**Dagen's POV**
The moment I reached my palace, I called for Edvin, who had been running the pack’s affairs in my absence. He was happy to see me, but we had urgent business to attend to.
“I believe Alpha George is after Regina's life. We must find her quickly,” my voice sounded panicked because I was. Every day that I had been in that cell I could not stop thinking about my children that I had not met and Regina.
“There is something I must tell you, Your Majesty,” Edvin said, his voice taking on a serious tone.
“What is it?” I asked him.
“You may execute me, but only after you recover your children and your throne is safe,” Edvin's tone and words worried me greatly. What had he done that he would mention execution?
“I know where Regina is,” his voice was quiet as he said this and from his tone, I could infer that he had known this for a long time.
“Why are you just telling me?” I was not sure what to feel. Anger? Disappointment? Hate? He had sent me on a wild goose chase by withholding that information.
“Because she has gone under, and you're the only one that can get her out,” Edvin replied.
“Gone under?” it was not that I struggled to understand what he meant. The problem with what he had said was that if it was what I thought it was, then I really was done for.
“She's currently in the palace of King Hades, ruler of the underworld and keeper of hell.”
“What do you mean? How did she?...”
“She was looking for the twins; they were kidnapped.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because you were not ready. You needed to realise that you loved Regina and not just your throne. I could not tell you until I was certain you had no feelings for Nydia.”
“We are talking about my children here. What does Nydia have to do with…”
“Nydia is part of an elaborate plot to destroy Regina and your twins. If you still harbour feelings for Nydia… You may have to choose between Nydia and your children. I have done my best to protect your throne, but the rest is up to you now.”
That shut me up.
It did because there was some truth to what Edvin had said.
Since I had discovered Nydia with another man, I had not confronted my feelings for her. I had been stung with betrayal; I would never have imagined that Nydia could sleep with another man. But if I were to think of the situation deeply, what would I do if I had to choose between Nydia, who stood by me during the darkest periods of my life, and Regina, the mother of my children? I understood now why Edvin had to keep it a secret from me.
“I would go to the underworld and bring back Regina and our twins,” I said almost in a whisper.
“I will get everything ready for your going,” said Edvin.
I nodded and left for my room.
I pulled out the purple satchel I had recovered from the site of my robbery and sighed.
What if I did not love Regina? What if what I felt for her was guilt for how I had treated her?
*_How can you love a woman who has betrayed you? Did you listen to Edvin? Nydia wants to kill Regina and the twins_*
It was Kane, my wolf, who had always defended and advocated for Regina. However, if I was being honest, I had pushed Nydia down the wrong path. Initially, the plan was for Regina to have our children because the curse would not allow me to have children with Nydia. But what have I done? I had taken extreme pleasure in being intimate with Regina that I had begun to neglect the woman I claimed to love. In more ways than one, I had been insensitive to Nydia.
*_Do not try to rationalise what Nydia did. She's a manipulative bitch and if you're being truthful to yourself you will admit it._*
“Your Majesty?” I could hear Abbot's voice at the other end of the door. I arose to check what he wanted.
“Abbot?”
“There's a man waiting for you in your drawing room. He says that he is here on urgent business but would not divulge any other information,” Abbot said.
“Tell him I am not receiving any visitors at the moment.” I knew that if it were the council that needed my attention, Abbot would have mentioned the name of the elder. But how did someone manage to enter my drawing room when I had not permitted it? I had to give Abbot a good scolding for letting the person in.
“Your Majesty, this person will not leave unless you attend to him. I cannot seem to drive this person out either,” returned Abbot.
“Except if you are looking at a ghost, Abbot, send the person away,” came my response. I was in no mood to see anybody.
“Your Majesty, it would appear so. I implore you to take a look at this yourself,” Abbot said, and grudgingly, I left my room to see this stranger who would not leave my palace.
Behold, waiting for me in my drawing room was Alpha George.
At first, I thought that I was dreaming him up, so I closed my eyes and opened them again, but it was Alpha George.
He was sitting on one of the chairs, smiling at me as I looked at him with surprise on my face.
I was about to scream for my guards when he said, “Don't bother, there is no point calling them.”
“Why are you here?” there was no need to ask him how he had entered. I was already aware that he was a sneaky bastard.
“We both want the same things, Dagen. I can help you if you will help me,” he said, a sardonic smile playing on his lips.