Chapter 32: The jealousy rotting deep inside him will destroy anything.

**RIVER**

Bea fixed her eyes on her mother as the color drained from Eve's face. The queen opened and closed her mouth a few times until she sighed and looked down in shame. "Bea, baby," she whispered. "You have to understand that everything I ever did was to protect you. I never thought of consequences or even that you would hate me for anything I did because deep down, I hoped you would understand. You are my daughter, and even if it seems wrong, I will do everything I can to keep you safe from danger. This man brings nothing but trouble, nothing but danger into your life. I want to see the spark of happiness dancing in your eyes every morning. I don't want to see my child sulk because the man supposed to love and protect her kills everyone her gaze falls upon. You can avoid blaming Sloth, but sooner or later, you will hate yourself because he will continue to kill everyone around you. One by one, you will lose friends and those you care about. Think about it, please." River expected the King to stand up for his mate, but Eros only held her hand. Normally royals butted heads, but this family managed to do things the right way. They each had their own demons, wrongdoings, or misunderstandings with someone outside their inner circle, and thankfully Eros allowed Eve to explain herself to their daughter. After all, how fair would it be if Eve made a mistake, but her husband had to deal with the mess afterwards?

"Mom, I didn't ask you to beat around the bush; I demand the truth and nothing but the truth." River's gaze fell on the frail-looking woman standing beside him. By all accounts, Bea was beautiful, stunning, but for her to assert herself and demand answers was the last thing he'd' have expected. The deadly sin was no stranger to the vampire lifestyle, so he knew that during his three-year absence, Bea had felt like only weeks had passed, and it was truly amazing to see how much she'd matured. A smirk spread across his lips; he felt nothing but pride for the woman who'd end up by his side. There was no one better than Bea, especially for him.

Queen Eve shot daggers at River, but even her obvious hatred didn't force him to stop staring at Bea. Everyone else had no meaning in his eyes, let alone his heart - she, the Princess, was the star of his show. It was only the Queen's following words that brought him out of his trance-like state. "I suggest we find somewhere more private, then we can discuss everything. Being in public is dangerous for everyone; I won't even mention how dangerous it can be for civilians. Bea, please, listen to me and follow me. We promised that no one would try to harm this man, and we'll keep our word." Eve turned away from everyone and entered the castle. She didn't bother begging or asking the same thing, as those around her slowly returned to their daily lives. It wasn't just the tension between River and the Royals, something suspicious was happening behind their backs, and everyone knew it except River and Bea.

"Your mother is right," Eros said, stepping closer to Bea and extending his hand to her. The King and River always got along well, so the deadly sin didn't react to Eros's actions. "Listen well, for I'll explain this to you once. We'll never speak of this subject again. Your brother will be home soon; we need him more than ever. I am truly glad that my daughter has returned home safely, but our world has changed. While you were away, we lost sight of many things; our family was getting weaker and weaker by the day. We were all too busy searching and grieving. No, we never thought we lost you, but that didn't mean we wouldn't grieve. That was the open window they were looking for - rebellion. The Kingdom is in great danger. We're preparing for war; therefore, we cannot just stand in the open. Without the Royal family, the people will have no one to protect and care for them. Understand, it's our duty to put them before ourselves. Follow me; your mother will explain herself once she's sure you're safe, away from the eyes of uninvited visitors. You've no idea what we're up against."

The warning that resonated in Eros' words made it clear to River and Bea that the King wasn't joking. They'd missed a lot, and it shouldn't surprise them that so much had changed in the time they'd been away. To River's surprise, Bea grabbed his hand and let the deadly sin enjoy another wave of tingles traveling through his body. For that action alone, he followed the Princess like a lost puppy desperate to find its home.

