The Wolf King Needs an Heir by Max Rose
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“Your Majesty, I have unfortunate news. The Goddess will give you comfort when you hear what I must tell you now.”
Edric glanced at Priestess Samara, annoyed. She’d rushed into the room as if the palace was on fire and flung around a bunch of unnecessary words to tell him she had bad news.
“It’s been years since I was a child needing the comfort of the Goddess,” he said. “Leave out the fancy language and tell me.”
Priestess Samara bowed lower than usual. She still hesitated, strangely reticent now that she was facing him. Her scent was…submissive?
Her eyes were pained. Her mouth cut a tight line across her face. “I’m afraid that…”
She hesitated again. He was growing annoyed fast. He was in no mood for melodrama. He wanted to be at Julian’s side, waiting with him for labor to start. Sure, it was a few days before the official due date, but hadn’t the doctor said over and over again that the due date was more of a concept than a contract? Maybe that was Edric putting his own spin on it, but the results were the same.
Never mind that earlier today an exasperated Julian had run him off, saying he couldn’t stand any more of Edric’s nonstop pacing around the room. How else were you supposed to wait for something to happen—something you couldn’t control—other than pacing?
After being kicked out by his mate, Edric had thrown himself into his work to keep his mind off his worries, his tension, his excitement. He tried not to focus on how badly he wanted this to happen and be over with so he could have his family and have them safe. He wouldn’t have believed it a year ago, but he wanted to start his family, to be a father.
Also, as king, he didn’t need to change diapers. Although Julian had given him quite a look the one time Edric had mentioned it. After that look, Edric hadn’t mentioned diapers again.
There it was again: his complete inability to focus on anything these days. Samara had a problem he needed to fix. He would deal with this bad news and move on, just like always.
Priestess Samara stood there with her head down as if she couldn’t meet his eyes, not talking as the seconds passed. Her scent was deeply troubled, but he’d never seen her like this before. His annoyance shifted into a deepening concern.
“Is my sister okay?” he demanded.
He’d spoken with Julian not long ago, so he wasn’t worried about his mate in the safety of the palace. But Terra had been coming and going from the Summer Palace whenever the whim took her. She had made him promise to call her when Julian went into labor, but he wasn’t sure where she was today. Maybe in Syracuse.
“Your sister is fine, Your Majesty. It’s your mate that I must speak to you about.”
His eyes narrowed. His teeth clenched. His heart seemed to stagger, missing a few beats. “Is Julian in danger?”
He would call out the palace guard in full force. He would bring in loyal packs to destroy whatever threat his mate and his child faced. No one endangered his family and got away with it.
“He is only a danger to you.”
He stared at her, not understanding. He’d expected an outside threat. A plot. Even if he’d overreacted and assumed the worst, he expected her to follow up by saying it was some political issue or something.
“Enough talking around things,” he warned. “Julian’s no danger to me. Say what you mean. Now.”
She bowed again. “At once, Your Majesty. Julian Wilson intends to steal your child once he is born.”
“What?” Her words staggered him so much that he didn’t even object to her using Julian’s old last name. He gaped at her, his thoughts sluggish in his mind, stunned by a claim so outrageous.
“I hate to tell you, but it’s true. He has contacted human lawyers. He intends to take the baby into United States territory. The hospital is off the sovereign land of the palace. Since he is still a U.S. citizen, he can refuse to return to the kingdom with your baby. If he succeeds, you may not see your child for years, if ever.”
“You’re wrong.” The blood in his veins ran cold. “Julian would never do that. He loves me.”
“Does he?” Her words, her expression, both seemed as if she pitied him. Pitied him for being a sucker and a fool. “You had an arranged marriage. You knew each other for only days before becoming mates. He does not serve the Goddess. He will claim that we are trying to force a religion on him and his child. To keep them against his will. Lies, of course. But what would a human judge decide? They do not know our ways.”
Edric leaned in closer, unable to keep the raw menace from his voice. “I’m telling you you’re wrong. Julian isn’t like that. I know him better than anyone. He would never steal my child from me.”
He shook his head and forced himself to step back, to unclench his fists. He took a deep breath and tried to get control of the anger, outrage, and alarm throbbing and screaming inside his head. Emotions would work against him. He was too on-edge as it was, nervous about Julian and his baby. He didn’t believe Samara’s words for an instant…but the very idea of Julian betraying him like that rattled him to his core.
“I know it’s hard to believe,” Priestess Samara said. “Who would think an omega wolf could be so bold? But he’s also human, so he’s devious. Greedy. Out for himself and all he can get. They are all that way. They share nothing with wolves. With nobility.”
