Chapter 119

Violet

He passed out as I expected, but the fact that he didn't even know who I was talking about spoke volumes. He was sickly pale, drained, flushed. Blood still smeared on his face and neck.

Lily said he'd started to bleed from his nose and ears, convulsing and speaking a language neither of them spoke.

But I did.

Wife. Save her. Wife.

My eyes burned with grief. I didn't have the full picture of what was going on, but I knew enough. The pain still throbbing dully in my body was nothing compared to the ache settling in my heart, my soul. Something had gone terribly wrong.

A large part of that was Eva.

Something about her was off. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but the moment she had appeared, the world had started shifting in ways I didn’t like. Unnatural ways.

I couldn't remember everything from the ceremony, what happened after I was finally free of Lucas. I needed to talk to the High Priestess. I needed confirmation before my doubt and suspicions took over.

I turned to Kincaid, Lily, and Dahlia.

"Stay with him and make sure no one comes in," I said. "I don't care if His Majesty shows up. No one is to see him."

I glanced back at Theodore and struggled to pull the blanket over him. I kissed his forehead. He let out a low, pleading rumble.

Stay.

I kissed his cheek and shrugged out of my blazer, bundling it up for him. He buried his nose in the fabric and went boneless in bed.

I turned from him, eyes burning and heading to the door just as the woman I assumed was Eva was trying to come in. I closed the door behind me. She looked at me with wide eyes.

"I'm Eva," she said.

"I know."

She blinked. "Well… I know this is a bit awkward, but… I'm sure everything happens for a reason…" She glanced at me. "Maybe… Maybe the Goddess changed her mind given everything that's happened?" She gave me a smile that seemed… almost threatening. "I mean it can't get much clearer than--"

"Eva." I cut in. "In the spirit of knowing nothing about you, I'm going to give you a fair warning: I have ordered my beta and gamma, and Theodore's beta to keep everyone out until I return."

"But I'm his mate," she said, looking behind me. "You can't have more say than me."

I tilted my head, scrolling through my memories, her appearance, the timing. The vague shape of a scheme that turned my stomach took shape.

"I'm his wife, married by the High Priest and Priestess. His Luna, Eva," I said. "You can test my authority, or you can sit out here while he rests."

"He needs me." I pushed past her. As expected, Kincaid came out of the room, heading her off. "Move our of my way."

"Alpha's orders. No one is going in."

I reached the end of the hallway to a cellphone room and pulled mine out of my pocket. I sank into a seat and called. When the line connected, I started from the beginning, hoping that my suspicions and fears were wrong.

After the call, I returned to Theodore's room. As expected, Eva was still trying to get past Kincaid, but he hadn't budged a bit. Security hadn't come, but I knew that was because of Owen's influence.

"Thank you, Kincaid."

"You're the worst," Eva yelled as I passed him. "You don't care about him at all. You left him. I'm his mate and he needs me. Let me in!"

I ignored her, closing the door behind me on her irritating screaming. I got into the bed with Theodore. He abandoned my jacket with a low, contented rumbling whimper. The pain had to be immense as was the confusion.

I stroked his hair.

"Lily, take notes for me, please?"

"Of course."

"We'll need--"

I heard Kincaid's roar, echoing down the hallway.

"Do not give me a reason to kill you today."

Dahlia jumped to her feet. Eyes wide as she went to the doorway.

Theodore grunted and frowned.

"Wife."

I kissed his head. "Sleep a little more."

He tightened his grip on me. "Home."

"Soon," I whispered.

The door opened and I knew without even looking that Owen was in the doorway.

"Let him in," I said. "Keep her out."

Eva shrieked beyond the door, but the door remained open as Owen entered. Theodore turned his head, growling at Owen as he entered. I stroked his hair, holding him close, shielding his eyes from Owen's view and the view of the door.

"I don't imagine you're here to check on your brother," I said, not looking at him directly. "So, what brings you here, dear brother-in-law."

I let my gaze drift toward him, taking in his irritation. He looked furious behind his almost placid expression.

"More on business," he said.

"We will be returning to Midnight soon," I said. "My husband wishes to go home."

"I'm coming!" Eva yelled. "You can't stop me!"

Owen looked at Theodore as I felt Theodore start to stir.

"Violet," he murmured, drowsily. I kissed his head, stroking his hair to keep calm. The urge to attack Owen, to rip Eva's throat out was growing by the second, but I had to keep calm.

"Theodore! Theodore, I'm here. Your mate's here."

He whimpered, turning his face into my chest, tightening his grip on me.

"Violet."

I lay my head on his and looked at Owen. His jaw was set.

"After all your posturing about Shelter, you're going to refuse Eva her right to be near her mate?" Owen asked, cocking an eyebrow. "The way I understand it, she is a rogue herself, though I suppose not anymore as she's Theodore's mate."

He wanted to die.

Theodore lifted his head, looking up at me, blinking and barely cognizant, but I knew what he wanted.

"My husband's kind heart would graciously offer her refuge in the camp," I said, stroking his face. "Shelter, while not officially established yet, is a haven for those without pack."

I kissed Theodore's head and he practically purred, curling back into my arms with a happy rumble.

Owen looked like he'd sucked on a lemon.

"Was that all, Your Majesty?"

He lifted his nose. "You will be staying at the palace for the evening, given the circumstances--"

"No," Theodore growled, loud and clear.

I smiled.

Owen narrowed his eyes. "It is not a request. It is an order."

Theodore started to tense up. Then, his skin started to warm. I felt his magic starting to gather, shiver and heat the air. He was in no state to get into a physical altercation, but if he eviscerated Owen right now, he'd wake up out of this trance with a crown and I would be no closer to my answers.

"If the hospital releases us," I said. "I see no reason not to have a night's recovery in the warm arms of your hospitality." I met Owen's gaze, nuzzling Theodore as he started to graze his lips against my neck. "Now, if you don't mind, we'd like to be left alone. We could use the rest."

He set his jaw. "Eva--"

"Is a complete and utter stranger with a penchant for being irritating and overreaching," I said. "If she really believes she's Theodore's mate, shouldn't she be listening to his beta or to him?"

Owen scoffed and turned, leaving the room and leaving the door opened. Eva tried to enter. Kincaid stepped in front of her and closed the door with a deft thud.

"No," Theodore said. "Wife."

"It's okay," I whispered. "I'm going to figure this out. You just rest."

We'd both need more rest before heading to the den of poison that was the palace, but there was no other way for me to get confirmation about what was going on, or any more clarity.

I stroked his hair, soothing him and nodding off. His anxiety flickered and sparked along the disjointed pieces of our bond. I closed my eyes to focus on it, trying to trace it.

It wasn't broken. It wasn't even torn. It was more like it had been stretched thin, knotted, twisted and twines around a bunch of obstacles. There was something else hooked into it, I could feel. It would take focus for either of us to parse out what that was and what it was doing, but I had a feeling there was a faster way to figure it out.

The doctors discharged us both though it was clear that Theodore still wasn't completely coherent. My whole body still ached, but Lily gave us both some stabilizing potion to help us leave. Eva was nowhere to be found. She was likely already at the palace.

Whether she was a schemer or just a pawn, I didn't know, but Owen was itching for me to say to hell with subterfuge and subtlety when he had the palace staff escort us to a room three hallways away from the room that was designated to be mine.