The Lycan Princess and the Temptation of Sin by Moonlight Muse Chapter 127 9 min read The Lycan Princess and the Temptation of Sin by Moonlight Muse Chapter 127 A Mateâs Betrayal CATHERINE.
I look up when the door opens and although Iâm expecting Skyla, my sonâs mate, itâs not her, but Kenneth. 2 His face is pale as he stares at Royce in shock before that changes to relief in his eyes at the sight of our son.
Oh, if only he knows that even our little baby girl is alive! 2 âRoyce⦠youâre alive⦠I got worriedâ¦â he says as he slowly enters the room. âI sensed your emotions, Catherine⦠Iâ¦
Winona instantly turns her face away Marcel pulls her into his arms, turning and slightly as if shielding her from Kennethâs view.
And even Royce steps forward, blocking her from view.
I find it odd. Does she not want to meet him?
But something is definitely wrong. Even Marcelâs demeanour has changed.
âI am alive. Are you surprised, Father?â Royce asks quietly.
âWhat is the meaning of this? Why are you meeting like this? Why did you lie about being dead?â Dad asks as he looks between Royce and me. His eyes glimmer with anger.
âHeâs alive, Ken! What more do we need? And, thereâs more. Do you know who else is alive?â I say as I close the gap between us and cup his face. Iâm unable to hold back the happiness I feel.
He needs to know our baby girl is here!
âNot now Mom⦠because I assure you, you will want to hear the rest of the rest of the story before proceeding.â Royceâs calm, almost cold voice makes me look at him sharply. 1 The unease that something isnât right about all of this is only growing inside of me.
âI want to know why you put us through this, Royce?â Kennethâs voice is sharp as he watches Royce intently. âWhat have you been planning?â
Planning? Why does he think that heâs planning anything?
âKenâ¦â
âMy mate is not responding. I need to find her.â Royce says quietly. âAs for the answer you seek; that is something only Aleric can answer. Unless you already know, Father. Are you really surprised, or is it an act?â
My heart is pounding violently at the coldness in Royceâs voice, and I turn to Kenneth.
Why is it almost as if Royce is trying to insinuate he knows something or is somehow behind him having to fake his deathâ¦
Kenneth didnât know, that much I am certain of from the look in his eyes.
Confusion, annoyance, curiosity, and anger.
âRoyce. We may not see eye to eye, but your are my son, and I would, of course, want you alive.â
âYou only care for me because of the power I hold,â Royce says.
Thenâ¦. The rumours of a Solaris King mean that you are theâ¦â Kenneth trails off, hist eyes flashing as they lock with Royceâs and hold his gaze.
âCorrect. Youâre looking at the Solaris King Iâve claimed the council and things will change going forward,â Royce replies.
âSo awesome.â Charlotte hums, but Royce is clearly agitated.
âRight now, I need to go find Skyla. Letâs do this later,â he says, taking my elbow and about to guide me to the door when I pause.
I have to tell him!
âNo, you go, Royce, your father needs to know about Victoria-â1 âMom,â he cuts me off when Winona speaks.
âNo⦠itâs alright⦠He should know,â she says, and I turn to see her eyes blazing, not turning away from the embrace of her mate, and she looks at Kenneth.
But thereâs no sadness or love in her eyes, onlyâ¦. Anger.
My heart plummets a little more.
Something is indeed very wrong.
âIâm here, go,â Marcel says to Royce. 1 âExcuse me,â Royce whispers as he leaves the room, breaking into a run. 1 âKenneth⦠Victoria is not dead, she was found at a human orphanage,â I explain, putting my hand on his chest.
âVictoria?â he asks, looking confused.
âOur Victoria, our baby!â I say, shocked that he doesnât realise what I mean.
His face loses all colour as he stares at her and his heart thuds violently, realisation sinking in.
âI donât understand,â he says, his heart thudding violently. âThere is no wayâ¦â
âOf course, you would think there was no way, wouldnât you father? After all, you ordered Beta Quade to kill her.â Charlotteâs voice rings in the air, making my heart skip a beat. 4 Kill her.
Kill her?
What?
âBut he couldnât do it, so left her at the orphanage!â Charlotte says defiantly, her heart thundering, My breath hitches, and it feels as if time has slowed.
