Chapter 87

Chapter 87

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I exhaled deeply. “Thank you for telling me, I’ll talk to her. You are an amazing help, Nadia and I am forever grateful.”

Honestly, it isn’t a big deal. I love working with her and I would much rather do this than a 9 to 5.”

She bowed and left the house. I waited until she had disappeared before I allowed my exhaustion to show. I knew I needed. to breach the conversation with Kiara but I also knew it wasn’t something to talk about just like that. I decided to make ravioli in the hopes that it would bridge the conversation better. By the time I was done, the sun was beginning to set and I called out for the kids.

When they saw the table set. I saw the confusion on their faces. We rarely ate dinner this garly and for the past few days, we always ate with Jaxon but they didn’t protest. They took their spots at the table.

“Where is daddy?” Kiara asked. “Won’t he eat with us?”

“Daddy is busy at work but I figured we all had long days and I am sure he won’t mind,” she looked skeptical but she dug into her food. I waited until she was humming slightly to herself and chewing before I bridged the question. “Nadia said your bad dreams continued. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You and daddy said they were just dreams,” she mumbled. “Nadan said it too, I was just scared.”

I opened my mouth to speak but a knock on the door cut me off I briefly excused myself and opened the door completely shocked to see Aidan standing there. I immediately stepped aside for him and he walked in. He made a beeline for the table to stuff some ravioli in his mouth.

“What’s going on?”

“Jaxon asked me to get you all. Something happened and he doesn’t think it is safe for you here.”

I nodded in understanding and I made to get the kids but Kiara remained rooted in her spot. I reached down to grab her when she spoke. Her voice was so soft that for a second, I almost didn’t process her words.

“What did you say?” I asked and she turned to me, this time her eyes were wide with fear.

“He’s the puppet master.

Awareness dawned on me and I glanced over my shoulder at Aidan who was standing around casually. I gestured for Kieran to make his way over and once he was within range I dropped my voice to a whisper.

“Grab Kiara, go to my room and lock yourself in. Under no circumstances are you to come out, do you understand me? Go into the closet and don’t make a sound.”

“What’s going on?” Kieran asked but I shook my head.

“Now!”

He ran and I heard the click of a gun behind me just as I was about to move

“I would be very careful about my next actions,” Aidan mused from behind me. “Honestly, Freya, you need to do better than that. You were so suspicious.”

“Leave them alone, please, they’re just kids. I’m the one you want right?”

“it’s amusing how you think this is about you. You’re just collateral damage, sweetheart. Jaxon is the want.”

Before I could say anything, there was a sharp pain at the side of my skull and everything went black.

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Chapter 87

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When I woke up, the side of my head was throbbing and I could feel something dripping at the side of my head and I knew it was blood. I was restrained and I was in the dark. I could feel bumps and I knew instantly that I was in the boot of a car. I tried to wriggle out of my restrains or at least get to Jaxon via mind link but my mind was fuzzy and I couldn’t get a grip on

our bond.

Suddenly, the car stopped and I heard Aiden get out of the car. I heard the jangling of keys before the boot opened. I had to blink furiously to get used to the sunlight. Afdan grabbed my upper arm and pulled me out of the car roughly. My knees grated on the rough floor as he tried to jerk me to my feet and I could barely keep up as he pulled me into what looked like an abandoned building.

Everything was happening so quickly. I wanted to fight him but I was too weak to use my hands.

“What did you do to me?” I managed out because I knew it was impossible for me to feel like this. I knew it wasn’t normal

“Relax, it is just a potion. You will be fine in a day or so. I didn’t poison you. Contrary to what you think, I am not a monster.”

“You’re betraying someone who thinks of you as a brother. We let you around our daughter. How could you? Were you always working against us? Did you help Cressida and Dana take Kiara?”

He jerked to a stop and turned me to face him harshly. The deal was that they would take you. I didn’t want anything bad to happen to Kiara Jaxon has always been my focus but collateral damage is imminent in these kinds of things.

I couldn’t recognize the man in front of me. This was not the man I trusted with my life and the lives of my children. He dragged mo into a room and all but threw me into a chair. I tried to fight but my energy levels were low and he easily strapped me in and tied my torso and legs to the chair. He looked at me and when he saw the hatred in my eyes, he sighed and stood to his feet.