“That’s what you raised me to believe,” he replied, his voice coldly neutral.
Edric was no longer sure this priestess had any wisdom at all. She might simply be a bigot. As bad as the worst of humanity. Julian had proved very different from any prejudice against humans, bastards, omegas, or whatever you wanted to hold against him. Edric wasn’t perfect, but he’d changed. He’d changed because knowing Julian, loving him, had forced him to change for the better.
“Don’t doubt what I taught you now,” she replied. “Don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment. When the nobles learn that your mate intends to betray you and seize your heir, they will rise up. This chaos and the fallout will threaten your dynasty and everything your family built.”
The nobles and pack alphas under his rule could be a problem…if this were true. Which it couldn’t be. Having his heir kidnapped would severely undermine Edric’s power and cast doubts on his ability to rule. Samara was correct that something like this could destroy the Rylan dynasty from within.
This is Julian. He would never take your son away from you. He loves you.
That was true. He felt it in his heart. He wouldn’t start doubting his mate now. He’d known Samara longer, but he loved Julian. Julian was his mate. Julian was carrying his child. There was no comparison. He knew who to trust.
Besides, there was one huge flaw Samara was not mentioning.
“The seer told me that not mating with Julian and mixing the blood of two highborn families would destroy the dynasty. Morgan claimed her teacher, Seer Ceradine, had given the prophecy from the Goddess. Now you expect me to believe when one of the Goddess’s priestesses claims that prophecy was completely wrong?”
Samara let out a deep sigh. “We don’t always see the path the Goddess has laid out for us. Even seers can be blind. Perhaps the Goddess intended for the child to be born and then for you to raise him alone, as a true wolf, to overcome the quarter taint of human blood in his veins.”
“Careful. You are speaking about my child.”
“I apologize for being so blunt, Your Majesty. Your child will be the pride of the kingdom, but only if you are there to raise him. If he’s raised among humans, I fear for the child, and I fear for the kingdom.”
He’d heard enough of this disgusting nonsense. “You are a priestess. You aren’t an agent of the crown. You’re not a spy. How would you even know Julian had spoken with human lawyers? How would you know he wanted to take our child? Especially when my own agents have said nothing of it.”
“True, Your Majesty. One of your servants overheard Julian speaking in the gardens to the lawyer on a cell phone—”
“He does not have a phone anymore. So this is a mistake. Or a vicious lie. And there will be punishment for this kind of lie.”
“It saddens me to say that you may not know your mate as well as you might believe, Your Majesty. Julian has a ‘disposable’ cell phone in his possession. But you are correct. If it had only been one servant overhearing things, I would not believe such ugly gossip. But this servant, a pious follower of the Goddess, found the cell phone in your quarters.”
“You’re telling me one of my servants went through my mate’s phone? And she still works here?”
“She shouldn’t be the focus of your wrath, Your Majesty. She believed she was doing the will of the Goddess, acting in loyalty to you.”
“I want to speak with her.”
“Of course, Your Majesty. But perhaps you should return to your chambers and ask your mate to see the phone first…so your wrath does not fall upon those loyal to you. If he has it, have him unlock it so you can read his messages. If I am wrong, I will happily and humbly apologize to you and to him and never breathe another word against him. But if I’m right and we can stop your child from being taken—”
“Enough. I don’t need palace gossip undermining my mate and trying to drive us apart. This will end right now.”
She bowed again, perfectly submissive. So why didn’t he trust her? Had he been a fool to believe Samara had accepted Julian after Edric made his choice and said his vows in front of the Goddess? Apparently, she still had her knives out for Julian. When he got to the bottom of this, she would pay for it. Exile, perhaps. Or he’d build a small temple in the coldest part of Maine and send her there.
Edric didn’t give her leave to go. He went first, walking with utter purpose, his long strides eating up the distance. His guards had to hustle to keep up. He was so on-edge, so upset, that even his guards doing their duty rubbed him the wrong way. An alpha wolf as strong as he was didn’t need guards when he was walking from one palace wing to the other. He felt like breaking something, flipping over a car or something to vent his fury and remind everyone of his strength.
With all his willpower, he collared his anger and forced it to submit. He wouldn’t let himself feel anything right now. He didn’t want to frighten Julian because his scent was nothing but white-hot rage.
This couldn’t be true. He wasn’t even worried that it might be. He would simply ask Julian if he had a cell phone. He’d never once seen Julian with a phone, and they were together every day. That wasn’t something it would be easy to hide from Edric. Julian would look at him as if he were crazy for asking about phones, and that would be that.
