Page 14 of Alpha's Impostor Bride

“I was asking what her name is.”

I stare at him. “Whose name?”

“Your mate, the queen. She’s not Vivian, so who is she?”

“Does it matter?” I shrug, recalling those thin shoulders and that thick, luscious hair piled on top of her head. She walks with elegance, each stride measured and sure. But there’s an emptiness in those soft, brown eyes of hers.

The perfect doll.

The thought makes me uncomfortable.

Derrick frowns before exchanging a look with Edgar. “What do you mean, does it matter? Of course it matters. She’s your mate. And she’s not Vivian. We have no bone to pick with her. She’s innocent.”

“She’s from the East.” I straighten up and head back to my desk. “She’s hardly what I would call innocent. The East is responsible for shielding the rebels that killed our parents, remember?”

Derrick’s face grows dark. “I will never forget.”

My mother and father had been visiting the Eastern Wolf Kingdom on a diplomatic mission. Derrick’s parents had accompanied them. All four of them were assassinated within the palace grounds. Instead of trying to take responsibility, the Eastern royal family tried to seize control of the North. They failed terribly, and had I not been so young, I would have made them pay tenfold.

Derrick takes a breath before continuing. “But this woman isn’t responsible for any of that. And she’s your fated mate, Cedric. Don’t take that so lightly. Your wolves are connected. Have you given her the mark?”

“No, and I don’t plan on it. She’s a political prisoner before anything else.”

Edgar chooses this moment to speak up. “Without the mating mark, your bond will suffer.”

“That’s my business.”

Rothan approaches the desk. “Cedric, this wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact that she doesn’t have pure, royal blood, would it?”

As always, Rothan hits the nail on the head.

I look up at him. “She’s my problem. I know how to deal with her.”

“Step one would be to stop referring to her as a problem,” Edgar points out.

I growl at him. “Don’t you all have something better to do?”

Derrick starts to reply, but a knock on the door has him snapping his mouth shut and looking over his shoulder. Rothan opens the door, and Bella enters. I see Derrick’s expression change into that of a love-struck wolf pup.

“What brings you here, Bella?”

Bella narrows her eyes at him. “Nothing that’s any of your business. Don’t you have to go piss on a tree or something?”

Edgar snorts, and I press my lips together. My childhood friend has been pursuing Bella for two years now. One thing about wolves is that we are relentless once we know what we want. Despite all the rejection he’s faced, my friend still thinks he has a chance. He’s also doing everything in his power to drive off Bella’s other suitors, including marking his territory outside her bedroom window.

“Why?” Derrick winks at her. “Is somebody bothering you? I think I’m going to take a stroll outside your room again.”

“Don’t you fucking dare!” Bella grabs him by the front of his shirt, and he grins at her.

“Ooh, foreplay. Maybe we shouldn’t do this in front of the king.”

Bella shoves him away. “Get out. I need to talk to Cedric.”

“Don’t worry, Bella. I’m taking him with me,” Rothan says, taking Derrick by the arm and pulling him out of the room. Edgar trails after them.

Once the door closes behind my men, I look at Bella. “You really should give him a chance. You are a match made in heaven. He’s a masochist through and through, especially when it comes to you.”

“I think you shouldn’t worry about matchmaking when you have your own mate to deal with.”

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