Chapter 198: Failed to Exonerate Herself
{Third Person}
Meanwhile, inside Queen Lysandra’s palace, she was hearing the same rumours from one of her servant girls.
The girl knelt before her, trembling as she nervously repeated what had already spread across the palace.
The more Lysandra listened, the darker her expression became. By the time the servant finished speaking, the Queen’s patience had completely snapped.
"What nonsense is this?" Her voice cracked through the room like a whip.
The servant girl dropped lower to the floor in terror. "Y-Your Majesty—"
Lysandra’s face twisted with fury as she interrogated, "Who told you to bring such stupidity before me?"
The girl’s body shook violently. She hadn’t realised she had made a mistake by informing her mistress about the rumours circulating about her until now. She thought she was doing the Queen a favour, but alas! Her goodness was not appreciated.
Lysandra turned sharply toward her maid-in-waiting and instructed. "Slap her."
Her maid-in-waiting hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward. Just as she raised her hand, the doors to the room burst open with force.
King Sebastian stormed inside, and the atmosphere changed instantly.
"Your Majesty!" Every servant dropped to their knees. Not one of them dared raise their heads.
Lysandra’s heart skipped violently in her chest. She had not seen Sebastian this furious in a very long time.
His expression was terrifying. Pure rage burned in his eyes.
The Alpha King stopped in the middle of the room and stared directly at her. "What is this I am hearing?" His voice was low, but the danger in it was unmistakable.
Lysandra quickly forced herself to remain composed. "My King, what—"
"Do not play games with me." His sharp interruption silenced her immediately.
His eyes hardened further as he took a step toward her. His voice rose with restrained fury. "The entire palace is talking. They are saying Alexander’s concubine visited you. And two days later, she attacked his political bride."
The accusation landed heavily in the room.
Lysandra immediately shook her head. "That is absurd." Her voice came out tighter than she intended.
Sebastian narrowed his eyes. "Is it?"
The room felt suffocating. The pressure from his presence alone made it hard to breathe.
Lysandra could feel real panic rising in her chest. This was no minor disagreement. Sebastian was genuinely furious.
With this knowledge, she quickly changed tactics.
Tears gathered in her eyes almost instantly. "My King..." Her voice trembled as tears slipped down her face. "I swear to you, I know nothing about Nora attacking the political bride."
The servants remained motionless around them.
Lysandra dropped to her knees and continued crying as she pleaded. "I know nothing about it."
Sebastian simply watched her silently while she hurried to explain herself.
"Nora did come here." She lifted her tearful face. "But she came on her own."
Seeing that he did not react, she quickly continued with her explanation. "She begged me to speak to Alexander on her behalf. She feared being left behind when he moves out of the palace."
She wiped at her tears desperately, but her crying only intensified. "She begged me to help her, but I refused and sent her away.
Her voice cracked again. "I am just as shocked as everyone else to hear she dared attack the political bride."
Sebastian remained silent, but something in his expression shifted. Then suddenly, another memory surfaced in his mind.
He recalled that Nora was the same wolf Lysandra had cunningly forced into Alexander’s residence a year ago.
The memory came back clearly now.
At the time, she had insisted it was for Alexander’s benefit. She had presented it as concern, as though she wanted to help him. But Sebastian knew better now.
The realization reignited his anger.
His expression darkened further. He took another step toward her, and this time his voice thundered through the room.
"Enough."
Lysandra froze right there.
His gaze burned with fury. "Do you think I have forgotten?" His voice rose. "You were the one who forced that servant into Alexander’s residence."
Lysandra’s face lost all colour. She didn’t know how her trying to exonerate herself got her further into trouble with him.
"My Lord, I—"
"Silence!" His roar shook the room. The servants visibly flinched, but none dared move.
Sebastian’s breathing had grown heavier now, his anger no longer restrained. He pointed directly at her as his voice carried a cold fury.
"You inserted that woman into Alexander’s life. And now that same woman nearly killed his bride."
Lysandra could barely breathe. Real fear had taken hold of her.
Sebastian spoke slowly, each word colder than the last. "Listen carefully." His stare held her in place. "If you interfere in Alexander’s affairs again, I will strip you of your title as Queen and reduce you to an ordinary woman in the back palace."
The words struck like lightning.
Lysandra’s eyes widened in disbelief. For a moment, she forgot how to breathe. Sebastian just mentioned the most humiliating punishment she has ever heard.
How was she supposed to continue breathing just fine?
Even the servants kneeling nearby looked shaken. The Alpha King had never threatened her like this before. Never.
Tears continued streaming down her face, but now they came from genuine fear. "My Lord..." Her lips trembled. She could barely form words.
Just then, hurried footsteps approached from outside. A high-ranking male servant entered and immediately bowed deeply.
The moment he sensed the tension in the room, fear flashed across his face. Still, he quickly spoke.
"Your Majesty, forgive this intrusion."
Sebastian turned sharply toward him.
The servant lowered his head further. "It is urgent," he announced.
Sebastian’s expression remained dark. "What is it?"
The servant swallowed hard before answering. "Your concubine has been in labour since last night."
The room fell silent.
The servant continued carefully. "She is about to give birth."
For a brief second, absolute silence filled the room. Then Sebastian slowly turned back toward Lysandra. The fury in his eyes gave way to something colder and far more dangerous.
Lysandra’s heart nearly stopped at that sight.
Sebastian’s voice came out low and terrifying. "My pregnant concubine has been in labour since last night... And you did not care to inform me?"
Lysandra’s body went cold. Panic slammed into her. "I—" She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.
She had completely forgotten.
Her lips trembled violently. "I..."
Before she could say anything else, Sebastian had already turned away. The disgust on his face was impossible to miss.
Without sparing her another glance, he walked toward the door. His cold voice came over his shoulder.
"Unbelievable."
Then he left just like that without sparing her a glance.
Silence swallowed the room.
Lysandra remained seated on the floor where she had collapsed. Her face had gone pale. Her breathing was uneven. And her hands trembled uncontrollably in her lap.
She had totally lost control.