197

**James POV: 

Time jumps the next morning **

Two in the damn morning and I reluctantly got out of bed. This mission is important if a person sends an assassin once they will continue to do it until their mate is dead. I look and Michael is looking at both Rati and I. 

“Are you ready for this?”, I asked. 

“Yes, let us end this once and for all. So, we can move on with our lives”, he said. 

We both kiss our sleeping mate. Then got up and got ready. Gar, Aldo's mind linked us when they woke up. They are dressed and waiting for us downstairs. We have our guards and Mason will watch our mates while we are gone. We had to change some stuff up. Aldo’s father thought that since my family and Aldo's scent is known we should use an unknown person. So, he volunteered to be the one in the truck. 

We place him in handcuffs that look silver and put a black cloth bag over his head. I, Aldo Sr., and James get into potion in the woods covering ourselves with mud. Gar is leading the transport. From the outside looking in it seems that there are three cars.

The one in the front only has two one person in it. The second one has Aldo Sr. and two warriors in it. The third one has one driver. The first and third cars are under-ordered to keep driving even when the middle car is attacked. 

The plan is for whoever takes Aldo Sr., and once in the woods Gar and I with our warriors will follow them. Once at their headquarters will we find out who is behind the assassin's order. As the three cars leave the kingdom, we follow behind them. We are aware that whoever is responsible for all this shit will not dare attack while we the transport are out of the city. 

“All right everyone eyes, ears, and nose open”, I said via mind link to everyone. 

“Yes, you Majesty”, they said in unison. 

Twenty minutes into the drive we hear a car approach from the front of the transport. A car blocked car one. Car, one stopped then drove around fleeing the scene.  Once car one left another car came and blocked car three. Car three drove around and fled like car one, leaving car two just like we wanted. The driver left the car and ran into the woods towards Gar's team. Leaving Sorel in the car by himself. 

We watch as Sorel is taken out of the car. It is a good thing we have him wearing some clothes from an Omega. Sorel is doing a great job he is calling for help pretending to be scared. We slowly followed them surprisingly it was to an abandoned building. I look around there is no one on the roof or behind the building. We just have to wait for Sorel to give the signal. 

Sorel howled and we all ran in the direction. I was the first to enter the building. The first thing I see is a woman standing with men surrounding her. It seems she is the one in charge. She looks surprised and afraid to see us running into the building. 

“Who are you? What is the meaning of this?”, she yelled. 

“You don’t know your kings”, I said. 

“I have no kings. Attack!", she yelled. 

The men looked at her like she was crazy. We are about fifty deep compared to their ten. Each man looked at each other and then bowed. The look on her face is priceless. Her face has a mixture of pissed off and afraid. 

“What is your name?”, James asked. 

“These nuts”, the woman said. 

The woman is about five, five, pale-skinned, with blue eyes, and short red hair. To have the bravery she has is impressive. Most people would have been shitting bricks 

“Lady, I don’t have time for this. What is your name?”, Gar said. 

“None of your damn business”, she said. 

“I do not believe in hitting a woman. But I will slap a bitch”, Sorel said. 

“Really Dad?”, Aldo said. 

“Yes, really. Your mother always told me a woman and a bitch are different and should be treated as such”, Sorel said. 

“Well, lady gets the talking”, Gar said. 

“My name is Margin”, she said with an attitude. 

“Margin why did you hire someone to kill our mate? And your queen?”, I asked. 

“First off, I have no queen. And secondly, you took my husband from me. So, I thought I would return the favor”, she said with a shrug. 

“For someone who is facing a treason charge you don’t seem too worried”, Gar said. 

“I am not. You can charge me with treason but sentence me to death you can't do", she said with a smirk. 

“And why is that?’, James asked. 

“Because the kingdom will see you two as the big bad Alpha kings that sentenced a grieving widow to death. And besides killing woman is a taboo”, she said with a smirk. 

“And who is or more likely who was your husband?”, I asked. 

“Acca that asshole got a fox like you?”, Sorel said. 

“He was taking from me. And for what? Petty crimes, I didn’t even get a chance to bury him. I wanted both of you to know what it feels like to have your heart ripped out when your mate is gone. To you, he was a criminal but to me, he was my everything", she said crying.

“So, he was your mate?", I asked. 

“No, he was something more. The moment I saw him he owned my heart and soul. He saved my life and the only thing I had of value was the life he saved”, she said on the verge of crying. 

Margin explained that she was a prostitute selling her ass for whatever her tricks would offer her. And one day one of her ticks thought his friends could join for free. All five of them had their way with her and left her for dead. Acca found her in an alleyway holding on to her life and took care of her no questions asked. 

“Do any of you know how it feels to lose the love of your life? Even if that person was your chosen mate?", she asked and I could hear the hurt in her voice. 

“Yes, I do. I know what it is like. I lost the woman I love and years with my son. But I didn’t try to kill anyone”, Sorel said. 

“But our mate did not kill yours”, James said. 

“No, you two have no power but what she gives you. You are not of royal blood. She could have banished them, anything but kill those men. The two of you left women mateless and children fatherless. A life in banishment is better than a life without your mate”, she said. 

Damn, I did not see it that way. A lot of men died that day and if she is one of many women who might want revenge, we are surely fucked. I told the men to arrest her and put her in a clean dungeon.  

“We will have to talk to Rati about this. Marginis right killing her will only start more shit”, I said. 

Now that we know the who, the what, and the why. We need to handle this carefully. James and I want to go home to our surprise for Rati. And Tanyin, Mōʻīwahine, and Vulverin have to get back to their Kingdome at some point. Another uprising will mess up all of our plans. 

“What are we going to do with her?”, Gar asked. 

“That I will leave for our queen. You know how I feel about punishing women”, I said. 

“Can you give her a day to grieve? It is clear she hasn't had enough time to do”, Sorel said. 

“You feel sorry for her?", Aldo asked. 

“Yes, I do. I would like to talk to her if I can”, Sorel said. 

“What is it about her that you care so much?”, I asked. 

“I am not sure but I want to find out”, Sorel said. James gives him a knowing look. 

We left to go back to the castle. I pulled James to the side. I want to know what he thinks about Sorel and Margin. 

“Spill”, I said. 

“Spill what?”, James asked. 

“You know something about my dad”, Aldo said walking up to up. 

“I want to know the gossip too. I hate being out of the loop”, Gar said. 

“I have a feeling they are second-chance mates”, James said. 

“And why would you think that?”, Aldo asked. 

“Because he was looking at her the same way I used to look at Rati when I first met her”, James said. 

“And what look is that?”, Aldo asked. 

“A mixture of confusion and longing. I bet you head for a month they are mates”, James said. 

“I take on that action”, Gar said. 

“Gar, Renee will kill both of us,” James said laughing. 

“This is what you guys do? Sexual bets”, Aldo asked smiling and shaking his head. 

“It's a good way to keep it spicy and new”, I said. 

“Well, if they are it will make matters worse. My father lost the woman he loved already. I do not think he can handle that again. And I do not want to be Alpha right now”, Aldo said. 

“How about this if they are mates? We will be leant on her", I said.

“How lent?”, Gar asked. 

“That will depend on our Queen and her crew”, I said and walked towards our bedroom.