Sagan
Monday morning started with me sitting in the capital’s central police station talking with the lead prosecutor of Lori’s case and the interim police chief. They had offered to come to the castle—several times even—but I thought it important to make it clear I was simply a citizen in this moment.
The victim, and I made several comments that I was glad they were so willing to be accommodating and I hoped they treated every citizen of Nerthus with such care and respect. I was glad when they heard my message loud and clear.
I wouldn’t put up with any more bullshit from the police and I’d be watching the prosecutor’s office going forward how they handled such crimes. Because I didn’t think the “fun” at parties playing with these sorts of drugs was accepted by all.
I was really sure it was a way to abuse unsuspecting women and get away with rape. Most didn’t see it that way and heat was just a natural condition, but forcing it was just the same as giving a woman any other drug and using that to get sex.
Men too.
They were a bit too focused on how I was able to recognize the drug so easily, but the attorney Darren hired for me handled it masterfully.
He submitted the right paperwork to basically forgive my buying illegal drugs in the name of investigating what happened and my security.
All completely under the jurisdiction of the Queen’s Guard who knew.
Then they wanted to know who had saved me that night… Basically asking who I’d had sex with instead.
“No,” I answered easily and raised an eyebrow at the prosecutor who was a bit too interested.
“I understand you can ask me in court if this goes to trial and the judge will compel me, but until that time—no. Someone saved me and doesn’t want the attention, and who I turned to once I was in heat doesn’t change what the man did to me, the victim. ”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” he begrudgingly accepted.
“And in the future, I think you should adopt that as the answer because we all know how fast the story will shift from his crime to my being a slut—the same for any woman who suffers this. It’s why more don’t come forward.
Most cannot tell you no. I will make it clear they should and I will support that. ”
Maple, who had come with me for support, and my attorney both looked like they were having a difficult time not laughing.
Fine, but none of this was funny.
At. All.
The news was reporting how great it was for the Alpha and his mate to hold their son accountable and be responsible parents. It was all about the strength of Sunborough that he would understand that and even temporarily step down while this was going on.
Not one word about the fucking victim or praising me for following the law and being strong to endure this.
Seriously, Thovudin needed a kick upside the head and I was tired of it.
“You need to see something,” Toni told me when I arrived back at the castle. “There’s been a website launched and we’re being called for comments asking if it was you or your people.”
I glanced at Myriam. “Did we launch a website for something?”
She frowned. “No, we added the portal thing for the castle staff to add to their resumes and now put in what education they’d like to be considered for. The first few started night classes last week with the new adult education semester.”
“We didn’t do it, but check with others,” I told Toni. “What’s the website?”
“ItStartsWithSagan,” she answered, nodding when I frowned. “So far it’s some of your schooling history—did you know Serlir has every college test, term paper, and thesis as public record?”
“Yes,” Myriam and I said together, but I went on.
“It’s how they curb cheating. There’s no chance of passing papers around, but it’s also a massive reference library for other research and how they are academically advanced beyond Thovudin.
” I gave a half shrug when Toni frowned.
“They are. I’ve seen Thovudin’s same program I graduated from. It’s sad really.”
“Someone’s boasting how well she did in school?” Myriam asked, looking impressed when Toni nodded. “She was a rockstar and many hated her for it. It’s not us, but focus on confirming the accuracy.”
That was smart. “All of my guest lectures were recorded as well. Father insisted on it in case—to be smart. I can find them.”
“I can work with that, thank you. I think it smart to piggyback on this saying that clearly Thovudin’s people are interested in their leader and learning the truth about her more than the media’s biased reports.”
“Make sure June is in the loop and offer her access,” I said, not wanting that bridge burnt.
I was already doing that with Applerest. My phone exploded when Kole and Vex must have been served with the lawsuit papers filed with Nerthus’s personal court. It was public record now that Kole had lied and more. We didn’t submit all of our evidence, just enough to make it clear I had a real case.
Again, I didn’t want to just rely on being queen. No matter how much I was criticized, I did follow the rules.
Fine, besides the illegal underground cage fighting I did, but desperate times and all of that.
