Sagan
Friday morning, a miracle happened. A fucking miracle at this point with all the crazy and things that hurt me always coming at me.
I had frozen in worry when Myriam told me Alpha Vex was giving a press conference, but then went with her when she dragged me to breakfast so we could watch.
She was a twit because we should have watched it in private, but I also understood that she just wanted me to see it and we had already been heading to eat, so those were the closest screens.
“It’s with a heavy heart that I revoke naming my eldest, Kole, as my heir,” Vex said, starting with a bang.
“I never thought the queen was lying because I know she’s of the highest caliber of person, but I’m a father and knew my child—I thought my child could—it had to be misunderstandings or—it doesn’t matter now.
Kole can never be Alpha of Applerest. Not after this. ”
I didn’t realize I was sitting until Treena was patting my shoulder and from above me. Huh? I looked up at her and she just smiled.
Okay then.
“I’m also ashamed of how I have behaved,” Vex continued.
“The blinders I had on—my own ego. King Rhys did, in fact, try to end the relationship. He had proof of the cheating. I was immature and made a comment that they were a huge distance away and both of them would go into heat. I heard over and over again that the king would never let his heir mate an Alpha’s son.
“And it irked me. I understand why in theory, but it was basically like he was saying he couldn’t trust our family, and I was a prideful ass.
Not my son. Not my family. I regret that now.
Especially how dismissive and rude I was to Rhys the last time we spoke.
He didn’t deserve that. He was a father trying to protect his daughter and—he didn’t deserve that. ”
It took everything I had to swallow the snort, but I managed.
“I saw some of the proof after the relationship ended, but it seemed—I don’t know. I was disappointed, but I was more upset how it was all over the news and—I know Kole was a cheater but—no buts…”
“Funny because he keeps saying it,” Treena said under her breath.
Right? Fucking asshole trying to save face.
“But my own blinders and excusing Kole’s behavior came to a head with the lawsuit.
Realizing my son had lied to me and it wasn’t only talk of his inflated ego that he didn’t realize was being recorded.
To know that he faked the whole thing and then lied to me—as a father, I’m devastated.
As an Alpha, that’s not someone who can lead. Ever.”
The camera panned out and I saw his mate standing with his other children… And Fraser.
“Whoa, go, hot uncle number two,” Myriam praised.
“I know you said that to try and make me laugh, but I’m smacking you later,” I mumbled.
“It wasn’t until Prince Fraser came here as Sagan’s uncle and talked to me about my son did I finally—the blinders couldn’t stay on.” Vex looked completely distraught as he glanced at his mate.”
“He’s lost weight,” Dray muttered from behind me. “From when I saw him this weekend. This is about more than the lawsuit.”
This time I did snort.
“When Prince Fraser showed me the threats my son sent to our queen after being served the lawsuit he fully deserves, not just my heart but my soul shattered. I couldn’t believe I had fathered such evil to—things that cannot be repeated here.
Things that never should be uttered by anyone with any decency. And apparently, my son has none.”
“What is he talking about, Sagan?” Darren demanded, his voice cold.
I swallowed loudly. “I would have warned you. I told Fraser I didn’t want this public.”
“Want what public, Sagan?” Treena asked too.
“Oh, you’re freaking out,” Myriam chuckled. “My nose is full of it. There’s gonna be a line to spank you, isn’t there?”
I wasn’t sure what I was going to snap back at her, but Vex continued.
“I second the Alpha of Sunborough that our queen is kind—so much kinder than people ever give her credit for. She could have reported what Kole did and had him arrested. She could have taken his head for the death threats he sent her.”
“What?” people exploded around me, a voice I was pretty sure was Onyx’s louder than everyone else’s.
“Honestly, some of what he said was—death would have been kinder. I’m genuinely horrified, and yet all Queen Sagan did was show her uncle admitting she didn’t want this to end in Kole’s death.
I don’t know I could have been that calm reading what he’d sent.
How Prince Fraser came here and didn’t immediately kill Kole is… ”
“How bad?” Darren seethed.
“Benson has the copy,” I sighed. “I couldn’t read it all and—they begged me not to. I didn’t, and they deleted it off my phone.”
“Kole not only threatened revenge porn, stating he would show nudes of the queen—which we have confirmed he never had—but bribing the prospective mating candidates to rape her while filming it.”
