Chapter 189 CHAPTER 189

Chapter 189 CHAPTER 189
Leonard barely heard Cassian's last words before he turned and strode away.

His heart pounded with every step as he crossed the palace corridors, heading toward the place Cassian had pointed out, the training grounds. His mind thought of only one person - Gamma Alaric.

Without another word, he pivoted and continued down the corridor, his pace growing faster with every passing second.

The sounds of clashing swords reached him long before the training grounds came into view. Soldiers sparred in pairs while instructors barked orders across the vast field. Sweat, dust, and steel filled the air.

Leonard's sharp eyes swept across the grounds before landing on one of the guards.

The guard hurried over and bowed.

"Have you seen my wife?"

"Yes, Beta. Lady Evelyn arrived just a minute ago. She is meeting the Gamma in his office.

Leonard didn't wait for another word. The office door wasn't fully closed. As Leonard pushed it open, Evelyn's voice struck him before he even stepped inside.

"I didn't tell you to do it!"

His footsteps halted for the briefest moment.

Inside the office, Alaric stood behind his desk with his hands resting lightly on its polished surface. His face was calm, almost unnervingly so. The sound of the door opening drew both their attention.

Evelyn spun around, and the color drained from her face.

"Leonard?" she breathed, her eyes widening in shock. "What are you doing here?"

Without taking his eyes off either of them, Leonard pushed the door shut behind him.

The soft click echoed through the room. His face was cold enough to send a chill through the air.

"I'm the Beta," he said evenly. "I can be anywhere I want inside this palace."

His gaze moved from Evelyn to Alaric before settling back on her. Silence settled over the office, thick and suffocating. Neither Evelyn nor Alaric spoke.

Leonard's jaw tightened.

"What," he asked, his voice dangerously calm, "are the two of you plotting?"

Evelyn frowned, confusion flashing across her features. Whether it was genuine or carefully rehearsed, Leonard could no longer tell.

"Plotting?" she said, shaking her head. "Why would you think something like…?"

"Stop."

The single word cracked through the room like a whip.

Evelyn fell silent.

"Stop it, Evelyn."

His voice was low now, but far more frightening than if he had shouted.

"I know the truth."

Her eyes widened.

"Leonard, I honestly don't know what you're talking about."

A bitter laugh escaped him.

"You expect me to believe that?"

He took another step into the room, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Was it another coincidence that the conversation ended the instant you saw me?" he demanded.

His gaze shifted toward Alaric. The Gamma remained perfectly still offering no explanation. His silence was louder than any confession. Leonard felt his anger burn even hotter.

Before he could say another word, the sound of hurried footsteps thundered through the corridor outside. A heartbeat later, the office door swung open. Alpha Daniel stepped inside with calm authority, his sharp gaze immediately taking in everyone in the room.

Behind him stood several armed guards. Some wore the silver crest of Ashwood across their uniforms. Others bore the insignia of Maplewood. Daniel had brought his own men for a reason. Until Alaric's loyalties were beyond question, he wasn't prepared to trust Ashwood's guards alone.

Without a word, the soldiers fanned out across the office, positioning themselves at every exit. In a matter of seconds, there was nowhere left to run.

Alaric's eyes narrowed as he glanced from the guards to Daniel

"What is this about?"

Daniel folded his arms across his chest, his expression composed.

"I think you already know."

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of Alaric's mouth. He leaned back ever so slightly, looking almost amused.

"Enlighten me."

Leonard had heard enough. Every ounce of patience he had been clinging to shattered.

"How about we enlighten both of you in the dungeons?" His voice rang through the office with unmistakable authority.

He turned sharply toward the waiting guards. "Arrest them."

The guards moved without hesitation.

Evelyn gasped, instinctively lifting both hands. "Wait! Leonard!" Her voice trembled with panic as she looked from the guards back to him, "What are you doing?"

Disbelief flooded her face as the soldiers continued advancing.

"Are you seriously having me arrested?"

