Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Cedric
"What the fuck are you doing?"
My roar shattered the quiet. The rage in my voice sounded foreign even to me.
Alice and Caspar whipped around, shock written across both their faces. I stormed into the room and landed a punch square on Caspar's jaw, then yanked Alice behind me by the wrist.
"Cedric! What are you doing?" She struggled to break free, her tone nothing like the softness she'd used with Caspar.
I didn't let go. I gripped tighter. I'd come to tell her I was leaving for the border at dawn—who knew how long I'd be gone. We'd just had a brutal fight. She'd told me to get out.
But I still wanted to tell her. What I didn't expect was to walk in on her and Caspar looking so damn cozy, his hand on her head, staring at her with those sickeningly tender eyes.
And she looked back at him the same way! That trust, that intimacy—it snapped something inside me.
She didn't give a damn about me as her mate! My wolf clawed at my chest, howling, desperate to tear apart the bastard who'd touched what was his.
"Caspar, didn't I warn you?" I ground out each word. "Stay away from her."
"Your Majesty," Caspar kept his voice respectful as he wiped blood from his lip. "Alice and I are just friends."
"Alice? That's real friendly," I sneered. "Friends touch her head like that? Look at her with those disgusting eyes? Caspar, you think I'm a fucking idiot?"
"Your Majesty, you can punish me, but I have to say this—" Caspar's voice rose, fury burning in his eyes. "You left Alice alone at the wedding. You made her face those nobles' mockery by herself. Do you have any idea how humiliated she was? How much it hurt when everyone laughed at her?"
"Caspar, stop!" Alice's voice was filled with concern for him.
That made me angrier. If Caspar hadn't always been loyal, I would've ripped his head off last time.
"Who the hell do you think you are to lecture me?"
"Humiliating her at the wedding wasn't enough—you even made her give up the queen's chambers for Victoria! You keep hurting her, and now you want to take away everyone else's right to care about her!" Every word dripped with resentment. His eyes bore into mine.
"She's my mate!" I narrowed my eyes, letting my dominance flood the room. "What happens between Alice and me is none of your damn business!"
"Alice is my friend. I won't stand by while she suffers!"
"You've got a death wish!"
My fist slammed into his face. Caspar staggered back, blood streaming from his mouth, but he didn't back down.
"Cedric! You never cared about her!" Caspar's fist connected with my jaw. "All you do is hurt her!"
He'd dropped the "Your Majesty." He'd actually hit back.
We crashed together, fists flying, furniture toppling. Heavy breathing and impact filled the room.
"Stop! Both of you, stop!" Alice's panicked voice cut through the chaos.
Neither of us stopped. My fists kept coming, each one meant to destroy.
"Cedric! Caspar! Please stop!" Alice tried desperately to pull us apart, but she was too small.
I threw another punch.
Then Alice rushed between us, blocking Caspar. My fist stopped inches from her face.
Time froze. I stared at her, chest heaving, fist suspended in midair.
If I hadn't stopped. If I'd actually hit her... Terror flooded through me. My hand started shaking.
But jealousy came next, burning through what little control I had left. She'd thrown herself in front of Caspar. She'd chosen to protect him again. She'd risk getting hit by me just to shield him!
"Alice, move!" My voice came out hoarse.
"No." She looked up at me without flinching. "Cedric, enough! Why are you doing this?"
"Enough?" I laughed coldly, lowering my fist. "Alice, get your head straight! You're the one getting cozy with another man! And now you're defending him!"
"We didn't do anything!" she shot back. "Cedric, stop jumping to conclusions!"
"Jumping to conclusions?" I pointed at Caspar. "I saw it with my own eyes! He was touching your head! You looked so happy!"
"Your Majesty," Caspar spoke up, voice low. "This is my fault. Punish me if you must, but don't take it out on the queen."
"Caspar! We did nothing wrong—you're not at fault!" Alice turned to him.
"I'll accept any punishment," Caspar continued, looking at me. "Just don't hurt her anymore."
I glared at him, fists clenching tighter. Caspar actually said that! Like I was some unreasonable jealous husband throwing a tantrum!
"Caspar," Alice took a breath, then said to him, "leave us."
"But you—" He looked at her with worry.
"This is between him and me," she cut him off. "I'll handle it."
Caspar glanced between us. Blood still dripped from his wounds.
"Your Majesty," he said, looking at me. "The queen and I have nothing between us. We're friends. Friends since childhood."
He gave Alice one last worried look, then left.
The door closed. Just the two of us remained.
"What do you want?" Alice spoke first, voice cold as ice.
I stared into her eyes—only coldness stared back. Like someone had dumped freezing water over me, freezing all my rage solid.
"I came to tell you I'm leaving for the border tomorrow." I moved closer, voice raw. "Didn't expect to find you cozy with another man!"
"Cedric, you're impossible! Don't project your filthy thoughts onto us! We're friends—nothing inappropriate happened!"