“He’s fucking dead!” Onyx roared and then was suddenly in front of me. “How could you not tell me?”
Well, that was an easy answer, and I simply gestured to him shaking with rage. “You would have killed him.”
“Rightfully so,” Dray of all people mumbled, Darren snorting in agreement.
“He really didn’t need to tell the world he threatened me with nudes I knew he didn’t have,” I mumbled.
“He’s got Kole in custody,” Maple told me, nodding when I shot her a look that I didn’t believe it. “You were right to send Fraser. And that’s why Vex has lost weight. He knows he’s beat.”
“Revenge porn is illegal,” Vex continued.
“Even if it was going to be faked. Threatening the queen’s life is illegal.
Threatening violence and to violate a woman is illegal.
Everything my son sent was so many levels of illegal that—no more blinders.
He faked that recording and knew what he said, all the slander and lies.
“He tried to strike the queen when she ended the relationship, but her head of security stopped him. He’s broken laws, not just ‘boys will be boys’ bad behavior that I should never have thought to excuse or ignore.
Maybe cheating when they were so far apart and young was… It wasn’t okay. I was too dismissive.
“But then cheating in her home with witnesses and telling her she couldn’t break up with him or there would be war—that’s another threat.
And the queen tried to handle this all peacefully and quietly.
She didn’t press charges for the assault.
She didn’t—she’s a better person than I am, and I can never apologize enough for not doing what I should have from the start.
“You deserved better from me, Your Majesty. You were right when you said that all of this mess wasn’t of your making and any woman is allowed to leave a relationship she doesn’t want to be in anymore—justified to the world or not.
And you were more than justified to anyone sane.
I’m sorry I wasn’t the man I should have been and helped you. ”
I was numb or I wasn’t sure, but then I realized I was sitting on Onyx’s lap and he was hugging me to him. I blinked around and saw the worry in Treena and Myriam’s eyes.
Huh?
“Since I am part of this problem, I need to take some time to get my head straight, plus Kole will be going through the legal system. As the Alpha of Sunborough did, I too am temporarily stepping down from being Alpha and letting my eldest, non-family Beta be in charge.
“I am also going to put my request in that this be made law. No one should be Alpha while their immediate family is facing possible criminal convictions. Never should it be allowed when we are more than Alphas, but parents who love our children and family. We cannot be objective, nor should we need to be as we are only people.”
“Well done, Fraser,” Maple praised.
It took me a moment, but then I flinched. He’d made Vex get on board with this as a way to protect me. Now any candidate who tried for me or to hurt me—their parent would be in deep shit too. Or uncle, but that wouldn’t be law, just the threat.
Still… A damn good threat.
“Remind me never to piss off the prince,” Dray mumbled, obviously understanding what had happened as well.
“You would never threaten to hire men to rape a woman, Alpha,” Maple murmured. “We all know that is a particular hot button for my brother.”
“I didn’t,” I muttered and glanced at her.
“You weren’t born, but—you picked the right person to end this,” she praised. “Since apparently Onyx couldn’t and his promises aren’t worth much.”
“She loves you, and watching you go through this has been killing all of us, Sagan,” Darren defended as Maple stormed off. He ignored Onyx and kissed my hair. “Hopefully, now it can be over besides maybe some barking from him in prison.”
I gasped as Kole was already restrained and handed over to the local police. We didn’t even haul Lori away publicly, so I was shocked Vex was willing to do that.
“Since my other children are underage, in case of my death, I’ve named my brother Onyx as my heir,” Vex continued.
“Fucker didn’t even check with me,” Onyx seethed as he stood with me. He sat me down and knelt in front of me. “I need a minute before I explode because I know this is my punishment for—I need a minute.” He kissed both of my hands before storming off.
“I can’t process enough right now to figure out what just happened,” I admitted, my voice sounding hollow to my own ears.
“Most would go home to help out when Vex stepped aside and let a Beta take over,” Dray explained. “He’s trying to summon Onyx home. Or that’s what Onyx thinks.”
“You don’t think so?” Darren checked.
Dray didn’t answer right away. “Onyx obviously knows his brother better, but even if my son was guilty—I would need space from my brother for outing this or whatever Onyx did. Vex is smart. He knows with Onyx named his heir no one will take him out as he steps aside.”
I nodded I heard them, but I trusted Onyx’s opinion as well.