Chapter 68 68
Denzel’s POV
“He almost beat me that night just for telling him,” Jalisa said, her voice hollow. “He told me he had plans for me and they didn’t include my mate. He demanded to know who it was. I was terrified to say his name, so I told him I would reject my mate and marry you instead.”
I felt nothing. No pity. No compassion. Whatever sympathy she expected from me, she would never receive it.
“We tried to fight the bond,” she continued. “But we couldn’t. Three months after our wedding, Tyrell tried to end his life because of the pain. I felt it too every second of it. I was empty. Miserable. We wanted to run away together, but we knew you and my father would hunt us down. So we stayed. We endured. We found a way to survive it.”
I laughed short, bitter, void of humor.
“Then why try to kill me?” I asked.
She looked at Tyrell.
“King Fabian wanted you dead,” Tyrell said quietly. “You were in the way of his plans. And he wasn’t alone five other Alphas supported him. They all wanted you removed so they could move against the Lycan throne.”
I laughed again.
“And you saw that as your chance,” I said coldly. “Your opportunity to finally be with your mate.”
He didn’t deny it.
“Pathetic,” I said. “Why didn’t you elope with her? Because neither of you wanted to lose anything. She wanted to keep her crown and Luna title. You wanted power. Alpha status. So you chose the easier route kill me and take everything.”
Silence.
“Who are the other Alphas?” I demanded.
Tyrell shook his head. “I don’t know their names. I only know what King Fabian tells me.”
I turned my gaze to Jalisa. “You had your mate. Yet you still tried to destroy mine. Did it ever occur to you that you could have been happy truly happy if you’d come to me? I would have gone to war for you both. I would have risked everything. But instead, you married me and planned my death.”
“I never wanted you dead,” Jalisa whispered.
I laughed again this time darker. “Then how exactly did you plan to end up with Tyrell? By fulfilling your father’s wishes and hoping for mercy?”
She dropped her head.
“I won’t defend myself,” Tyrell said, his voice breaking. “I’ve wronged you beyond redemption. I’ll confess everything. Do with me as you wish just spare Jalisa and our unborn child.”
The confirmation that the child was his turned my stomach.
“Don’t stop me,” Tyrell told her when she shook her head. “I listened to you once look where it led us. I told you Denzel would understand. You wanted it this way.”
Their exchange meant nothing to me. It could have been rehearsed for all I cared.
“I poisoned you on Fabian’s orders,” Tyrell continued. “I was meant to finish the job once the poison took effect. I couldn’t do it. He sent wolves to ensure I followed through. When we stopped in the forest, I hesitated but it was already too late. They attacked. After that, there was no turning back.”
He swallowed. “I regretted it. I never tried to kill you again.”
“He ordered me to kill Rayon too,” he added. “I refused. I suggested other ways pressure, manipulation. That’s why we attacked the bears. Fabian doesn’t have leverage on me.”
He paused, then spoke the words that shattered the room.
“I overheard him say he would kill Jalisa if she failed because she isn’t his daughter. Queen Shereen cheated. Jalisa is the result. Fabian killed the queen when he found out.”
Jalisa gasped.
Tyrell looked at her and nodded.
The truth settled heavily. Jalisa wasn’t a princess at all just a pawn. A bastard Fabian intended to sacrifice.
“I didn’t want you to know,” Tyrell said to her softly. “He doesn’t care about you. If you failed, he planned to kill you. So I chose him over Denzel. I had no power against the king. His network is vast. Even Denzel cannot defeat him alone. I joined the enemy so you could succeed. I planned to claim you properly when it was done.”
He was telling the truth. I knew it.
Everything made sense now. Fabian would never have used his real blood like that.
“I’ve wronged you,” Tyrell said hoarsely. “So kill me. If I could relive it, I would have come to you and confessed. I was losing my mind. Every night you were with her, the pain tore me apart. I wanted it to stop. I wanted silence.”
I sank onto the couch.
Rayon stood frozen beside me. Neither of us spoke.
“If you kill him,” Jalisa said suddenly, lifting her head, something fierce in her eyes, “then kill me too. I tried to kill you as well.”
“How?” I asked quietly.
“I poisoned your tea,” she said, sobbing. “I didn’t want the divorce. I didn’t want my father to think I failed. I wanted peace. I wanted my mate. You were the obstacle I wanted you gone.”
My mind snapped back to Venessa her hand knocking the teacup away.
I froze.
Did she know?
And if she did… why serve it at all?
Questions flooded me. Anger stirred but I buried it. For now.
I stood.
“I will not kill either of you,” I said flatly. “Tyrell, because of what we once were, I will keep Jalisa here under my protection. Fabian will try to eliminate you both.”
He exhaled shakily.
“Understand this is not mercy,” I continued. “You have two months to uncover every conspirator connected to Fabian names, networks, proof. If you fail, I will end her life and hunt you down.”
Relief washed over his face. He knew what I’d given him.
By law, I should have executed them for treason. Instead, I chose strategy.
“Thank you,” Tyrell said. “I won’t fail you, Alpha.”
I handed the rest to Rayon and turned toward my room.
I had questions.
And only Venessa could answer them.