Page 30 of Alpha's Hated Mate

“From what Yarra told me, it’s the same stuff you already know. She expected to become the Alpha King’s Luna, but he chose Luna Queen Crystal. Then, she colluded with the Alpha King’s brother to overthrow him.”

“And she was also the mate of the Alpha King’s brother,” Aydan says.

“Well . . . the true nature of their relationship has been muddied by conjecture for years,” Chad says. “Some think that she was the actual mastermind behind the coup and used Prince Raphael in her own quest to become Luna Queen. Others think that she was merely a pawn of the prince and his evil scheme of taking the throne from his brother.”

“What about her being pregnant?” I asked.

“I recall the professors once saying that there were whispers that she may have been pregnant with Raphael’s child during the coup. It’s not confirmed by any actual documentation that I’m aware of. But if it were true, Natasha and her baby would’ve been in great danger after what they did. Would the Alpha King risk having Raphael’s child grow up so he could return to finish what his father started? If Natasha really survived and managed to escape, she would’ve gone into hiding.”

My stomach twists at this. “So . . . so it’s possible that she’s alive somewhere?”

He shrugs. “It’s possible. At the very least, she could’ve lived long enough to give birth had she been pregnant.”

We all fall silent. This doesn’t exactly confirm that Natasha was pregnant . . . but it might as well. Chad was more in touch with the lore of the royal line than the rest of us. Who knows what other secrets haven’t been told better than him?

“Doyoubelieve that Natasha lived long enough to have Raphael’s baby?” Aydan asks. He’s standing with his back against the wall, arms folded in stiff skepticism.

“Honestly, I think it’s plausible,” Chad says. “The one thing no one ever talks about is the reasoning behind Raphael and Natasha challenging the Alpha King’s throne. Historians have always just chalked it up to Raphael being power hungry. But what if it was more than that?” Chad’s eyebrows furrow. “Luna Queen Crystal is Clarion’s first hybrid Luna Queen and there are wolves that still secretly disagree with it to this day. Perhaps Raphael and Natasha were purists, who didn’t want the Alpha King’s future children—and heirs to the throne—to be hybrids.”

Yarra gasped, her hands going to her mouth. “Maybe that’s the connection. I’m also a hybrid. Maybe whoever did this to Saffron has a problem with me being a Luna.”

My entire body turns cold, and I suddenly want to leave. Get as far away from Yarra as I can, if only to protect her. Chad leans in and touches Yarra’s head gently.

“Whoever tried to do this, they won’t get away with it,” he says. “I swear to you. We’re going to get to the bottom of this.”

I look over at Aydan, who’s looking back at me with resignation. He sighs, finally, and says, “For now, I think it would be a good idea for us all to get some rest. Come on, Saffron, I’ll take you home.”

Part of me doesn’t want to go . . . but it’s better that I should. If it happens again, I don’t want to be anywhere near Yarra.

“Wait,” she says as I sit up. “You shouldn’t be alone tonight. What if this happens again?”

“I’ll stay with her,” Aydan says. Both Chad and Yarra look at him with surprise. “I mean, it has to be me. One of you could be the target, right?”

Chad stands up and walks up to him, staring him down with his dark eyes. “Be careful, Aydan. Whoever’s doing this knows what she is and will probably use that against you.”

“I’ll be fine,” he says. He looks at me and adds, “Let’s go.”

I get out of the bed and take his hand. As we’re walking out into the night air, I have to admit I feel a little safer with him at my side.

Chapter Fourteen—Aydan

The next two weeks are quiet. Every night, I stay with Saffron and I manage to keep my primal urges in check. It hasn’t been easy. These dorm rooms are dreadfully small, and while I make sure to sleep on the couch, I’m still only a few feet away from her bed, bathed in her sweet scent.

The only reprieve I have is during the day when I’m in class, for most of the day, anyway. When she’s near me, she occupies my mind . . . and maybe with all that’s happened, it’s gotten worse. I have this overwhelming need to protect her at all costs.

She . . . seems to appreciate my presence. She hasn’t said so, of course. She hasn’t even thanked me for being there. But when she wakes up, she looks for me. When I leave the room to go to the bathroom in the middle of night, she’s awake when I return. Tough as she might be, she’s relying on me.

And so far, she’s not had any visions or any sleepwalking or anything like that night with Chad and Yarra. The part of me feels like the whole “mind control” angle is bullshit and thateverything will go back to normal. Well . . . whatever normal is supposed to be.

I’m sitting in the quad alone, listening to music in my headphones, trying to block my thoughts. When I’m not thinking about Saffron, I’m thinking about the visions and Natasha of Hino and this mysterious child she supposedly had. I can’t help but wonder who she was and why there are no real records of her life. She was a part of the royal court. There should bedetailedrecords about her . . . shouldn’t there?

It was almost as if someone was trying to bury her story. And maybe Raphael’s, too. I guess what they say is true. History is written by the winners. Maybe their story was more complicated than what was told. Heaven forbid the people of Clarion should ever have sympathy for their devils . . .

A sharp pain hits my shin, and I open my eyes. Nadia is standing in front of me with her arms crossed and a furious look in her eye. I rub my shin as I take out my earbuds. “Did you just kick me?”

“Yes. I’ve been calling you all morning. What’s up with you? Are you avoiding me?”

She has been calling me all morning, but after everything that’s been happening, I’m not keen on talking to her about it just yet. I guess I’m still processing. I sigh and say, “Sorry. I’ve been busy.”

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