Page 42 of The Alpha King’s Hidden Mute Mate

Mia's eyes went wide as she shook her head desperately.

Leah's voice remained gentle but crystal clear. "You say you're pregnant, so why hasn't the healer reported this to His Majesty? Have you been examined? Are there records? Or did you just make this up on the spot?"

I fell silent. Leah had a point.

After all, Mia was my fated mate. A healer checked on her every week. If she were really pregnant, the healer would have told me immediately. Besides, Mia had no reason to hide it.

So she'd just lied.

Leah kept talking, voice gentle as if coaxing a confused child. "Mia, I know you hate me. But how can you be so heartless, casually using a child as a bargaining chip for favor? You'll never deserve to be a mother..."

Mia's right hand clenched into a fist.

I thought she was going to hit someone again. I even stepped forward, ready to stop her.

But she turned her head toward Leah—

A glob of spit landed in Leah's hair.

The hall went silent.

Dead silent.

Leah froze like she'd been turned to ice. After several seconds, she finally processed what happened, then erupted in a piercing shriek.

"Ahhhhh—Mia, what are you doing?"

Mia just stared at her with stubborn fury, looking like she wanted to tear into her with her teeth.

An indescribable rage surged through my chest.

Too crude! Too vulgar! In front of all these people, she spat on someone!

She looked like a lunatic.

My heart sank.

"Enough." My voice was ice-cold.

I walked forward, stood before her, and looked down at her.

"You did something wrong. Why won't you apologize?" My voice dropped low, low enough that only she could hear. "Do you have to make this such a scene?"

She looked up at me. No remorse in those eyes. No fear. Just that stubborn, undefeated light.

"You think you've been wronged?" I said. "Look at yourself right now—what's the difference between you and a madwoman?"

She didn't speak. Just looked at me like that.

That look infuriated me.

"Kneel," I said.

She froze.

"I said, kneel."

She didn't move.