Page 158 of The Alpha's Cursed Queen

Katherine is trying really hard to keep it together.

“And Mira is okay?” she sniffles.

“Katherine, you’ve asked me five times. She’s fine. I’m more worried about you. Look, why don’t you come back with me? Come to LA and stay with us for a couple of days.”

“I need to be here.” My friend picks up the cup of coffee I made her and sips it. “My father appointed me as the new CEO before he passed. My extended family is trying to cause problems. Everyone thinks they would be better suited to that position. So, I have to stay in Phoenix. I’m really glad you came, though. That night, I was such a mess. After the whole thing with the police, I went back to the office. I didn’t know what else to do. If it hadn’t been for that janitor—”

I blink. “Who?”

“I’ve seen him around,” Katherine murmurs, looking down into her coffee. “He works nights. I was sitting on the stairs, absolutely falling apart. He sat down next to me. He gave me his sandwich. We just sat there for hours. He didn’t say a word. He didn’t even ask what was wrong. He just sat with me. I guess that’s all I needed.”

“I should have been there.”

Katherine shakes her head. “No. You were dealing with a lot. And you’re here now. It’s been a week! Are you sure you don’t have to go back?”

“No, Darian and Mira are coming tonight.”

“What happened with Willow’s father?”

“Thomas?” I take a sip of my own coffee. “He was hiding out in an alpha’s house. I don’t know if I told you, but Thomas was always my biggest tormentor. He knew how crazy his daughter was. When he sent Willow to my office that day, he didn’t even tell her about Mira. He never expected her to find out. He just needed her to distract me enough that Darian would come to my rescue. They had been monitoring us for a few days. Thomas is going to be executed. All the witches that were captured, aside from the young ones, are going to be executed.”

“Any backlash?”

My friend keeps asking me questions. I had the option of erasing Katherine’s memory, but I opted not to. She’s one of my closest friends, and I trust her. Nara was willing to do it, but she warned me of the consequences of tampering with the memory of an adult as opposed to a child. But this means I have to tell Katherine a lot of things she is curious about.

“Everything was broadcast live. The shifters heard everything that was said.” Both Darian and I had activated our cameras. Even in the heat of the moment, I hadn’t forgotten. “Unfortunately, they also heard the part where Darian’s bloodline was brought into question. But since he is mated to me, and I am of the royal bloodline, it doesn’t really matter. For now, things have settled down. There were only two packs who supported Thomas, and they’ve been dealt with. The leadership has changed hands. Darian moves fast. Within the span of a week, he’s settled everything down. He’s a good king.”

Katherine leans forward. “I don’t understand something. You said that the ancient shifter king and the dark witch’s child was killed.”

I flinch, the idea still too terrible. “I believe so.”

“Then, how are the witches able to continue their bloodline from the royal family?”

“According to our source,” I begin slowly, “in a way, they did curse the bloodline of the king’s brother who took the throne. They performed an ancient spell that transfers bloodlines.”

“They cursed the children?” Katherine looks horrified.

“No, the king. They cursed the king. Whatever the ritual was, it was a deadly one. The witches that carried it out didn’t survive. It’s supposed to be a forbidden form of magic, but it worked. Mira and I are proof of it. I now have the ability to practice magic. Not that I want to. Mira, on the other hand, will take lessons from the only remaining dark witch there is.”

“Magic is so messed up.” Katherine shudders. “They were able to alter an entire bloodline. How does that even work? Is it like a transfusion?”

“Don’t ask me.” I shake my head. “We tried to figure it out it, but magic is complicated. Maybe Mira will have a better understanding of it in the future.”

“And how about you?" My friend looks at me hesitantly. “Are you moving back to LA for good?”

I nod. “I’m considering opening up a practice there—‘considering’ being the key word. I’m not going to stop practicing law, but I also want to get involved with the Wolf Kingdom. I want to study the laws and make changes where needed. Darian can rule, but I want to work on the legal side of the Wolf Kingdom. I’ve already resigned from my job here.”

“What about you and Darian? Are you going to get married?”

I give her a small smile. “We will have a mating ceremony in a few months. We haven’t talked much about it yet. He wants to put a ring on my finger as quickly as he can, though. But enough about me, Katherine. You keep trying to distract yourself. What are you planning to do now?”

Katherine sighs. “My father made it clear that he intended to resign and make me CEO. He said that in front of my entire family. Now they’re denying it and trying to replace me. I intend to get my position. This is my father’s company, after all. I’m not going to let anybody else sit at the helm of it.”

“You need time to grieve.”

My friend’s smile is pained. “Grieve? I will when I have the time. For now, I need to fight for my company.”

I reach out and cover her hand with mine, my voice fierce. “Whatever you need, I have your back. And I have enough resources to make it happen.”

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