They found the Queen in the library, a place Bea was more fond of than anything else. Eve was sitting in a large armchair, holding an open book in her hands. She didn't look up to see who joined her and didn't tear her gaze from the pages. "This used to be your favorite book. For years I have wondered what it was about vampires that fascinated you to such an extent. Now that I have given it a chance and read a little more, I understand why you didn't want to let the book go. It's not about the information; it's about the differences between them and us. It's because of your curious nature and your passion for every living thing, good or bad. You always talked about how wonderful it would be to find peace and live together without war, hunger, and hatred. And look where we are now - in the middle of a war with vampires, warlocks, and woodland fairies. I don't think I need to add that many of us have sided with them, probably believing that if they can manage to kill us, they'll get the throne. There's no such thing as equality in our world, baby; there's only black and white. I'd love to be your white, your good and light, but after explaining myself, I am sure you'll see me as a tyrant rather than a loving mother. You will call me the villain of your story, no matter how good my intentions were. And I am sorry for that." The Queen closed the book and stood up. Eve turned to Eros and gave him a faint smile as he nodded his head. That was the kind of communication Bea wanted for the man she loved - to understand each other without saying a word. Eve grabbed Eros's hand and let out a deep breath as if she needed to prepare herself before she could utter a word. "A few years ago, I banished your mate from our Kingdom. Before you attempt to speak, hear me out. Leave no questions unanswered; if you do - it'll only harm you. That happened on the day of your birthday, he'd spent years by your side, and I truly believed River wouldn't harm you. And he didn't, as long as it was you. At least I thought he didn't. During your birthday party, he killed one of our servants. Luckily, you weren't around to see the bloody mess I found at that moment. This man," Eve pointed a finger at River. "This man here painted the walls red with the poor servant's blood. Though he claimed he did it to protect you, I believe it was an act of jealousy. You made friends with that servant; he made you toys and always ensured you stayed out of trouble. Both your father and I liked this young man very much, but his life ended because of your mate's rash and despicable decision. There's always more than meets the eye, sure, but I don't trust the man whose hand you hold and probably never will. You deserve better, fated or not; you deserve someone who trusts you and your decisions. The jealousy rotting deep inside him will destroy anything beautiful you might have." A tear slid down Eve's cheek as she bit her lip. The Queen hoped her daughter would understand that she had only the best intentions and never meant to harm Bea. However, Bea squeezed River's hand and didn't try to let go - an action that spoke volumes.

Bea grew nervous; she stood between the people she loved and someone she didn't know but wanted to be close to. Her hesitation gave River the green light to stand up for himself. If the Princess couldn't speak her mind or express her feelings, at least he could. After all, it had been years since he last had the opportunity to face Queen Eve. "You don't get it, do you? I had to fucking fall on my knees and beg you then; I won't do that again. Ever again." River let go of Bea's hand. The deadly sin wanted to hold her until the world ended, but it was better to keep his distance from the Princess if the conversation escalated unexpectedly. "You may be the Queen of the Shifters, but you'll never be my Queen. I am above you in every way you can imagine. Age, power, knowledge, all that, and more. Yet you stand before me and tell my mate that I'd kill someone out of mere jealousy? Absolutely not! I embody one of the deadly sins, I am Sloth, and frankly, I'm far too lazy to ever kill someone just because I was jealous. Back then, she was just a kid for crying out loud! Just a kid! Was there anything I should be jealous of? No! But there were more than a few occasions when I had to use force to protect her. Your daughter is here because of me. Bea is here because I did everything I could to protect her, even from afar. Is this when I should feel she needs protection from her own parents?" River stepped closer to Eve and Eros. The King did the same and stood in front of his mate. No matter how good their relationship was, Eros would always protect his beloved wife if anything happened. She was the purpose of his life, and he'd become an immovable mountain to protect her from danger. River noticed the action, stopped right in front of the King, and calmly addressed the Queen. "And now look at you, making me out to be the bad guy when it took you years, and you never found her. How long did it take me, huh? The King could've found his grandmother, and along with that, he'd find Bea. Don't blame your failure on me." He added, leaving Eros dumbfounded.

Eve grasped the last straw of hope and blurted out the information she didn't want anyone to know. "Bea, do you know who's leading the forces of the rebellion? It's the Angel of Death."

River turned, hoping the expression in Bea's eyes wouldn't change, but he found an empty space where his mate had been standing a moment ago. "Bea?"