Chapter 17

LUCIEN

My grip loosened.

"W-Who?" I asked, losing my composure.

The omega looked at me, blood gushing out of her neck. "L-Lady V-Valeria paid m-me to p-poison your m-mate,"

I knew it. I shouldn't have underestimated Valeria’s suspicion. The moment she met the rogue, she already noticed that something was wrong. I should have kept a close eye on her. She's Alpha Magnus' daughter after all. She wouldn't stop until her suspicion was proven right.

"What will you do now, Alpha Lucien? Should we take Lady Valeria and bring her here?" Alaric asked.

I shook my head. "I will deal with her. Deal with this rogue for me and make sure whatever happens here will never reach anyone...especially my father,"

"You'll still protect Lady Valeria even if she tried to kill your fated mate, Alpha Lucien?" Elias asked. His tone was laced with respect but I know he was against my decision.

I looked at him and nodded. “Alpha Magnus will be involved if we do something to Valeria. I'll deal with this on my own so make sure the Royal Council won't hear about it,"

They wouldn't understand the reason behind my decision because none of them knew about my plan, even Draven, my own beta. The plan that I made was only between Alpha Ronan and me. In case it backfired then my pack will be out of it. They knew nothing about it.

Alaric and Elias looked puzzled as if they were having a hard time putting the pieces together but instead of explaining further I made my way out and headed to Valeria's chamber.

The news that my fated mate probably hasn't reached my father, reason why the hallway wasn't filled with Royal Guards but in an hour it will probably reach him. Before that could happen I should deal with Valeria first.

"Alpha Lucien," shocked was written all over her face when she saw me standing outside her chamber. "W-What are you d-doing here?"

She looked behind me to see if I was with someone, and when she confirmed that I was alone, she returned her gaze to me. “Did something happen?”

Instead of answering her question I made my way inside.

"Alpha Lucien," she called in panic. She held my arms and tried to pull me out. "What if someone sees you here?"

I brushed off her hold and looked at her sharply. "Why did you do that?"

Her brows furrowed. "Do what?"

I scoffed. "You know what you did, Valeria. Stop playing innocent with me,"

I looked at her intently. Her confused and innocent eyes slowly swam in her own tears.

“I-I was j-just t-trying to protect y-you,” she cried out. “T-That woman l-looks suspicious, Alpha Lucien. I-It feels like she w-wasn’t really S-Sienna,”

“So you’re saying she was fooling me? That Alpha Ronan was fooling me by giving me a fake Sienna?”

She slowly nodded.

“That’s the reason why you poisoned her?”

She nodded again. “W-When we were kids, S-Sienna was p-poisoned along with my omega. M-My omega d-died, but S-Sienna remained unharmed. If she’s really Sienna, then s-she should be immune to poison. She wouldn’t d-die—“

I held her shoulder and made her look at me. “Do you even understand what you’re saying? You poisoned my fated mate. The woman I presented to the King. If the Alpha King heard about this what do you think he would do? Do you think he will spare you, Valeria? Do you think your father will be spared?”

She cried even harder. Her tears fell uncontrollably so I pulled her to my chest and wrapped my arms around her. I caressed her back and gave her the comfort that she needed. I know by now she has finally realized the consequences of her actions.

“The A-Alpha King w-will kill m-me. My f-father might l-lose his p-position. We w-will be t-thrown out o-of the palace, A-Alpha Lucien,”

I broke off the hug and pulled her away just enough to see her face.

I sighed and cupped her cheeks, brushing away her tears with my thumb. I can feel her body trembling under my touch.

“I-I’m sorry, A-Alpha Lucien. I-I just want to p-protect. I-I don’t w-want you to b-be fooled,”

“I won’t,” I assured her, offering a gentle smile to calm her. “I’ll deal with Sienna. I’ll investigate whether she’s a fake or not myself. As for you, keep everything you did a secret. I’ve already taken care of the omega you paid for. I’ll bury what you’ve done, so all you need to do is forget everything and act as if nothing happened. Can you do that for me?”

Valeria slowly nodded. Guilt was still written on her face. I believe her. I believe that she did that to protect me from the lies but she doesn’t have to do that because I invented those lies.

“Just stay in your chamber. Don’t go out unless I give you a signal, do you understand?”

She nodded like a kid again.

I stayed with Valeria for a few minutes. I wait for her to fall asleep before leaving her chamber and heading back to the rogue’s chamber.

I was still a few meters away but I could already see Draven from where I was standing. I can hear him pleading too.

“A-Alpha Lucien o-ordered me n-not to let anyone s-stepped inside,” he said, his voice trembling.

“Even me?!” my father shouted. “I am your King Draven,”

Draven dropped to his knees, remaining firm to my order. “I’m sorry your Majesty. I was just following my Alpha’s—“

“Go easy on my beta, father,” I spoke, before Draven could pee on his pants. “He was just following my orders,”

My father’s head snapped in my direction.

I walked towards him and politely bowed when I got close.

“Where have you been?! You shouldn’t leave your mate alone. What if someone tried to harm her again?”

“I searched the palace, Dad. I tried to catch the culprit but I couldn’t find any leads,”

The rage in his eyes subsided. “Leave the investigation to Magnus. You should stay beside your mate and protect her from whoever tries to harm her. Now that the news has spread that you already found your fated mate, our enemies will be after her. They will be after your weakness, Lucien,”

Weakness my ass. They are aiming at the wrong she-wolf then.

My father drew a deep breath and held my shoulder. “Stay with your mate all the time. I will have her transferred to your chamber—“

“What?!” my voice rose.

What is he suggesting again? He told me to mark her and I agreed on that. And now he wants us to share my chamber? I was already having a hard time controlling Jaxon. What more if that rouge sleep on my bed?

“Why? What’s wrong with that? Sooner or later the two of you will share one chamber. There’s nothing wrong with that. She’s your fated mate after all,”

“But Dad!” I tried to protest but my father placed his palm in front of my face.

“No buts Lucien. You will share your chamber with Sienna whether you like it or not,”