Once he put this nasty rumor to rest by asking Julian, he would grill the servant who had started all this. If this was some ploy of Samara’s and the servant was only a useful idiot, then he’d turn on the priestess. Exile from the palace for the rest of her life would be a no-brainer. He didn’t need a priestess around who had problems with his mate, problems with humans, problems with any of that.
Listen to you. My, how things have changed.
Well, they had changed, damn it. He wasn’t going to apologize for changing for the better. Not that he would ever admit to being an utter ass. But…he had been an utter ass.
He pushed through the doors into the royal chambers. Julian was on the couch, watching television. The flatscreen showed a cartoon. One of those educational ones, judging from the classical music and simple math being done by cartoon ducks and rabbits. Even a platypus.
Julian glanced at him when he burst in. There was no denying the joy on his face when he saw Edric. You couldn’t fake that. Julian’s scent was happy, not worried, not devious or hiding anything.
The priestess had fed Edric so much bullshit. He hated himself for even fearing it might be true for an instant. For letting a vicious rumor get under his skin as it had.
He stopped and took a steadying breath. He didn’t want to alarm Julian. Not with their child on the way. He would tell his mate about this whole rotten thing…later. After their baby was born.
Edric deliberately looked at the television and raised an eyebrow at the screen. “Teaching our child how to do math already?”
“Never too early. Besides, they say classical music helps develop the brain. And the characters are adorable.”
Edric forced a chuckle. He felt the adrenaline slowly draining from his veins. Thank the Goddess he hadn’t overreacted and done something rash. He suddenly wanted nothing more than to spend time with his mate. They could watch this show together, go for a walk, go for a swim, whatever Julian wanted. Edric only wanted to be with him.
His words died in his throat when he saw a cell phone.
The phone sat on the end table next to the couch. Edric’s heart felt as if it froze solid in his chest. He didn’t recognize that phone. It wasn’t a fancy smartphone. It wasn’t one of the high-tech encrypted phones Edric’s security people insisted he use when he was out of the palace.
What had Samara claimed? Julian had a disposable cell phone? That sure as hell looked like one.
It felt as if he were walking on stilts as he crossed the room and picked up the phone. He touched the screen. The phone immediately opened up completely. No password, facial recognition, or even a touch pattern. The messaging app was easy to find.
He felt cold all the way through. His head throbbed with every beat of his heart. His hand was even shaking, but he couldn’t have said what emotion was making his hand unsteady. Fear? Anger? He couldn’t say. Had Julian betrayed him after all? Was he really planning on taking their child and leaving the kingdom? Stealing his heir like Samara claimed?
No. This cell phone proved nothing. There was an explanation for it. Julian would explain it all.
“What is this?” he asked, holding up the phone. His voice sounded oddly detached. Cold. Almost robotic.
Julian’s eyes widened. His scent turned uncertain. Was that a reaction to the coldness in Edric’s voice…or a sign of guilt?
“That belongs to Priestess Samara. She wanted me to read about an orphanage project for wolves who have lost their families. She asked for my help with it. She gave me her business phone because she didn’t have a printout…”
What the hell was going on? There was growing tension and nervousness in Julian’s voice, in his scent, but not strong deception. Not lies. Although a good liar could hide much.
Julian has never been a good liar. He wears his emotions on his sleeve. You know that.
True. He shook his head slowly, staring down at the phone screen. None of this made sense. And it didn’t make sense that Julian wouldn’t put a password or an unlock code on this phone, especially if he was using it to contact human law firms. Samara was the only link between—
The cell phone suddenly vibrated in his hand, cutting off that thought. The messaging app on the screen showed a tiny numeral one next to it and a new message notification.
He tapped the little icon. The messaging app opened. The new message displayed a wall of text on the screen.
Mr. Julian Rylan:
As we discussed previously, we will be able to place you in protective care while we present your custody case to the court. Given the motions we plan to file, there shouldn’t be an issue keeping your newborn child with you. In response to your question, Edric Rylan would likely be allowed monitored visitation, but not for some time.
Do not worry about our fees. We will be handling this case pro bono. This is an important issue of human civil liberties. This case may even have far-reaching political implications in upcoming elections. I remain confident we will be able to secure a restraining order against Edric Rylan and any and all representatives of Ry Novia.
Daniel Remington, Esquire
He stared at the screen, looking at the words but not really seeing them. His heartbeat felt hollow in his chest, echoing like a drum inside an empty room. His mouth felt drier than dust. He used his thumb to scroll through the text messages from this Daniel Remington and his law firm.
