Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Cedric
"Let her go!" Adrian's voice cut through the air, cold and commanding.
I whipped around to see Adrian striding toward us, his eyes locked on Alice, held between the guards.
"I said, let her go!" He repeated, reaching out to shove the guards aside.
"Adrian, what the hell do you think you're doing?" I blocked his path, my voice dropping to a dangerous rumble. Jealousy and rage clawed at my chest. My wolf snarled, wanting to rip apart this bastard who dared covet our mate.
"She's my dance partner tonight!" Adrian's eyes narrowed, his tone lethal. "What are you planning? Lock her up? Burn her alive?"
"None of your damn business!" My voice was ice.
Adrian didn't back down. He tried to get past me to reach Alice.
Rage shattered my control. My fist connected with his face.
Adrian stumbled back, blood trickling from his lip.
"Guards!" I roared. "Hold him back! Don't let him near the queen!"
The guards swarmed Prince Adrian, surrounding him.
"King Cedric," Adrian wiped the blood from his mouth, his handsome face hardening, "this is no way to treat a guest."
"She is my mate!" Each word ripped from my throat. "Adrian, I'm warning you—stay away from her. Come near her again, and I don't give a damn about starting a war between our kingdoms."
I turned to the guards, my voice like winter. "Take the queen to her room. Now!"
The guards hauled Alice away.
Her back stayed straight, defiant. Even as they dragged her off roughly, she didn't beg. Didn't look back at me once.
That sight—it felt like something had seized my heart and squeezed. My wolf howled inside me, thrashing, suffering, desperate to chase after her.
I choked down the urge, but the violence and pain inside nearly broke me.
She'd admitted it. The child wasn't mine. She'd betrayed me.
I couldn't stay here. God knows what I'd do if I did. I stormed off the square, through the corridors, and burst into my study.
The door crashed shut behind me, the sound echoing through the room. I braced my hands on the desk, gasping for air, trying to get a grip. But all I could see was her face—calm as she admitted the child wasn't mine. That cold, indifferent back as they dragged her away.
"Damn it!" My fist slammed into the desk.
My wolf raged in my chest, roaring, suffering, demanding to know why I didn't go after her.
But what could I do? She betrayed me! She's carrying another man's child! I should listen to the elders and have her executed!
But I couldn't say those words. I didn't want her dead. Even though she betrayed me. Even though she carried his child.
I clawed at my hair, pacing the study. My shoulder still bled, the wound burning, but that pain was nothing compared to the tearing in my chest.
The door opened softly.
"Cedric..." Victoria's gentle voice.
I turned to see her carrying a tray with tea and a cup. She spoke softly, "Your favorite tea. I know you're hurting. I thought you might need someone to talk to."
She set the tray on the desk, her brow furrowing, worry flickering in her eyes. "Cedric, your wound opened again! Let me call the healer."
"Don't bother." My voice was cold. "Victoria, go back. I need to be alone."
Alice filled my head. I had no patience for Victoria. I needed quiet. Space.
"Cedric," Victoria didn't leave. She stepped closer, nearly pressing against me. "Don't bear this alone. I know Alice hurt you, but you have me. I'll always be here for you. I would never betray you..."
Her voice turned soft, intimate. That lavender perfume hit me, making my stomach turn.
I backed away, putting distance between us.
My wolf growled low in my chest—a warning. He didn't want another woman close. He was rejecting her.
"Victoria!" I frowned, my voice sharp. "You shouldn't be saying these things!"
Shock flashed across Victoria's face. Her eyes widened. "Cedric, I just want to be there for you—"
"Enough!" I cut her off. "Victoria, leave my study. Now. And don't come in again without my permission."
Victoria's face drained of color.
"Also," I took a breath, "since you've recovered, move out of Alice's room. That's the queen's quarters."
"What did you say?" Victoria's voice rose. "Cedric, how can you do this to me?"
My tone grew colder. "I won't repeat myself. And don't let me hear you say things like that again. Or else—"
She bit her lip, staring at me. "You put me in the queen's room. You cared for me, looked after me. Cedric, you love me too, don't you? I know it's because of Alice that you can't show your—"
"Shut up!" My body reacted before my mind could. I shouted Victoria down. I stared at her in disbelief. How could she think that? "What the hell are you talking about? Victoria! Drop these ridiculous ideas and get out of my study! Now!"
Victoria's eyes went wide, disbelief written all over her face. "You... what are you saying?"
