Chapter 69 #2
Lucie cleared her throat and gave Stella a sad smile with a half a shrug. “I’m a little sad, and the rumor leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I’m sorry. I really don’t feel up to taking that walk anymore. Maybe next time?”
“Of course. Hey, don’t let it get to you. The truth will come out when your baby is born. Then they’ll all feel horrible for their bad judgment.”
Lucie nodded, the same sad smile on her face. “I know. Thanks.”
Lucie walked Stella back in through the castle and saw her to the exit.
She waved goodbye to her friend and closed her eyes, inhaling long, deep breaths.
This was not one of those situations where you wanted to hear everything would eventually be alright.
This was one of those times she wanted to go out and show these vampires their princess.
She wished she could unleash her hurt and anger and smash them into submission.
Her mother Freja had spent most of her life in solitude until she met her father.
She was unwanted by the Briar Coven, but she wasn’t part of that witch’s group.
If there was someone who knew how it felt to be unwanted, it was her grandmother, Lita.
Lita came from a pack where she was unwanted because she wasn’t a pure werewolf.
That had long since changed, but Lita grew up unwanted by her own pack.
Lucie had always been wanted, up until now.
She was a tri-princess. Princess to the wolves, vampires, and fairies.
Two of them would gladly welcome her. She was a rare gem in their eyes.
This was why she felt even more slighted by the vampires.
Why were they so much better than the other two species?
If the situation were reversed, Derrick would have been welcomed by the fairies and the werewolves.
No malicious rumors, no whispers. She knew her pack.
There would have been grumblers, sure, Kyle, there’s always a Kyle, and a handful of others, but nothing like this.
Nothing decided about him in corners they couldn’t reach.
She rubbed her stomach lightly. It ached, the thought that anyone believed her baby was illegitimate.
Derrick was going to be livid, which meant someone was about to have a very bad week.
A high noble would be exiled. Lower-ranking would probably suffer something worse.
And then what? The people would frame it as their prince just protecting his mate, tuck their opinions somewhere quieter, and go right on thinking what they already thought.
She was angry, which meant she was lumping every vampire into one faceless mass.
Was it fair? No. Satisfying? Maybe a little.
One rumor had her convinced the whole species hated her.
The soldier from earlier had believed it, but he hadn’t looked at her with contempt.
He’d looked relieved when she’d told him the truth.
Almost pitying, like he’d assumed the deity had forced himself on her.
That detail was the one that stuck. For a rumor to land this hard, it hadn’t come from someone low-ranking. Gossip from the bottom didn’t travel like this. This had come from someone with weight, someone close enough to the royal family to be trusted on instinct.
She rolled her eyes at her own spiral. Her mother had trained her better.
Keep thinking until you reach the logical conclusion.
If Sam had said something about her family back home, the pack would have taken it as gospel, not out of malice, but because their trust in him was absolute.
When Sam spoke, it was as good as her father speaking.
So who had that kind of clout here? Jester and Jasper, maybe, but she trusted them and they were close with her family.
Not them. And she didn’t know the rest well enough to guess.
She slowly made her way back down the corridor.
Myra would find out. That was what Myra did, and Lucie was too tired to keep chasing the thread.
She walked into her room and laid on the couch.
At least I’ve landed somewhere that lets me sleep.
Because the alternative, believing the vampires really didn’t want her here …
She grabbed a blanket off the back of the couch and pulled it over her. She couldn’t think like that. Derrick trusted his people too, and he said she would be treasured here. There was someone who didn’t want her here, someone who had a problem with her.
The door opened and Derrick walked in, followed by Jasper, Justice, and Abe.
They were laughing and jabbing at each other.
The moment Derrick’s eyes fell on Lucie, his face fell.
His lips pursed tight, his knuckles white as he clenched his fists.
He walked up to Lucie and knelt beside the couch, wrapping his arms around her.
He pressed his head into her neck and squeezed his eyes shut.
“I’m so sorry, Lucie,” he whispered. His mate had been hurt. She had suffered trauma from her kidnapping, and now she had to deal with vicious rumors from his own people. How dare they spread such a rumor about HIS child and HIS mate?
He kissed her neck gently and rose, his black orbs full of rage as he turned toward Jasper. His fangs were slightly elongated as he snarled, his whole body trembling with dark fury. There was no quelling his wrath. Someone was going to die for this.