The Alpha King’s Virgin by Charmeleon (Raine & Amari)

Chapter 70 

AMARIS 

Ross waited for me in my office. By the way he fidgeted, it was clear he was concerned about the visit of the emissaries. At least that was what I thought. 

“Don’t you have a mate to 

go to, Ross?” I closed the door behind me. “We can deal with whatever happens in the morning.” I was as much a part of that council as was every ruler of the individual realms, Athan included. 

“No, I’m afraid this can’t wait.” He put down the snow globe he was handling onto the desk. “I overheard the elders talking, Amaris. They’re concerned about Raine and what Sorin accused her of.” 

I grunted my disapproval. “And we are back on that subject. Didn’t I make myself clear about my position?” I went to pour us some wine and handed him a goblet. “I will have nothing more to say about it, Ross.” 

“You did, but now they are going to bring up that subject at the meeting with the emissaries. Some of the elders are of the opinion that if what Sorin says is true that she bewitched you, she might have done the same to Athan. They’re blaming her for the problem with the vampires.” Ross peered into the wine, swirling it in the goblet. “And the gossip is spreading like wildfire, saying she controls the elements, and the Goddess alone knows what else.” 

‘Bunch of idiots!‘ Rage snarled in my head, and I agreed. 

“Raine is not to blame for the vampires using my subjects as blood bags.” My temper threatened to flare up just thinking about the rescued wolves. “And neither did she bewitch Athan. He took her to spite me.” Athan hated me and the feeling was mutual since I forced restrictions on his feeding off the humans. The other rulers agreed with me at the time because he drew the hunters‘ attention to the supernatural world by his ruthless actions. 

For centuries the Society of Hunters have kept a close eye on us, keeping us in check. Hunting only those who broke the law by killing innocents. But after Athan’s irresponsible feeding frenzy on the humans, the hunters slaughtered many of our kind, not caring who was guilty for the taking of human lives and we in turn killed many of them. It was senseless carnage. 

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Ross nodded in agreement. “Yes, of course. Athan is to blame for all of it. But the damage is done, Amaris.” 

Yes, the damage was done alright. I even doubted my mate when Athan got inside my head. Then there was Sorin… Spreading even more doubt and mistrust. And yes, maybe I was ignoring what was happening to Raine, but I always had the feeling that she was different somehow and it made no difference to what I felt for her. 

“Athan is only part of the problem, Ross. My brother is behind all of this. I just need him to confess.” Even if I had to throttle it out of him. I promised Raine I wouldn’t kill him, but there was only so much. I could take. 

Ross swallowed the last of his wine and placed the difficult, I have never seen him taking responsibility for anything he’d done, Amaris.” 

Goblet back on the side table. “That might be 

That was the truth. Sorin always found a way to wriggle himself out of tight situations. But I had leverage. I had Helen. 

“I tried to stop the gossip, I really did, but still, word got out that Raine was either a witch or a cursed she–wolf, destined to bring all kinds of disasters to our realm. And maybe even the whole supernatural 

world.” 

“Ludicrous!” I slapped my goblet down onto the desk, spilling wine over the papers. I ignored it. “This superstitious nonsense has to stop! If it weren’t for Joanna and her coven, we would never have made it out of the Vampire Realm.” I remembered then that I still had a debt to pay, and I vowed to take care of it in the morning. 

Ross grimaced, “There’s more, Amaris.” He pulled a hand through his hair. “It’s about the pup. There is a rumor going around that the werewolves would never accept it as the rightful heir, seeing as his mother is not only an Omega but a hybrid witch. There’s even talk that the baby might be deformed because of the forbidden union.” 

“For  sake!” I wanted to plant my fist into Ross‘ face for what he just said. My body shook with barely contained fury. A forbidden union. By the Gods! 

“I’m sorry, Amaris. I wanted to warn you. They would rather see Sorin’s pup on the throne.” Those last words undid me. 

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“Then it is settled. Helen must die.” Curse Sorin and his schemes! I promised Raine I wouldn’t kill him, but now I’ve changed my mind. Consequences be damned. I plucked open the door. 

Ross ran after me. “Amaris, wait!” 

But I was not about to let anyone, or anything, stop me. 

Ross must have linked Raine, because she came running out of our bedroom, still fixing the robe to cover herself. 

“Amaris! Stop!” 

I didn’t want to stop. I wanted to hurt Sorin in the worst possible way. The only way that was far worse than taking his life. But there was Raine, standing in my way, looking at me with those big amber eyes. 

“Amaris, please. You don’t want to do this.” She held her hands out to me. “If you do this you let him win. Think of our baby. Think of me. 

Somehow, she was there in my arms enveloping me with her scent. I didn’t want her to calm me down, but she did. 

“They don’t deserve mercy. He has poisoned the kingdom against us.” She didn’t understand the gravity of the situation. The council could make me step down as king if they vote unanimously against me. Or they y could make me give her up, reject her as my mate. I would rather die. 

Her arms were around my neck. “Then we would make it right, make them believe that you are the only king they need.”” 

I forgot Ross was there the whole time. “Raine is right, Amaris. You still have many that believe in you. Your followers will never let them take the crown away from you. We will fight for you.” 

It 

“You might have to.” I told him as I followed Raine back to our bedroom. 

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