The King (Alpha Trilogy #3)

Chapter 52

Lorenzo

Ivy stays snuggled into me as she talks with Skye. I'm so glad she found a new friend that she can connect to. Since the girls are quite close in age, they might be able to spend many years together, centuries even.

I saw Beast, sorry, Thea give Lia some book before the young human left to read it in peace in one of the bedrooms. It's been a few hours since she left and I can tell that Blake is on the verge of blowing up. The longer he spends without his girl, the more agitated he is. Their connection is as admirable as it is weird.

I feel my body tense up when I hear Lia crying in the bedroom before she rushes back to the rest of us, with her face stricken with tears and her body shaking terribly.

Blake is the first to react. He shoots up from his seat and pulls his girl into his arms, letting her cry into his chest as he holds her.

"I know everything! Everything!" Lia cries out. Whatever she found in that book shook her up badly. I've never seen her so upset.

Ivy, noticing her friend's state, gets up from her seat and goes to Lia, gently placing her hand on the human's shoulder. "Are you okay?" She asks worriedly.

I watch stunned as Lia lets go of her man and pulls Ivy into a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry!" She cries, softly stroking Ivy's hair. What the hell did she read?! Was it connected to my queen?

"Why are you sorry? Lia, what's wrong?" Ivy questions, rubbing Lia's back soothingly.

"This was all a plan. Everything, the Undeads, Thea, you, your parents, Armstrong... Everything!" Lia hiccups, pulling away from my mate. "I'm so sorry, Ivy. You don't deserve to go through more pain, but... I can't keep it a secret. You need to know."

"Then tell us. I promise I won't be mad. Neither will Ren, right?" Ivy turns to me with a stern look, as if saying 'you better agree'.

"We won't. Besides, it's not like you've ever had any problems with speaking your mind." I smirk, getting a quiet scoff from Lia as she hides herself in Blake's arms again after Ivy comes back to me.

I gesture at everyone to follow me to the lounge area, where we sit on the two couches that area facing each other. I pull Ivy onto my lap, just like Hunter does with Skye, Leo with Thea and Blake with Lia. It's quite funny how the women can never sit on their own.

"What did you learn, Lia?" I decide to ask once the young human calms down a bit.

"Where should I begin... - Lia sniffles - Thalia had, or has a sister. I don't know if she's still alive. They both had a plan to kill you. They had everything ready... even Ivy."

"What do you mean?" I snarl, tightening my arms around my queen in fear.

"Thalia's sister, Cornelia... - Lia hesitates - Maybe it's better to just read it out for you." She mutters, opening the small book in her hands. "Cornelia has found out who the king's mate is. She is not born yet, but we know when she will be. – she turns the page with shaky fingers – My sister left to the place where king's mate will appear to make arrangements. She has reached out to the greediest Alpha we know and explained our plan to him. He is to find the king's mate...- Lia swallows thickly - kill her parents, and leave her with people he trusts then stay in the girl's life until she is old enough to be marked. Once the king feels his mate being marked by someone, he will become considerably weaker and Thea will be able to kill him easily." She finishes quietly, letting out a shaky breath.

I feel my little queen tremble in my arms before she bursts out crying, burying her face in my neck as she clings onto me in despair. I can't say I know how she's feeling right now, but I know what she's feeling. Anguish. Pain. Sadness. Sorrow. Grief. Fear.