There were a dozen messages sent back and forth over the last two months. All of them revolving around Julian leaving Ry Novia with their child and suing for sole custody in U.S. courts. The texts from Julian had come from this phone. The reply texts from Remington had a New York number.
Edric’s heart had been cut out of him without a single word being spoken. He felt as if the ground had vanished under his feet, leaving him in freefall. None of this—not a hint—had come from Julian.
Priestess Samara had been right. Julian had betrayed him. He meant to take Edric’s child and leave him. Julian would use the human legal system to take his child from him…
He slowly turned to face Julian. The bastard who had betrayed him was watching him with wide eyes and clear concern on his face. Of course he would be concerned. He’d heard the alert. He knew a text message had just come to this phone, and he knew Edric had seen it. His entire scheme was now exposed. There was no way Julian would have the chance to kidnap their baby before Edric had any idea he’d been betrayed.
“Explain this,” he said calmly, quietly. Almost indifferently. He tossed the phone at Julian.
Julian’s reactions were slow. He fumbled the cell phone. It bounced onto the couch cushions. Uncertainly, he picked up the phone and looked at the screen. Disbelief marred his expression. He slowly shook his head.
“Edric. I don’t know anything about this—”
“Don’t lie to me,” he said, his voice colder than ice. “Don’t you fucking dare.”
“I’m not. I would never—”
“Samara told me you were planning on stealing my child from me once you were in the hospital. Apparently, she was right. You’re fucking colluding with human lawyers? You want to betray me? Throw everything I’ve given you back in my face? Take my child from me?”
Julian’s face had gone bone white. Shadows gathered under his green eyes, so dark it looked as if he’d been punched. Those green eyes stared at him in helpless despair. His mouth was open, but he didn’t seem to know what to say.
What could he say? How did you justify stealing a man’s child without a damn word, without even a hint that you were unhappy? Without giving him a chance to…to what? To keep him? To make things right? To prove his love?
He’d believed Julian was happy. Sure, Julian didn’t know what to do with himself in all the royal pageantry, ceremony, and protocols. Sure, Julian was nothing like the nobles of the packs. He was honest. He didn’t scheme. He didn’t show off. But he also had a strong spirit. A spine that Edric respected. Ultimately, those things were part of what had won Edric’s love. Julian was different. He had changed Edric’s point of view. He had changed Edric.
He’d believed that Julian loved him.
He had been woefully wrong. He’d made a terrible mistake. The prophecy was bullshit. Everything was bullshit. This was what he got, marrying a stranger. Trusting someone unworthy. Trusting a human. A greedy, selfish animal. Nothing like a wolf. Nothing with honor and trust and a desire to protect the pack.
“I would never do that to you,” Julian finally managed to say. His voice was breathless. He sounded as if he’d been punched in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him, and now he could barely speak above a whisper. “Never.”
Edric pointed at the phone and its damning evidence. “That doesn’t lie. You betrayed me. Stabbed me in the back.” The anger flared inside him, amplified by a hurt so deep he couldn’t even fathom it right now. His next words came out as a roar. “I loved you, and you betrayed me!”
Julian flinched back from the fury of his words. He was cradling his big belly protectively. As if Edric would ever do anything to endanger his child, damn him. Julian wept silently. Tears glistened as they ran down his pale cheeks.
The sight made Edric even angrier. How dare he cry when he was the one who had gutted Edric with his betrayal?
He needed to leave. He couldn’t stay here. The anger was burning through him too quickly. But even worse than the anger was the hurt. He had trusted Julian. He had trusted him with his heart, claimed him as mate, created a child together…and then this.
“You aren’t taking my child,” Edric snarled. “You have that baby, and he will stay here at the Summer Palace. You will go. Where? I don’t care. But we are done. Forever. Send your lawyers. Human courts have no jurisdiction over me. The child is mine.”
Julian’s crying haunted Edric as he turned on his heel and headed for the door. Julian could stay in the royal chambers until he went into labor. It was the safest and most secure place in the Summer Palace. Edric would stay somewhere else in the palace. When Julian went into labor, the helicopter on standby would take him to the birthing center in Syracuse. After his son was born, Edric would take the boy, and Julian would be flown back to New York.
From there, Edric didn’t give a damn what happened to him. He had never been betrayed this deeply. He was determined that it never happen again. He would not be betrayed again…and his heart wouldn’t be broken again.
No matter what, he would never feel this pain again in his life.