Unveiling The Truth

Stefan

I look around the room, and I know I need to sort this out quickly.

“You know what I think?” Diandra steps forward towards Harlyn. “I think she put a spell on the king, made him blind, turned him dumb,” she shouts her words.

“I have to agree with the princess here. This disowned child of mine has caused this. Your Majesty, you need to seek help immediately.” The Earl steps closer.

“Enough! Stop making out like my son is blinded by magic.” My mother calls out.

“If this was caused by that, it started as I was a child. I already said, she is my mate and I knew as a child.” I call out, and Samuel stares at me.

He has no idea, and as my best friend, he will hate me so much more when this is over, and he finds out the truth. It’s worth it though if Harlyn stays here.

“I think Harlyn, Stefan, myself and Harlyn’s mother need to sit together and sort this situation. It’s a private matter.” Mother looks between everyone, and I nod in agreement.

“No!” King Fredric steps forward. “You want to hide his dirty secrets behind a closed door when he just humiliated my daughter for everyone to see? I won’t let you.” He steps forward.

“I will not allow you to use my son to make your daughter feel better.” My father steps forward, great, I’m causing a war right now.

“Your Majesties. This can be resolved quickly.” The Earl steps forward. “We throw out ‘that’.” He points to Harlyn. “Then whatever spell she has put on him will cease to exist, and the king will be back to his usual self. This I have no doubt is all part of her plan.” He jabs his finger towards Harlyn, and I want to protect her, but there are too many people around.

Wayne, however, seems ready to defend her against her father.

“I agree, that whore has planned this, why? What do you want to gain from King Harlyn? Not to become queen as you were about to marry this Alpha here.” Diandra laughs.

“That is enough!” My father’s words ring out around the room. “Everyone, leave. This is a family matter; no one but family stays.” His words are final, and I watch as everyone begins to disappear. I look at Diandra, waiting for her to leave, but she stays standing.

“As much as you don’t want to son, Diandra stays, she needs to know the truth.”

I laugh at his words. “She knows the truth; Harlyn is my mate; I plan to marry her, and Diandra was simply a stand-in,” I shout, feeling annoyed.

“How can she be your mate?” Samuel looks at me.

“I just didn’t tell you or anyone.” I sigh and reach for Harlyn, but she moves back.

“Stay away from me,” she shouts and clings to Wayne; she isn’t leaving with him.

“You are not getting out of this room with him, Harlyn!” I won’t allow it. I nod at the guards, who approach him from behind.

“You want to bet?” Wayne glares at me, and there is the real him.

“I don’t need to say anything to you, Wayne, to make her realise she can’t leave with you.” I grab the envelope and look at Harlyn. “You’re my mate,” I say, trying once more.

“I’m not your mate! You rejected me.” Her words are loud, and I see Samuel’s face. There goes my friendship, and here goes, well, everything.

“Fine, but you can’t leave, and if you do, you’re not taking the pups.” I throw the envelope at her. She catches it and looks confused. “I said it was me, Harlyn. I tried to make you realise and see sense, but you didn’t want to. The pups are mine, and you can not remove them from his kingdom.”

Her head shakes. “You’re lying!” Screaming she pulls out the papers, and I watch her face.

“I’m not; those pups are mine; they are my children, Harlyn!” I shout and see the faces.

“Did he just say?” Diandra looks at me, shocked.

“Don’t play dumb. You knew before me.” I look from Diandra to Harlyn, and she collapses into Wayne’s arms.

“Harlyn, please.” I step forward, but Wayne pushes me back. I glance at her and see her face. Shit, I knew she would take it hard, but not this bad.

“No.” I hear Lucy, and she pushes between me and Harlyn. “How and when? You hated her! You rejected her, Stefan. I heard you, so when did you sleep with her!” Lucy screams and seems to be on her own warpath right now.

Everyone is staring at the pups, and I can see many are now realising I’m not lying. Stepping forward, I feel a hand stop me.

“You tell me right now that you’re lying.” Samuel glares at me.

“Of course he is.” The Earl shouts. “You can’t just claim you’re the brat’s father and remove the title whore from her in return for her agreeing to be yours! She still will be.” The Earl shouts, and I step towards him, but Samuel stops me.

“Answer me, Stefan, now. You’re lying, right?” Samuel stares at me.

“Why would I make myself a villain? Come on, Samuel!” Do they really think I would go this far to win her?

“No!” His head shakes, and he steps back. “No, because that means you’re accepting that you raped her!” Samuel screams.

“Don’t, Samuel, the king didn’t do this. I don’t get what spell she put on him, but he didn’t touch her.” The Earl glares to where Harlyn is still hyperventilating in Wayne’s arms.

I grab the papers off the floor and throw them at The Earl. “There is the evidence, the proof.”

“Wait.” My father steps forward. “That night, you kept going on trying to find the woman that was Harlyn?” He looks at me, and seems to begin clicking everything into place.

His gaze goes from me to Wayne. “And what is your part in this?”

“My part? I had no part in it. I didn’t even know Harlyn until she showed up at my pack heavily pregnant and a rogue!” Wayne shouts, then whistles, and the pups walk to him.

No. I push my father back, my head shaking.

“So you knew? What the whole royal family knew and sat there watching as my sister was disowned and exiled! For him!” Samuel shouts and points at me. “You were my friend.” His words come out in a whisper, and I nod.

“I’m sorry.” It’s a lame apology. I know it is.

“You’re sorry! For eight fucking years, we were looking for the asshole who raped her, and you were right there!” Samuel screams, and I nod.

“You realise sorry doesn’t stop what you did. It doesn’t change anything!” Lucy shouts. “You left her exiled and knew it was you!” I want to argue, but I want to get Harlyn away from Wayne more.

“In his defence, he didn’t know it was Harlyn until recently.” My mother steps forward. “That night, a guard worked to drug Stefan. It was that guard who placed Harlyn in the room. I suspect he also drugged her.” People stare at her and look at me for confirmation.

She’s right, but me agreeing is like I’m making excuses, and I’m trying really fucking hard not to do that.