the gates instantly got up, unsure of whether they were supposed to open the gates for a ghost.

They still believed that Rania was away and honestly, that was the only reason Rania was being patient with them even though she was already impatient by the second.

"Yeah right, I’d like to see you tr—" Kylian said as he opened the tiny door on the gate that they used for when they came in and didn’t have to open the wider gates.

The sight that met him, however, made him feel like either he was high on a cold morning, or karma had finally come knocking. Surely Karma wouldn’t wear the face of the alpha they had failed to defend when they needed to, right?

"You?" Darell asked when he saw Kim Rania and the Viking from the festival.