I watch as Charlotte, Winona and Marcel watch Kenneth with clear hostility and hatred in their eyes.
Is this what Royce wanted to tell me?
âIâm sorry Mom, itâs the truth.â Royceâs voice comes through the link. 9 My heart feels as if it is about to shatter.
Suffocating pain squeezes my heart and I place my hand on my chest.
Kenneth tried to kill our baby?
Our first born Angel?
âDonât listen to them, itâs a misconception. Why would I do such a thing!â Kenneth says, grabbing onto my elbows. âDonât listen to them, darling.â
I look into the eyes of the man I love, trying to make it make sense, but I am not a fool.
The signs and hints⦠are beginning to make senseâ¦
He had barely let me hold the baby when she was born, saying it would only hurt more⦠he had been on edge until she had been buried..:
I even remember screaming that itâs not my baby and that I know my baby canât be gone Of course, I thought it was my grief, but the look of guilt he always had in his eyesâ¦every time I broke down over Victoria⦠But above all it was the words he had spoken when I told him it was a baby girl that now makes my blood run cold.
I wrench out of his hold, my heart thundering violently.
âCatherine⦠are you believing this nonsense?â
âYes⦠because when I told you we are having a baby girl, you refused to accept it⦠you even went as far as to say there is no way that you, an alpha, can have a girl as their first child. You even accused me of cheating⦠you⦠you didnât want a daughter ⦠Am I wrong?â I ask, my voice so low and calm it sends a chill down my own spine. (1)
I feel a thousand emotions, but at the same time, I feel numb.
I wonder if this is some sort of sick nightmare.
Iâve stepped from a dream straight into a horror movie.
The fear that Iâll lose Victoria once again suddenly overwhelms me and I take another step back from Kenneth. âAnswer me.â
I watch him, needing an answer. Heâs watching me intently, but he knows I mean 1. He knows my anger.
âIt wasâ¦â
âDonât lie, Kenneth, for the truth can be revealed by a simple mind probe,â Marcel says, his voice rough and dangerous.
Iâm not alone.
âIâ¦â
âAnswer me! Tell me that Iâm wrong⦠and if you lieâ¦â I leave my threat hanging, glaring into the eyes of my mate.
âIt was a mistake, a grave mistakeâ¦â His voice is low, almost guilty. âHer aura was so low, she wasnât even up to par of an Alphaâs daughter⦠So I let my ego get in the way and did not want the world to know that I had a daughter, a weak one at that-â
âEnough!â I snarl, my eyes blazing brown as I let my aura swirl. âWithout a woman, you would not be on this planet!â 8 âBut sheâs alive!â Kenneth cuts in, his eyes flashing. 4 âYou as good as killed her!â
âNo, listen to me, Catherine!â His alpha command swirls around me and it only fuels the flames of rage that now spread from within me.
âNo. You listen to me. Did you or did you not ask Quade to kill our baby girl?â 2 âIâ¦â
âYes or no Ken!â I snap.
âI told him to, yes, but-â
âDid you scheme to set it up that she was stillborn?!â I scream. I donât care about my image anymore.
All I want is to know the truth.
âI did⦠and like I said, it was in poor judgement. I am sorry, Catherine. I wish I could turn back time-â
âYes, but the thing is, you cannot!â I shout as I clench my fists.
I have never felt angrier in my life.
How dare heâ¦.
âIâm sorry, please â Catherine, donât do this to me. I need you to understand-â
âUnderstand? Understand that you are a psychotic monster! If you really cared if â
you had even an ounce of remorse in you, you would have come clean, but all you did was think of power!â I shout in anger. 4 âYour greed for power is sickening! You tried to have your own daughter murdered! In fact, how dare you be able to look me in the eye after you sent her to her death!â I scream, slamming my fists into his chest and sending him stumbling backwards.
âCatherine! We will talk about this later, enough!â He snarls, grabbing my wrists as Marcel moves forward, but I wrench free, motioning to Marcel to stay back.
âYou are right. It is enough. But the time for talking is over. I Catherine Arden, Luna of the Shadow Wolves Pack-â
âNo, Catherine no! You will not reject me!â
â-REJECT YOU, ALPHA KENNETH HENRY ARDEN AS MY MATE AND ALPHA!â My shrill voice rings in the room as I feel the violent pull of the bond breaking, plough through me. 44