Chapter 29 Mysteries of Betrayal
Adrian shifted back to human form, his body reforming with painful-sounding cracks. He was naked, his formal robes destroyed during the shift, but he didn't care. He scooped Theo into his arms and held him against his chest, his whole body shaking.
"Thank the Moon Goddess." Celeste rushed forward, reaching for Theo. "Give him to me. Give me my baby."
Adrian pulled back instinctively, his wolf not ready to release the cub. Celeste's face twisted with hurt and anger, but Garrett pulled her back gently.
"Let him have a moment. The King needs to confirm his son is safe."
Guards arrived, followed by servants carrying blankets. Someone wrapped one around Adrian's waist, preserving some modesty. But he never released Theo, holding the baby like he might disappear again if Adrian let go.
Lila stood at the clearing's edge, watching father and son. Through the pack bond, she felt Theo's contentment. He wasn't scared or traumatized. He was happy, surrounded by family, completely unaware of the panic he'd caused.
"How did he get here?" One guard examined the garden entrance. "The gate was locked. We checked it ourselves an hour ago during the search."
"The lock's been opened." Another guard held up the broken mechanism. "Recently. Someone opened it from inside."
Silence fell over the clearing. Everyone processed the implication. Someone had deliberately unlocked the garden gate. Someone had let Theo wander out here alone. Someone had wanted the baby to disappear.
"This wasn't an accident." Adrian's voice was rough, still half-growl. "Someone orchestrated this. Made it look like kidnapping."
"Who would do such a thing?" Celeste demanded. "Who would endanger my son?"
Lila's mind raced. The garden had been locked for months. Only a few people knew it existed. Only a few people had access to keys. And only one person benefited from Theo going missing.
Her eyes cut to Margot, who stood at the back of the crowd. The woman's expression was carefully neutral, but something flickered in her eyes. Recognition. Understanding.
Margot had known. Maybe not planned it herself, but known it would happen. Known someone would make a move against Theo to destabilize Celeste's position.
Through their mate bond, Lila felt Adrian reach the same conclusion. His eyes found hers across the clearing. In that moment, she saw his realization. Saw him understand that this "kidnapping" was just the opening move in a much larger game.
And they were all pieces on someone else's board.
"Take the Prince back to his chambers." Adrian ordered. "Triple the guard. No one enters except the Queen and myself. And someone find me clothes before I attend the investigation council wearing a blanket."
Servants scattered to obey. Celeste took Theo from Adrian's arms reluctantly, clearly not wanting to let him go but unable to argue with direct orders from the King. She carried him toward the palace, Garrett at her side, both of them shaken.
Adrian remained in the clearing with Lila. The moment the others left, his control cracked. He pulled her into his arms, held her against his chest, and shook.
"I felt your terror through the bond." His voice was barely a whisper. "Felt you realize something was wrong before anyone told you. You knew. Somehow you knew."
"The pack bond with Theo. I felt him confused but not scared." Lila held him, feeling his heart hammer against her chest. "I knew he was still in the palace somewhere."
"Someone wanted him taken. Wanted us to panic. Wanted to prove Celeste can't keep him safe." Adrian pulled back enough to meet her eyes. "This was a message. A warning. Someone is making moves against my family."
"I know who." The admission tasted like betrayal. "Or at least, I know who might have information about who."
"Who?"
Lila hesitated. Revealing Margot's involvement meant breaking their alliance before it had barely begun. But Theo's safety mattered more than political games.
"Margot. She knew something was going to happen tonight. I saw it in her face." Lila's voice dropped. "Adrian, I need to tell you something. About an alliance I formed. About deals I made to gain access to Theo."
Before she could continue, a servant rushed into the clearing. "Your Majesty, the council demands immediate audience. They want answers about the security breach."
Adrian's jaw clenched. His eyes promised Lila they'd continue this conversation later. Then he straightened, pulled together his shattered composure, and became the King again.
"Tell the council I'll attend within the hour. And find me proper clothes." He looked at Lila one more time. "Stay safe. Lock your door. Trust no one until we know who orchestrated this."
He left, still wrapped only in a blanket, his authority such that no one questioned his appearance. Lila stood alone in the forgotten garden, understanding finally settling over her.
Someone had used Theo as a pawn. Had deliberately endangered a one-year-old child to make a political point. And she'd allied herself with the woman who might have known it would happen.
She'd thought she was playing the game. Thought she'd become cunning and strategic. But she was still naive. Still out of her depth. Still making mistakes that endangered the people she loved.
The garden lock lay broken on the ground. Someone had opened it from inside the palace. Someone with access. Someone who knew the forgotten garden's location.
Someone who might have been watching all along, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.