In order to survive, Darius, the Alpha King, requires his mate. He will perish if he does not unite with her by the next full moon. After searching for days, Darius finally finds her but she is not who he thinks her to be.
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"WHAT'S WRONG?!" OPHELIA asked.
"Duke Beta Noriel just informed me that Queen Mother Alice is approaching!" Samuel replied, coming to stand behind Ophelia.
"Darius' mother? Why do you look so anxious? Don't tell me she hates me too?" Ophelia asked with wide eyes.
"Not only that, Her Majesty may try to kill you on sight," Samuel said casually, like he didn't just tell her that a very powerful she-wolf was on the way to kill her.
Massaging her forehead, Ophelia let out a frustrated sigh. "It seems like the entire werewolf population hates me and I still haven't the slightest idea what I did wrong."
"I was going to wait for the Alpha to tell you everything himself but it seems like that might not be happening anytime soon. But, if I can get his permission, then I will clear your confusion," Samuel assured her.
"Not if I die first," Ophelia simply said.
No sooner had she said that, the door was pushed open and a tall lady in a royal blue dress sauntered into the room with Darius and Noriel behind her.
Her dark brown hair was tied into a stylish bun at the back of her head and held up with golden pins and pushed back by an elegant golden crown.
Darius' mother was the perfect example of beauty and grace. But her eyes told a different story.
Ophelia was surprised that she hadn't burst into flames by how fiercely the Queen was glaring at her.
"You can thank that baby in your womb for being the reason why your head is still attached to your neck," the Queen said in a razor sharp tone.
Ophelia only stared without saying a word. The hostility coming off the Queen Mother had rendered her speechless. Most of the wolves she had met seemed to have the hobby of hating people without reasons.
"Ummm, Ma'am-"
Queen Mother Alice rudely cut her off. "Ma'am?! How insolent! But, of course, what else could I expect from the daughter of a murderer?
"I have no idea what the Goddess was thinking when she decided to make you my son's mate and the birth mother of the Royal heir.
"Make no mistake, I haven't forgiven you and whatever your intention are for approaching my son will be brought to light and by then, even the title of the Royal heir's mother will not save you!"
The curiosity of whatever Pauline Monroe did to the wolves was eating into Ophelia by the minute.
But regardless of what her mother must have done, they had no right to treat her like she was the dirt underneath their shoes. It wasn't as if she was responsible for her mother's crimes.
But with the already tense atmosphere that surrounded the room, Ophelia wouldn't dare tell them that.
"I apologise for my ignorance. How do you wish to be addressed?" Ophelia asked in a soft tone, afraid that any rise in her voice might be seen as a form of disrespect.
"You will address me as Your Majesty!" She ordered.
"Your Majesty, I can assure you that I have no knowledge of whatever my mother must have done to-" Ophelia started but was once again cut off but this time it was due to the Queen Mother wrapping a strong hand around her neck.
The hand around Ophelia's neck tightened to the point where she could only let out laboured breaths. Her eyes went to Darius to find him looking on without a speck of emotion in his eyes.
It was at that moment that she truly believed that she had lost him.
As she struggled to breath, Ophelia almost thought of giving in and letting the Queen Mother end her life but the thought of her child gave her the courage to grab the Queen Mother's hand.
She had almost lost consciousness when she was suddenly overwhelmed by that same feeling she felt in the cell when Prince Gabriel threatened her child.
With her pained eyes on Darius, Ophelia focused on heating her hand alone. Seconds later, the Queen dropped her and Ophelia fell to the ground, gasping for breath.
Touching her sore neck that felt tender, Ophelia couldn't believe that someone could cause harm to another person for no reason, especially when the other person was pregnant.
She looked up at the mother and son duo, unable to comprehend what was going on.
Queen Mother Alice gasped, looking at the burn marks around her wrist. Her eyes turned fully black as she glared at Ophelia. "You filthy Witch!"
On instinct, Ophelia shuffled back at the murderous look in the Queen Mother eyes. It was obvious that defending herself only made the Queen angrier.
"Get her up right now!" She ordered Samuel, but Ophelia all but planted herself on the floor.
Not knowing what to do, Samuel looked at Darius helplessly.
"Do you dare disobey me because of this witch?!" Queen Mother Alice asked with narrowed eyes.
"Mother, I appeal that you forgive her this time. For the sake of your grandchild," Darius pleaded, not even looking at Ophelia.
Ophelia wondered if he had suddenly gone blind that he didn't see his mother strangling her. Instead of reprimanding his mother for what she did, he was begging his mother to forgive Ophelia for defending herself.
What kind of justice system are they operating on?
Ophelia saw the Queen Mother's eyes turn cloudy and wondered who she was talking to through the mindlink.
Luckily, she didn't have to wonder for too long as a guard walked in with a bracelet in hand. Queen Mother Alice took the bracelet from the guard and handed it over to Darius.
"Put it on her," She said.
Ophelia frowned, wondering if she was the person being referred to as 'her', even though she knew that she was the only other female beside the Queen Mother in the room.
Darius shared a look with Noriel who was looking nervous for reasons Ophelia didn't know.
"Do we have to do this, Mother?" Darius asked, his voice sounded hesitant.
"You can't have it both ways, my son. Even if I decide to let this go for now, you and I both know that the court won't.
"You have to decide now," the Queen Mother answered, her words offered an option but her voice gave him no room to choose.
Darius appeared to be torn between whatever the choices were. From the look in his eyes, Ophelia feared that his decision must be related to her.
When he took the black bracelet from the guard and began walking towards Ophelia, her suspicions were confirmed.
