Page 36 of The Alpha's Cursed Queen

“Father, I’ve felt something with her. How do you explain the connection we shared before the mating gathering? Are you going to force me to walk away from my fated mate simply because you want to keep an eye on Thomas?”

My father falls silent at my accusation. “I will send someone to examine her. But son, without a wolf spirit, Alice will not be suitable as queen. I know you have reservations about Thomas, but his daughter is a good candidate. And it is not unheard of to take a fated mate as a mistress.”

I stare at him. “You want me to go to my fated mate and tell her to stay with me as someone who will simply warm my bed? While I take the woman who has abused her as my queen?”

“Sacrifices have to be made for the good of the kingdom,” my father says heavily. “Your woman should understand.”

“And what if I refuse?”

I rarely see my father angry, but his eyes now flash at me. “This is an order. You are not to take Alice Lane as your mate.”

“According to the laws of the Wolf Kingdom, the only person who has the right to reject a fated mate is the other fated mate. She’s not your mate, she’s mine. And I refuse to reject her.”

“You are being foolish!” My father slams his hands down on his desk and gets to his feet. “The good of the kingdom comes before your personal feelings!”

I shake my head. “You’re asking me to do this, to tear out my heart and throw away my fated mate, as a political gesture?”

“There’s no need to be dramatic.” My father scowls. “I told you, keep the girl as your mistress. If she truly loves you, she’ll be more than willing to become your bedmate. And Thomas’s daughter is the ideal candidate for queen. I have met with her several times now—”

The moment he says this, he freezes.

“Thomas brought her to the palace a couple of times, and I met her in passing…” he begins to backtrack, but it is too late.

I stare at him. “Have you been planning all along to mate me off to Willow?”

“Once again with your theatrics!” He sounds furious now.

I look at the king, bitterness filling my mouth. I’ve never enjoyed a particularly close relationship with my father. In the eyes of the world, he has been an attentive parent, but I’ve always felt that something was missing. To reject a fated mate is no small thing, and for my father to ask me to make such a sacrifice when my own wolf is not willing is beyond cruel.

“Whatever you’ve decided for me, I’m not going to do it.” My voice is harsh. “Whatever deal you have struck with Thomas Elvin, you can call it off. I’m not going to participate. If you think Willow will make such an excellent queen, why don’t you take her as your own mate? After all, my mother has been dead for years now—”

“Enough!” my father roars. “Do not forget who you are speaking to! I am your king!”

I stare at him as he begins to cough violently. My jaw tense, I move forward when he slumps into his chair, but Lucius has already rushed into the study, almost as if he had been waiting outside, his ear against the door.

“Sire!” He pushes me aside and rushes toward my father, his voice stricken. “Call the royal healer!” I hear the footsteps of the guards running in the corridor as Lucius glares at me, unable to hide his emotions. “What did you do?!”

“Nothing,” I reply coldly, still reeling from my father’s actions. “He overexerted himself. Take him to his chambers. Send the royal healer there.”

Lucius tosses me a hateful look, and as he helps my father past me, I murmur, “You seem to be forgetting your place, Lucius. Don’t ever use such an accusatory tone with me again.”

My father’s loyal attendant stiffens. “I–I apologize, Your Highness.”

I watch him leave, feeling hollow inside. I may be warm and carefree around Alice, but that is a side of me only she is privy to. I am still the crown prince of the Wolf Kingdom. My father has always taught me to be ruthless in my dealings.

I stare blankly at the desk. The truth is that my father is merely a figurehead now; he has handed over the affairs of the kingdom to me. I have more power than he does, but because I love him, I still let him do as he pleases. All my childhood, I craved his affection. I worked hard, produced excellent results, and became the perfect heir. But it was never enough for him.

I take a few steps forward, lean into his cabinet, and take out a bottle of whiskey. He was never happy with me. It is only lately,when he started to grow sicker, that he began to lean on me. I had thought that we were growing closer, but at the end of the day, he still put his status as king before my needs.

I am his subject before I am his son.

I sit down in his chair and take a gulp of the whiskey, letting it burn my throat.

He has been planning to sell me off. That is the only way I can see the situation. Forcing me to mate Willow and walk away from my fated mate is something he never even should have considered. Sure, there are shifters who reject their fated mates, but those cases are rare, and most of the time it’s because the shifter already has someone they are interested in, and they’re able to resist the lure of the fated mate bond. In other cases, this simply don’t feel any attraction to their fated mate.

The royal family has always chosen to be with their fated mates. If it hadn’t been for my father’s declining health, he would not have suggested that I simply choose any suitable female this year. I now realize his intention has always been to push Willow on me.

I take another chug from the bottle.

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