[BL] Alpha, You've Got the Wrong Mate!

Chapter 362: 362 — Not Justice

The matter did not take long to reach the Emperor’s ears, despite Zayden’s attempts to prevent it. He had known from the beginning that it would happen sooner or later. And he knew exactly what it meant.

Ren would have to prove his innocence—assuming the Emperor was willing to grant him that opportunity in the first place.

After all, he was allegedly the man responsible for the deaths of countless Revharan soldiers.

The Grim Reaper of Hianshu.

A name stained with blood in the eyes of many.

Whether the accusations were true or not no longer mattered to the public. The moment his identity had been revealed, judgment had already begun.

As a ruler, Zaphyr could not simply ignore such a matter.

The deaths of his people demanded answers.

And if Ren were truly responsible, punishment would follow.

That was the burden of a crown. A burden that required justice to be placed above personal feelings. No matter who stood before the throne.

In the court, Zaphyr sat upon his throne while Soren occupied the seat beside him, his fingers fidgeting restlessly in his lap.

He didn’t know what to think.

What to believe.

The omega who had always appeared so kind and gentle—was he truly nothing more than a spy?

And if that wasn’t enough, he was supposedly the very man Soren had despised with all his heart for years.

The Grim Reaper.

The name alone carried enough weight to make his chest tighten.

When the news had first reached him that morning, Soren had refused to believe it. He had convinced himself it was a misunderstanding, a cruel rumour, anything but the truth.

Yet reality had struck the moment he saw his brother.

Zayden stood before him looking nothing like himself. His eyes were red, as though he hadn’t slept all night. His lips were dry and cracked, as if he hadn’t allowed a single drop of water to pass them.

The usual confidence and composure that never seemed to leave him were nowhere to be found.

For the first time in years, Zayden looked broken.

And that was when Soren understood: This wasn’t a nightmare. It wasn’t a misunderstanding. It was a cruel reality neither of them could escape. Or at least, a reality they had been told was true. And somehow, that uncertainty only made everything worse.

”The knights are investigating. I believe we will have clear answers soon,” Zaphyr sighed, running a hand through his hair.

It had not been long since his eldest son’s wedding. The palace had been filled with laughter, celebration, and joy. For once, there had seemed to be no room for sorrow.

Then everything had fallen apart.

His second son’s lover had been exposed as a traitor.

A spy.

Or so the evidence claimed.

From a young age, Zayden had always been too trusting. Too willing to see the good in others. It was a trait Zaphyr had often scolded him for, fearing that one day someone would take advantage of it.

But never to this extent.

Never had he imagined that the person who had managed to earn his son’s trust would be someone carrying so many secrets.

The thought alone made his chest ache.

Yet what pained him even more was seeing the state Zayden was in.

The young man had not eaten.

Had barely spoken.

And judging by his appearance that morning, he had not slept either.

Zaphyr might be an emperor before all else, but he was still a father.

He could reprimand Zayden for his choices.

He could criticize his judgment.

But that did not change the fact that Zayden was his son.

His blood.

And watching him suffer was no easier than suffering himself.

Had this involved anyone else, Zaphyr would not have wasted a second.

The moment the accusations surfaced, he would have ordered the traitor’s execution and moved on.

However, this was different.

Because the accused was not merely a spy. He was the man Zayden loved.

”How can we do that, Your Imperial Majesty?!”

”We can’t give that man a chance to escape!”

The ministers erupted into outrage, their voices echoing throughout the court.

The mere thought of granting the accused another opportunity was enough to make their blood boil.

To them, Ren was not an ordinary prisoner. He was the Grim Reaper.

The man they believed had stained countless battlefields with the blood of Revharan soldiers.

The man they held responsible for the deaths of their sons, brothers, fathers, and friends. Years of grief and resentment surged to the surface all at once.

One minister slammed his fist against his desk. ”My son never returned from that battlefield!”

”My younger brother died in the war because of that monster!” Another immediately rose to his feet.

”He deserves no mercy!”

”Why should we waste time investigating further?”

”Execute him immediately!”

The accusations came one after another, each louder than the last.

Some spoke from anger.

Others from sorrow.

Most from both.

To them, this was not politics.

It was personal.

The court descended into chaos as voices overlapped throughout the grand hall.

And at the center of it all sat Zaphyr, silently listening as his ministers demanded blood.

Not justice.

Blood.

Only the death of the man they called a murderer would satisfy the hatred festering within their hearts.

Soren remained silent, unable to voice his thoughts for the first time in a long while.

Part of him wanted to defend Ren.

To stand up for the omega who had shown him nothing but kindness.

His friend.

Yet what could he possibly say before a room full of people demanding justice for their dead loved ones?

What argument could outweigh years of grief?

What words could ease the pain of fathers who had buried their sons, or brothers who had never seen their family return from war?

His lips parted, only to close again.

And worse than the ministers’ outrage was one undeniable fact.

Zayden believed Ren was guilty.

The very same Zayden who had been willing to challenge the world for that omega. The same man who had ignored status, reputation, and countless warnings because he trusted him.

Loved him.

If even Zayden had reached that conclusion, then who was Soren to argue otherwise?

His gaze drifted across the court until it landed on his younger brother.

The sight made his chest tighten.

Zayden stood motionless, his expression unreadable.

Yet Soren knew him well enough to see through the facade.

The dark circles beneath his eyes. The exhaustion hidden behind his rigid posture. The way his hands remained clenched at his sides. He looked like a man trying desperately not to fall apart.

And somehow, that hurt more than the accusations themselves. Because if Ren truly was guilty, then Zayden had lost the person he loved.

But if Ren is innocent...

Then Zayden had personally sent him to the dungeon, breaking the trust Ren had in him.