I was sitting at therge table while Darren was shaking each representative''s hand. Everyone there had signed the agreement. They were now rushing back to mobilize for war. In just two days, we would all be meeting in the Stony ins. That- wasn''t a lot of time to mobilize and move a small army, so they had to act quickly.


    "This kingdom is yours. Why are you taking a back seat right now?" A woman with broad shoulders and muscr arms stepped next to my seat. Her dark skin gleamed under the soft lights of the room, her muscles defined and powerful. But what caught my attention were her eyes, a striking silver that seemed to almost glow in the dimness. It was like looking into pools of liquid metal.


    "I''m still learning about this kingdom. What does something being mine by blood mean? Does that immediately make me a more fit ruler? I don''t look at this as taking a back seat. I think it''s a joint effort. The goal is to take care of the kingdom and the people."


    at was rude. I "You don''t seem like a stupid woman." Okay looked into her silver eyes, trying to figure her out. She pulled out a seat next to me and leaned in. "Very convenient, and such divine providence, don''t you think? That the very person who can help the king with this curse is now his mate? Your mate just happened to leave you ... making you avable to im. A mate that, from what I hear, was being hunted down by the king for


    assaulting one of his guards. A bit over the top, right? Listen-" Her voice dropped to a breath next to me. "Did the king really not know who you are? A royal bloodline such as yours wouldn''t submit to a false king. He couldn''t make you tilt your neck in submission ... could he?" I shook my head no as she nodded her head. "And you don''t think he knew what that meant? Do not be naive and wise up. Think about your family, and everything they have been through, and don''t be the naive woman who believes. everything at face value."


    I tilted my head, staring directly into her eyes. "And you are just a friend trying to help out a fellow woman? There is no ulterior motive behind your words? And the fated mate bond that I have, even though it''s so strong, is fake too, right?"


    She grabbed my hand, cing something cold and hard in my fingers. "We''re going to be good friends, but you need to be more cautious. Stop acting like a child and be the woman you were born to be. Pay attention. Take a step back and really take a good hard look." This woman was pissing me off. She kept her hand covering mine so I couldn''t see what she ced in it.


    "Darren is not my enemy. I would put my life on the line with this statement." "And you are!" she hissed.


    "No, not him. I can''t say this about the previous king and queen. I think there may be more there, for certain. I can tell u that Darren is my biggest ally. He is just as confused about all of this as I am. But he is not my enemy."


    "Vair enough. Just remain cautious. We have a lot to talk about, but our time ising to an end now, I''ll be at the Stoney ins and we can discuss this." She gripped my hand, closing my fingers around the object.


    "Asta." A monstrous man with ebony skin beckoned her with his head. She stood up, staring me down.


    "Until we meet again, Lissa." She lifted my hand, kissing it softly, before she quickly left. My mind was spinning, Who was this person? I nced at my hand and my heart stopped. I looked up to find Asta but she was gone. I stood up, gripping the contents tightly. I had been robbed of the air in my lungs.


    "The tiger princess seems to be sweet on you." I could feel Lyle''s warmth behind me. I nced up at him, feeling a new weight to Asta''s words. Suddenly, they held more meaning. Did I need to reevaluate everything again? Was I being manipted and I didn''t even know it? "Issy, are you okay? Did that little kiss on the hand fluster you that much?"


    Hisughter sounded muffled and distant, as if it wereing from another world. I could feel the weight of the room pressing against my chest, suffocating me with its stale air. I could feel the walls closing in on me, and knew I needed to escape. I told him I needed to use the restroom and swiftly walked out of the room. I stumbled to a nearby balcony and flung the doors open. I gulped the fresh air as I tried to clear my head. The cool breeze brushed against my skin, bringing a sense of relief and rity. As I stood there, gazing out at the setting sun, the distant sound of crickets and rustling leaves filled my ears, grounding me in the present moment.


    I gazed down at the polished gold pocket watch, its intricate engravings glinting in the sunlight. With a trembling finger, I flipped it open and watched as the hands remained frozen in time. On the other side, a faded family portrait of my mother, father, and myself stared back at me. We were all smiles, captured in a moment of perfect happiness. I knew this watch well ... it was a gift to my father from my mother. Around the edges of the inner gold I could see the engraving ''Alpha James.


    Hart''.


    Why did she have my father''s watch? How? Thest time I saw my father, he had this watch. What did this mean? What did Asta know? And was there any truth to the words she said? I


    was certain I could trust Darren.


    I inhaled a long, slow breath, thinking about my mate. I let the oxygen fill my lungs, slowly releasing it. I smiled as I stared at my father''s watch. My mother would have never doubted my father. What kind of mate would I be if I doubted my mate? Yes, I trusted him. There wasn''t a fiber of my being that didn''t. He was the only one I had in this world for certain. I had no blood rtives... only Darren and our unborn pup. I know he didn''t know anything about who I was. I wasn''t going to let a stranger get into my head and doubt the one person who shared my soul.


    What was Asta''s angle? Was she just looking out for me? I could admit that it did seem very convenient, but maybe it really was divine intervention? The fact that Darren and I were mates was definitely arranged by the gods. They were giving him a chance to make it right and putting me back where I belonged. Chapter 47


    I stared at the watch, closing it, the sun glinting off it as I held it up. Asta knew this was my father''s watch, which meant she knew my father, right? It was so frustrating that she gave me the watch and vanished. She was leaving me no choice but to go to the Stoney ins even though it was something I was still contemting..


    My eyes widened. Was that it? Was the purpose to make sure I went? I let out a groan in frustration, leaning my elbows on the railing and cing my head against my fists. My mind was reeling and I was so lost in thought that I didn''t hear anything. I didn''t hear the footstepsing up behind me, and I didn''t smell their scent. All I felt was a pair of hands shoving my back, and then I was flipping through the air. Falling.


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