Page 20 of Retrograde

But Onyx only smiled and looked at me. “Get the reality check you need, kid. This is your real father here. He pushed me out because I was stronger but also made it clear I could be dealt with if I was a threat to his position and power. You could be too ifyoudon’t get your shit together and—”

“That’s enough,” Father snapped. “You act like I threatened your life or hired assassins.”

Maybe not the latter, but I fully believed Father threatened Onyx’s life.

“Well, now I’m returning the favor,Brother,” Onyx purred, tapping the folder. “And no, Sagan doesn’t know yet, but Myriam Metcalf does. What do you thinkshe’lldo with it if I have an accident?”

Father cursed ineverycombination and tried to shove Onyx… Who easily tossed Father across the room.

“Oh, and one other little interesting fact I checked into, idiots, because I plan on bringing this up.” Onyx waited until Father focused on him again. “I don’t plan on taking the title of prince. I just want her. I’ve said that. Someone else can be prince.” He smiled evilly as he glanced between us. “Which means I can still be the Alpha of Applerest.”

“What?” I gasped.

“Yeah, you fucking moron,” he chuckled darkly. “You could have had your cake and eaten it too. There’s no law that says the queen’sconsortcan’t be Alpha. Only the one globally recognized as the first mate is who gets the main title or whatever. It’s even written that way.”

“You don’t want to be Alpha,” I whispered.

“I don’t. But to protect her and even save Applerest? Fuck it. I’ll do it.” He snorted and gave us both a look of disgust. “I can’t be any worse than either of you.”

“This is blackmail,” Father tried again.

“It’s the truth, Vex,” he drawled. “Do whatever Sagan wants to make this situationbetteror I will convince her any way I need to that it’s time for my plan.” He focused on me. “You should have just fucking hid with your tail between your legs, you fucking bully. You should have apologized instead of doubling down and hurting her.”

“She doesn’t get hurt,” I drawled as I finally healed enough to stand. “She’s ice and—”

I wasn’t sure why I bothered when he just knocked me back down. “Do not speak of her like you know her. She’s warmer and has a better heart than you do.”

“She does, which is why the queen won’t ever allow this,” Father muttered. “Never. She won’t let this risk the peace of—”

“He risked it,” Onyx seethed. “You did with your fucking focus groups and bullshit instead of making him apologize. This isn’t a discussion. It’s terms of fucking surrender. You’re both done. To what level is your choice, but I hope you’re stupid. I think it’s the only way to end this so she can come out ahead.”

He gave us each one more disgusted look and stormed out of there as fast as he had arrived.

“You ever lie to me again and I will unname you Alpha Heir,” Father said quietly, coldly, in a way he never talked to me.

“You cannot be serious,” I whispered.

His gaze was dead when he met mine. “You knew you were being recorded and spewed all of those lies. You lied to me. I went to the mat for you and risked everything and you werelying—you spoiled little shit.” He threw the folder onto the table. “Onyx is right about one thing. I won’t lose my position as Alpha for you.”

“It won’t come to that,” I argued. “He’s bluffing and—”

“He’snot,” Father snapped. “Onyx doesn’t bluff. He’s been collecting evidence to bury us both this whole time!Wake up, idiot!” He chuffed and advanced on me. “You so much as step atoe out of line or hint at something about Sagan and I’m done. I’mdonecleaning up your bullshit. Your mother and I have worked too hard for what we have!”

That was the end of my chance to argue with him. Onyx had brought up Mother, and Father loved her more than anything. He would never risk Mother losing her spot as Alpha Mate—the shame of being mated to a disgraced and overtaken Alpha.

He wouldn’t. He’d rather die or kill me first.

“What’s in here that’s so bad?” I asked and went to open the folder.

Father snatched it out of my hands. “What he said, and you don’t need to read the specifics.”

“Fine, but like… It doesn’t make sense. He’s just going to release whatever to the media? Okay—so?”

Father gave me the look I hated most, especially from him. The one that said he really overestimated my intelligence.

The one Sagan gave me all of the fucking time and made me so nasty to her. She thought herself so much better than everyone and it drove me mad, made me mean.

She deserved everything I’d given her.