Page 68 of Alpha's Exiled Mate
“According to our intercepted intelligence,” Torren said, his voice measured, “Jackson aims to exploit your alliance negotiations with Fellinger to sow chaos. Tonight’s attack was merely the opening salvo. His agents are already spreading lies across the kingdom, claiming Princess Lilia of Fellinger was assassinated on your orders, framing it as a calculated plot to seize control of Fellinger. This disinformation is designed to inflame tensions between our nations, spark a war, and in the resulting turmoil, Jackson plans to emerge as a so-called ‘peacemaker,’ rallying dissenters to overthrow you and seize the throne for himself.”
My fists clenched, my nails biting into my palms, the sharp pain grounding me against the tide of fury threatening to overwhelm my control. Jackson’s scheme was diabolically cunning, a meticulously woven web designed to unravel my reign, destabilize the kingdom, and plunge our people into a senseless, bloody conflict. “Act immediately,” I said, my voice a low growl, my eyes burning with purpose as I addressed the room.
“Place Queen Viossi under house arrest—cut off all her communications with the outside world. Dispatch a covert envoy to Fellinger at once to explain the situation and request their support in countering this threat. And set a trap to lure Jackson out of hiding. I want him exposed and brought to justice.”
The advisors and elders nodded, their faces set with determination as they rose to carry out my orders, filing out of the study with purposeful strides. Sam lingered at the table, his posture rigid, awaiting further instructions, his loyalty a steady anchor in the storm of betrayal.
“Sam, I need you to make an announcement to the public,” I said, my tone calculated, each word chosen with precision. “Announce that Princess Lilia is gravely injured and fighting for her life. Declare that I’ve ordered all city gates sealed and launched a kingdom-wide manhunt for the assassin responsible. This will force Jackson to accelerate his plans, pushing him to make a move that will expose his position and his allies.”
Sam nodded, but a flicker of hesitation crossed his face, his brow furrowing with concern. “Your Majesty,” he said cautiously, his voice low, “if Orin is truly colluding with Jackson, should we arrest him now to neutralize the threat?”
I paused, weighing the option, my mind racing through the implications. Arresting Orin would be a decisive strike, but it risked alerting Jackson’s broader network, scattering his agents before we could root them out. “Not yet,” I said finally, my voice steady, my decision firm. “Place him under discreet surveillance—track his every move, every contact, every action. Through him, we may uncover more of Jackson’s operatives, the full extent of this conspiracy. Let him believe he’s undetected, for now.”
Sam nodded, his expression resolute, and turned to leave.
I moved to the tall window overlooking the courtyard, gazing out at the full moon, its silver light bathing the palace in a cold, ethereal glow, a stark contrast to the darkness pulsing within me. War loomed on the horizon, a shadow cast by Jackson’s betrayal, and I had to protect Lilia, Anna, and the kingdom while purging the traitors who threatened to tear it apart.
A sudden wave of dizziness swept over me, my vision blurring as the black spirals on my wrists pulsed, their inky coils tightening like twin serpents, a vivid reminder of the curse and toxin now entwined in my body, their battle sapping my strength. Pain flared, a dull ache spreading through my chest, but I forced myself to stand tall, my spine rigid, my resolve unshaken by the physical toll.
Lilia remained unconscious, unaware of the sacrifice I’d made. But I would protect her, our daughter, and this nation with every ounce of strength I had left, no matter the cost. Even if it meant facing the end of my cursed existence sooner than I’d ever anticipated, I was prepared to meet it head-on. At least, in my final moments, I could atone for the mistakes of five years ago, proving my love for Lilia and Anna with every breath, every action, every sacrifice, until the very end.
The moon watched silently, a sentinel of silver light, as I steeled myself for the battles ahead, my heart a fervent, unbreakable vow—to fight, to love, to protect, no matter what lay in the darkness.
Fight for Lilia and Anna.
Chapter 22
Lilia
Darkness. An endless void of darkness.
I drifted in this emptiness, weightless, untethered, my body no longer my own, time slipping away like water through my fingers. A bone-deep cold clung to me, seeping into my soul, an unrelenting chill that shadowed every thought. Faintly, as if from a great distance, I heard someone calling my name, the voice muffled, distorted, as though filtered through layers of deep ocean. I strained to answer, to reach out, but my voice was silent, my limbs bound by invisible chains.
Is this how death feels?
I wondered, my mind foggy, grasping at fragments of hope. If it was, then what would become of Anna? My daughter, my little star, the one tether keeping my heart anchored in this world…
“Anna…” I called out silently in the darkness, feeling an intense longing break through this void.
Just then, a faint warmth suddenly emerged in the darkness, like a tiny star flickering in the endless night sky. That warmth gradually spread, dispelling the cold and illuminating the void. Ifelt something pulling at me, dragging me out of the nothingness and toward the light.
My eyes snapped open, and I gasped for air, as if I had just surfaced from underwater. The blinding light forced me to shut my eyes instinctively, and it took a moment before I slowly adjusted to it.
“She’s awake! Her Royal Highness is awake!” a woman’s voice exclaimed, tinged with relief and astonishment.
I turned my head, wincing at the effort, and saw an elderly woman leaning over me, her weathered face lit with joy and concern. Her silver hair was braided tightly, and her eyes, a deep hazel, sparkled with kindness. She reached for a glass of water on the table, gently lifting my head to help me sip. The cool liquid soothed my parched throat, grounding me in the reality of my survival.
“Thanks Moon Goddess, you’re awake,” she said, exhaling a shaky breath. “I’m Elira, the chief healer of the Healing Center in the palace. You’ve been unconscious for three days, Your Highness. We feared… well, we feared the worst.”
Three days? My mind reeled, memories flooding back in a torrent—Anna’s birthday celebration, Perock’s elaborate wolf-themed banquet, our tentative conversations, the laughter… and then the rogue werewolf’s attack, its red eyes and black magic tearing through the hall.
“Anna.” I gasped, bolting upright, only to collapse back against the pillows as a sharp pain lanced through my chest, stealing my breath. “Where’s Anna? Is she safe?”
“Easy, Your Highness,” Elira soothed, her hands gentle but firm on my shoulders, easing me back. “The little princess is perfectly safe, unharmed. She’s been by your side every day, as has His Majesty. They’re both fine, I promise.”
Relief washed over me, warm and overwhelming, and I closed my eyes, tears spilling down my cheeks. Anna was safe.That was all that mattered, the one truth anchoring me against the fear that still clawed at my heart.
“What happened?” I whispered, my voice hoarse, my mind piecing together the fragmented images of the battle. “I remember the rogue werewolf… it attacked me, and then everything went dark.”