"I'm impossible?" I grabbed her shoulders. "You're intimate with another man, and I can't even question you?"
"So what if I am?" She shoved at my chest. "Cedric, it's none of your business!"
"Of course it's my business!" I roared. "You're my mate!"
"Mate?" She stared at me mockingly. "When did you ever treat me like one?"
I looked at her. The words stuck in my throat. Because she was right. I'd only married her because of the bond. Because the kingdom needed a stronger heir.
The pain in my chest intensified.
Silence fell between us.
"Why did you try to run?" I asked.
She froze. Her face went white.
"Alice," I pressed. "Give me an answer."
She looked away silently.
"I asked you a question!" My voice rose. "Answer me!"
"It's none of your concern." Her voice sharpened with irritation.
"None of my concern?" I stared at her in disbelief, my heart practically stopping. "You're my mate! You tried to flee the kingdom! Leave me! And you call that none of my concern?"
"So what?" She lifted her head, eyes filled with finality. "Where I go is my own business! You don't control me!"
"Where do you want to go?" I looked at her. A thought flashed through my mind.
She'd just been with Caspar. She'd defended him desperately.
"It's for him, isn't it?" I nearly ground my teeth to dust. "You're running away from the kingdom, from me—all to be with Caspar?"
"What?" Her eyes widened. "What are you talking about? This has nothing to do with him!"
"Then tell me!" I shook her shoulders. "Tell me why you're running! Why you're leaving me!"
"Because I'm done!" Her voice rose. "Done with your coldness! Done with everyone's mockery! Done with this damned palace! I hate every second I spend with you! Happy, now?"
Her words squeezed my heart. Panic crashed over me in waves, nearly drowning me. She said she was done with me. Said she hated every second with me.
I pulled her into my arms, cradled her head, and kissed her before she could react.
"Mmph—" She gasped, shoving at my chest.
But I didn't let go. I deepened the kiss—brutal, demanding, filled with all my rage, jealousy, and panic.
I bit her lip. The taste of blood spread through my mouth. The more she struggled, the harder I kissed, arms locked around her like iron bars.
I needed her to know—she couldn't go anywhere. She could only stay with me.
"Cedric! Let go!" She trembled in my arms.
I finally released her. She stumbled back, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, eyes full of anger and fear.
"You're insane!" Her voice came out raw, eyes fixed on me.
She was right. She was driving me insane. My wolf howled and clawed at my chest, trying to break through my control, wanting to beg her not to leave us.
Alice backed away, putting distance between us. It felt like a knife to my heart.
Did she think I'd hurt her?
She stared at me coldly, then suddenly said, "Cedric, you didn't actually fall for me, did you?"
All my words lodged in my throat. My mind flashed to Father—driven mad by Mother's betrayal, dying in despair in a pool of blood. He'd been in so much agony.
I couldn't repeat Father's mistakes! I forced myself to stay calm and laughed coldly. "Fall for you? Alice, don't flatter yourself. As queen, you should remember your position instead of getting tangled up with other men."
Alice's face went whiter. I caught the flash of hurt. Regret hit me instantly. I wanted to say something else.
Then the door opened.
"Cedric..." A weak voice called out.
I turned. Victoria stood in the doorway, gripping the frame, deathly pale.
"Victoria?" I frowned. "What are you doing here? I told you to rest."
"I... I came to see Alice." Her weak gaze found Alice. She walked in slowly, every step labored.
"Alice, I know you must be angry. You blame me for taking the Luna's chambers, but I didn't mean to. Once I'm better, I'll move out right away." She reached Alice and took her hand. "We're sisters, after all. I don't want this to come between us... Alice, can you forgive me?"
Then I saw Alice shove Victoria away.
"Ah—" Victoria cried out, lost her balance, and collapsed to the floor, clutching her chest, face draining of color.
"Victoria!" I rushed over and lifted her. Her body shook in my arms, breathing rapid, cold sweat beading her forehead.
"Alice!" I whirled on her, furious. "Why did you push her? She's your sister! She came to apologize sincerely—if you won't accept it, fine, but why hurt her?"
"I didn't push her!" Alice looked at me stubbornly. "I just pulled my hand away! She—"
"Still making excuses?" I cut her off harshly. "I saw it myself!"
"Sister..." Victoria's weak voice came from my arms. She lifted her head to look at Alice, eyes filled with pain. "I came to apologize... why would you treat me this way..."
Her eyes closed. She passed out.
"Victoria!" Panic seized me. "Victoria! Wake up!"
"I just pulled my hand back! Cedric! She's faking!" Alice's tone turned frantic. "She's lying to you!"
"Guards!" I ignored Alice completely, shouting to the corridor.
Guards rushed in.
"Lock the queen in her room!" I bit out. "Don't give her any food! She stays there until she acknowledges her wrongdoing!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Cedric!" Alice looked at me in disbelief, pain and grief washing over her face so intensely I almost wavered. "You never believe me. You give her all your trust..."