Page 126 of The Alpha's Cursed Queen

Chapter 25

Darian

“So, things between you and Alice are going well?”

Jimmy’s question prompts me to ponder as I sit on the park bench, watching Mira climb the jungle gym. “I suppose so.”

“Try not to sound too happy about it.” My friend rolls his eyes. “Someone might think you’re actually excited.”

I glance at him. “Funny. She’s not the Alice I remember, and I’m not the Darian she knew. We’re both trying to accept these versions of each other. Seven years is a long time to be apart, Jimmy. She has built a life here, and although she’s willing to leave it behind and come to LA, I don’t know if that’s fair.”

“I thought she was going to open up a practice there. That’s what you told me.”

I sigh. “I feel like a selfish jerk. She doesn’t want to be queen. She doesn’t even want to be part of our world. But she has to. At this point, I don’t know if she’s compromising for the sake of our bond or our daughter. Either way, she’s the one doing all the compromising. I don’t know how to meet her halfway because I still have my duty to the kingdom. I wish I could figure out a way to give her everything she wants, but all I seem to do is take fromher. The life that she loves here, the law firm she works at, her dream of becoming a partner. I just keep taking everything good from her life.”

“Maybe she’s doing it because she loves you.”

Love? I don’t reply to Jimmy, but I don’t think that’s what it is. I remember how she looked at me back then and how she looks at me now. No matter how she tries to hide it, I can see the wariness behind those pretty blue eyes, the cautiousness. A part of me acknowledges that every sacrifice she’s making is for Mira.

“I wonder if she would still choose me if it weren’t for Mira,” I murmur. “Or the mating mark. I feel like I’ve cornered her and she has no way out.”

“You keep thinking that way, and neither of you will be happy.” I hear Mary’s voice from behind me. She had gone to get some coffee for herself and Jimmy.

I look over my shoulder as she hands Jimmy one of the disposable cups, and for once, she doesn’t flinch when she meets my gaze. “Alice does love you. In her own way, she does, but it has been hard for her to move past everything that happened to her. You need to give her time, Your Majesty. Time to accept that her life is changing and time to get to know you again. You and Alice need to spend some time together away from Mira, as well. Just the two of you.”

Jimmy sips his coffee. “I second that advice. You two need to reconnect.”

I tilt my head at each of them. “This coming from two individuals who have yet to find their fated mates?”

Mary scoffs, and Jimmy gives me a look. “I may not have found my mate, but I have plenty of experience with women,” he says.

The healer frowns at him. “That’s not something to be proud of. You’re basically calling yourself a man whore.”

“How did you get ‘man whore’ from that?” Jimmy scowls. “Maybe I just know a lot of women.”

She nods sarcastically. “Sure. You just like making female friends.”

“I can’t help that they fall for my charms and slip into my bed.”

Mary coughs to disguise the words, “Man whore.”

“This coming from a prude?” Jimmy retorts. “When was the last time you had a man in your bed?”

Mary shrugs. “I’m not interested in sleeping around. Unlike some people, I respect myself.”

“That’s code for ‘nobody will sleep with me’,” Jimmy shoots back.

“Or maybe I don’t go around hitting on everything that walks and talks?”

Jimmy turns to me. “Are you going to let her speak to me like that?”

“How did we go from discussing my problem to yours?” I demand. “And you do get around, Jimmy. Everybody knows that.”

“Well, I can’t sleep with the same woman multiple times. You know how our wolves are. They start getting attached. What ifmine gets attached to some crazy girl, and I end up giving her the mating mark. Then I’m stuck with her for life!”

Mary sneers at him. “If you don’t want crazy, don’t sleep with crazy.”

“I haven’t slept with you, have I?” Jimmy retorts.

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