Chapter 126

Carol’s POV

I’m not sure how long I sat and stared at him; my mind was completely blank while King Bennet held my brain captive. It felt like an evasion in my mind and now I knew without a doubt that Tilly knew I was roaming around her mind.

It was a chilling experience, but it ended quickly. He released his hold on my mind and sat back, his eyes wide as he studied my every feature.

“You’ve been investigating us?” He asked, his voice hard as he processed what he had seen in my mind.

I lowered my gaze, staring down at my hands.

“You didn’t care about getting to know me,” he said slowly, still processing everything.

It wasn’t a question, but it made my chest tighten. I didn’t want to upset or hurt him; I felt badly that I had upset him.

“It’s not that I didn’t want to get to know you,” I whispered, keeping my head lowered. “But a lot has happened and it all points to here.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked. “I could have helped you, Carol. I’m your father.”

“I have a father already,” I blurted.

His face fell and I felt even worse. I sighed and sat back in my seat, studying him for a moment.

“I know you are trying,” I told him. “I don’t doubt that and honestly, I trust you a bit more than I did when I first arrived. But there are people here I don’t trust.”

“My wife and daughter,” he said coldly, his eyes never leaving mine.

My cheeks flushed; he truly did see everything. I knew I couldn’t have hidden this for long considering his abilities. I guess it’s better that it all came out now.

“I know you don’t trust them,” he started to say. “But you don’t know them like I do. They could never do anything to intentionally hurt you, Carol. They might be territorial, but I love them. They are my family. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t my family too. I want to be a part of your life. I know you don’t want to stay here, and I don’t blame you. But I’m hoping we can get to know one another better and one day establish that father-and-daughter relationship. I would never want to take you away from your family and I won’t try. But I’d like to be a part of your life, Carol.”

I gave him a small smile and curt nod.

“I would like that too,” I admitted.

He opened his mouth to speak again, but the door of his office swung open, making us both jump in surprise. I whipped around to see Aiden running into the office, he looked breathless like he had just run a mile.

I quickly tood to my feet, my eyes narrowed.

“Aiden?” I asked, confused by the sudden interruption.

“We need to leave,” he said, grabbing onto my arm before I could grasp what was happening. “Right now. There’s a private jet waiting for us to take us back to the capital.”

“What’s going on?” I asked, turning to look at my biological father whose brows were pinched.

“It’s not safe here, Carol,” he told me. “Someone here wants me dead, and I know the reason why. I need to return home and take over as Alpha. Oliver doesn’t know what’s going on under his nose and I can’t explain this kind of thing to him over the phone.”

“I don’t understand…” I breathed, trying to stop him from dragging me away.

He paused at the doorway and turned to face the King.

“You need to do something about your Beta. He’s not who you think he is. He’s been lying to you. Have you never used your abilities on him before?”

King Bennet looked alarmed by what Aiden was saying, as did I.

“My Beta has been one of my best friends my entire life,” King Bennet said, his voice hardening as he glared at Aiden. “I would never use my abilities on someone close to me like that. I gave him my word that I would never violate our friendship in such a way. I trust him wholeheartedly.”

“Well, you shouldn’t,” Aiden snapped. “He poisoned my father. Or at least it was his idea.”

“What?” Both King Bennet and I asked at the same time.

I put my hand on Aiden’s test shoulder; he was freaking out and it was scaring me.

“Aiden just calm down and talk to us,” I said, trying to sound reasonable but my words only made him even more upset.

He narrowed his eyes a me.

“Since when are you an ‘us?’” He asked his voice harsh; I flinched at his tone, but I kept my eyes on his.

“He’s my biological father, Aiden,” I told him, my voice soft. I didn’t want to hurt King Bennet any more than I already had. There was a lot I needed to discuss with Aiden but now was not the time and place.

“Are you embracing your life here now?” Aiden asked, raising his brows. “Earlier you wanted nothing more than to leave.”

I was stunned that he would say that in front of the King. I gawked at him with a disbelieving look on my face.

“Are you kidding me right now?” I asked, my voice rising as anger took over.

He flinched; I could see the instant regret in his eyes, but he was stubborn just like me, and didn’t back down.

“This is serious, Carol.”

“And you don’t think I know that?” I asked. “But it doesn’t help anything for you to run in her and demand I come with you without even an explanation. You owe us… me… you owe me that much.”