“Don’t look at me like that Freya,” he murmured as he took a step back from me and I watched as he placed his gun nearby barrel. “I didn’t want to do this to you. I was happy when you left because then I was able to do to Jaxon as I wished but when he expressed his desire to join your life forces, then I knew that I couldn’t keep you away from it. I actually like you and if I knew how, I would make sure you didn’t die but you sealed your fate when you mated with Jaxon.”

“Why are you doing this?” I asked in resignation. “What could you possibly want that Jaxon wouldn’t give to you if you asked? What could be worth your friendship? That is what I don’t understand. You and Jaxon have been friends since you were kids. Why would you betray him now?”

“He had everything and I had nothing!”

I had never seen that kind of raw anger on anyone before. Aidan’s face was bright red and his fists were clenched so hard that they turned white. He was breathing heavily and for a split second, I was terrified of him. He looked capable of hu

me.

“He was the king’s son,” I dropped my voice into a small whisper as I spoke. “It is not his fault that he was born into i that he was.”

Aidan chuckled darkly. “I am the king’s son too, I am his first son but I didn’t get that life. I was made to live like a ser was made to serve my younger brother and it was the Queen who made that call.

Do you know how dehumanizing it was almost as if she wanted to remind me of my place. I wasn’t even aware that she knew until later. She looked at me i so much pity and she was going to tell the world of the truth, I had to silence her. I waited for the hunting trip and I wer

her.

My mind went hollow and all I could hear was white noise. All these years, Jaxon had blamed himself for his mother’s deat not knowing that Aiden was the one who killed his mother. I could only imagine the pain and heartbreak he would go through if he found out. It occurred to me in that moment how well Aiden had us fooled. He had been plotting against us from the beginning and yet he was the one we trusted the most,

“That doesn’t explain why.” I spoke up and Aiden turned to me. It is not Jaxon’s fault that you were not recognized. It was his father. Why do you hate Jaxon so much?”

“Did you know that his father had my mother killed?” he asked and I fell silent. “I was five but I watched everything happen. I watched him push my mother off the roof because she threatened to expose him. I hid so he didn’t see me. Every day for years I watched him be the perfect father to Jaxon. Why couldn’t he do that for me? Why wasn’t I enough for him?”

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Chapter 87

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I realized there was more hurt than anger but he was directing it at the wrong person. His story tugged at my heart strings and I felt genuine pain for everything he had gone through but Jaxon was not to blame for any of what happened and I couldn’t forgive him for everything he did. He put Kiara and Kian in danger, he brought Noxian and Violet to our doorsteps and I lost my child because of him.

“You’re more like your father than you realize.”

I knew it was wrong to antagonize him, especially when he had a weapon and I was restrained but I couldn’t stop myself. He turned to me with narrowed eyes that were pitch black and for a second, I worried that he would kill me and be done with it. I could see his fingers twitch as he reached for the gun and for a second, I thought he was going to do it but he pulled away.

“Why do you think so?”

“He did whatever he needed to in order to save his hind and you’re da*ning everyone to hell for your ego. What do you think will happen after you kill me? Do you think Jaxon will welcome you with open arms? What will happen to the kids?

“I don’t plan on killing you, you are simply a means to an end. Jaxon is who I want and granted you will die if he dies but no hard feelings. As for your children, I don’t have an issue with the boy, he isn’t your blood and he has no claim to the throne but Kiara is a threat. She has powers, she can overthrow me later

“You would kill a four-year-old for your own greed.”

“I am securing my line.”

“You are a coward,” I spat. “All this time, you could have come out and fought for yourself but instead, you chose to hide behind people. You are a coward Aiden and that is the reason Jaxon is king and you are not.”

He growled and reached forward to wrap his hand around my throat. My vision went black and for a second, I thought I was going to die. I tried to get air into my lungs but his grip was iron clad and I thought he would kill me but as quickly as he started, he pulled back and a small smile played on his lips.

“Guess what, Freya? The fun is just about to begin.

I was confused as to what he was talking about but then I heard it, footsteps. I held my breath praying it wasn’t who I thought it was but as they got closer, I felt him. I watched as Jaxon walked into the room. There was anger and hurt on his face as he glanced over at Aiden.

“I’m here,” he announced. “That is what you wanted, isn’t it?”

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