"Victoria," my voice turned ice-cold, "I've never loved you. Every bit of care, every concern—it was all because of Arcales' dying wish. It's duty. A promise to my dead brother! That's all it ever was!"
"No! That's not true!" Victoria shook her head. "You were so good to me. You must love me..."
"It was duty!" I raised my voice. "Victoria, wake up! You were Arcales' wife—my brother's wife! I've never felt that way about you!"
Victoria's body shook violently, her face going paler.
"Now," I pointed at the door, "get the hell out of my study! Now!"
"Cedric—"
"Out!" I roared.
Tears streamed down Victoria's face. She opened her mouth, like she wanted to say more, but finally said nothing. She covered her mouth and ran out.
The moment the door closed, I leaned against the desk, breathing hard. I never imagined Victoria harbored these feelings.
Her words terrified me. How could I face Arcales now?
Suddenly, Alice's face filled my mind. So many things crashed together in that instant.
Alice said she was tired of my coldness, tired of everyone's mockery, tired of this palace. She'd said more than once that Victoria and I were too close, that I only cared about Victoria. I'd accused her of talking nonsense. But she'd only looked at me with mockery.
I didn't understand. My care for Victoria was only duty. I never crossed that line. Why would Victoria think I loved her? Did Alice think the same? Is that why she was so cold, so distant, so desperate to escape me?
I needed answers. I needed to hear the truth from her lips.
I took a breath and strode from the study toward Alice's room. The corridor was silent except for my footsteps echoing.
But as I turned the corner, a familiar figure came running.
Caspar. His face was frantic, sweat covering his forehead. He looked like he'd raced back from the border the moment he heard.
When he saw me, he rushed over.
"Your Majesty!" He gasped. "I heard about Alice—"
Hearing the worry in his voice ignited my fury again. I wanted to tear his head off!
"You dare show your face?" I roared, grabbing his collar and slamming him against the wall. "You bastard!"
Caspar's back hit the wall with a thud.
"It was you!" My voice was hoarse, eyes blazing. "You seduced her! The child she's carrying is yours, isn't it?"
Images flooded my mind—Alice smiling at him, that gentle, relaxed smile. Him touching her head, that intimate gesture. Her stepping in front of him, willing to take my blow to protect him.
"You fucking touched her!" My fist crashed into his face. "Caspar! She's my mate!"
Blood trickled from Caspar's lip, but he didn't fight back.
"Your Majesty," he looked at me, disappointment and anger filling his brown eyes, "you'd believe anyone else over your own mate?"
"What?"
"Alice never betrayed you!" Caspar raised his voice. "The child she's carrying is yours! There's nothing between us! We're friends! Friends since childhood!"
"But she admitted it!" I roared. "She said the child isn't mine!"
Caspar's eyes widened. "What? No, there must be some misunderstanding. Alice would never—"
"Shut up! Don't say her name again!" I released him, my Alpha pressure crashing down. Caspar's body trembled, his face going pale, but he still looked at me defiantly. "This is your last warning," I said each word deliberately. "Stay away from Alice. If I see you near her again, I'll kill you."
"Then kill me!" Caspar suddenly shouted. "Cedric, I know why Alice would rather lie than defend herself—because you don't care about her! You only hurt her! Make her suffer. You've never believed her! Not once!"
My fist crashed into the wall beside him. The stone cracked, fragments raining down.
"Get out!" My voice was ice. "Get out of my sight."
Caspar looked at me, pain and disappointment filling his eyes.
"You'll regret this, Your Majesty." With those words, he turned and left.
I leaned against the wall, gasping. Caspar's words echoed in my head.
"You'd believe anyone else over your own mate."
Did I... did I really never believe her? I thought of Alice's eyes every time she tried to explain. Her voice every time she said "I didn't."
But I never really listened. I always believed Victoria. I had to see Alice immediately.
I took a breath and strode toward Alice's room. The hallway was quiet, only my footsteps echoing.
When I reached her door, I stopped, trying to figure out what to say.
"Alice." My voice was low.
No response from inside.
"Alice?" I raised my voice. "Are you asleep?"
Deathly silence. My heart started racing. A sick feeling crawled up my spine.
I shoved the door open. The room was empty. The bedding lay rumpled and tangled. Things scattered across the table. And the window stood wide open, white curtains billowing in the wind.
My body froze.
I rushed to the window, leaning out. Below was the garden. Empty.
"Damn it!" I roared, the sound filling the room.
She ran! She ran away again! My fist slammed into the window frame. The wood splintered.
"Guards!" I bellowed. "Search the entire palace! Find the queen!"