“Since when did you stop trusting me?” He asked, his lips pressed in a thin line. “I said it’s not safe here and that we need ot leave. The Capital needs me, and Oliver is going to be a mess when I tell him what I found out. The Empire isn’t safe either but that’s not our battle. The King needs to figure out his shit.”

“Excuse me?” King Bennet asked, his fists clenching at his sides and his face growing redder by the second.

I could tell he was furious and didn’t like Aiden’s disrespect. I couldn’t blame him.

“Your Beta is after my father and he will screw anything to get what he wants,” Aiden seethed. “Just ask your maid, Tilly.”

King Bennet furrowed his brows, but he didn’t look surprised. I wondered if he saw that in my head as well.

“You don’t look surprised,” Aiden said, releasing his hold on my arm to glare at the King. “Did you already know?”

The King glanced at me briefly and then back at Aiden.

“I saw something about that in Carol’s mind,” he admitted. “But I suspected something was going on for a while. He’s my best friend and he can’t hide things like that from me for long. Especially in my own palace.”

“You used your abilities on Carol?” Aiden asked, that anger rising in him once again.

“He was investigating Morgan’s murder,” I blurted. “He wanted to make sure I had nothing to do with it. Which I didn’t and neither did you.”

I put my hand on Aiden’s chest to calm him and I could feel his steady and slightly quickened heartbeat.

Aiden’s eyes remained on the King’s.

“So, you know that Beta Luca was having a relationship with one of your staff in the palace,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “And this wasn’t the first time either.”

King Bennet lowered his gaze, and he cleared his throat.

“I’ve never discussed it with him,” he admitted. “But I knew.”

“You knew about him and Franchesca.”

It wasn’t a question, and when the King didn’t answer, I gasped and looked at him with shock all over my face.

“Candace’s sister?” I asked. Then, I looked at Aiden. “Beta Luca was the one she was in love with? Was he the father of her child?”

Aiden didn’t answer, he just stared at King Bennet. I turned ot look at the King once again, not sure what to believe or what to think. Was this really happening? Was it really Beta Luca who had a child with the healer and hid it from everybody?

How did Aiden find this out? Did Candace tell him? Is that where he ran off to?

“Yes, King Bennet finally answered. I knew that he was having a relationship with the Healer. It would have caused issues if word got out about it, so I said nothing. I was protecting my best friend by not saying anything. I pretended I didn’t know about it. After she did what she did, I was only seeing red. I wanted her dead and I didn’t care who I hurt. It was my wife…” he paused and looked at me. “Your mother, who talked some sense into me and kept me from killing the child. The plan was to execute Francesca after she gave birth. However, she died after the C-section. Luca tried to pretend he was fine, but I knew he wasn’t. I found out from Elizabeth that Luca brought his child to his brother to care for and I dropped the matter.”

Aiden nodded and then took hold of my hand.

“But you don’t know where he brought the baby, right?” Aiden asked. “You have no idea who this child is.”

King Bennet shook his head.

“I never kept tabs. I know he had a boy,” King Bennet answered. “This doesn’t prove that Luca is after you and your pack though. I don’t understand why him having a child has to do with anything.”

“Because of whom his child is,” Aiden said through his teeth. “He wants to ensure that his son has an important role in the world. He wants his son to be a powerful Alpha. He wants his son to take over the Capital.”

“That doesn’t make sense. The only way that could happen is if…” my voice trailed off as I allowed everything to process in my mind. “Is if both Alphas and the Betas were dead. You and Oliver are still alive.”

“I’m the next one he wants to kill,” he said. “He hasn’t made any moves yet. I don’t think he knows how to without being found out. I’m not sticking around for him to figure it out. I’m worried he’ll hurt you to get to me and I can’t let that happen>”

“But that still doesn’t guarantee his son will be the Alpha. Not unless…” My words trailed off again and then realization dawned on me, and I gasped.

Aiden cupped my face with his hand as he poured his eyes into mine. From the longing and worry in his eyes, with everything he had said about Oliver being crushed when he found out, I knew what was running through Aiden’s mind.

“It was Oliver,” I whispered, tears filling my eyes. “He’s the son of Beta Luca and Francesca. Wasn’t he?”

Aiden’s silence was all I needed.