Her desperate eyes searched his face, looking for some trace of the man she knew.

"What have I done?"

Leonard stared at her as though she were a complete stranger.

"What haven't you done?"

His voice was quiet, almost gentle. Yet somehow, that hurt far more than if he had shouted.

Pain flickered across his face before he lowered his gaze for a brief moment.

"You’re   my mate," His throat tightened as he forced himself to continue, "I thought you understood me."

His eyes glistened, the hurt he had been holding back finally surfacing.

"I never wanted any of this, Evelyn."

He shook his head slowly.

"I was happy being the Guardian."

His voice cracked under the weight of his emotions.

"I never wanted the kingdom."

A painful silence stretched between them.

He looked at her, his expression filled with heartbreak rather than anger.

"Why?"

The single word came out barely above a whisper.

"Why did you do it?"

Tears welled in Evelyn's eyes.

"Leonard..." she whispered, shaking her head. "What are you talking about?"

He took another step toward her.

"So you could make me king..."His breathing became uneven, "You had someone murdered?"

Each word seemed to cost him.

"Don't you understand what you've done?"

His chest rose sharply as he struggled to keep his composure.

"You've put blood on my hands."

"No..."

Evelyn frantically shook her head, tears spilling onto her cheeks.

"No, Leonard. Wait."

She reached for him with trembling hands.

"You don't understand."

Before she could say another word, movement exploded beside her. Alaric suddenly bolted for the door.

The guards reacted instantly. Two soldiers slammed into him before he had taken more than a couple of steps, driving him to a stop. Another guard wrenched his arms behind his back. A pair of steel shackles snapped around his wrists. The sharp metallic click echoed through the office.

Alaric struggled once, then went completely still.

Slowly, Evelyn turned to look at him. Every trace of color drained from her face. Leonard looked at Evelyn, his expression crumbling beneath the weight of betrayal.

"And instead of seeing how badly you'd already destroyed everything..."

His voice trembled.

"You tried to cover your tracks."

His breathing hitched painfully.

"You even tried to have the princess..."

The words caught in his throat.

He couldn't force himself to say them.

He couldn't bear to speak the thought aloud—that his own mate could have ordered Ariel's death.

Silence settled over the room like a suffocating blanket.

Evelyn broke first.

"Wait..."

Her voice cracked.

"Please..."

She clasped her trembling hands together, tears streaming freely down her face.

"You have to listen to me."

She held Leonard's gaze, pleading with every ounce of strength she had left.

"It's not as simple as you think."

"It's not all black and white."

Leonard said nothing. He simply stared at her for what felt like an eternity. The disappointment in his eyes cut deeper than any accusation ever could.

Finally, he drew a slow, weary breath.

"I think I've heard enough."

His voice was barely more than a whisper.

"I don't think I can trust another word that comes out of your mouth."

His jaw tightened.

"You've kept secrets from me for years."

He shook his head.

"So tell me... how am I supposed to believe you now?"

Evelyn looked completely broken.

"Please..."

The word escaped her lips as nothing more than a shattered sob.

Daniel stepped forward and gently rested a reassuring hand on Leonard's shoulder.

"Leonard."

The Beta didn't turn around. His eyes remained fixed on Evelyn, his jaw clenched so tightly that the muscles in his face twitched.

"What?"

Daniel let out a quiet breath before speaking, choosing his words with care.

"Maybe..." he began softly, "...we should hear her out."

Leonard finally turned to face him, disbelief written plainly across his features.

"Why?"

Daniel held his gaze without hesitation.

"Because if there's even the smallest chance that her explanation changes something..." he said quietly, "then we owe it to ourselves to know the whole truth before we make a final judgment."

Evelyn nodded immediately, tears streaming down her face.

"Yes."

Her voice cracked as she looked from Daniel back to Leonard.

"Please."

She took a hesitant step toward him before stopping herself.

Leonard closed his eyes.

"Fine."

His eyes found Evelyn once more. There was no warmth left in them.

"But only out of respect for Alpha Daniel."