The King’s Tainted Mate
Chapter 50

"Come." I held on tightly to Elian's hand at his invitation, but made no attempt to move. The weight of what I was yet to discover was as shackles to my feet, keeping me from taking a single step. So was every thought as my mind lingered on my parent's scents. Searching, still hoping, even for the tiniest thread to tug at my heart and speak of the bond that could have been. Nothing... One would even consider my heart as dead when it came to that. My usually expressive organ remained as still as Xatis' afternoon air. Hot and unwilling to be blown in any direction. It was a hopeless endeavour. One that left me with only one choice. Taking in a much needed breath, I began my decent from the carriage.

"Your majesty, welcome to our humble home. My quee- Shyla?" Both my father and mother froze. Eyes as wide as saucers when their gazes settled on me. It was expected, but their utter surprise was as a knife to my heart. Had they settled to never ever seeing me again? Had they known about what Myrna had planned for me once they left me all alone in our tiny home? Had they ever gone back for me? Even out of curiosity?

Thoughts I had no business entertaining poured. With every ticking moment, they filled up my heart and broke it anew.

"Breathe, Shyla." My mate's gentle encouragement drew my attention to him, making me realize how tightly my grip on his hand had become. My breath was barely there. Everything in my chest was tight. Closed up and unwilling to let loose. I was drowning. While I stood there. It was as if I was back in the belly of the devil's river. The weight of it kept pressing, banishing the little air I had left as I hang on to life.

"Breathe." His tone was gentle, coaxing, but for the love of God I couldn't just do it.

"Shyla?!" Not even the sudden panic in his tone could do it. "Damn it!" Warm hands cupped my cheeks as lips just as warm or warmer pressed to mine in a kiss that was desperate yet gentle, chaste yet life giving. Were kisses meant to do that?

When he pulled back, I gasped as everything loosened, letting in the life that every part of me was now desperate for. "I'm alright." I breathlessly declared when his eyes searched mine.

"Are you certain?" His gentle touch drew me to the warmth of his hands. "If this is too much, we can-"

"No." I shook my head. "There is no way I'm turning around. Not when I'm so close." Those words turned out to be more for me than him. With him by my side, they were enough to give me the courage I needed to face them. "I'm ready." The king of Xatis studied me for a long moment before nodding. "Alright."

"Will you keep your king standing out here in the open?" Rakon's voice broke through the silence that surrounded us and I was grateful for the distraction.

"Of course not. Right this way, please." My father jumped before bowing at the head of the king's guard who invited us to follow after.

With their backs turned to me, I finally had the chance to look around. Having been shut in the carriage, I had no idea how far we'd come or where we were. But one thing was clear. Wherever my parent's new home was located, it wasn't a terrible neighborhood. Not at all. At the very least, they were in one of the closer districts to the capital. Home to many noble houses. Just not one of those belonging to the highest nobles in Xatis. Again, my question as to why they never stayed in the palace lingered.

Their little house was nothing close to our home in the forgotten village, but it was not the palace either. Definitely nowhere near what was fitting for the people who'd birthed the current queen.

There were guards littered everywhere, but I could not tell if those were meant for them or if their presence was on the account of the king.

"Please." My parents stood in the door way in invitation. Their heads bowed impossibly low, much to me as to the king of Xatis. The sight stirred more conflict in my heart. In a way it was difficult to see them submit in such a manner. My heart ached at the reasons for it.

"Please rise." The words escaped my lips without a second thought. It took me a moment to realize my mistake. "Forgive me." I turned to my mate. "I did not mean to-"

"It's alright." He dismissed me with a smile. "It is your right, never apologize for it." My parent's expressions were beyond surprised when I faced them again. I also knew that only the presence of my mate kept them from voicing the countless questions I saw swimming in their eyes.

"Thank you." I mumbled as I moved past them.

Once inside as one would expect, the best seat was offered to the king. He declined, inviting me to take his place instead. It was not proper to do this. I could not just take his place, but more than that I couldn't decline his offer as easily as he'd done with my father. He offered to take my cloak when he noted my reluctance. Again, I couldn't turn down that offer either. So I let him. When I sat down, he rested his hand on my shoulders in what was clearly a protective gesture. My father saw it, but only lowered his gaze without a word about it. My mother on the other hand seemed as one who'd just had an epiphany.

"You are with child?" Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears and what should have naturally been a happy occasion only left my heart aching.

"That is not the reason I'm here for, mother." I was not going to tread that path with her. Not today. Not ever. She'd given up that right. "My moonlight-"

I tensed, teeth clenching of their own accord. "I do not think you have the right to call me that anymore!" Of all the things that could have come out of my mouth, that declaration was simply not it. Neither was the accompanying tone. Nor the anger that bubbled, replacing my sorrow. My parents were caught off guard too. Clearly at a loss for words, they shifted uncomfortably as their gazes dropped to the floor. At least they had the decency to be ashamed. To what extent it went only the gods knew.

"Are you my parents? Am I truly your daughter?" I decided I did not wish to stay here longer than necessary.

"Why in God's name would you ask that?" Surprise. I'd known my parents long enough to know they were truly surprised by that. Of this I was confident.

Because you abandoned me without a second thought? I wished to say. "Because I shifted, mother. And your wolves are as alien to me as any other."

"Alien? Why would our daughter's wolf- wait, what did you say?!" My mother's eyes darted to my father's before landing back on me. "You shifted? Are you sure?!"

"Shifting is no easy task mother, making it quite hard to mistake."

"But- No-" My mother shook her head, denial very evident in her expression. "You still have time. You should not even be able to carry a child yet. Not that I'm not happy, but moon goddess-" She shook her head some more. "This should not be happening. At least not for a while." Her last words were aimed at my father. "She still has time..."

"That does not answer my question at all, mother."

"But moonlight-"

"I suggest you think long and hard before you utter your next words." I turned to my mate, surprised at his use of his alpha voice. The thought that that would be one of the reasons he'd accompanied me had not crossed my mind, until now. "We have no reason to be untruthful, your majesty." My father straightened up, oozing that usual pride I had once admired. "She is as much our daughter as your queen is."

"This is what I had wished for right?" I banished the tears that sought to spill freely at my father's declaration. How could he even be so free to say it after they'd left without so much as a good bye. Who did that to someone they swore to be their daughter?

"I remember the day I birthed her as clear as day." My mother smiled. The splitting of her lips cut through me as sharp knives. I was familiar with this story. Knew it by heart. It had been told to me countless times. Melted my heart each time. My mother was about to narrate it. It would make the perfect answer to my question. I was not about to make myself endure it, however. Because this time my heart would not melt while she narrated.

"That won't be necessary." I stood without warning, heart heavy. "I have the answers I sought."

"But- Are you leaving? So soon?" Desperation laced my mother's tone.

"That will be all." My mate shielded me from my mother's outstreched arms, sending her bowing and retreating. I shouldn't have felt relieved by that, but I did.

"May we attend the banquet at least?"

"You may. I couldn't possibly keep you from celebrating the coming of this kingdom's heir." The choice of my words was deliberate. "You may do so... Just as any other inhabitant of Xatis." It was by no means an invitation, but that was as close as they would ever be. And as I walked away, as the weight of that truth sank in, only the presence of my mate kept me up on my two feet.