Page 29 of The Alpha King’s Hidden Mute Mate

He thought I drugged him.

He thought last night—that kiss, that embrace, that connection that made my soul tremble—was all a trap I'd set.

I jumped out of bed, grabbing his arm. He looked down at my fingers clutching his sleeve, then raised his eyes. That look made me let go as if burned.

"It's not like that!" I gestured, my fingers trembling with urgency. "You can ask the witch! Maybe the attraction between fated mates is normal—"

"Enough." Zane shook off my hand, his voice carrying a weariness that shattered me. "I can't understand what you're doing."

The guards returned quickly. They carried a tray with remnants of the soup I'd had Aila send last night. A black-robed physician followed, dipping a finger in the dregs and bringing it to his nose. Then he looked up.

"Your Majesty, this contains an aphrodisiac. A significant dose."

I felt the ground collapse beneath my feet.

Aphrodisiac? I didn't have anything like that.

I turned to Zane, gesturing frantically. That wasn't me! I didn't put that in there!

"What's she saying?" His cold gaze settled on me, but the question was directed at Aila, who was already trembling beside us.

"She... she says... it wasn't her."

A cold smile curved Zane's lips. "Then why is it in there?"

I opened my mouth, my gestures frozen.

I don't know. I don't know anything.

He stepped closer. He towered over me, looking down now with contempt in his eyes like a knife, slowly piercing my chest.

"You wanted this, didn't you?" His voice was soft, but every word drove into my ears like a nail. "You wanted to crawl into my bed, wanted to carry my child, wanted to use that to tie me down. You thought that would turn you from a mute orphan into a queen?"

My throat tightened, my eyes burned, but I didn't cry. I couldn't cry.

"Since you're so eager," he turned away, his back to me, his voice flat as if ordering dinner, "then fulfill your duty properly. All you need to do is get pregnant and produce an heir. Everything else—don't worry about it."

He walked to the door, stopped, and didn't turn back.

I stood there, barefoot on the cold floor, feeling like a statue forgotten in a corner. The morning light was still there, but it wasn't warm anymore. It just shone pale on this ornate prison, on the marks he'd left on my bare shoulders.

Those marks, the ones that made my heart race last night, now looked like brands—reminders of how stupid I'd been.

I didn't understand how things had gone so wrong, and then the door opened again.

Leah walked in.

She wore a silk robe, golden hair loose over her shoulders, her face wearing that triumphant smile. She scanned the room, her gaze lingering on the rumpled sheets for a second before turning to me.

"Awake?" Her voice was sweet as poisoned honey. "Then don't dawdle. Today's my big day. Lots to prepare."

I stared at her, not speaking—of course, I couldn't speak.

She walked to the wardrobe, opened it, and pulled out a gray dress. The rough, cheap kind maids wore. She tossed it onto the bed in front of me.

"Put this on."

I looked at the dress, then up at her.