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“Jordan was not Marissa’s husband. He was her assigned guard, tasked by Garret to keep a close watch on her. He was a werewolf from the pack where Garret had hidden her,” Ester clarifies, revealing another layer of deception.

“But Marissa was a werewolf,” Damian argues, shaking his head. We had thoroughly researched her background, or so we thought.

“No, she was the daughter of a hunter. Garret took her and turned her into a Lycan. That’s what ignited the war. Her father disapproved of his daughter being involved with a Lycan, so Garret kidnapped her, turned her, and staged her death. After he married Tatiana and conceived Azalea, he introduced Marissa to Tatiana as a servant seeking employment,” Esterdiscloses, dispelling the previous assumptions we had made about Marissa.

“Marissa’s true identity remained hidden from us,” I state incredulously, trying to come to terms with the web of lies that had been spun around us.

“Yes, she wanted me gone when she found out about our affair. Marissa threatened to expose me and contacted the hunters, intending for them to kill both Tatiana and me. Fortunately, I had already left by the time they decided to strike, and Marissa was powerless to stop them. So she went along with their plan and kidnapped Azalea, claiming that she was all she had left of Garret. I never anticipated that she would target your sister when she arrived here,” Ester confesses, her voice heavy with remorse. My hands tremble with rage, and I clench them tightly to restrain myself from lashing out or succumbing to my violent instincts.

My sister’s death could have been prevented if only Ester had spoken up. I had wrongly let Azalea take blame for Marrissa and for the tragedy, unaware that the woman sitting across from me held the key to averting it.

“Azalea has awakened,” Liam’s voice enters my mind through the pack link.

“Shall I bring her to you?” he asks, and I press my lips together in a firm line.

“No. I will go to her,” I reply before turning to Damian.

“Azzy is awake,” I inform him, and he nods in understanding.

“So, what do we do now?” he inquires, his gaze shifting between Peter and Ester.

“I am going to see my mate,” I state firmly.

“And them?” Damian gestures towards Peter and Ester.

“I can’t kill Peter,” I growl, not now he has been openly claimed as a Landeena. I stand about to walk out the door when I pause.

“Your mother will take your punishment,” I say, turning back to the room. Peter whimpers and Clarice gasps.

“You want me to kill her?” Gannon offers and Peter screams, rushing toward his mother, only for Gannon to rip him backward and knock his feet out from under him. He lands on his ass and sobs while Ester looks resigned to her fate.

“No. 500 lashes,” I tell Gannon, only to pause and my eyes fall on Peter.

“And you will do 250 of them. I see one piece of her back unmarred when I return. Not only will you receive the same, but I will also then make you kill her by the time I am done with her,” I tell Peter. Peter whimpers, and tears brim in Ester’s eyes. Her lips quiver, but she only speaks when Peter begs not to do it.

She looks over her shoulder at him. “A punishment must be served.”

“Mum, please! I can’t.”

“But you will, or The King kills me. So choose Peter, which is it you prefer?” she snaps at him. He drops his head.

“Count everyone, and call me down when he is done. I will deliver the last 250. Which will be silver and wolfsbane dipped,” I tell her, and she sucks in a shuddering breath before swallowing and looking away. She bobs her head once, accepting her punishment. Trey just stares with eyes ahead at the wall.

“You will watch her receive her punishment. If you make a move to stop it, you will be pulled from my guard and Azalea’s,” I warn him.

“No issue, My King. I told you that already. My loyalty is with Azalea,” Trey answers, and I nod before walking out and heading up to find my mate.

Chapter

Three

AZALEA

Rolling over, I press my face into the soft pillow. It feels like I’m nursing a hangover. My head pounds, everything appears too bright, and my brain sluggishly processes the events from earlier that are slowly coming back to me. An odd sensation makes my skin prickle with goosebumps.

‘My Queen, I sense you are awake,’a stranger’s voice announces inside my head.‘Don’t be alarmed. My name is Cedric. I am part of the Landeena guard and I was your father’s Beta. I have been waiting for you to wake,’his calming voice reassures me.

How do I use this mindlink?I wonder with a sigh while trying to figure out how to operate this newfound mindlink.