Page 34 of The Alpha's Cursed Queen

She’s about to say something when the terrace doors swing open and Jimmy hurries outside. “The king isn’t feeling well. He wants you.”

I take Alice’s hand in mine but my second-in-command shakes his head, stopping me.

“Alone.”

There’s something in his tone that has warning bells going off in my head. “My father wanted to meet Alice.”

“I think it would be better for you to go by yourself, Your Highness.”

Jimmy’s strained voice has me pausing. I look at him, and after a second, I say, “Take Alice to her suite and make sure nobody tries to gain access to her.”

Alice balks. “Wait, what? Why are you—” She’s staring at Jimmy now. “You’re the driver from before. Darian, what is—”

“It’s for your own safety, Alice,” I say distractedly. “Go with Jimmy while I tend to my father.”

I hurry away, leaving her in the safe hands of my friend.

My father is nowhere to be seen in the ballroom. However, his attendant, Lucius, is waiting for me.

“His Majesty is in his study. He’s requesting your presence.”

I stop in my tracks to look at the man. “I was told he has taken ill.”

Lucius’s upper lip curls in disgust, but his expression remains blank. My father’s attendant has never liked me. The man is a professional, though. He hides his dislike for me quite well, but I have spent enough time with him to be able to read his small tells. Lucius looks down on me for some reason. I’ve never understood it since I have been the perfect crown prince, never neglecting my duties and always looking after my father.

“His Majesty is upset, Prince Darian. He asked me to send you to his study.”

When he begins guiding me, I scowl, walking faster. “I know the way, Lucius.”

I don’t understand what could have happened in the span of just a few minutes that my father has decided to retreat to his study and summon me. But judging from the expression I saw on Jimmy’s face, it can’t be anything good.

Reaching the study, I knock on the door, and my father calls out to enter.

To my surprise, he’s not alone. And the person standing in the room is not someone I expected to see here, especially during the mating gathering.

It’s the beta of Alice’s pack.

The man looks smug, one corner of his lips curled upward. I don’t bother to greet him, walking over to my father instead. “Is everything alright?”

My father has a grave look on his face. “You know Thomas. He’s the beta of the Moonlight Pack. They are a very important pack—”

“I’m well aware who he is,” I cut my father off abruptly, my tone dismissive. “I’ve been very interested in Thomas’s actions lately.”

To my satisfaction, the beta’s smirk fades at my threatening words.

My father raises a brow but doesn’t ask me what I mean. Instead, he says, “Thomas just told me that your fated mate is not suitable for you. In fact, she’s not suitable for the royal family.”

My jaw clenches, and I give Thomas a hard smile. “Is that so? And why would that be?”

“Alice Lane, Your Highness, has no wolf spirit.” Thomas almost sounds gleeful.

Of all the things I thought I might hear, this was not it.

“No wolf spirit? How is that—”

Suddenly, everything Alice has said to me makes sense. No wonder she was so shocked that I wanted to pursue her. The fragile hope and happiness in her eyes, clouded with a layer of doubt, take on a whole new meaning now. And then, the horror in her voice when she confronted me on the terrace.

My heart sinks. This is what she wanted me to find out.

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