Rising from the Ashes

Realisation

Chapter 9

Tybolt’s pov

I am so angry when I get off the phone to Sophia. Regina can’t go anywhere without causing trouble. She went too far this time and deserves at least a night in a cell. I have to pretend that everything is fine. If Crimson finds out, she will go there and let her out.

If she keeps on bailing her out, she will never learn. No wonder she is so much trouble now, Crimson has always been soft on her. I just need to pretend all is good until tomorrow, and they will have all the proof they need on Regina to make Crimson see sense for once.

When we get to the west kingdom and Crimson hears that Regina has been locked up, not only that but rejected by August, she is livid. She looks at me like I have betrayed her, but it is fine she will see the truth soon.

More and more people started to arrive, and everyone was arguing as Julius and August tried to explain what had happened. Then Regina appears from the dungeons, showing everyone that she can not be kept there. It annoys me that she looks so damn righteous.

My anger stops when I see my other daughter fly in with Raine. Now I am just confused, I have no idea what the hell is going on. Even with proof there that Regina is innocent, I am still angry she is trying to blame Sophia for what obviously is a misunderstanding.

I am almost glad when the witch elder Morgana and her mother Calista appear in front of us. Maybe they can’t sort this out and put an end to everyone fighting over nothing. Morgana, without even speaking, goes and puts cuffs on Sophia.

I am filled with rage at them cuffing my daughter, but before I can do or say anything Calista throws something on me and I collapse in pain as my memories start to become clearer to me and nothing is like what I thought the reality was.

I see Sophia whisper orders to me to turn me against Regina and hate her. I see the number of times she tells me to love her the most and that Regina is worthless and just wants to hurt everyone. I see her getting me to give her money.

I see Regina hurt and bleeding so many times as I stand there and accuse her of being the villain. The times I slapped her and left her in her own blood to care for herself. She was still so young, and I could not believe that Sophia was capable of this.

I gave the girl my angel of a mother’s name, I showered her with love even without her drugging me to get more love. I never put any of them above her, I loved them all and didn’t stop when Regina was born. There was no need to do this.

I am too ashamed to even look at Regina and instead, yet again, try to save the wrong one. I don’t think Regina will ever forgive me for this. I can’t lose another daughter, I need to stop them from taking her away from us.

As I am trying to fight for Sophia’s freedom, Regina removes her top and let’s everyone know that Sophia did this and she couldn’t stop it or tell anyone because of the amount of times I used my king command on her.

Her back is full of scars. How could I not see that there was no way she could do that to herself. All the times Storm tried to tell me, and tried to reason with me. He always knew, and I was too clouded to listen to him.

I feel like I am going to either cry or throw up, I have lost all the fight in me as I see Lilith taking Regina away with a portal. She has a wall of flames to stop anyone from stopping her, protecting her friend. She has been more Regina’s family than we have, I am glad she has her.

This time, I don’t stop them from taking Sophia away. Right now, I have a lot to think about. I have helped to abuse my own innocent daughter, almost lost my own mate, and my son is on the verge of being rejected just like his sister was.

Cole and Chris who believed Sophia and I looked like they had no strength in them as their mates looked disgusted at them. They start to try and apologise, but right now, no one wants to hear it. As far as they are concerned, they should have trusted them enough to believe in Regina.

So many bonds have been damaged by Sophia’s actions. For someone who has gotten away with it for so many years, how did she think that this time she wouldn’t be caught. Even if I still believed her because of the potions, no one else would have.

“I have lost her, she rejected me as her brother” Julius says in shock, his voice filled with pain.

“Why do you care?” Tamara asks him, annoyed.

“What, of course I care, she is my baby sister” he says, shocked.

“You have never treated her like one. When was the last time you hugged her, had a normal conversation, didn’t isolate her. I had to avoid her when you and Sophia were around, or you would isolate me too. Where was you when she was leaving for 3 months. I was there, I barely have a relationship with her now, I should have stayed with her and not the two of you. I don’t even have a relationship with dad now because of Sophia’s jealousy” she rants, and her whole body is shaking with anger.

“I know, but I trusted dad, and if he hated her, it had to be for a reason, I didn’t know it was Sophia that was the psycho one” he whines.

Every word is like a stab to my chest, I didn’t even notice that I was losing my relationship with Tamara as well. I have been a terrible father and mate. “I am sorry Tamara, I will make this right” I say, my eyes pleading with her.

“Do you even know what you are apologising for? Is it for telling me not to be ridiculous when the first time I met my mate was with his co.ck in Sophia. She tricked him into bed too. If I hadn’t gone in when I did, he would have marked her. Besides, I think Regina and Mum need the apology more than I do” she says, making me wince.

“Mum, gran, aunt, you are all welcome in my home if you need time away from them. Raine is also welcome anytime she needs to get away. Don’t reject the i***t yet, Regina wouldn’t want that. She cares even for the people who didn’t care about her. Think on it before you decide” Tamara says. She is a good leader. No wonder she was mated to a lord, I don't think even Julius had noticed Raine coming back.

“Thank you, sweetheart. Ty take Julius home, I am spending a few days with our daughter” Crimson says sadly.

“Please don’t leave me” I practically whimper.

“I can’t be around you just now. It was even worse than I thought it was. I need a few days, and you need time to think everything through. You also need to make sure every single person in that kingdom knows the truth, Regina has been blamed and harmed for too long” she says before shifting.

Tamara, Tamara snr, and Katya all shift as well, and they take to the sky as Sirius orders the rest of them to stay. I know Cole and Chris probably would have followed.

Storm let’s me shift just to get me home as quickly as possible so we can exonerate our innocent daughter. He feels like the sooner we can do this, the better, not only for our mate, but for the daughter he loves and feels like he has failed to protect because of me.

I gathered all of the ranked families, including their children and the previous ranked members. Many of them also treated Regina like dirt, especially the children. Julius still looks pale, and my father Julius snr looks like he knows what’s coming. He always sided with Crimson and tried to make me listen, too.

Without any preamble, I just come out and tell them what we know so far, I am well aware we may be in for a few more shocks in the coming days as more of the truth unfolds. My dad’s Beta’s and Gamma’s are not surprised, but everyone else is.

I can see the pain and guilt in each of their eyes, especially when they hear about how badly she was physically abused and none of them noticed. Julius and the other heirs need to grow up a bit more and learn from this before they take over.

Not that I am any better a leader, but I can try and make sure the next generation does a better job than I have done. I linked the whole of the royal pack to be present in the morning for an announcement and also all of my lords and ladies who rule the towns.

In the morning, I make it clear I will not be answering questions, and I want the Lords to relay the message to their town people. Then I tell them everything we know, there is shock, anger, disbelief, and guilt from the crowd. I know many of them followed our lead when it came to Regina, and now, like us, they have to live with that guilt, just like I do.