*Theo*
I watched Ciana while she slept. Her breathing was even and her hair a little ssy, but she looked absolutely stunning to .
Knock. Knock.
Sighing, I reluctantly left Ciana in bed to answer the door before the knocking woke her up. She was sleeping so deeply and peacefully, I really didn’t want to disturb her.
“Sherry, what are you doing here this early?” I arched an eyebrow at her when I opened the door.
“Good morning to you too!” Sherry smirked slyly, looking up and down. I was only wearing a pair of sports shorts. “I’m not interrupting anything am I?”
I crossed my arms. “Is this urgent? If not...” I was about to close the door.
“Wait, wait, Alpha!” She swept away her teasing expression and put on a professional smile. “Yes, it’s about Beta,” Sherry said.
“Jake? He should be able to handle the rebellions.” I frowned, “Is he alright? Did anything unexpected happen?”
If Jake sohow got hurt, that ant the rebels were a lot more difficult to handle and we thought
“Yes... well no...”
My heart sank a little, but before I said anything, Sherry went on, “He is okay, but he is losing it! He’s been crying himself to sleep every night without you,” Sherry said, giving a dramatic gaze and burst into laughter.
I let out a sigh of relief. Alright, at least it wasn’t so bad war news. Then I reached out to close the door again. “Jake can handle himself.”
“Alpha, Alpha!” Sherry held the door so that I couldn’t close it. “I know you’re here for a little R and R, but he kept asking Greg when you will be back, and Greg kept bugging about it...”
“Tell them to suck it up and deal with it on their own for right now.”
“Please get back out there on the battlefields to help him. Otherwise...” She shrugged at . “I might have to see my Beta throw in the towel and run ho with his tail between his legs!”
I growled and shook my head. I very much doubted that Jake was crying or unable to handle the situation. But Sherry was right. I needed to focus on the rebellions and stabilizing the kingdom. I’d confird that Ciana and her pack were fine now, and that was the purpose of the trip.
“Alright, tell him I’ll be there by dawn tomorrow.” I sighed.
“You’re the best king and alpha ever,” Sherry said. She winked at playfully and spun around, leaving just as quickly as she’d shown up.
I headed back upstairs to lay down next to Ciana. She moaned and rolled toward , blinking herself awake.
“Oh, good morning.” She smiled shyly. Her cheeks ward to a rosy pink and I ran my thumb along the curve of her mouth.
“Good morning,” I whispered as I leaned in and kissed her forehead. She lit up with a brighter smile.
“Is everything okay?” she asked when I pulled away.
“I ca here to make sure that you were safe and you are. There’s a ssy kingdom out there that I have to get back to.”
Ciana’s eyes fell slightly. “I know you still have a lot to do. I wish you didn’t have to leave, but I understand.”
“Honestly, I don’t want to leave you.” I took her in my arms and held her close. “I wish we could stay here forever. Or, at least another day.”
“Wouldn’t that be sothing,” she agreed, hugging back.
I sighed, burying my face in her neck. She encircled in her arms and I wished I never had to leave her again.
“The country needs its king right now,” Ciana agreed. She nuzzled her nose against my chest and placed a soft kiss there.
We couldn’t stay in bed too much longer, but we enjoyed our ti together as much as possible until I had to get dressed and head back to Jake.
Leaving Ciana was painful. Like a wrench squeezing my heart. But we both knew there was still a lot to be done. I only hoped that once things were settled, we could focus on each other again.
***
*Ciana*
Once Theo was gone, I knew I didn’t have ti to linger on the feeling of loneliness. I had to get back to work.
That afternoon, I t with Elder Murray and Frederic to help sort through everything we’d accomplished.
I showed up at Frederic’s house where Murray and so of the other pack mbers had requested we et up. As soon as I entered the room, everyone stopped talking and stared at .
“There she is. Our savior.” Frederic stood up and ca over to kiss my cheek.
I shook my head, even though my cheeks burned hot suddenly. Getting praise and recognition from them was sothing I wanted but it still felt strange.
“You’re really showing the qualities of a true Luna Queen.” Murray winked at .
“I don’t think any of us ever expected to see the cold-hearted, distant king show such a passionate display of affection in public,” Frederic added, chuckling.
I didn’t want my personal relationship to beco the subject of a serious pack eting, so I cleared my throat and switched the topic.
“Everyone, listen to . Our pack might be out of the woods with Luther, but he has a lot of other followers out there. I don’t want to pretend that the rest of the kingdom is safe from his warped sense of justice.”
“But those are their decisions. We, Alvar pack, have pledged our allegiance to King Theo, but we don’t have any sayings in what other packs choose to do. Alvar is safe, that’s what matters,” Frederic said.
