CHAPTER FIVE

Margaux

I hadn’t slept.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw my mother’s outstretched hand, heard my sister’s last breath, felt the sticky warmth of blood soaking into the floorboards of the only home I’d ever known.

And beyond that door, just down the corridor, the man responsible for it all slept peacefully in his bed.

I stared at the ornate ceiling of my chambers, tracking the pre-dawn light as it crept across the painted cherubs and gold leaf. Such beauty built on so much suffering. Every piece of art, every silk curtain, every polished marble tile—paid for with the blood and sweat of people my new husband viewed as less than human.

My fingers curled into the sheets.

It would be so easy. I could slip out of this bed, walk silently down that hallway, and smother Aldric in his sleep before anyone even knew I was gone. Watch the life drain from those cold eyes. Make him feel a fraction of the fear my family felt in their final moments.

But I wouldn’t.

Not because I couldn’t—George had trained me well enough that I knew exactly how to kill a man quietly. Not because I was afraid of the consequences—I’d accepted death as a likely outcome of this mission the moment I proposed it.

No, I wouldn’t kill him in his sleep because that would be too merciful for him,

Aldric didn’t deserve a peaceful death in the dark. He deserved to lose everything first. His power, his reputation, his legacy—all of it stripped away piece by piece until he was left with nothing but the knowledge that he’d been destroyed by someone he’d considered beneath his notice.

Only then would I give him death.

And it would be anything but merciful.

I threw off the covers and moved to the window. The palace grounds were starting to wake—servants hurrying across courtyards, guards changing shifts, the kitchen chimneys beginning to smoke.

This was my new prison but it was also my battlefield.

I’d survived five years preparing for this, so I could fucking survive whatever came next.

Even if it meant being under the same roof as Klaus.

My traitorous body heated at the thought of him. The mate bond had awakened with a vengeance last night, singing through my veins every time I replayed that kiss in the hallway. My wolf whined and paced, desperate to go to him, to complete the bond, to claim what was ours.

I shoved those feelings down ruthlessly.

Klaus was a complication I hadn’t anticipated, and definitely cannot afford. The fact that my body responded to him, that some weak part of me still remembered what it felt like to love him—that changed nothing.

He’d betrayed me. Humiliated me. Broken my heart for gold coins and his friends’ entertainment.

The mate bond was nothing but a cruel joke from a Goddess with a twisted sense of humor.

I was just pulling on a robe when the door swung open without warning.

A maid entered, her expression pinched with barely concealed disdain as she looked me over. She was young—maybe nineteen or twenty—with sharp features and sharper eyes that tracked over my appearance like she was cataloging every flaw.

“The King requests your presence in his chambers,” she announced, her tone just barely civil enough to avoid outright disrespect.

“Thank you. Will there be breakfast first, or—”

“If you want breakfast, you can get it yourself.” She turned toward the door, tossing the words over her shoulder. “You might be sleeping in the Queen’s chambers, but everyone knows what you really are. Rogue dirt dressed up in silk. Don’t expect us to bow and scrape just because you tricked some backwater Alpha into sending his daughter…”

I grabed her arm, spun her around and before she could complete her sentence, I slapped her…hard.

The slap echoed through the room.

Her head snapped to the side, shock replacing the contempt in her eyes as she raised a trembling hand to her reddening cheek.

“On your knees,” I said quietly.

She stared at me, defiant even in her surprise.

“Now.”

Something in my voice—or maybe in my eyes—made her decision for her. She sank down slowly, her jaw clenched so tight I could see the muscle jumping.

I walked a slow circle around her, letting the silence stretch. George had taught me that sometimes the anticipation of violence was more effective than violence itself.

“Let me make something very clear,” I said, stopping in front of her. “I am your Queen. Not by birth, perhaps, but by law. By the marriage that will be formalized in a matter of days. And whether you like it or not, whether you respect it or not, that title comes with consequences for those who disrespect it.”

She kept her eyes fixed on the floor.

“I don’t care what you think of me. I don’t care what rumors you’ve heard or what opinions you’ve formed. What I care about is that when you enter my chambers, you do so with the deference my position demands.” I leaned down slightly. “If no one in this palace taught you proper respect, then I will gladly provide that education. Are we clear?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” she whispered, the words barely audible.

“Good. Now get out of my sight.”

She scrambled to her feet and fled, the door slamming behind her.

