His Forbidden Mate
Part 55

A week later

The king’s guards returned with news of the capture of Cynthia. She was about to cross the border of the north into the kingdom of Jade. It had been three weeks since the attack on the parlour and this was good news for not just Kailani but for every worker at the parlour.

When she heard the news of Cynthia’s capture, she wanted to confront her about the truth; but she feared her anger might make her do something drastic, like snapping the backstabber’s neck. She deserved that and even more for what she did, but her time was coming.

Edward took the lead and after thorough questioning and torture, Cynthia confessed to not working alone like she initially claimed. She called a few names, and Kailani knew them in Lurds. These were men who were kicked out of the parlour because of their recklessness and lack of self-control in the past. Cynthia also called the instigator of the attack on the parlour as Lady Shewa of the house black. Kailani initially thought Robb Ainsworth had a hand in the attack, so not hearing his name surprised her. Edward was right when he said his father would not send people to do his dirty work. He always did it himself.

Edward sent words to the alpha king, detailing the revelation which they had received concerning the event that had taken place in Lurds. He wrote about the truth of the attack and the one behind it and pleaded that the king look into the case and grant permission for a trial in the capital. They received words the next day, which was the king giving a go-ahead for a trial.

The trial was held at the capital for two days and in the end, the alpha king found Cynthia guilty of conspiracy, murder and attempted murder without cause and sentenced her to death. To the accomplice involved in the attack, he found them guilty and exiled them from the kingdom with a mark of their evil-doing placed on their forehead. The elders stripped Lady Shewa of her title and demoted her to the rank of an omega in the kingdom as a punishment for what she did.

Justice was served and Kailani hoped that those who had lost their lives during the attack would replace peace.

Kailani and Edward rode for three days straight from the capital after the trial and they just arrived at her abode. The last week had been about the trial and now that it was over, they could forge ahead with their lives. If things had gone according to plans, they would have already married, but fate works differently most times and she couldn’t complain. Edward opened the door to the room and stepped inside, but took no step further.

She turned to him with a wide smile on her face, and she hugged him tightly. “Thank you.” She breathed into the crook of his neck.

Edward tightened his arms around her but stayed silent. They hugged for a while before Kailani pulled back to stare at him.

“You’re welcome,” he smiled back before asking, “What will you do now?”

“I don’t know, I’d say rebuild, but it isn’t my decision alone anymore. I need to ask everyone what they want,” she answered.

Edward smiled again but this time but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Whichever decision you make, I’m certain it would be the best.”

“Thank you.” Her eyes fixate on him, wondering why his expression looked pained despite them having the best news in the last week, which was victory on those who wrong them.

“Edward? Is there something you want to tell me?”

He bit his lips and took her arms around his neck off to hold them in his hands as he stared at her.

“I am glad you’re happy. That’s all I always want, and I’d give any and everything just to keep you this way. You know that.” he reached out and stroked her face tenderly.

She smiled, confused. “Yes, I know that. Why are you telling me?”

He heaved a deep sigh, and his lashes fluttered briefly. “Because I need you to know and never forget that everything I do and have done was all for you,” he replied, his voice becoming hollow with every word he uttered, and this didn’t sit well with her.

She stopped smiling, and a worried look took over her face. “What happened? Edward, look at me and tell me what happened?”

Edward’s eyes dropped from hers. “I had to do what I did,” he replied, his voice finally showing pain and remorse.

“You had to what? Edward, you had to do what?” she asked again, her voice rising with every question she asked.

His hand dropped from her face, and he took her hands into his. “You died, Kailani! I had to do something. I had to bring you back! I couldn’t live without you. I could go on knowing that once again I had lost someone I cared deeply about.”

She didn’t listen to the rest of the words he said because her mind lingered on the first three words. She died in the parlour four weeks ago, and whatever he did to bring her back wasn’t good.

She pulled her hands out of his hold. “Edward, what did you do?”

His eyes grew glassy and agony showed in them. “I took an oath. I told him if he brought you back, I would do whatever he asked me to do. He was the only one that could bring you back, and I had to bring you back.”

She had heard the chronicles of the past alpha of alphas and although most of their powers were still unknown, a few were. The A of A’s as they were called, were next in line after the moon goddess and had certain privileges. Some of these are the ability to bring back the dead. This gift wasn’t something to be abused and so the past alpha of alpha never used it. For Robb to have used his power to bring her back, there was a lot at stake. She doubted he’d do any ring for her, from the goodness of his heart.

“And in return, you vowed to do what?” she asked, knowing he must have demanded something.

A tear rolled down his face. “I vowed to come back home.”

He didn’t have to say more than that. She knew what he meant. The alpha of alphas had given the conditions that if he brought Kailani back from the dead, his son would abandon the insanity he called love and return to the capital. With his back against the wall, Edward had agreed.

She took a step back from him. “And you thought that would be what I want?” A tear ran down her face and her eyes blurred up. “A world where I can’t have you?”

“I couldn’t let you die, Kailani,” he admitted.

“I would have rather stayed dead!” she cried bitterly. “What’s the point of living when I would be in misery for the rest of my life?”

“I am sorry.”

She shook her head, not willing to accept the fate before her, “There has to be a way out of this. Edward, please, this can’t be the only option I have, the only option we have.”

“I don’t know any way out. My father has never gone back on his words before. I doubt he would start now.”

Tears rolled down her face, and her lips trembled. Her heart was breaking into a million pieces and so was his, and they could do nothing about it. The very thought of life without him was unbearable, and she knew she would not survive “Edward.”

He moved closer and cupped her face in his hands. He smiled at her, but all she saw was pain. “I do not want to do this. I do not want a single tear falling from your beautiful face. This is a nightmare for me as it is for you. You’re my life and yet I can’t stay. I need you to go live your life and be happy. I set you free.”

With that said, he let go of her face and departed from the house.