The Alpha King Is My Second Chance Mate

Quinn looked at her father as he walked into her room, crying. “I'm sorry, Quinn.”

He fell to his knees in front of the bed she laid on, and the door closed on its own accord behind him. “This is all my fault, I should've known, I should've done something. I-I just...I tried so hard not to believe it, I wanted it to be a lie...all of it. And during my time of delusion, you got hurt. If I'd done something sooner, your wolf would've been fine.”

“Dad...” Quinn called his name lowly, not looking into his eyes. “Are you drunk?”

“I'm not...but I figured I wouldn't have been able to confront Kathrine while being sober, so I drank a little. I'm sorry, Quinn.”

“It's alright dad, it wasn't your fault, and it wasn't mom's either...it was entirely my fault. I knew from the start too, I was the one who wanted more than I could get, I was the one who laid my life down for something I shouldn't even have to beg for. She's my mother after all, her love is supposed to come free...or is that she...she isn't my mother?”

Her eyes finally drifted over towards him, accessing his reaction to her question. As she expected, his eyes widened in shock, and he nervously readjusted himself on the floor. “I...Quinn, who told you that? It might not seem that way based on how she treated you, but Kathrine is your mother.” Taking a deep and frustrated breath, Quinn walked past him, harshly shouldering him as she walked over to Zayd. She reached behind him, untying the ropes that held him captive. “I know that this isn't enough to restrain you...quit acting like an idiot in front of so many people.”

She dropped the ropes and turned towards Jeo. “Since we are all here; my family as well as the rest of the pack, let me reveal the truth. It is indeed this woman who poisoned me, I will not address her as my mother since she has been everything but a mother to me. You're the alpha Jeo, you're free to punish her in whatever way you see fit...as for me, I won't be here long enough to decide...I'm leaving this pack tonight.”

“What...? Quinn you~"

“The pack Jeo...they're dying to hear how you will punish the traitor.”

Jeo's mouth opened and closed, and then with clenched jaws, he turned to stare at the pack. “The vi...the victim has spoken...since it is so, I will punish the criminal accordingly.”

As he continued to speak, Quinn grabbed Zayd's hand. “This doesn't mean I've forgiven you, and it doesn't mean I ever will. Right now, I need a place of refuge and it is not here. You said you'd take me back with you. I'll come.”

Zayd looked down at her hand that held his, then nodded slowly...as if he were lost in a trance. This...This was the courage he'd seen in her eyes when he first met her...this was the strength he thought she lost. “I'll take you, let's go.”

His hand closed around hers, and he pulled her off the podium with him, not stopping until they were at the back of the crowd. The pack members were whispering and staring, but neither Zayd nor Quinn cared. “Don’t you want to hear it? Her punishment I mean.”

Quinn looked back up at the podium, nodding once with an anxious gulp. “Y-Yes.”

Ji SN]