Chapter 200.
“Kiara,” Riley began hesitantly, “we’ll wait at the end of the hall, get everything prepared for your day. We’ll be ready when you’re done.” She said, Cathy, nodding along.
They hurriedly exited the room, leaving me alone with Kayden and Jayden, their hasty departure accentuating the deafening silence.
For a moment, my mates and I just stood there, rooted in place. The silence was a chasm between us, filled with unspoken apologies, regrets, and assurances. They tentatively approached me, their faces. etched with worry and remorse. I took a step back instinctively, my hands raised in a non–verbal plea for space.
Their eyes widened in surprise, quickly replaced with understanding. Jayden was the first to break the silence, his voice a soft whisper that was almost swallowed by the heavy air.
“Kiara, we’re…we’re so sorry. We should have personally vetted everyone who works closely with you.” He said.
Kayden nodded in agreement, his hands clenching into fists at his sides,
“She… Christan was nothing. I didn’t… I never…” He trailed off, looking genuinely remorseful.
Chapter 200
I raised my hand, silencing them both.
“It’s not about Christan or anyone else you’ve been with. It’s about the fact that you both led your conquests to believe they had some right over you.” I took a deep breath, letting my words sink in before I continued.
“You made them think they had some claim on you, and by extension, on me. You allowed them to disrespect me, your mate, and the queen.” My voice hitched on the last word, anger and hurt, making it hard to speak.
Their faces crumbled at my words, guilt and regret swimming in their eyes. They reached for me again, their actions hesitant, but I stepped back once more.
“You both need to understand the weight of your actions,” I murmured, my voice barely a whisper.
They nodded, their faces set in grim lines of understanding. Kayden. stepped forward, his voice low and filled with remorse.
“We understand, Kiara, and we are sorry. Truly sorry. We promise you. It won’t happen again.”
I nodded, accepting their apologies even as I knew it would take time to fully forgive and forget. The hurt was still raw, the echoes of betrayal still ringing in my ears. But for now, we had a kingdom to run, and personal grievances had to be put aside.
Chapter 200
As the echo of their apologies hung heavy in the still room, my heart swelled with a range of emotions. There was anger, of course, but beneath that, I was also trying to grapple with the delicate threads of betrayal that seemed to wound around my heart tighter with each passing second.
Their faces, usually the sources of my comfort, now seemed to only emphasize the magnitude of their mistake. Their eyes, filled with regret and a plea for forgiveness, followed me silently as I moved across the room to my wardrobe. Choosing what to wear, a ritual I’d performed countless times, felt strange and alien in the charged atmosphere.
I selected a navy–blue dress, its fabric soft and forgiving against my tense form. The high neckline and floor–length skirt were a perfect combination of regal dignity and feminine grace, fit for a queen. As I changed into the dress. I felt a pang of irony. It seemed the dress knew more about being a queen today than I did.
My reflection in the full–length mirror was of a queen, a leader, yet my eyes betrayed a hint of vulnerability, a glimpse into the tempest raging within me. Turning to face my mates, I swallowed the lump in my throat, my voice barely above a whisper.
“I need to go now. I have lessons.” I said
Silence answered me as I left the room, the wooden door closing with a soft, final click behind me. The corridor was deserted save for Riley who was waiting patiently for me, her face lighting up in relief when she saw me. We shared a small smile, a reassurance that some things. still remained the same. As we began to walk towards my scheduled
classes, Riley filled me in on the day’s plans.
“Kiara, first on your schedule is a lecture on inter–pack politics. This will be followed by an interactive lesson in leadership strategies. Post- lunch, you have a meeting with the pack council. They’ll update you on the current status of the pack and future plans. The day concludes with a social gathering of the pack members,” she detailed.
Her words were grounding, offering a sliver of normalcy amidst the chaos. They reminded me that as much as I wanted to dwell on the sting of the recent revelations, I had a responsibility towards my role. With a deep breath, I steeled myself, ready to face the day. After all, the life of a queen waits for no one, and there was much work to be done.
