Hiding the Alpha's Twins

7~ The Divorce

~Avery~

I awoke, my eyes fluttering open to find myself in the clinic room of the pack. Confusion washed over me as I blinked twice, struggling to comprehend why I was there.

"My darling, thank the goddess you're awake," came the comforting lilt of my mother's voice, redirecting my scattered thoughts towards her worried face.

Mom sat by my bedside, her eyes showing signs of exhaustion, evident in the dark bags beneath them. A pang of concern knotted my stomach. I couldn't help but wonder if she had been getting enough sleep lately, given the circumstances. Despite my initial confusion, I began to feel a surge of strength and wellness coursing through me.

"Mom?" My voice was a hoarse whisper, barely audible as I attempted to rise. She was quick to lend a helping hand, arranging pillows behind me so I could recline comfortably.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" she inquired.

"I'm feeling much better... and stronger," I responded, the fog in my mind clearing. Visions of the past few days flooded my mind. I vividly recalled the echo of Regina's venomous laughter and her ominous threats, and the pained expression that had marred King's face. The mate bond might have been severed, but the mere memory of our shared intimacy that night caused my heart to skip a beat. A part of me yearned to confide in my mother, to unveil Regina's true nature, but the memory of her threats shackled my tongue.

I couldn't afford to let anyone know about it for now, until I know I'm safe. There was no doubt that remaining in this pack would cost me my life, as Regina would go to any length to make sure me and King were never together. I had no courage nor strength to struggle for his attention with her since she already had the upper hand. The safest option was to flee this pack. But how? I was still under trial and leaving the pack was strictly forbidden. I had to devise a plan, a way to escape before things took a turn for the worse. If, by some miracle, we managed to leave this pack safely, then I would reveal everything to my mother.

"Avery?" My mother's voice sliced through the fog of my contemplations, pulling me back to the present.

I blinked twice and focused on her. "You were saying?"

"Someone had been poisoning your meals, my dear. That's why the rejection hit you so hard, causing such unbearable pain. It's nothing short of miraculous that you're sitting here with me now, alive and recovering." Mom said, her face lighting up with relief. "You're everything to me, my precious child, and the thought of losing you is unbearable."

A frown marred my features, despite already suspecting the architect of my suffering. Regina's intentions had been crystal clear: she didn't just want to sever my ties with King; she wanted me removed from the equation entirely.

"I never realised the extent of your strength, dear," Mom continued, her voice quivering with emotion, teetering on the brink of joyful tears. She clasped my hand tighter, infusing warmth into the cold dread that had settled in my bones. "You've shown such resilience. I couldn't be prouder of you."

A small, grateful smile found its way to my lips. "Thank you," I whispered.

"Regina was here last night. She's been quite helpful. Beta Kristopher too," Mom mentioned casually, oblivious to the storm of emotions her words conjured within me.

"And what of Alpha King?" I inquired, a sliver of hope threading through my voice. Despite everything, I harboured a faint, lingering hope that perhaps, just maybe, he still cared.

Mom's expression morphed into one of deep sympathy, her head shaking gently. "It seems he's still holding onto his anger. He had instructed the guards to bring you to him once you've regained your strength. I can't fathom why he wishes to see you now."

"Mom, we need to leave this pack," I suggested, brushing aside Mom's words.

She gazed at me with widened eyes, disbelief written all over her face. "No, we can't leave. We can't risk becoming rogues again. Have you forgotten the dangers we faced out there, living as rogues?"

"But we can make it on our own, Mom. Our freedom is worth more than enduring more suffering here. I know you wouldn't want me to become a slave here. You've always wanted what's best for me," I countered.

I could see the conflict in my mother's eyes as she weighed my arguments, but she was hesitant to give a definite answer. I wished desperately that I could reveal the true reason for our need to escape the pack.

"Even if we decide to leave, how would we manage it? With your trial tomorrow, all eyes will be on us. Escaping would be impossible," she pointed out, her voice laced with worry.

My heart sank at the mention of the trial. Tomorrow, it would become public knowledge that King had rejected me, and the divorce papers would be served. I would be subjected to the torment I thought we had left behind. The shame and guilt of failing Mom weighed heavily on me. She had sacrificed so much, dreaming of a better life for us. She had always strived for the best for me, and this was my chance to liberate her from pain and suffering, but I had botched it. Now, our only options were either returning to the perilous world of rogues, where we were either predators or prey or stay here and endure untold hardship, again.

"I don't have all the answers, Mom. But I believe we'll find a way. Staying here isn't safe for us anymore. Our lives are in jeopardy."

Mom's nod was slow, filled with resignation but underscored by love. "If it's for your happiness, we'll find a way," she agreed.

~*~

Later that evening, I was discharged from the clinic. The pack's doctor had managed to neutralise the poison that had weakened me. The remedy not only purged the toxins but also restored my strength. However, my newfound vigour did little to steady my nerves when two guards escorted me directly to King's private quarters. Left at the bottom of the grand staircase leading to his office, my heart thundered against my ribs with each step I ascended. A whirlwind of questions tormented my mind. What did King want from me? Why did he summon me now? Would he apologise and make me his Luna? Or had he finally uncovered Regina's treachery?

I reached the door to his office, and, without much thought, I impulsively pushed it open without the courtesy of a knock. It was only as I crossed the threshold that I realised my breach of etiquette, but my feet remained rooted in place. It wasn't just my belated realisation that left me immobilised. The sight that unfolded before me constricted my chest with a sharp pang of betrayal. King and Regina were locked in a passionate kiss behind his desk. King sat in his chair, and Regina perched possessively on his lap.

It shouldn't have hurt, but it did. He couldn't even wait to announce his rejection to the pack before rekindling his affair with his lover. I blinked back the tears that had welled up in my eyes. King was the first to notice me, and he hastily pulled away as if he were a husband caught in the act by a spouse. Regina turned slowly to face me, a sly smile playing on her lips, her thumb casually brushing her lips in a taunting gesture of ownership and triumph.

"The traitor is here," she said, her tone dripping with feigned calmness.

"Regina, please, leave us alone," King's voice came out huskily.

Regina shot him a look of sharp disbelief. "What? Why? But—"

"Now, Regina," King insisted, deliberately avoiding my gaze.

"Are you really going to—"

"Out. Now, Regina!" King's command thundered, sharper this time, causing Regina to recoil slightly.

With a huff of indignation, Regina gathered her belongings, shooting me a look filled with scorn, before storming out of the office. The door slammed behind her with such force that it seemed to quiver in its frame. King let out a deep sigh, the tension in the room palpable. He still wouldn't meet my eyes as he rummaged through his desk drawer, eventually producing a set of papers.

"We need to finalise our separation. Sign these divorce papers," he stated bluntly.

A hollow feeling settled in my chest, the realisation that King was so eager to cast me aside cutting deep. It seemed he was still in love with Regina and had been searching for any excuse to remove me from the picture.

All this time, I was the only one nurturing any affection in this relationship.

"Sign them now. There's no time for deliberation," he pressed, his gaze still averted. His indifference to the suffering I had endured as a result of his rejection was heartbreaking.

I nodded, a sense of resignation settling over me as I stepped forward. There was no point in beating a dead horse. His decision was clear, and it was time for me to accept that and move on.