Chapter 30

“Pregnant!” I exclaimed in shock while gripping the edge of the bench was sitting on tightly. “But we haven’t been together that long. I’m only eighteen! I’m too young. I can’t do this!”

Kieran looked at me gently before smiling softly and kneeling beside me on the grass before clasping my hands. We were no longer in the hospital wing but sat under the warm sunshine in the marble garden. Hollie and Brooke both stood protectively behind me as if they were guarding something precious.

“You can do this, Elena,” Kieran whispered. “You have me and my guards. You have Brooke and Hollie. No one will leave you on your own.”

“You know what this means though right?” Hollie coughed up loudly. “If news gets out about the pregnancy, then Elena will be a target. We have to keep her close. If anything happens to her or the baby before your time is up, Kieran, then you will lose the kingdom. That baby is your heir!”

“I don’t care about the kingdom anymore,” Kieran hissed abruptly. “My main number one priority is my son and my wife to be!

“Son?” I gasped, turning to face Kieran in surprise. “But how do you know what we are having? And I can’t let you lose your kingdom for me. You are the Alpha. The one true king! The kingdom will go to shit if your brother takes over. There will be killings every day and women will lose their rights everywhere.”

“I know, I know,” Kieran nodded sadly. “But if that happens, we can leave. I have other Palaces that we can live in safely away from Carlton. We will take Hollie and Brooke with us so that they will be safe too. And I mean it. My life isn’t worth living if I don’t have you in it. I don’t care for the kingdom unless you are by my side.”

“And the son part?” I pressed on anxiously. “Am I having a boy?”

“I don’t really know,” laughed Kieran mischievously. “I just envision a boy but I’m happy with whatever we have, as long as he or she is healthy.”

I smiled down at Kieran as my eyes searched for his. His face beamed up at me, his love for me pouring out of every crease on his face. I could see that he meant his words and I could feel the unease and worry slowly leave my body. Gently, I squeezed his hands in mine and felt myself being pulled gently off of the bench and into Kieran’s lap. All I could feel was his strong muscular arms wrapped around me as he nuzzled his lips in my ear.

“You are mine. No one else’s,” Kieran murmured gently. “If another man such dares to even look or breathe wrongly in your direction, I shall gouge out their eyes and slit their throats.”

“You don’t have to do that,” I replied in horror. “No man will ever come near me if they know that I am yours.”

“But I will. And I can promise you that,” Kieran defended. “I need to keep you safe. The next nine months are imperative. Come. We need to go to dinner and you need to eat.”

Nodding at his words and feeling my belly rumble in hunger, I allowed myself to be walked towards the dining hall, with Brooke and Hollie dutifully behind. Many servants rushed past us, hurrying to fulfil their tasks, but not forgetting to politely bow and nod their heads to us in a mark of respect. It felt odd that I was now being bowed down to by the staff. It was another perk of my new status that I had to get used to. I was no longer a lowly sex maiden, to be used and abused by the Palaces elite, but an Official Royal bedmaiden of the Alpha. I knew that meant that he couldn’t have any other women in his bed as of now. Only me. A part of me felt glad as I couldn’t bear to think of this man with another woman. I was falling deeply in love with him more and more every day and likewise, like him, the thought of him not being here broke my heart.

Quickly, we walked through the brown double doors and into the dining room. As we marched towards the top table I peered around and gasped in shock. The table that was usually filled with girls in front of us was now empty and as I swivelled my eyes around the room, I noticed that the very same girls were now seated in various spots around the room, near their new masters. Some of the girls seemed quite happy with the new arrangements while some girls had terror splashed across their faces. My eyes fell onto Davina, who was furiously glaring across the room at me, her eyes brimming with silent tears. I glanced at the fat, balding man who was sitting behind her on a silver throne. He had one hairy, fat hand, resting gently over Davina’s right breast as he gently stroked the nipple beneath her dress. I recognised the man as the Palace’s Official Chaplain. I heard that he had a frightful temper and was very good at getting what he wanted when it came to women. There were rumours that he also carried a long thing whip under his robes and wasn’t afraid to use it on anyone who upset him. I wanted to feel sorry for Davina but all I felt was gladness that she was no longer near my Prince.

Reaching my seat, I sat down and smiled gratefully at Kieran who was sitting beside me. Even though I’d been here for a couple of weeks now, I still felt out of place sitting on the top table. Brooke and Hollie were also sitting on the top table, much to the other girl’s disgust. Calm peaceful music played out across the room as general chatter between the ministers and clergymen began to strike back up. Breathing a sigh of relief that no drama had ensued, I began filling my plate with meats, cheeses and fruits and vegetables. I didn’t know if it was because I was pregnant or because of the excitement of my baby news, but I found myself to be ravenous. Just as I started to eat, a loud cough came from Carlton’s throne signalling that he wanted to say something. Slowly, we turned our heads and glanced at Carlton politely.

“How did your meeting with the doctor in the hospital wing go?” Carlton chimed, resting his chin on one hand in mock interest. “I hope you had the answers you were looking for.”

“What has it got to do with you?” Kieran growled in warning. “It’s got nothing to do with you.”

“Well if it was my grandmother or family member that had been found dead in suspicious circumstances, then I’d want answers too!” Carlton continued while smiling gently. “A little birdie also told me that Elena fainted while you were up there. Is your bedmaiden okay? I have plenty of girls for you to borrow while Elena rests.”

Kieran and I both growled in unison at his words, causing the rest of the room to fall silent as they watched in interest. Feeling hundreds of eyes on me, quickly suppressed my growls and lowered my eyes. The hatred I felt for Carlton was unreal and I couldn’t wait until Kieran threw him out of the kingdom for good.

“Elena is fine!” Kieran replied stiffly. “It was the news of how her grandmother was killed that made her faint!”

“Killed!” gasped Carlton loudly putting his hand up to his mouth. “Oh my, how dreadful! What happened to her, the poor thing? And do you know who carried out such an atrocious crime?”

“Don’t act as if you care, Carlton. It’s not a good look. It makes you look pathetic,” “Kieran smirked before standing up and addressing the room. “Mrs Smith was killed with a large dose of Atropa Belladonna. Otherwise known as Deadly Nightshade. Someone in this Palace knows something or knows who did the heinous crime.”

“How do you know someone from the Palace did this, brother?” Carlton asked in a bored fashion. “Do you have proof?”

“No, but me and Elena will find the proof,” answered Kieran loudly. “I know it came from the Palace. Mrs Smith was the grandmother of my Official Royal Bedmaiden. The only family Elena has left. Mrs Smith was killed in an act of jealousy and revenge!”

“And when you find the proof, and whoever did this to a poor defenceless old lady,” continued Carlton, a smirk beginning to grow over his face. “What are you going to do?”

“It’s simple. I’m going to do the same to them as what they did to Mrs smith,” Kieran declared loudly. “I will finish them with a deadly dose of Atropa Belladonna!”