Chapter 126

Violet’s POV

Lily and Kincaid gaped at me in shock. Lily glanced to Kincaid, clearly expecting him to say something. When he didn’t, she stepped forward so that she stood next to him.

“Violet,” she started carefully. Even as a Gamma, I would never ask her to call me by my title because she was my best friend. “I know we’ve invested a lot in the Shelter project already…”

I said nothing, waiting for her to finish her thought.

She glanced at Kincaid, but he remained silent. “But, since you’re no longer the Midnight Luna, shouldn’t we not use Darkmoon’s resources for a different territory’s project?”

I looked at my Beta. “Before I give my answer, what are your thoughts on the matter, Kincaid?”

He shifted his feet uncomfortably. “You’re my Alpha. My thoughts on any matter are to follow your lead – and you’ve never led me or this territory astray.”

From someone else, the answer might have felt cowardly or sycophantly. But I knew Kincaid well enough to know every word was sincere – just like I knew he was also using the compliment to avoid voicing his own opinion. So I simply stared at him.

Eventually, he realized I was waiting for the rest. “Though I will admit,” he continued hesitantly, “that my initial reaction is in line with Lily’s.”

I had wondered if they would find it odd for me to continue supporting the Shelter project. I had hemmed and hawed the entire trip back here from the palace about letting both my Beta and Gamma in on Theo’s and my secret. In the end though, I was worried that the risk to them was greater than the benefit to anyone.

So I gave them the speech I had prepared in case they questioned my instructions. “There will be a lot of questions among nobles and the public alike about the political and economic ramifications of the split between me and Theo. Continuing to support the Shelter project will convey an image of goodwill between us.”

Feeling a light nausea arise from the messed up mate bond, I paced my study in an attempt to hold it off as I continued. “Were I to retract my resources, claims could be made that I only supported the project in the first place due to my relationship with Theo, discrediting the validity of both the project and my decision-making in general. For the good of our territory and the country at large, it is important for Darkmoon and Midnight to maintain civil political relations.”

I paused my pacing as a dizziness accompanied the nausea. Kincaid, not realizing my reason for stopping, took the opportunity to respond.

“I understand the need to maintain civil political relations with Midnight, but could that not be equally achieved by publicly endorsing the project and snapping a few pictures shaking Alpha Nightshade’s hand instead of spending Darkmoon’s money and time to further the project?”

It was a good question, one that I didn’t have a strong argument against. Before I had a chance to even bullshit my answer though, I rushed to the trashcan by my desk and vomited into it. Auntie sprang to her feet, kneeling beside me with Lily and Kincaid right behind her.

“Violet?” Lily asked, concern coating the question, as the High Priestess passed her hands over me without touching me.

“It’s the rejection,” I answered. “It’s making me sick.” I spat into the trashcan before turning to look at my aunt.

She glanced at me, clearly realizing I was lying to them since I had referred to it as “the rejection” instead of “the fake mate bond”. I obviously couldn’t explain anything to her in front of them, though.

Instead, I said to her, “I meant to ask you about my options to mitigate these symptoms.” I motioned to the trashcan. “They’re inconvenient and gross.”

The High Priestess lowered her hands, giving me a quick once over before turning to Kincaid and Lily. “Your Alpha gave you directions. Go execute them while I examine her further.”

Both hesitated, so she added, “I promise to summon you if we require assistance. For now, she needs rest,” she raised her eyebrows pointedly, “not for her judgment to be questioned.”

Kincaid finally nodded, quickly grabbing the soiled trashcan before leaving the study with Lily on his heels.

Auntie stood to close the door behind them before returning to me. By the time she was back at my side, I had moved myself to a chair. She lifted her hands once more, and they glowed slightly as she used her magic to examine me.

“Whatever they did to taint my mate bond with Theodore is making me ill. It’s not as bad as it was at first when Theo and I both ended up in the hospital, nor is it as bad as being rejected by Lucas. But I just feel off.”

Auntie checked my pulse at my neck, pinched my earlobes, and examined my palms. “Any other symptoms?”

“Just the dizziness and vomiting since we left the hospital. I don’t know if Theo is experiencing them, too.” And I hated that I had no way to check, no way to communicate with him at all.

Auntie took my hand, pulling it away from my body until my arm was fully extended. Leaving my arm hovering out to my side, she lightly tapped from my wrist to my shoulder at intervals. “They are your must trusted companions,” she stated without doubt or question.

It took me a minute to figure out she was talking about Lily and Kincaid. “Yes. Other than you and Theo.”

She motioned for me to relax my arm before extending the other one to repeat the process there. “Then why not tell them Eva is a false mate?”

I absently watched her tap my arm. “Because then I would have to explain that we’re planning to take Owen down, which would make them accomplices to treason – or worse, since they would undoubtedly want to become actively involved. You, me, and Theo have some degree of protection if we are suspected of something as severe as treason, but my Beta and Gamma do not.”

She motioned for me to relax my second arm. “You wish to protect them.”

I nodded in confirmation.

Auntie placed both her hands on my lower stomach next, actually touching it and even applying a comforting amount of pressure. The space between her hands and my stomach glowed the brightest light I’d seen during her evaluation. I wondered if that had to do with the nausea.

“So what do you think?” I asked. “Is there a potion that can help manage these symptoms until we undo the fake mate bond?”

Auntie removed her hands from me, tilting my chin up to her affectionately. “There is no potion for this, my lovely niece.”

My face fell. What was I going to do? Theoretically, the symptoms would only get worse.

In fact, the only reason my symptoms from the rejection from Lucas improved was because of whatever Theo did with his magic. And I certainly didn’t have access to that now.

But my aunt smiled down on me with a hope that could make a dead wolf believe it could come back to life.

“Your symptoms will improve,” Auntie said, as if reading my mind. “Because they are not from the tainted mate bond. They are symptoms of your pregnancy.”