Page 60 of Microburst

“Could use it against me later,” I bit out. “What youthinkyou’ve realized is aweaponto use against me. We aren’t going to be friends later, Thorn. You think I’m friends withanyof the Alphas?Vexwas my ally. Applerest was with the royal family, and look at how fast they fucked us—me over as soon as they could. You will be the one Alpha in history who won’t do that?”

I snorted when he swallowed loudly.

“You think you put something together. It’sinsane. You think I fight like some underground fighter.”

Fire filled his eyes. “I didn’t say she was an underground fighter, Sagan.”

I rolled my eyes. “I know who she is, idiot. Yeah, I know what Myriam and Belinda are doing. They’re doing it at my request. I’vesaidthat I know that the gambling and fighting dens owned by the elders were branching into sex trafficking. How do you think I knew that?”

“So you went undercover,” he hedged, studying.

I scoffed at him and then snorted. “I did not say it was me, and no one would ever believe you that the Queen of Thovudin would do that. You’rereaching, and I’m not telling you what’s really going on. All the Alphas do is fight with me, even the ones who say they’re on the team like Dray.”

“That’s not what—” he tried to argue.

“And you will too one day,” I mumbled as I walked out the door.

Which was why it was stupid to have ever shown up to his room and had sex with him again. No matter my upset and need to relieve stress… I was stupid for having done this.

Lesson learned. Another hard lesson learned, and don’t make this mistake again, Sagan.

16

Sagan

There was a ruckus Tuesday morning at the start of my run with updates. This time there was an actual issue with the owner of the treats shop and the guards were on alert… And told me not to go to the front gate.

Which meant I immediately went there.

Of course I did.

Benson came running towards me with a look that he wasn’t fucking around and even Davian—Treena’s head of security—seemed the same. “She got caught in a lie. Her and a woman she brought with her, okay? Please just let this play out.”

I sighed and nodded. “Don’t let them bully her. She probably is…” I was glad when he nodded.

“I will handle it,” Belinda said as she came rushing from the front door of the castle. “She has vital information. Gather whomever in your private dining room.”

“It’s best just to listen to her,” I chuckled when Davian looked like he was going to object. I snorted when Benson simply nodded in defeat. I rubbed the back of my neck and turned towards the castle. “The one time you all skipped the runs with me.”

Benson snorted. “Lots are skipping. You are a machine.”

I gave him a dry look. “The lazy candidates are. I meant you or like Treena and Davian.”

“Even we need a day off, Your Majesty,” Davian replied, his tone dry. “The princess was clear that even her wolf was tired this morning from all the runs and she’d see you at breakfast.”

“I’m glad she is making her rest a priority. I had too many years having to curb myself and hide what I could do because of the security risk it would create in other countries. So now I can finally push myself,” I quickly said so it wasn’t like I was shitting on her.

The timing was just funny. Of course, it was when all the ancients hadn’t come either. Maple had skipped. It had basically been Fraser, Onyx, Joris, and a few others who looked ready to beg me for an easy day.

“This wasn’t how I wanted to get an off day from your torture,” Fraser grumbled as he joined up with us. “How bad?” He sighed when I shrugged.

I told the candidates they could go ahead and I’d catch up with them later. It was hard not to laugh when they all gave me looks like I was nuts.

“I’m going back to bed,” Gavriil practically cheered. “Of course Thorn skipped out on the one day we could.”

More like he skipped out after what happened last night. I’d thought of doing the same so I didn’t have to see him, but it was my fucking house.

The kitchen brought in what was ready to eat early for us and I thanked them. It was over an hour before the normal dining hall start time, and while we were waiting, I asked Benson to radio that I wanted Raquel to join us.