Page 37 of Retrograde

I pulled the phone away before I started cussing her out and took a calming breath. “I didn’t, but there’s this thing called technology and he could easily fake them. He made it clear he’d rather face jail for releasing nudes of me than admit he’s told lies. Except he’s threatened my life. Repeatedly now, and what’s the punishment for that?”

“Death. I’m well aware it’s death.”

“Good, I wanted it clear what’s on the table because I’m considering reporting it and—”

“Over some texts? You cannot be that petty and—”

“Petty? You think I’m beingpetty?Are you out of your…” I let out a slow breath. “This unhinged ranting is upping everything, and I will not risk Thovudin, my family, my castle—any of it for Kole and his madness that Istole his crownfrom him. He’s threatening to bribe candidates to rape me and tape it. I’m not being petty!”

She tried to argue some more, so I got pissed and took screenshots and sent them to her.

“Read them. Read some of what your son has said to me—a woman who ended things because he was abusing me. That’s what I did. That’sallI did. Everything since your family has ‘suffered’ has been because of what he and Vex have done. Vex should have helped end it calmly when Father wanted to. Get involved at any point—”

“I understand,” she said flippantly.

Wrong move. It was the wrong move for her to be flippant with me. “You now have knowledge and are liable if you don’t stop this as the Alpha Mate of Applerest. I wish I—never mind. This was a mistake, and I’ll be showing this to my attorney and the police. I’m sorry I bothered you.”

Fuck her.

Like fuck herhard.

I swallowed a snort as she hurried to call my name before I could hang up.

“I will handle it. Don’t show anyone.”

I was quiet a moment. “You’re just as bad as Kole and Vex. No, you’re worse because you’re a woman and you said nothing hearing about all he did to me. Now you pretended it wasn’t as bad knowing this would be Kole’s head. You’re disgusting.”

“I’m protecting my family,” she bit out.

“Protect them then because Kole will never be Alpha now. I won’t ever confirm him after faking that video and now this. Ever. So protect what your family can still have because I’m ready to burn it all down, and unlike your son, Iama fire dragon and powerful enough to do that. Do you understand? Do you fully understand now how far this has gone?”

“Yes, I understand, Your Majesty, and I will handle it. You have my word. I will not risk my mate’s position and thefutures of my other children. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.”

And then the bitch hung up on me. She actually had the gall to hang up on the fucking queen.

“Nope, no, no fucking way,” I seethed, both of my dragons about to lay waste to that family and—it was bad.

Likebad.

I texted Benson that I needed to fly and to be prepared for my dragon to misbehave because I was trying not to lose my temper. Then I went and found the one person I knew I could trust with this.

I knew now that I could trust him with almost anything. My uncle Fraser had really stepped up. His trip to Bodach to present a pin to Treena’s father was a huge success. He made it clear it was completely at my request, and even my biggest haters had made a point to say my priority of having better relations with our neighbors was smart.

It also helped from what Treena had told me on their side. The threats against their family had chilled some, and people were realizing that it wasn’t Bodach I wanted the friendship with, buttheir family, and they could risk my wrath if they tried to take them out.

Which was the point, so I was glad that worked out. It also raised Fraser’s stock. He was seen as more than Father’s backup or a spoiled prince. He was now the responsible uncle of the queen… Even if there were whispers maybe he should take over now that he’d grown up.

Which he’d shut down.

Publicly.

Loudly.

Definitively.

So yeah, I trusted Uncle Fraser completely. Especially now that Treena and Myriam made it clear he would go to the mat for me.

“That’s not a happy face,” he worried when I found him looking over papers in Father’s study. He used it when Darren was gone and honestly, we needed to renovate so they had their own space like that. Maple too.