Chapter 30 – The Ruined Queen And Her Vengeful Mate

“What kind of mistake did she make to be punished and demoted to omega?” I interlaced my fingers and propped my chin on them. My gaze was sharp enough to make Cameron restless, though he hid it well.

“That…” He acted troubled discussing his daughter’s mistakes, but then the story flowed smoothly. He didn’t hold back in revealing Phoebe’s offenses.

Phoebe’s mother had abandoned the pack after finding her destined mate. She left Phoebe and Cameron without a word to be with that man.

“I think she got that from her mother.” Anger and resentment still lingered in Cameron’s voice when he spoke of Phoebe’s mother.

Around fourteen, she’d seduced her stepbrother. Reginald resisted because they were practically family – he felt it was completely wrong to have that kind of relationship with his stepsister.

After that rejection, Phoebe went wild, trying to be with any man she could get. Her actions tarnished the family name, and no matter what Cameron did, Phoebe wouldn’t tone down her promiscuous behavior.

This led to the day she tried to run away from the pack house because the pack members hated her for seducing almost all their men.

They caught her and brought her back, where she was demoted to omega. Because of this, Alpha Kevin rejected her as his mate.

“But even after that, she still chased the alpha because the mate bond was apparently still there, and Alpha Kevin couldn’t resist when she kept throwing herself at him.”

Cameron lifted his head, giving me an apologetic look that made me want to gouge his eyes out.

“The alpha is a man, after all, and he wasn’t with anyone else. The temptation made him weak. It was a lapse in judgment to get tangled with Phoebe, and he admitted that.” Cameron shook his head. “That’s why I don’t want her making the same mistake here.”

The story was believable, and I listened attentively. It was hard to tell whether the former beta was telling the truth or rehashing lies.

“I hope you understand, my king. No matter how flawed my daughter is, she’s still my blood. Family doesn’t hurt each other.”

I scoffed. “Mine did.” I leaned back, looking lazy. “So did you.”

I invited Cameron to lunch with Phoebe – I wanted to see how they interacted.

“I don’t think this is a good idea,” Flynn said when he heard my plan.

“Nothing’s ever a good idea in your eyes,” I said irritably. We walked toward the dining hall where Cameron waited alone.

I’d just sent an omega to inform Phoebe that I’d meet her in the dining hall with her father. She must be on her way too.

“Perry, what’s your point in proving this?” Flynn asked skeptically about Phoebe. “You need to cut her off from those pack people if you want to keep her. We can silence them so they won’t spread rumors about her beyond their pack.”

“You worry too much about the kingdom’s image.” I didn’t seem to care. A good image didn’t guarantee good fortune. “Stay back, Flynn. I don’t want to hear your opinion.”

Phoebe’s POV

When I stepped into the dining hall, my eyes immediately found my father. The shock hit me first, then terror flooded through me before transforming into pure fury.

My body shook, but not from fear – from rage. Though I remembered how Perry had once made me tremble for entirely different reasons.

“Phoebe…” Cameron rose from his seat, speaking my name with false warmth, as though he truly missed his daughter. “I am glad to see you again.”

He strode toward me with determined steps while I stumbled backward, every instinct screaming at me to flee.

But he moved faster, and in an instant, his arms trapped me in an embrace, holding me tight as he pressed his face against my shoulder.

“I really missed you.” Those words were meant for Perry to hear, but then came the whispered threat that chilled my blood. “Behave.”

I despised how his commands still controlled me. My muscles locked up, leaving me powerless to push him away.

This wasn’t the Obsidian Claw pack – I could refuse him here. I should tell Perry everything. With Cameron right here, Perry would sense if I lied. I could finally clear my name.

‘No one will believe you.’

The words my father, Reginald, Kevin, and countless others had drilled into me echoed in my mind whenever I tried to speak.

Like a curse binding my tongue, stealing my voice when I needed it most.

Sensing I wouldn’t cause a scene, Cameron released me. My body had turned to stone, and I became even more silent than usual.

Perry noticed everything. Lunch proceeded, but I barely spoke, keeping my gaze fixed on my plate while eating whatever my father placed there.

“Here, you like this. This is your favorite.” Cameron set a piece of meat on my plate.

“How do you know that’s her favorite?” Perry asked, seeming entertained by Cameron’s attempts at conversation.

They sat beside each other while Perry occupied the head of the table.

“She is my daughter, of course, I know.” Had anyone but the king asked, Cameron would have sneered.

What Cameron didn’t realize – but Perry knew – was that I’d lost my sense of taste five years ago.

That meat might have been my favorite once, but after five years of Cameron being oblivious to my condition, his knowledge seemed questionable.

Perry kept this information to himself, and eventually he excused himself, giving us the private time he’d promised Cameron.

Once alone without even guards present, Cameron set down his utensils. The gentle facade from earlier vanished as he turned to face me.

“I need you to do something,” Cameron said.

“I don’t want.” I didn’t need to hear his request – I wouldn’t do anything for him, not even pick up trash.

Cameron sighed heavily. “You are going to die if you stay here.” He turned to study me. “This is for your own benefit too.”

“No.”

“Phoebe, stop being difficult. I can see how miserable you are.” Cameron reached for my hands, but I jerked away immediately, revolted by his touch. “I did what is best for you. I want you to be safe.”

I glared at him. He was the only person who made me unsafe – what was he trying to accomplish now?

“Phoebe. There will be an extreme change. I don’t want you to get hurt, that’s why you need to do what I told you to do.”

The same words he always used. I needed to obey him without question.

No. My father had never asked me anything, not since he met that woman and her children.

He’d jump to conclusions, and those conclusions were never kind to me.

Cameron seized my hand and pressed a small bottle into my palm, forcing my fingers to close around it.

The glass was cold, and dread settled in my stomach.

“Give this to the king, one drop every day.”

My eyes widened in horror, and Cameron’s expression hardened, becoming cruel.

“This is a slow acting poison. It will not kill him right away. He will be ill, but it will take a long time before he finally can’t do anything. Meanwhile, we are preparing to dethrone him. You will be part of it, thus when all of this is over, they will not blame you.”

Cameron shook his head. “They will thank you because this is a crucial role. They will forget all of your offenses, and see you in different light. Isn’t this what you want?”

No. This absolutely wasn’t what I wanted.

“You don’t need to worry, we have a lot of people around the palace that will help you.” Cameron’s tone softened as he reached to stroke my hair, but I slapped his hand away. “The Mad King needs to be taken down, before he jeopardized our kingdom.”

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