The Broken Wolf
Chapter 93

“We’re just a bit stuck in a situation here,” Benjamin says gruffly. “She’s known as the Bardulf’s adopted daughter. Word spread after the young Alpha’s ceremony that you two were mates. She’s got my eyes, which you say can’t be denied. I won’t have it said that I gave up my only daughter, not without good reason.”

Seth reaches up and pinches the bridge of his nose. This clearly isn’t how he expected the evening to go, but Benjamin has a knack for getting straight to business.

Lily speaks up, her hand landing on Benjamin’s on the table. “There are bigger concerns,” she says and everyone looks to her to explain. “Witches aren’t always accepted. If the wolves know that you have magic, it could put you in danger.”

“I’ve considered that,” Seth says. “Alex said he would keep what she did quiet, but I’m not sure what to do going forward.”

“I’m really complicating things,” I whisper, more to myself than anyone.

Seth reaches over and places his hand on my thigh. “The only reason it is complicated is because we always want to keep you safe. YOU are not a complication.”

Seth runs his free hand through his hair and looks up at Benjamin. “Molly and I are headed to the B***d Moon Pack in a few days for an Alpha Challenge. You’re right. We do need to figure this out.”

“Is Stephen still the Alpha there?” Benjamin asks and Seth looks at him, not giving an answer for a moment.

“The elder Alpha Stephen died in an attack a few months ago. His son, also named Stephen, is now handling things there. And poorly,” Seth tells him, looking irritated about it.

“There’s no good way to explain Molly’s parental situation without making someone look bad,” Lily interrupts quietly, knowing that no one wants that, but especially her and Benjamin.

Seth sighs deeply. “If my parents join us now, is that going to be an issue? We need to all discuss this, if possible.”

“It’s fine,” Benjamin says with a dismissive wave of his hand, but I can tell from his face that it’s a struggle for him.

“Thank you,” I say, offering him a weak smile that he returns.

Just then, Anna walks in the room and removes the dishes from the table. “Shall I return with dessert?”

“Anna, do you have enough for two more?” I ask and she nods. “Wonderful. The King and Queen will be joining us in a bit. Would you bring dessert and some coffee once they arrive?”

“Yes, Princess Molly,” she says, with a bow and leaves the room.

“She seems like a nice young lady,” Lily says and I nod in agreement..

There’s a knock at the main door and a few moments later, the door to the dining room opens for Audrey and Peter to walk in. I begin to stand up but Peter places his hand on my shoulder, stopping me as he pulls out a chair for Audrey, and then takes a seat next to me.

“Should I call Randall for this?” Peter asks but Seth and I both shake our heads no.

“There’s no way to deny she’s mine,” Benjamin says, crossing his arms across his chest defensively. “And there’s no way I don’t look like a terrible father without telling the entire kingdom that you murdered my sons.”

Peter looks at me for a moment and to my surprise, he holds his hand out for me. I place my hand in his and he squeezes it as he looks at me. “He’s right. He’s absolutely right,” he begins with a sad smile. “I knew from the second I walked into their home and they told me you were his that there was no way that you could be queen and I could remain in the kingdom’s good graces. I made too many mistakes.”

“I don’t understand,” I tell him, confused. I see Audrey next to him gently place her hand on his arm and smile at us.

“You are the perfect mate for my son,” he tells me with a smile. “Truly. You both complete each other perfectly. When we went to get your things after you had woken up and they told me your eyes had turned green, I knew the only way to do this properly would be to tell the truth. Now, I would appreciate it if it was a loose interpretation of the truth, but the kingdom will have to be told that I was the cause of your brother’s deaths, and the reason you were hidden. But- there’s no way to hide the magic, because we will have to explain the physical changes.”

“No,” Lily says firmly. “We can’t put her in that kind of danger.”

Audrey looks up at her and smiles at her. “Lily, we can hide as much information as possible, but we will have to tell the kingdom there was a spell confining her wolf and her beautiful eyes.”

Lily looks up at me and nods, tears in her eyes. “It will be alright,” I tell her but she doesn’t look convinced. “I have guards, and Seth.”

“They can’t know that you have magic,” she says, her old, worn face now full of concern and pain. “Wolves killed my family because we would not help them take over another pack. I just barely escaped, but they took my whole family. I was all alone in hiding when I met your father.”

I didn’t know that, but I guess there’s lots I don’t know about her. I take my hand from Peter’s and stand, walking around the table and sit next to her. I take her hands in mine and I realize that Benjamin had been rubbing her back gently to help calm her and it makes me smile a little. “We won’t tell them. No one but the rogues will know.”

“It seems that you already have a plan for how you want this to go,” Benjamin says to Peter, slightly more relaxed than before but still very clearly uneasy to be in the room with him.

“We would like to publicly take responsibility for the deaths of your sons,” Audrey tells him, her hand still gently resting on Peter’s arm. “But we would like to keep the prophecy out of it. We can tell the kingdom that Peter felt them to be a threat, but he did not know of your daughter and when you realized she was also in danger, you sought the help of a witch. That will leave out that Molly potentially carries the magical gene, but tells the truth. People will likely assume your first wife was her mother.”

“I will have to step down, though,” Peter says. “That will make you kids the new King and Queen immediately.”

“Dad,” Seth says but Peter holds his hand up.

The door opens and Anna walks in caring a tray of cakes and coffee. She places the items on the table, including cream and sugar this time. She smiles at me brightly as she sets them on the table and I can’t help but return her smile. She leaves us with a bow, with no one having said a single word while she was in the room.

Peter looks down at the table and then back to Seth. “Son, it’s the only option. I will announce the new law tomorrow morning while alone, protecting the children of the kingdom as Molly requested. We will wait a few days to deal with the backlash and then we will introduce our new princess to the kingdom when you head to the Alpha Challenge. Nothing formal, just let people see you together. A week or so after, once word of her eyes has spread, we’ll release the official statement.”

“That should buy you two about a month,” Audrey says, looking at me apologetically.

A month. One Month. Four weeks, and I become a queen. I’ve not actually done anything as a princess. How am I supposed to be a Queen?

“I don’t know what I’m doing,” I whisper and Lily squeezes my hands.

Audrey shakes her head. “It doesn’t matter. We will still remain living in the palace and I will be here to help you do anything. ANYTHING. I’ll be right here.”

“I’m sure Celeste would come and help, too,” Lily speaks up.

I look at her in confusion. “Are you not going to be here?”

She shakes her head at me. “No. We will be headed back home in a few days. I wouldn’t be any help with being queen, anyways.”

“I’m scared,” I whisper to her and she squeezes my hands, releasing them with one and taking Benjamin’s in it. “Everything we have all gone through was for this. Because YOU were destined to be queen. You were made for it. You have a mate who loves you, and his mother is here for you, as is YOUR other Mother. She’s taught you well so far, and she’ll help you through this as well. I was never meant to be your mother for you to be queen. I’m here to teach you magic, and how to control it. You’ve done OK with that, though,” She says with a huge smile. “You fixed your old dad right up, better than he was. We’re so proud of the woman you are. You can do absolutely anything, Molly.”