Chapter 172: Dangerous Questions
CHAP 172: Dangerous Questions
{Third Person}
The atmosphere inside the sitting room had barely settled after Elowen’s arrival when Jasper suddenly appeared at the doorway.
His expression was as composed as ever, but his next words immediately changed the mood.
"Your Highness, His Majesty is here."
Barron groaned.
Elowen looked personally offended. "I knew it," she muttered.
Alexander simply set down his cup and rose to his feet. Amara quickly stood as well.
A moment later, everyone made their way outside to receive the Alpha King.
King Sebastian had already entered the courtyard by the time they arrived. Several royal guards accompanied him, though they remained respectfully behind him.
The moment his gaze landed on Alexander, the King’s brows furrowed. "You should not be outside."
Alexander looked entirely unbothered. "I walked less than twenty steps."
"That is not the point."
"I feel fine."
King Sebastian looked as though he wanted to argue further. Fortunately, years of dealing with Alexander had taught him when such efforts were pointless.
In the end, he simply released a breath through his nose. "You are as stubborn as ever."
Alexander accepted the criticism without comment. Then, with a small gesture toward the residence, he said, "Come inside."
Sebastian followed him.
Barron and Jasper naturally went with them.
As the men disappeared into Alexander’s side of the residence, Elowen leaned closer to Amara.
"My father’s presence has ruined everything."
Amara couldn’t help smiling at her words, even though she secretly felt the same way.
Elowen sighed dramatically. "Now they will spend hours discussing investigations, poison, politics, and things that make normal people sleepy."
Amara laughed softly, then a thought occurred to her. "If that’s the case, why don’t you come to my side of the residence?"
Elowen looked interested immediately.
Amara lowered her voice slightly as she finally revealed, "To be honest, I don’t think I will be very comfortable sitting through a conversation with His Majesty either."
That was all Elowen needed to hear. "Excellent idea."
Together, they slipped away while the men occupied themselves elsewhere.
---
Back in Amara’s residence, the atmosphere was considerably more relaxed.
Mrs. Woods was delighted to see them come in together and quickly arranged another breakfast after learning that Elowen intended to stay.
The older woman personally supervised the meal and ensured the table was set with enough food to satisfy both young women.
By the time they finished eating, both of them felt considerably better.
Elowen leaned back in her chair and released a contented sigh. "Now I can finally think properly."
Amara laughed.
The princess studied her for a moment before smiling. "You know, I’ve decided to forgive you."
Amara blinked. "Forgive me?"
"Yes." Elowen nodded seriously. "For frightening me half to death."
Amara immediately understood. A soft chuckle escaped her lips. "I’m sorry."
"You should be."
Despite her words, Elowen was smiling. Then the smile slowly softened. "Last night was terrifying."
The lightness disappeared from her voice.
"When Alexander collapsed..." She paused briefly before continuing. "And then you fainted."
Amara lowered her gaze.
"I truly thought something terrible had happened."
A warm feeling settled in Amara’s chest. Elowen had always been kind to her. Far kinder than she ever expected when she first arrived in the Werewolf Kingdom.
"I’m sorry for worrying you."
Elowen waved her hand. "What matters is that both of you are fine."
That reminded Amara of something. Almost immediately, her thoughts shifted elsewhere. Her friends.
Hazel. Rachel. Davina.
The three of them had witnessed the chaos at the banquet. They had seen Alexander collapse. And they had possibly seen her faint, so there was no way they weren’t worried.
The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she became.
She wished she could somehow send word to them, or better yet, see them herself. As she sat there thinking, her gaze slowly drifted toward Elowen.
The princess immediately narrowed her eyes. "That look worries me."
Amara blinked. "What look?"
"The one you’re giving me right now." Elowen pointed at her. "You’re thinking of asking for something."
Amara looked slightly embarrassed.
"What is it?" Elowen sat up straighter.
For a moment, Amara hesitated, then she decided there was no harm in asking. "My friends."
Elowen nodded immediately. "What about them?"
"They must be worried. They saw the chaos unfold last night."
The princess immediately understood.
Amara continued, and a small frown appeared on her face. "I would really like to see them."
Elowen leaned back thoughtfully. "That is possible."
Hope immediately appeared on Amara’s face. But unfortunately, Elowen continued. "However, bringing them here won’t work."
The hope faded slightly.
