Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Alice
"What the hell are you doing?" The voice cracked down like thunder. Before I could react, iron fingers clamped around my wrist and yanked me away from Caspar.
"Your Majesty—" Caspar's voice spiked with alarm.
I looked up. Cedric's dark blue eyes burned with rage. His jaw was locked tight, a vein pulsing at his temple. The alpha dominance rolled off him in waves, making my wolf want to submit on instinct.
But I wouldn't.
I forced myself to breathe, to stay calm. I met his stare head-on. "What I do is none of your business."
"What did you just say?" His voice dropped to something dangerous. His grip tightened until I thought my bones would crack. "You want a divorce?"
"You heard me?" I didn't flinch from his anger. "You should be thrilled. A divorce means you and Victoria can finally be together. No more pretending I don't exist."
The thought burned through me—he never loved me anyway. His heart belonged to her. So why should I stay here and relive the nightmare?
I wouldn't go through that pain again. Wouldn't be betrayed again. Wouldn't lose my child again. Wouldn't die in those flames again, drowning in despair.
I'd take my child and leave this godforsaken place forever.
"What game are you playing?" His chest heaved. The fury in his eyes could've swallowed me whole. "You think this'll get my attention? Alice, what the hell do you want?"
"Think whatever you want." I frowned, struggling against his grip. "Let me go!"
"Divorce isn't your call to make!" He growled, his voice hard with authority.
Then he spun around and dragged me away.
"Cedric! Let go of me!" I fought him, but he was too strong. I couldn't break free.
"Caspar." Cedric stopped suddenly, looking back. His voice turned to ice. "Go report for punishment. And—"
He paused. Something dangerous flickered in his eyes. "Stay away from the Queen. Or there'll be consequences."
"Your Majesty..." Caspar seemed about to explain.
But Cedric was already hauling me away.
"You have no right to treat Caspar like that!" I struggled and shouted. "He didn't do anything!"
"I'm the King. That's all the right I need!" His voice was cold and unyielding. "And you're my mate. I decide who gets near you."
"Let go!" I pounded on his arm. "Cedric! Where are you taking me?"
"To make amends," he said coldly.
Amends?
What amends? What was he talking about?
Then he stopped at a familiar door, and my heart lurched like it'd been struck. Victoria's room. My stomach dropped.
Victoria. The vicious woman who killed me and my child in my past life. The woman I once believed was my true sister. The woman who schemed her way to Cedric's side and destroyed me.
I still remembered that night on the forest altar, the twisted hatred on her face. "Why? Why does an ugly freak like you get to be Queen? I should be Queen! Me!"
Her voice still echoed in my ears.
And at the end, Cedric carried her away and left me to die alone in the flames.
I hadn't seen her since my rebirth. The thought of facing her again made my wolf howl in my chest, desperate to tear her apart for our child.
Bang. Cedric shoved the door open.
The room smelled of lavender and herbs. Victoria lay in bed, pale and fragile in her moonlight-white nightgown.
She turned at the sound, lifting her head slowly. Those green eyes found mine, and something flashed there—something like triumph. That look. The same look she'd worn on the altar, watching me burn.
Cold. Satisfied. Full of malice.
My control snapped. Logic evaporated. All I knew was revenge. I had to kill this woman. I wrenched free from Cedric and lunged.
My hands locked around her throat, fingers digging into her cold skin. Victoria's eyes went wide. She shrieked in panic. "Alice? What are you doing?"
"Alice!" Cedric's voice rang behind me.
The next second, something slammed into me. I hit the marble floor hard, pain exploding through my back. I coughed, vision going dark.
"Are you insane?" Cedric stood over me, looking down with fury and disappointment. "You almost killed Victoria once already, and you want to do it again? She's your sister!"
Kill her? I tried to kill her?
I looked up at his angry face and suddenly wanted to laugh. She was the one who killed me. She framed me. She destroyed everything I had—
But everyone thought I was the monster hurting her.
I remembered why she was lying here. The day after the mate ceremony, I'd rushed to find Victoria, excited to share the news. I was going to be Cedric's mate! My dream was coming true!
But she didn't smile.
She just stared at me coldly and said in a strange tone, "You're so lucky, Alice."
I'd been confused. "Sister, what do you mean? Aren't you happy for me?"
She stepped back coldly, avoiding my touch. We struggled, and suddenly she screamed and fell into the river.
Then her maid rushed out, shrieking, "Lady Alice, how could you push Lady Victoria into the water!"