I took a slow breath, releasing the tension in my shoulders. That had been risky—I was supposed to be playing the part of a gentle, obedient princess, not showing my teeth on the first morning. But letting that disrespect slide would have set a dangerous precedent.

Besides, I was done being stepped on.

I dressed quickly in a gown of deep emerald silk that one of the other servants had laid out the night before. Simple enough to be appropriate for a morning audience, but rich enough to remind anyone who saw me that I was no longer an Omega who could be dismissed.

As I opened the door to leave, I nearly collided with the guard posted outside, amf when I raised myb eyes and saw him…I let out a gasp.

“Darius?”

Celeste’s personal guard looked up, his weathered face breaking into a rare smile. He was in his forties, built like a bear, with kind eyes that seemed out of place in a warrior’s face.

“Your Majesty,” he said, bowing slightly.

I glanced down the corridor to make sure we were alone, then lowered my voice. “What are you doing here? How did you even…”

“I arrived just before dawn. Alpha George sent me.” He kept his voice equally quiet. “He wanted someone here he could trust. Someone to watch your back and report if there are… issues.”

My throat tightened unexpectedly. Of course George would do this. Of course he’d send someone to protect me even though I’d insisted I could handle this alone.

“He worries too much,” I said, shaking my head with a small smile.

“With respect, Your Majesty, he worries exactly the right amount.” Darius’s expression turned serious. “This place is a viper’s nest. You’ll need allies.”

He wasn’t wrong. And having someone I could trust absolutely, someone with no loyalty to Aldric or his court—that was a gift I hadn’t expected but wouldn’t refuse.

“Thank you, Darius. For coming.”

He nodded once, then resumed his position by the door as I turned toward the King’s chambers.

The walk felt longer than it should have, but after a few seconds, I reached the King’s chambers and knocked once before pushing the door open.

Then stopped dead.

Aldric lounged on his massive bed, completely naked, with two women draped across him like accessories. One was running her fingers through his hair while the other traced patterns on his chest, both of them equally nude and utterly unbothered by my entrance.

My stomach turned, but I kept my face perfectly neutral.

The King looked up lazily, not even having the decency to look embarrassed. If anything, there was amusement in his cold eyes as he watched me take in the scene.

“Ah, my bride. Come in, come in.” He waved one hand dismissively, and the women giggled. “Don’t be shy.”

I stepped inside, closing the door behind me with deliberate care. Then I bowed my head in a show of respect.

“You requested my presence, Your Majesty?”

“I did.” He shifted slightly, dislodging one of the women who pouted but moved to the side. “I thought it best we have a conversation about expectations. Clear the air before the wedding, as it were.”

I waited, keeping my eyes fixed on a point just above his head rather than on his naked form.

“Our marriage,” he continued, his tone casual  “is purely a political alliance. I’m sure your father explained this to you. I need his territory’s resources and cooperation. He needs the protection and legitimacy that comes from a connection to the crown.”

“I understand, Your Majesty.”

“Good. Then you’ll also understand that I have no intention of changing my lifestyle to accommodate a wife.” He gestured at the women on either side of him. “This is how I choose to live. I have needs, and I will continue to meet those needs as I see fit. Your role is to be the dutiful queen in public. To smile and wave and play your part at state functions.”

One of the women giggled again, pressing closer to him.

“But don’t expect me to play the devoted husband,” Aldric said, his eyes finally meeting mine with something cold and cruel glittering in their depths. “Don’t expect romance or affection or even basic consideration. You’re a political tool, nothing more. A warm body to sit on a throne and seal an alliance. As long as you understand that, we’ll get along fine.”

My nails dug into my palms hard enough to draw blood, but I kept my voice steady and submissive.

“I understand perfectly, Your Majesty.”

“Excellent.” He smiled, and it was the smile of a predator who knew his prey was trapped. “Now, let me be very clear about the nature of our arrangement. There will be no relationship between us beyond what’s required for public appearances. You’ll have your chambers, I’ll have mine. You’ll attend the functions I require you to attend, smile when I require you to smile, and otherwise stay out of my way. In return, you’ll have all the luxury and comfort this palace can provide.”

He paused, his gaze raking over me with the same detached assessment he might give a piece of furniture.

“You’re young and pretty enough, I suppose. Some might even call you beautiful. But I have no shortage of beautiful women eager for my attention.” He ran his hand along the thigh of the woman beside him, making his point abundantly clear. “So don’t harbor any foolish romantic notions about winning your husband’s heart. That position is not available, nor will it ever be.“​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​