Ignoring my advisors’ horrified gasps, I spoke directly to my guards next. “Alpha Gus is my mate, and Alpha Hal is a dear family friend. Make sure no one bothers them. Remember that Alpha Gus is carrying the future heirs. They must be protected at all costs.”
Four of my guards silently followed Gus and Hal inside, leaving me with my advisors, Elias and Briar, and four other guards.
I noticed several servants watching us from the windows, eager to know what was happening. I ignored the audience fornow. I had to get this over with, and it had to be now. I already missed my family and desperately needed a bath.
“Advisors,” I began, glaring at them, before I looked to my guards and gave them a subtle nod. They instantly obeyed as they moved up behind my advisors. Inhaling deeply, I continued. “Did you know the magic wasn’t real?”
Both Nicholai and Clive spluttered, while Jerold and Brennan just looked furious.
“I thought as much.” I shook my head like the disappointed king I was. Their betrayal was obvious, and even though I’d never been particularly fond of any of them, it still stung. “Was that the reason you had Gus removed? You feared I would learn the truth?”
Brennan spoke for them, his tone pleading. “We did it to protect you, Your Majesty! To protect your kingdom!”
Clive nodded eagerly in agreement. “Exactly, Your Majesty! We just wanted you to be safe!”
“From what?!” I snapped. “Because if you know the truth, then you also know that alphas aren’t dangerous. So I ask again, from what?!”
The four of them seemed unable to form words, just gaping like fish as their eyes continued to widen in horror. They likely knew they couldn’t lie their way out of this.
“You four are hereby stripped of your rank and titles. Your actions caused this entire kingdom to believe alphas couldn’t be trusted. Your lies have caused division instead of unity. Because of you, families continued to be broken up. Fathers lost precious relationships with their sons, while mates were kept apart. Even your own children have suffered.” I deliberately stared at Elias’ father, showing my clear contempt for his ways. “All because you were greedy. Because you wanted power. Today is the day you loseallthat power.”
I looked to my guards. “Lock them up in the dungeon. I want them in separate cells, and they aren’t allowed any visitors.”
My words had left my previous advisors speechless as they seemed to realize they couldn’t say anything to save themselves. They deflated as the guards surrounded them and quietly followed as more guards came forward, two alphas escorting each of the men down to the dungeon.
“Seb!” Elias was in my arms, trembling as he cried into my neck. It must have been hard seeing his father being taken away, but I couldn’t find it in me to care about my old advisors. They deserved to be locked away. It was one thing for my grandfather to manipulate families for decades out of hurt and misplaced anger. But they’d decided to continue doing it long after he was gone, all because they were power-hungry bastards.
“Are you okay?” I asked, hugging him back.
“They locked Garreth away in the dungeon this morning,” Elias sobbed. “They believed he was the one responsible for your ‘kidnapping.’”
“What?!”
Briar nodded solemnly. “They took Adrian, too. They said if you weren’t found by the end of the week, they would be tried for murdering the king.”
I sucked in a gasp. It seemed my advisors’ cruelty could still surprise me. “They’re in the palace dungeon?” I asked.
Elias nodded into my neck, sniffling.
“Then we’ll just get them out of there. We need the cells for something more important now.”
Elias’ choked laugh against my neck was reassuring. It seemed my return tomykingdom had been at exactly the right time.
“Let’s go,” Briar said. “They must be starving. They haven’t been allowed any food since the advisors demanded them down there.”
I sighed. It seemed I needed to get the palace back in order before I could relax with my mate and our babies.
After releasing Garreth and Adrian from the dungeon, I left Elias with Garreth. They both seemed to need a minute alone, so I took Briar back to my chambers, knowing I still needed to find a place for Hal to sleep while he visited.
“You’ll need to address the servants as soon as possible, Seb,” Briar said as we neared my chambers. “They’re likely freaking out and don’t know what’s going on.”
I nodded, having already considered them. “We’ll tend to my babies, and then we’ll all eat together. I’ll tell the servants as we pass them, and then the gossip mill will get to the rest of them.”
Briar nodded. “And the rest of the kingdom?”
“… will be informed about the truth—thewholetruth—tomorrow.” I offered my loyal friend a tired smile. I felt it in my bones now—the ordeal of the birth yesterday and the carriage ride; the confrontation with my so-called advisors. But I couldn’t rest just yet. I had to keep going. The future of my kingdom depended on me and the happiness of all alphas and omegas.
I opened the door to our chambers and stepped inside. Hal stood in front of the large windows facing the palace gardens, a faraway look in his eyes. Gus was lying on the carpet in front of the couch, cooing soft reassurances to the babies, who wereawake and wide-eyed. A fire was burning in the large fireplace, casting the room in a golden glow.