I panicked. I thought I really had pushed her by accident. So when Cedric confronted me, I just bowed my head and apologized while he berated me.
When Victoria woke up, she squeezed my hand weakly, tears in her eyes. "Alice didn't mean it, Cedric. Don't blame her... It's my fault. I shouldn't have gotten sick at a time like this."
So kind. So generous. It made everyone hate me more.
Back then, I thought she was good. I felt guilty. I blamed myself for making her fall in the river, for making her sick.
But in my dying moments, I finally understood—it was all staged. She fell in the river on purpose. She made sure the maid saw. She played victim in front of Cedric, all to make everyone think I was trying to hurt her.
She used that trick over and over. And every time, Cedric punished me for her sake.
I couldn't help but laugh. Tears rolled down my cheeks.
I was such a fool.
"Alice..." Victoria's weak voice drifted over. She clutched her throat, tears in her eyes. "Why...why would you do this to me...I'm your sister..."
"Sister?" I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay calm. I couldn't lose control. Couldn't let her win. I took a deep breath and stood slowly, walking to the bedside.
Victoria's body went rigid. Panic flashed in her eyes.
"That day by the river," I stared into her eyes, each word deliberate, "did I really push you?"
Her gaze flickered.
"Will you swear to the Moon Goddess?" I raised my voice. "If I pushed you, then swear it. But if you're lying..."
I paused, my voice turning colder. "The Goddess will punish you."
Silence.
Victoria went even paler. Her lips trembled. She avoided my eyes and looked at Cedric instead, her eyes brimming with pitiful tears.
"Alice..." Her voice broke. Her body shook. "Let's just say I fell in by accident. I won't blame you. You don't have to do this..."
She finished, and tears slid down her cheeks. She looked so pathetic.
"I never knew you were this vicious." Disappointment dripped from Cedric's voice.
Vicious?
He called me vicious?
My heart felt like something was crushing it. I could barely breathe.
But I should've been used to it by now, shouldn't I? He said the same thing in my past life. Looked at me with the same disappointment. Every time, he chose Victoria without hesitation. Until my child and I died in those flames.
I swallowed the pain and met Cedric's eyes defiantly. "If I really pushed her, why won't she swear to the Goddess?"
Or maybe he knew Victoria was lying. He just loved her more, so he was willing to overlook her lies.
Victoria's tears fell. Her breathing quickened. Her face went paler. Then she suddenly broke into violent coughing.
But I knew it was an act. This fragile act was how she won everyone's trust and sympathy.
"Enough! Alice!" Cedric roared. "Get out!"
"Fine." I looked at Cedric with contempt and turned without hesitation. "You think I want to be here?"
At the door, Cedric's voice rang out again. "Wait."
I stopped but didn't turn around.
"Victoria needs someone to look after her," he said coldly. "Starting today, you'll care for her. Until she recovers."
I whipped around, staring at his cold face in disbelief. "What did you say?"
"You heard me." He repeated it. "You're going to take care of Victoria. To make amends."
Amends.
Amends again! I did nothing wrong, but I had to atone for her lies. Rage surged through my chest, threatening to consume me.
"Fine." I bit out each word through clenched teeth. "You already called me vicious. Aren't you afraid I'll poison her? Kill her?"
"You wouldn't dare." Cedric's eyes turned colder. "If anything happens to Victoria, Amy pays with her life."
Amy.
My lady's maid. The only person in this palace who showed me warmth.
"Cedric! You—" My voice caught in my throat.
"Starting tomorrow, you'll stay in the room next to Victoria's. Available at all times," Cedric ordered coldly.
My fists clenched tighter. My nails dug into my palms. Pain spread through my hands.
"Alice..." Victoria's weak voice came again, edged with triumph. "I'm sorry, I don't need you to care for me... Don't fight with Cedric because of me."
I turned slowly and looked at her pale face. The corners of her mouth held the ghost of a smile. Those green eyes were full of challenge.
As if saying—see? He'll always choose me.
I laughed coldly. "I'll take very good 'care' of you, sister."
I turned and left immediately. Every second near her made me want to kill her.
The door closed behind me. I leaned against the corridor wall, gasping for air. Inside, Cedric was comforting Victoria. His voice was so gentle. He'd never spoken to me like that. The pain in my chest threatened to tear me apart. I thought after my rebirth, his coldness wouldn't hurt me anymore.
I thought I'd let go.
But now I realized—some pain doesn't disappear just because you get a second chance. It stays there, like a thorn lodged deep in your heart.