Chapter 191

Carol’s POV

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t really bring myself to like Queen Elizabeth. There was something about her that gave me an uneasy feeling. She was pretty with her long black curls that crowned her face and her green eyes that shined as she looked up at me. She was the kind of pretty that she didn’t actually need to wear makeup, but she did to make herself feel better.

She wore an elegant purple dress that left no mystery of her perfect form and amplified her large breasts. She gave me a polite smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, and I couldn’t help but instinctively take a step away from her.

I know that the Beta was the one who tried to kill me and Aiden the last time I was here and with him gone, the empire should be safe. But why did I still feel so unsafe being in the presence of the queen?

Bennet frowned at me; I knew they were waiting for me to get into the car. But I was too frozen to actually move.

“Carol, is everything okay?” Bennet asked with a frown.

I blinked a few times, breaking myself out of the trance I was under and forcing a smile in my biological father’s direction.

“Oh, yes. Sorry about that,” I told him, letting out a soft chuckle as I slid into the car, taking the empty seat facing the queen. “I guess I just dozed off for a second.”

“Understandable,” Bennet said thoughtfully as he draped an arm around the queen’s shoulders, pulling her into his side. It was clear that he truly did care for the queen, and I wondered if that feeling was mutual, or if the queen was only using him for his status and fortune.

It was a ridiculous thought to have because I didn’t really know her that well; I couldn’t make that judgment call based on a feeling. But I had a nasty feeling in the pit of my stomach whenever I looked at this woman.

“It’s quite late, I’m sure you are very tired,” Bennet went on to say.

I nodded at him and gazed out the window, watching as the busy streets zoomed past us. Everybody seemed to have known whose car this was because their attention turned to us as we drove by. Some even bowed in respect to the King and Queen.

“I heard what happened to you back at the Capitol,” the queen said with a frown on her lips. “I’m very sorry you had to go through that.”

Something about the way she said that made me think she wasn’t very sorry at all. I bit my lower lip and gave her a curt head nod.

“I’m recovering,” I told her. “Thank you for your concern though.”

“Of course,” she said thoughtfully. “You are pretty much my daughter as well.”

I raised my brows at her words and then I glanced at King Bennet who was beaming at his wife’s admittance.

“Are you excited to learn more about your powers and your ancestry?” the Queen asked, changing the subject before I had a chance to respond.

I looked at Bennet again; it was clear he was waiting for my answer, so I nodded.

“Yes,” I answered, unsure if that was the truth or not. “I’m eager to get to know my father a bit more and find out where I truly came from and who I came from.”

Her lips seemed to be plastered in a smile on her face and she dipped her head in a nod.

“I’m pleased to hear that,” Bennet said with a thoughtful smile.

The rest of the ride was silent. As we pulled up to the King’s estate, my heart thudded wildly in my chest. I still couldn’t get over how huge this manor was. The car pulled to a stop and the driver got out to open our doors.

I followed King Bennet into the manor where he was greeted by the butler with a bow of his head.

“Welcome home, Your Majesty,” the butler said and then glanced at the Queen to bow his head.

The queen barely spared him a look.

“Where is my daughter?” She asked, her tone dry, making the butler flinch.

“In her room, Your Majesty,” he answered.

She glared at him, her eyes icy blue and narrowed in his direction. He was practically trembling in his place.

“She should be here greeting our guest,” she said through her teeth. “Didn’t you tell her we were arriving this evening?”

“Y…yes,” the butler stammered nervously. “I’m sorry. I’m not sure why she remained in her room. I did tell her… I swear.”

It was clear that he was terrified of the queen, and I wondered why. I looked up at my father and saw that he was barely paying attention to the interaction. He was speaking to a maid; one I hadn’t seen here when I was last here.

“I… I’ll see where she is,” the butler said, bowing his head again before hurrying towards the grand staircase.

The queen rolled her eyes and let out a huff at his retreating back and then her eyes turned in my direction. That plastered smile was back on her lips as she stepped towards me.

“My apologies,” she said to me. “I’m sure my daughter has a reason for not being here upon our arrival.”

“It’s really not a big deal,” I told her, trying to defuse the situation. Besides, I really didn’t want to see Jenna anyway. I knew Jenna didn’t like me from the moment she laid her eyes on me. She thinks I’m after the empire even though it was promised to her. I didn’t want to be a queen or any type of ruler; she could have the empire for all I cared.

I just wanted to practice my magic so I could better protect myself and my pack, and then return to my mate where I belonged. I didn’t want any of this royalty stuff.

“Carol, this is Monica. She’s one of our handmaidens. She started working with us a couple of years ago and is one of our trusted servants. She’s going to show you to your suite and get you whatever you need during your stay here.”

I frowned at Monica before turning my attention to Bennet.

“What about Tilly? Wasn’t she the maid assigned me last time?” I asked.

The King frowned as he looked at me and then he glanced at his wife. Both of them seemingly had a private conversation before he turned his attention back to me.

“Tilly was found guilty of treason,” he explained, making my heart fall into my stomach. “She stole a very powerful potion and handed it to someone who used it to harm another Alpha.”

I knew that Tilly helped the King’s Beta steal that drug that almost got Aiden’s father killed. But she was only doing what she was told. She wasn’t the one who tried to kill Aiden and me.

“She admitted to being in a relationship with my Beta,” he continued, shaking his head at the memory. “I couldn’t have that in my palace.”

“So, you banished her?” I asked.

He glanced at the queen one last time before his eyes darkened.

“I actually left it up to the queen to banish her,” the King said.

I looked at Queen Elizabeth with a frown and she rolled her eyes as if it was no big deal. Banishment could lead to death in most cases. Wolves weren’t meant to be alone; they could go mad and without a pack, they were most vulnerable. Tilly was small and young; she would get eaten by rogues the second she stepped into their territory.

“You banished her?” I asked the queen, worry evident in my voice.

“I wasn’t going to allow someone like that to walk around freely,” she murmured. “I banished her and then sent some rogues after her.”

I gasped at the casual admittance; the King sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

“She was dangerous,” the Queen added. “It was for the best and you know it, Bennet.”

The King murmured something I didn’t quite hear; my main focus was on the queen and how she heartlessly sent rogues after a young girl who was only doing what the man, she loved wanted her to do.

My heart ached at the thought of Tilly being alone and vulnerable and then being hunted by rogue wolves.

“It would have been impossible for her to survive that,” the King said, reading my expression like he was reading a book. “She isn’t out there alone and cold. She isn’t fighting for her life. She’s gone and at peace.”

I swallowed the bile that rose in my throat and the queen let out a bitter laugh.

“No need to explain to her, darling,” she said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “I did what needed to be done.”

Monica stepped beside me, taking my bags in her hands, she gave me a small smile.

“Allow me to take you to your room, madam,” she said sweetly.

I nodded, my feet feeling heavy as I followed her away from the royals and up the staircase that led to the private suites. As we walked down the hallway, one of the doors opened, and out came Jenna with her eyes burning with fury.

“I’m not surprised that you returned,” she murmured, folding her arms across her chest. “But I’m going to make you regret it.”