Todos os capítulos de The Mate They Tried To Bury: Capítulo 11 - Capítulo 20

VALERIUS "She is a miracle, Your Majesty."Rowan’s voice grated against my ears. He stood beside me on the stone balcony overlooking the estate’s southern gardens. Down below, his biological daughter Sera walked among the rose bushes. She wore a pale pink gown. Sunlight caught her blonde hair. She clipped dead blooms with a pair of silver shears, looking every bit the fragile, gentle maiden the pack claimed she was."Stolen from her crib," Rowan continued, his tone dripping with practiced sorrow. "Lost to us for sixteen years. When she finally returned, she brought the light back to this family. She is kind. She is pure. She would make an exceptional Queen."Leaning against the carved stone railing, my gaze tracked Sera’s movements. I needed a bride. The northern border packs grew restless. A marriage alliance with the Wilsons would secure this region without shedding blood. Sera fit the political requirements perfectly. She possessed the right pedigree, the right look, and a pliable

AUTHOR’S POV"Your cup is empty, sire."Sera reached across the white linen tablecloth. Her delicate fingers grasped the silver teapot. Sunlight poured over the terrace, illuminating her pristine yellow dress. She poured the hot tea with practiced grace, making sure not a single drop touched the King’s saucer.Valerius did not look at the tea. His gaze remained fixed on the lower garden path.Down in the dirt, Marie hauled a heavy wooden wheelbarrow. Sweat stained the back of her gray uniform. She moved methodically, loading chopped firewood meant for the kitchen stoves.Sera tracked his line of sight. Her fingers tightened around the teapot handle. Her knuckles turned stark white. A sharp, cold spike of panic hit her chest. The Lycan King ignored her perfect posture and sweet perfume. He watched the disgraced prisoner instead.Instead of snapping, Sera took a deep breath. She knew how to play a winning hand. Anger made women look ugly and desperate. Vulnerability made them look like

AUTHOR’S POV"You want a mate."Callum said the words slowly, letting them hang in the stale air of his office. He sat frozen behind his large mahogany desk. A few seconds ago, he expected Marie to demand a better bedroom or complain about her chores. He braced himself for a tantrum. He braced himself for tears.Instead, she dropped a bomb and stood there like a soldier waiting for dismissal."Yes," Marie answered. Her voice held no warmth, no anger, no hesitation. "A legally binding mating contract. Signed and sealed by you, acting as the Alpha of this estate."Callum narrowed his dark eyes. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the scattered border reports. He searched her face for the trick. There was always a trick. For months, he convinced himself her quiet obedience was just a new form of rebellion. He thought she wore those oversized, ragged clothes just to make him look like a cruel brother. He thought her silence was a weapon designed to make the family feel guilty."Is th

AUTHOR’S POV "She is doing it on purpose, Callum."Sera dabbed her eyes with a silk handkerchief while pacing across the thick rug in Callum’s private study. "Doing what?" Callum asked, leaning forward in his heavy leather chair."Trying to ruin me." Sera stopped pacing. She looked at him with wide, watery blue eyes. "You saw how she acted during the courtyard tea yesterday. She intentionally spilled water near the King. She lingered by his table. She wants his attention."Thinking about that, Callum’s jaw clenched tight. He remembered Marie pouring the tea perfectly, but Sera’s tears clouded his memory. He only remembered the tension. He only saw what his sister wanted him to see."And now this mating request," Sera continued, her voice trembling. "She demanded a low-ranking guard. Why do you think she did that?""Because she knows she cannot get anyone better," Callum muttered. "She is a convicted criminal with a dead wolf.""No." Sera shook her head rapidly. "She is playing a vic

AUTHOR’S POV"You forced his hand on purpose."Callum cornered her in the narrow stone corridor leading from the dining hall to the kitchens. Shadows stretched across the walls, flickering under the dim light of a single oil lamp.Marie did not flinch. Carrying a stack of empty porcelain plates, she paused. Her gray eyes fixed on the center of his chest, refusing to meet his angry gaze."I did nothing, Callum." She kept her voice flat."Do not lie to me." He stepped closer, using his broad shoulders to block her path. "King Valerius locked the mating registry. He humiliated Father in front of the entire household. You orchestrated that little performance to make us look cruel.""I asked for a mate to leave." Marie shifted the heavy plates in her arms. "The King denied it. I gain nothing from this."Callum stared down at her. He searched her pale face for the smug satisfaction of a successful scheme. He expected a smirk. He expected a venomous whisper about how she finally won a round