“No, I don’t think it is enough. If Luther continues to gain followers, Alvar could be vulnerable to attack if they make an army. We need to diffuse as many as possible,” I explained.
Murray and Frederic looked at each other.
“Even if we want to help, none of us are in a position to negotiate with other packs,” Murray pointed out.
“Why not? If Luther could have an ambassador, why couldn’t Theo?” I looked around the room and smiled confidently. “As an Alpha’s daughter, my opinion held so weight in other packs. I could help get others to see Luther’s true colors.”
“Well, Ciana, maybe you’re right. But how are you planning to convince the rest of Luther’s supporters?” Frederic asked encouragingly.
“Luther’s biggest argunt is that Theo is as brutal and bloodthirsty as his father. As long as I can convince the alphas that Theo is different, Luther could start losing support very fast,” I explained.
Luther’s ssage was simple. He told people that he wouldn’t be as brutal and horrible as Sebastian. He also wanted to paint Theo as a murderous killer. The only problem was, Luther’s real motivation was revenge, not freeing the kingdom.
His mind and heart were twisted by hatred, he would start a war with Theo as soon as he gained enough support. He’d do anything to destroy the kingdom that took his family from him. He wasn’t capable of bringing peace.
“I’m going to go to Vaner pack first and talk to their Alpha. He and I have t before,” I told Murray and Frederic.
At this point, it was better to let them know where I would be, in case sothing went wrong. Given my track record, and Demarco’s state after thinking he lost Maggie, it would be complicated, to say the least.
Vaner Pack was very strong, though, and if they stopped supporting Luther, it would be a big loss for Shadow.
That sa afternoon, I set off.
Murray and Frederic allowed to take a small guard with for safety. As great as it was to be out traveling again, it was significantly more boring than the last ti I made that journey with Warren.
Well, until things went down south totally.
***
The mont we crossed into Vaner territory, Demarco was there. He glared at with a cold, hardened face.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I’m just here to talk, Alpha Demarco, about what’s happening with the kingdom,” I said.
I liked having guards from my pack with . They could testify to what they’d learned about Maggie and Luther. They could tell Demarco that his mate and wife was still alive. It would probably take more than anyone’s word. Fortunately, Maggie had given all the ammunition I needed, even though she didn’t know it.
“You’re not welco here! The last ti you were here, Theo killed my wife. You supported him!” Demarco snapped, pointing an accusing finger at . His eyes were bloodshot, face gaunt.
I doubted he’d had a good night’s sleep since Maggie had faked her death.
“Guards, detain her imdiately,” Demarco demanded.
“Demarco, Maggie isn’t dead!” I shouted as his guards moved in.
Demarco held his arm up and his guards froze. He glared at , looking at hard to see if I was lying or just saying sothing desperate to save myself.
“Please, Demarco, you have to believe . My guards have seen her alive. She’s working with Luther. She faked her own death becaue...”
“You’re lying!” Demarco cut off.
“I’m not.”
“Miss Ciana is telling the truth, Alpha,” one of my guards said.
“We all saw Lady Maggie alive and well. She put up a good fight in Pack Alvar,” the other guard said.
Demarco stared at each of us for a long ti. None of us wavered.
“Maggie has been lying to you for years. She never... she never loved you.” I really didn’t want to do this, but I had to tell him. Demarco should know the truth...
Demarco’s eyes widened and he shook his head. He seed willing to listen now, but I wasn’t sure if he was going to believe .
“No, she wasn’t lying. I devoted everything to her,” Demarco argued.
“But she wasn’t devoted to you. She faked her own death to get away from you,” I replied.
“She’s my mate! Of course, she loved !” Demarco roared, his eyes wild, voice desperate.
I sighed heavily and shook my head. “Listen to ... Maggie loves soone else. She suppressed her mate sense and mate bond so she could keep loving him.”
Demarco scoffed and shook his head. “I don’t need to listen to this. Guards, take her into custody. I will charge you for these lies and slander against my wife!”
“They aren’t lies. Think back, Demarco, she was always sick and frail and you always had to take care of her, but she never reciprocated. She wasn’t devoted to you. What kind of mate would fake her own death and then not co back to you to nd your broken heart?”
Demarco paused again. I could see the wheels turning in his head while he tried to make sense of what I was saying.
“She isn’t in love with you. Maggie is working with Luther for her own gain,” I added.
If he would just be open to believing for a second, I could give him the proof that Maggie had lied to him.
“She did love ,” Demarco insisted.
“Maggie wanted to escape from you, did you know that!?” I asked harshly. “I have proof!”
Demarco’s face paled.
#
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