Blythe’s POV
Beta Vegas is a first-class busybody, and I despise seeing him anywhere near me. And I have a legitimate cause. He’s Vito’s closest friend—which means he knows. He knows what my spouse has been doing behind my back. How Vito has been banging omega slaves for years while coming home professing to be too exhausted to touch me. How he never once questioned our lack of closeness, since he was obtaining fulfillment elsewhere. Vegas knows. And I wouldn’t be astonished if he did the same. Maybe that’s why I’ve never liked him. Maybe that’s why his false care and intrusive inquiries make me nauseous. Not like I care if people talk about me. I mean, I once overheard Vito telling Vegas that I was not good in bed. That was years ago, back when I still cared about our marriage. Now? Now, I know Xavier thinks differently. Warmth suffused my chest at the idea of him. He doesn’t just make me feel alive—he makes me grin. My body desires his contact in ways I can’t control. Xavier is a genuine guy, despite his poor rank. Wanting to escape Vegas’ presence so I could continue thinking about my prince charming, I turned to him with an annoyed groan. "I don’t know why you jump to conclusions, but I’ll leave you to worry about that," I snapped. "As I said before, I don’t need your company." I didn’t wait for another foolish inquiry or unpleasant comment. I turned briskly, heading away. I had anyplace particular in mind. Maybe the gardens. Maybe the stable. Anywhere that would offer me calm. Anywhere I could breathe. And perhaps, somewhere I would run across Xavier. But I didn’t see him. I sought for him. Prayed to cross paths with him. But he was nowhere. Was he concealing from me? Did he regret what happened? Was the sex so fantastic that he was too ashamed to face me? I groaned, opting to relax on the grass in the garden. The soft evening air touched my skin, rustling the flowers around me. I closed my eyes, breathing deeply. For the first time in a long while, I felt at peace. Ever once I saw Vito with that omega servant, I lost it. I won’t fight for our marriage anymore. He gave up on us first. I did everything. Carried the weight of the household. Managed the pack affairs. Took care of Ceres. And what did Vito do? He dumped all burden on me before burrowing himself between omega thighs. Like the subject of finding a partner for Ceres. That was his obligation too, wasn’t it? But instead of assisting, he left it to me. While he played home with his mistresses. I let out a slow breath. I won’t poke too far into his affairs. Because I have my own retreat now. Xavier. But before I take things further with him… I need to speak to Ceres. She rejected her partner, and now she’s behaving like she never had one. Even if he was impoverished, rejecting a partner isn’t something you take lightly. I find it hard to think she’s not anxious about finding another. Especially given what happened to me. I inhaled forcefully, bitterness slipping in. Vito’s words. His rude shot at me. "You, of all people, know what it’s like to be mateless." I lost my parents at seventeen. After their deaths, the aristocracy and court officials sought to seize everything from me. I was young. Alone. And they recognized an opportunity. I recall the way they stared at me— Like a kid who had no claim to the kingdom. If they succeeded, I would be booted out of the pack, eliminated as a danger. I had no time to mourn. No time to comprehend my parents’ deaths. I had to struggle to live. I had to solidify my spot before I turned eighteen. But I didn’t know how. I was desperate. Confused. Every day, the tension in court intensified. And I had no one to advise me. Until Elder Moses demanded a meeting. Elder Moses had been my father’s most trusted counselor. I had always liked his knowledge. Whenever my father confronted challenges, Moses always found a solution. A solution that didn’t damage lives. A solution that works. "Do you not see that they want you gone?" he had asked me. I clinched my fists. "I’m just seventeen. What can I possible do?" He gave me a long, deliberate gaze. "My dear, you are just as wise as your father—perhaps even more." I blinked back tears. Because I didn’t feel smart. I felt lost. Terrified. "My father wouldn’t have wanted me to go through this alone," I said. Elder Moses nodded. "No, he wouldn’t have. But he also wouldn’t have wanted you to give up." He stopped, then added— "It’s terrible what happened to your parents. But it would be much worse if your age becomes the reason you lose everything." My heart pounded. "You have to continue the legacy," he stressed. Legacy. That word rang in my thoughts. I was meant to be the future Queen. I was expected to inherit the throne. And yet, I had been too wrapped up in sorrow to realize the danger ahead. I had been trained for leadership. Groomed as a potential heiress. But I had avoided court sessions. I never learned the political games. I thought I had time. I was mistaken. Now, I was battling for something that was already mine. And if I didn’t move fast— They would take it from me. I clinched my teeth, coming back to the present. I won’t let anybody steal anything from me again. Not my pack. Not my life. And certainly not Xavier. I shall have him. And I won’t allow anybody stand in my way.
