Page 98 of Alpha's Impostor Bride

A fat teardrop falls into her tea.

“As king, I had to make the choice I made. I couldn’t turn my back on my people. So, after stripping Bella of all her power and authority, I decided to stay away from the castle. Vivian was disgraced and humiliated when I left her standing at the altar by herself on the morning of our mating ceremony. Even though she lives in the castle and wears the crown, she is only acknowledged as queen by the commoners who don’t know the truth. And even they are not happy about it. They don’t like her. You brought change into their lives. You are the queen of their hearts. She is queen in name only, the queen they’re forced to acknowledge. The nobles forced me to give her that title, but she has no power over anyone. She is a political prisoner and nothing more.”

Leanna doesn’t meet my gaze. I wait for her to speak. Was I always this anxious around her? Did she always make me so nervous?

“You’ve changed,” she finally whispers.

Her words are unexpected, and I blink. “What?”

She looks up at me wearily. “You never used to talk so much.”

“But you asked me to talk.”

She lets out an abrupt laugh that is filled with both bitterness and sadness. “Yes, I did.”

She studies me, and I don’t like the heaviness behind her gaze. “Leanna, I never betrayed you.”

She presses her lips together. Her voice is strangled as she says, “I know.”

I should feel relieved, but something bothers me. “Shouldn’t you be pleased?” I ask slowly. “Why do you look as if you don’t like the truth?”

She moves her shoulders in a half shrug. “It’s been eight years, Cedric. I don’t know you. You don’t know me. My life is here. Yours is in the North. I can’t live there again. I don’t want to go back, and if you force me, I won’t be happy. I’m free here.”

“I won’t take away your freedom.” My heart is sinking.

“No.” She gives me a humorless smile. “But if I go there, I’ll be nothing. You need Vivian, like you said. So, where would I fit in? And I’m not foolish. You want your son with you, and I know Erik won’t risk your wrath for just Finn and me. Even if I try to take Finn away, I know you will track us down.”

Her words make me feel sick. “You think I would separate you from our son? Do you still think so little of me?”

Her eyes glint with unshed tears. “I—No. I don’t know. I don’t know what to think.”

“I’ll bring you Vivian’s head. I’ll bring you Bella’s head. Will that satisfy you?” My voice is fierce. “Whatever you need, Leanna.”

“Their heads?” she echoes in disbelief. “And risk turning the elders against you, risk a rebellion? You just said—”

“I’m tired, Leanna,” I say slowly, gazing at her hands, the weariness in my soul leaking into my voice. “I’m tired of losing people, of losing my family. I can’t lose you again. So, whatever you need, I’ll give it to you.”

Tears spill from her eyes, and when I reach out to wipe them, she doesn’t move away from my touch.

Not this time.

Chapter 19

Leanna Avery

Anger is a difficult emotion to let go of. And it’s usually linked with pride.

I never knew that I had any pride or that I was allowed to till I came here, till I learned that I was fighting for more than just my life.

And it’s my pride that throbs when Harriet tells me the truth, when Cedric tells me what really happened. I can’t make sense of it. These aren’t emotions I can take apart and assess. I don’t want to feel this way. I don’t want to stop being angry.

All these years, my anger has been the only thing I’ve held on to. Knowing now that I’ve been angry over nothing, that I spent the last eight years being upset over nothing, makes me feel all sorts of ways.

“You don’t disobey your mother. That’s disrespectful, and I won’t allow it.”

“If you want to go somewhere, you ask for permission from your mother. And if you upset her, I’ll knock some sense into you.”

I was already awake when Finn decided to sneak out. I didn’t expect Cedric to catch him, though. I couldn’t see Cedric outside in the park anymore, so I thought that perhaps he had returned to his hotel room. But my window was cracked, and I could hear their conversation. I’m still surprised Cedric didn’t reveal who he is to Finn. And I was even more surprised to hear him discipline my son—no, our son—about respecting me. Finn is a sweet boy. He’s a little rebellious, and sometimes I need to have a firm hand when it comes to him, but he’s a good kid. He likes testing boundaries, though.

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