Page 141 of The Alpha's Cursed Queen

“Let’s go get this over with, stud.”

Hearing him laugh makes me feel a little better.

The royal palace has quite a lot of modern touches now, but it still resembles the Victorian one I remember from years agowith its large ceilings, marble floors, gorgeous chandeliers, and ancient architecture. I could never call this place home, but somehow, Darian seems to be able to.

The guests who are awaiting his arrival are the alphas and betas of various packs. As we suspected, they’ve come with their daughters, their nieces, and any other young female they can throw into Darian’s arms. When they see me, there is confusion in their eyes. The confusion morphs into shock when they see the little girl asleep in Darian’s arms. It’s common sense that the king would not carry a child who is not his own.

One of them steps forward. “Your Majesty. We heard about Queen Willow’s—”

“She is no longer the queen,” Darian says calmly. He carefully lays the still child on the throne, making sure her face is turned away from the curious visitors.

The man clears his throat. “Yes, of course. We heard about the divorce. I’m sure you had your reasons, but it is not preferable for a king to be without a companion for long. I would like to introduce my youngest daughter—”

Darian holds up his hand, stopping him mid-sentence. “Do you see the woman beside me?”

The man’s face grows red. “Y-Yes, but—”

“You all have saved me the effort of having to summon you here. I can see there are still some pack representatives missing. However, for those of you who are here, let me introduce you to your future queen. Alice Lane is my fated mate and the mother of my child. I have already given her my mating mark.”

Shocked gasps fill the room, and one of the alphas speaks up. “Alice Lane? Your Majesty, isn’t she the same woman who was branded a dark witch? I witnessed the ritual the white witches did—”

I feel a wave of humiliation come over me, well aware of how they saw me on the ground that night, but Darian’s hand wraps around mine.

“Yes,” he responds, his voice angry now. “The same white witches who tried to assassinate me in Phoenix, Arizona, a few days ago. They have turned on us. The white witches have been colluding with the former queen and her father in an attempt to depose me. Her father wishes to take the throne. I’ve been gathering evidence of their wrongdoings for years. Soon, they will be brought to trial.”

Sounds of outrage echo in the room.

“An attempt to assassinate the king?”

“How is this possible?”

Darian continues when the murmurs die down. “If anybody is harboring Thomas Elvin, now is the time to speak up. Whoever allies himself with my former father-in-law and the former queen will be considered an accomplice. And since the white witches have betrayed the Wolf Kingdom, their punishment will not be light. I will leave no stone unturned and leave no traitor alive. You may spread the word. Anyone who colludes with Thomas Elvin, his daughter Willow, or the white witches will have their entire family executed, no matter how old or young or how far-reaching their loyalty to the throne once was.”

I see a few faces turn pale, and when I glance at Darian, I can tell he has also noticed them.

One of the betas speaks up bravely. “But if your mate is a dark witch—”

“My mate is not a dark witch. She has the ability to shift. Would you like her to demonstrate?” Darian says sharply. Uneasy silence, and then the men shake their heads.

“Thomas and his daughter came up with the plan to brand Alice as a dark witch because they wanted Willow to have power within the royal palace. You are now looking at the next queen of the Wolf Kingdom, so I expect you to be respectful.”

Not everyone appears to be happy, but they’re all stunned by these revelations. Some of the men look uncertain and worried as they usher their young female relatives out of the room.

Once we are alone, I ask Darian, “Do you think they bought it?”

“Not entirely,” Darian replies quietly. “The white witches hold powerful positions within the kingdom. Opposing them is dangerous, but the alphas cannot ignore an assassination attempt. They’re going to do their own investigations. Those who are involved with Thomas will pull back from him, though. Thomas’s strength lay in the fact that he was the king’s father-in-law. With Willow dethroned, he doesn’t have the same status anymore.”

I let out a gust of air. “Well, at least they know about me now. Word will spread.”

He turns to face me. “I’m still not fully on board with this plan, Alice. It’s too dangerous. One small slip-up, and all will be lost.”

“I’m not exactly jumping for joy, either, but we have to try something. It’s the only plan that makes sense and keeps Mira safe.”

“Lila?” Darian looks over his shoulder at the little girl. “You can get up. Your mother must be waiting for you.”

Lila sits up. “Can I go home now?”

He nods. “Come on. I’ll take you to Yura.”

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