It was hard to see the messages, and I sighed because I’d thought this wouldn’t make things better. I knew it would make him act out.
I just didn’t know how to handle this.
Kole: I will fucking kill you, you stupid fat bitch! I cannot believe you started this war with Applerest!
Kole: Father and our family will bury you and your fuck boy. Tell Onyx he’s dead to our family. DEAD! He comes back here and everyone will kill him and write his lies he’s stronger than Father on his tombstone.
Kole: Fuck that! That piece of shit whore in your bed now doesn’t even get a burial or tombstone. We’ll burn him with you, you stupid whore! You should have just behaved and none of this would have happened.
Kole: You’re a fat, pathetic, LOSER who is too full of herself because of the family she was born in.
Kole: No one drooled over your gross massive cow tits until you were queen so don’t lie to yourself that it’s anything but that. And yes, I only wanted to be prince and the real ruler of Thovudin. OF COURSE I DID!
Kole: No one would ever love you! You’re a cold bookworm and I had to think of other women to get hard to fuck you. And you did nothing a woman should. You sucked at all of it, but you never even sucked your man off, so don’t blame me for getting it elsewhere.
Kole: Cheating? Fuck you. You were lucky I gave you any attention as you laid there like a blob jiggling while I fucked you. I would have gotten more from a corpse than your emotionless nothing. Never making a sound or getting wet for me like you were too good for me.
Kole: Yeah, the clueless virgin who I couldn’t get hard for. Yeah, so much better than me. I bet he lies and says you rock his world. He wants to be king. He told us so don’t be this stupid again! He’s not on your side either. He bragged you were OBEDIENT and did what he wanted, basically his slut.
Kole: And I believe it. So did Father with all of Onyx’s experience I bet he made you feel like you were special. You’re not, Sagan. You’re a pathetic slut fucking men left and right now that you’re useful for a crown.
Kole: I will burn it all down and you if you don’t withdraw this bullshit and say it’s fake. Fuck you! I don’t care you’re a fire dragon, slut. Do as you’re told and—I have more. I can do much worse. You think I don’t have pictures?
Kole: If I go down, I will take you with me.
Fuck you. I’d rather rot in prison for showing the world how gross you are naked than go through this humiliation that you’re too good for me.
You’re not! You’re a cold blob and you should have just let me do what I wanted because I’d still be better than what all those fuckers do to you.
Kole: I hope Lori raped you and you’re lying. One of them will. They have a betting pool of how many can fuck you before they’re booted. I tried to save you from that, but now I hope they all do. I hope they all LAUGH how pathetic and clueless you are.
Kole: How GROSS you are. They’ll all know it and say worse when you cut them. I can’t WAIT for you to get what you deserve, you stupid slut.
Kole: Fix this now or I will publish the photos all over and RUIN YOU! I will not let you take me down like this when I put so much time into you and you took away what was mine thinking you could get better.
There was more. So much more, and it was so unhinged it went to listing all of the mating prospects that he said had plans to rape me and would tape it. Just… I couldn’t read anymore.
I was shaking. Shaken to my core, but then I realized actually and physically shaking.
I wasn’t sure what to do. He’d threatened my life and that was a death sentence. If people saw this, Kole would die.
And clearly, Vex was never going to control him. How could he not block him from communicating with me when I was suing him? It was so insane and over the line that part of me wanted to report it.
A big part of me because I was scared of Kole now. I was scared he was willing to do what he said and go over the edge like that. I also had no idea if he was bluffing about the pictures or not.
It took me several minutes to get a real breath of air, but then I decided the best course of action was to turn to someone who maybe could control him.
She and I hadn’t liked each other much, she didn’t hide that she thought the relationship was a mistake when Kole was meant to be Alpha, not stand at my side.
Plus, she just didn’t like me. That was fine, I didn’t like her either. She was part of the problem with Thovudin in my opinion. She thought a woman’s place was next to her mate and only that.
I found her number and called her, sighing when she didn’t pick up. She had to have had my number too. So I sent a message.
Me: Answer the phone before I report what your son just did now and he loses his head.
It took less than a minute and she called me.
“What can I do for you, Your Majesty?” she greeted.