Page 48 of Retrograde

I didn’t realize I was sitting until Treena was patting my shoulder and from above me. Huh? I looked up at her and she just smiled.

Okay then.

“I’m also ashamed of how I have behaved,” Vex continued. “The blinders I had on—my own ego. King Rhys did, in fact,try to end the relationship. He had proof of the cheating. I was immature and made a comment that they were a huge distance away and both of them would go into heat. I heard over and over again that the king would never let his heir mate an Alpha’s son.

“And it irked me. I understand why in theory, but it was basically like he was saying he couldn’t trustourfamily, and I was a prideful ass. Not my son. Not my family. I regret that now. Especially how dismissive and rude I was to Rhys the last time we spoke. He didn’t deserve that. He was a father trying to protect his daughter and—he didn’t deserve that.”

It took everything I had to swallow the snort, but I managed.

“I saw some of the proof after the relationship ended, but it seemed—I don’t know. I was disappointed, but I was more upset how it was all over the news and—I know Kole was a cheater but—no buts…”

“Funny because he keeps saying it,” Treena said under her breath.

Right? Fucking asshole trying to save face.

“But my own blinders and excusing Kole’s behavior came to a head with the lawsuit. Realizing my son had lied to me and it wasn’t only talk of his inflated ego that he didn’t realize was being recorded. To know that he faked the whole thing and then lied to me—as a father, I’m devastated. As an Alpha, that’s not someone who can lead. Ever.”

The camera panned out and I saw his mate standing with his other children… And Fraser.

“Whoa, go, hot uncle number two,” Myriam praised.

“I know you said that to try and make me laugh, but I’m smacking you later,” I mumbled.

“It wasn’t until Prince Fraser came here as Sagan’s uncle and talked to me about my son did I finally—the blinderscouldn’t stay on.” Vex looked completely distraught as he glanced at his mate.”

“He’s lost weight,” Dray muttered from behind me. “From when I saw him this weekend. This is about more than the lawsuit.”

This time I did snort.

“When Prince Fraser showed me the threats my son sent to our queen after being served the lawsuit hefully deserves, not just my heart but my soul shattered. I couldn’t believe I had fathered such evil to—things that cannot be repeated here. Things that never should be uttered by anyone with any decency. And apparently, my son has none.”

“What is he talking about, Sagan?” Darren demanded, his voice cold.

I swallowed loudly. “I would have warned you. I told Fraser I didn’t want this public.”

“Wantwhatpublic, Sagan?” Treena asked too.

“Oh, you’re freaking out,” Myriam chuckled. “My nose is full of it. There’s gonna be a line to spank you, isn’t there?”

I wasn’t sure what I was going to snap back at her, but Vex continued.

“I second the Alpha of Sunborough that our queen is kind—so much kinder than people ever give her credit for. She could have reported what Kole did and had him arrested. She could have taken his head for the death threats he sent her.”

“What?” people exploded around me, a voice I was pretty sure was Onyx’s louder than everyone else’s.

“Honestly, some of what he said was—death would have been kinder. I’m genuinely horrified, and yet all Queen Sagan did was show her uncle admitting she didn’t want this to end in Kole’s death. I don’t know I could have been that calm reading what he’d sent. How Prince Fraser came here and didn’t immediately kill Kole is…”

“How bad?” Darren seethed.

“Benson has the copy,” I sighed. “I couldn’t read it all and—they begged me not to. I didn’t, and they deleted it off my phone.”

“Kole not only threatened revenge porn, stating he would show nudes of the queen—which we have confirmed he never had—but bribing the prospective mating candidates to rape her while filming it.”

“He’s fucking dead!” Onyx roared and then was suddenly in front of me. “How could you not tell me?”

Well, that was an easy answer, and I simply gestured to him shaking with rage. “You would have killed him.”

“Rightfully so,” Dray of all people mumbled, Darren snorting in agreement.