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“I don’t think some of them will ever truly respect me,” I realize.

“Do you want them to respect you?” Cedric asks bluntly.

I think about it and then shake my head. “No. I don’t care. Together, we will make our kingdom thrive. Any respect that I need, I can earn.”

Cedric smiles. “Spoken like a true queen.”

After an hour, he goes to check on Derrick while I head off to see if Finn is alright.

“He was a little upset, but I told him a few stories, and he fell asleep. He’s a child; he’ll bounce back. Don’t worry about it,” Harriet comforts me. “I’ll help you out of that dress if you’re ready to retire.”

“No.” I touch her hand, looking at my sleeping son. “Just stay with him. I can get changed by myself. If anything, I’ll get Cedric to help me. I don’t want Finn to be alone.”

I leave Harriet with my son and retire to our suite. Cedric isn’t back yet. I change out of my dress and into a more casual shirt and pajama pants. After wiping off my makeup, I wash the glitter out of my hair and stretch my arms, feeling tired.

It’s quite late now. The ball is probably over.

After the excitement of the day, both the Eastern and Northern attendees will be on edge. I walk over to the window, wondering if I will get a glimpse of some of the guests walking around. To my surprise, I don’t see any guests, but I do see two familiar figures: Cassian and Maya. They’re walking together in the direction of the cottages. Maya is leaning against Cassian.

I smile. Jerry is going to lose his mind.

My smile fades in about two seconds.

Why didn’t Maya message me? She was supposed to get the test results today and tell me about them. I try calling her, but she doesn’t answer. I suppose I could wait till tomorrow, but…

Sighing, I check the time. I’ll just go talk to her. There is no way she’s going on a date with Cassian at this hour. He was most likely just walking her back to her cottage. I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep without the long-awaited results. Also, after everything that transpired today, I need to talk to her. More like vent to her.

I leave the suite, wondering where Cedric has gone. Maybe I should stop by the lab first. Jerry might have the results. I know the older healer has a tendency to work late, especially these days.

In keeping with the late hour, the hallways are empty. I make my way down the staircase toward the lab. I’ve just turned the corner and am about to knock on the door when I hear something move behind me.

Maybe it’s because I’m tired that I’m too slow to react.

Before I can move, I feel five claws pierce my back.

Chapter 28

Leanna Avery

I slam forward against the door as the claws dig into my chest, right over my heart.

“You should have let him kill me,” Vivian’s voice whispers in my ear gleefully. “I’m going to kill you first and then that bastard child of yours. And I’m going to make him suffer the most.”

She moves her fingers around, and I let out a gasping scream, my body stiff with agony.

“Did you think that if you showed me mercy, it would change anything?” she hisses, her breath hot against my ear. “You are and always will be a slave, Leanna. It doesn’t matter whose fated mate you are. You are a slave, and you are my substitute. You were never good enough to have my face, and tonight I’m going to cut it right off of you.”

She retracts her claws and forces me to turn around. I try to fight back, but my injury is too grievous. I can barely move. She plunges her hand into my stomach, and I make a choking sound, blood pouring from my mouth.

“I did everything to seduce that filthy barbarian. He should’ve considered himself lucky that I was even giving him a fraction of my time. How dare he treat me so callously? Bella was a smart one. She knew your worth. She found me. My father had arranged everything. The Silver Ring Organization was going to protect me.”

Silver Ring Organization? I think dimly. What is she saying?

“But I had to come back. Of course I had to!” She sneers. “Let you be queen of the North? You’re not worthy of being a queen. Did you think you could raise your status? Did you think you could be better than me? In a higher position than me? You, who would lick my shoes if I told you to?”

She laughs angrily before grabbing my head and slamming it against the door. “You ungrateful, greedy, little bitch. How dare you pretend to be me? You were supposed to die in my palace, not become that barbarian’s mate.”

I try to summon my wolf, but I can’t feel it. It’s like our link has severed. I feel so weak!

“Once I’m done with you, I’m going to destroy all the research you’ve been doing, and then I’m going to kill that spawn of yours!”

Her words barely register on me. The only thing I comprehend is that she wants to hurt my child. It’s difficult even to draw a breath, but I don’t care. I’m not going to let her hurt Finn.

My body feels sluggish, as if she’s drugged me with something.

But most of the impact is on my wolf. I can’t feel it anymore. I force the panic aside and lift my knee to hit her in the crotch. I’m unable to use much force, but the surprise of the attack has her stumbling backward, forcing the withdrawal of her hand from my stomach.