Page 54 of Rejected By the Shifter King

"It's not treason when it's the truth," she snapped. "Ask the princess yourself if you wish." She thrust her phone at the twins. "Ask them if they recognize her."

Alain shook his head when he saw the princess reach for the phone. "You do not need to—-" He stopped speaking when he saw the way the princess suddenly paled, and a sudden silence swept over them, so heavy one could've heard a pin drop.

Estrella couldn't believe what she was seeing. She almost asked if it was possible for the photos to be edited, but she knew someone else would've long brought it up if that had been the case. "I don't understand," she whispered shakily. "These men are from my pack, but—-" She saw Lysander's face harden, and her heart dropped to her stomach. "Lysander, I truly have no idea—-" She instinctively reached out to him, but he jerked away, and her heart lurched in pain. Everything was happening too fast, and she didn't know even where or how to start untangling the pile of misunderstandings that now threatened to drive them apart. "Lysander, please—-"

"I told you never to lie to me again." Lysander could feel himself growing cold with every word he spoke. "And you promised." She fucking promised, and she had broken it. It was almost like a repeat of all the mistakes they had made during the Great War, with people making and breaking promises to his race like their lives didn't mean a fucking thing.

Estrella wanted to cry at the look of betrayal in Lysander's gaze. "I swear I didn't. Please believe me—-"

"I did believe you," Lysander said tonelessly, "but you clearly fucking didn't." His whole world had come crashing down, and the only way to keep himself sane was to distance himself from everything.

"My own wife—-"

And this time, Estrella could no longer stop the tears.Wife.The word that used to make her squeal and feel like her heart was about to burst with joy.Wife.But this time, the word only tore her into pieces.

Because the way he was looking at her...

"My own wifedidn't believe in me enough so she went behind my back to ask for fucking help."

Because the way he was talking to her...

"And of all the people you could've asked to help, it goddamn had to be Domenico Moretti—-"

It was as if he no longer thought of her as one.

She dropped to her knees and bowed her head in a formal gesture of appeal. "I swear it, Lysander, IswearI didn't tell Domenico a single thing—-"

"The princess speaks the truth."

All eyes snapped to Alain, and even Fina was privately stunned. The truth was, when she had overheard the two Lyccan soldiers talking at the ball, they had specifically mentioned about the princess not having any clue about their secret mission. While Fina naturally kept that little fact to herself, she had wondered but never suspected the oh-so-righteous Alain to be the one in talks with Domenico Moretti.

"I was the one who spoke to the Moretti heir," Alain acknowledged flatly.

Aluin jerked in shock. "Brother?" What the fuck was his twin saying? Was he doing this merely to protect the princess? Or had he truly gone ahead and defied their prince's wishes?

"The princess has no part—-"

"I commend you for trying to protect the princess with your well-meaning lies," Lysander interrupted coldly, "but it's not going to work."

Alain bit back a curse when he realized how convinced the prince was of his wife's act of betrayal. "Your Highness, I—-"

"Enough, goddammit."Lysander was done fucking listening to lies. "Aluin, help the princess up and escort her to our room. From hereon, nothing about tonight's offensive shall be relayed to her, and anyone who dares disobey will be immediately dismissed from service."

Estrella stared up at her husband, stricken. "Lysander—-"

But the prince didn't even turn her way and instead addressed the spymaster. "The twins will not be joining us tonight—-"

Alain sucked his breath.

"Adjustments will have to be made for their absences."

"I understand, Your Highness. I'll let the lieutenants know." Fina's tone was deliberately subdued. Now that she was done sowing the seeds of discord, it was time to step back and let everyone reap its cursed rewards.

Estrella couldn't believe Lysander was going to end their discussion just like that.Your Highness, please—-

Lysander flinched at the heartbreaking sound of Estrella's voice inside his mind, and his gaze snapped to where his wife was. The twins were gently but firmly pulling her up, not letting her stay on her knees, but before he could look away, her stricken gaze suddenly clashed with his, and Lysander sucked his breath at the desperate amount of pain in her eyes.

Please listen to me, Lysander. I swear I didn't tell my brother anything. Please—-