"The royal guards have practically surrounded Alexander’s residence. Not to mention Father." Elowen shook her head. "He is watching this place very closely right now."
Amara sighed as her shoulders slumped slightly. The disappointment was obvious. Fortunately, Elowen smiled again.
"Don’t look like that."
Amara looked up in time to see the smile widen.
"I have a solution."
Immediately, Amara straightened. "What is it?"
"I will invite your friends to my residence."
Amara blinked. "You would invite my friends to your place? Really?"
"Yes." Elowen looked pleased with herself. "Then I will send for you."
The idea was so simple that Amara wondered why she had not thought of it herself. A bright smile immediately appeared on her face.
"Really?"
"Really."
Before Elowen could react, Amara reached forward and grabbed both of her hands. The sudden gesture startled her.
"Thank you."
The sincerity in Amara’s voice made Elowen laugh. "You’re welcome."
After a moment, Elowen suddenly remembered something. "Speaking of important matters."
Amara looked confused. Then the princess narrowed her eyes. "Where is the cat?"
Understanding immediately dawned on Amara. "Sleeping."
Elowen sighed dramatically. "Of course she is."
A faint smile tugged at Amara’s lips as Elowen pointed at her. "When you come to my residence later, bring her with you."
Amara laughed. "I will."
Only then did Elowen look satisfied.
Both women found themselves smiling, with no worry hanging over their heads
And with the promise of seeing her friends later that day, Amara felt considerably lighter than she had since waking up.
---
Meanwhile, in Alexander’s living room, the atmosphere was noticeably quieter.
King Sebastian remained seated across from his eldest son, studying him carefully. The relief he felt was difficult to hide.
The burden Sebastian had carried throughout the night eased.
"I am glad you’re alive," he said finally. "You should not have been harmed." Then his voice grew heavier. "I personally oversaw the preparations."
The frustration returned almost immediately.
"I reviewed the guest lists, the security arrangements, the banquet staff, the food, the wine." His jaw tightened. "And yet someone still managed to carry out such a scheme beneath my nose."
Alexander listened quietly without interrupting.
Sebastian rose from his chair and began pacing. The sight was familiar. Whenever something deeply angered him, he found it difficult to remain seated.
"I wanted everything to be perfect." His expression darkened. "Instead, my son nearly died during his own birthday banquet."
The room fell silent. Barron and Jasper wisely allowed the King to vent his frustrations.
Eventually, Sebastian stopped pacing, and his gaze returned to Alexander. For the second time since arriving, he said,
"I’m sorry."
Alexander finally spoke. "Father."
The single word interrupted the King’s thoughts. Sebastian turned his gaze to him.
"There is something else you should know."
Immediately, the King’s expression sharpened. "What is it?" he inquired as he took his seat.
Alexander leaned back slightly as he broke the news. "Amara was drugged during the banquet."
The room became still at that moment. And at the same time, a deep frown slowly appeared on Sebastian’s face.
"Drugged?"
Alexander nodded. "The wine intended for her contained an aphrodisiac."
For a moment, the King looked completely stunned, then his expression darkened considerably. But before he could speak, Alexander continued.
"While one of the mages was treating her, they discovered something else."
Sebastian’s brows furrowed. "What?"
"There was already poison in her system."
The room fell into another round of silence.
Even Barron and Jasper remained quiet as Alexander relayed the details, leaving out the crucial ones like the red markings.
But he revealed the fact that the poison had likely been present for weeks. The intended effects. The infertility. The eventual death.
By the time he finished, Sebastian’s expression had become frighteningly cold.
For several moments, he simply sat there processing, thinking and calculating. Then he exhaled slowly.
"So someone attempted to poison the political bride."
Nobody answered. They did not need to. The facts spoke for themselves.
Sebastian’s eyes narrowed. "And this happened inside my kingdom. My palace."
The words were spoken quietly, but Barron knew that tone. It was the same tone Sebastian used whenever he was truly angry.
The King rose from his seat once more. "This changes everything." His gaze hardened.
"If word of this reaches the Human Kingdom before we uncover the culprit, it could create a diplomatic disaster."
Jasper nodded. The danger was obvious.
Amara was not merely Alexander’s political bride. She was the daughter of a prominent human noble family.
If news spread that she had been slowly poisoned while under royal protection, questions would follow.
Dangerous questions.