PAUSED | The Red King's Wrathful Mate

Chapter 5: Midus' POV

Who the hell said she could move into the palace? My marriage is hanging by a thread and that girl is moving in, parading my relationship with her infront of Vanessa.

Dammit!

I ran up the stairs to the Queen's Wing. Of all the places to go, why would she go there? Who even gave her the idea to go right where Vanessa would hear her, see her and be reminded of what led her killing our child?

I found omegas carrying furniture and luggage when I reached Vanessa's wing. I ran to her suite, but she wasn't there. I tried sensing her tether until I heard Jolene's distinct chatter floating in the halls.

"Midus!" She squealed and ran to give me a hug.

I was about to push her away, but her parents suddenly appeared around the corner with smiles so big they could split their faces in half.

"It's King Midus, honey." Her father teased. "You don't want the rest of us hearing you call him by his name, now do you?"

She chuckled and shook her head.

"You can call him Midus when it's just the two of you." Her mother winked at us.

"I call him something else when it's just the two of us." She mindlinked me. "I call him Mr Big D-"

"Okay!" I shouted before she could finish that thought. "Let's not be too loud in the palace."

I tried my best to get her to let go of me while her parents ignored my please to be quiet and spoke about how excited they are for their daughter and how they promise she would never do what Vanessa did. They couldn't stop saying that.

"We promise our dear Jolene is of stable mind." They kept repeating. "You can rest assured that any ... child would be safe with her." Her father cleared his throat.

I tried to follow Vanessa's tether again. She can't hear any of this. She can't see any of this. Fixing our marriage will be so much more difficult with all of this going on.

"King Midus", Elder Blaine mindlinked me, "Your presence is required in the meeting room. Queen Vanessa has called an urgent meeting and asked that we call you."

Dammit!

Of course she called a meeting. She saw this and then did what she is entitled to do under the circumstances- protect her territory.

Jolene wouldn't even have moved here if I were the one who allowed this. This is the Queen's Wing. She should have been placed in my Wing. She would have been close to me and Vanessa wouldn't have to see her or hear the two of us be intimate.

"I'm on my way." I mindlinked back.

"I should get going." I said politely. "It seems there's an urgent meeting I need to attend with the Elders."

Jolene and her mother snorted and I knew why they reacted that way. They were judging Vanessa, ridiculing her.

Since Vanessa's crime became public knowledge, I've been putting out fires left and right. There's a faction that wants her dead. Another faction wants her to be whipped and put in the dungeons for a few years. And then there's the smallest faction of them all, the one that wants to hear her tell the kingdom what happened. This last faction is also the only one that seems to sympathise with her; whether it be because they say she's done a lot for the kingdom and deserves to be heard or because they suspect that Jolene caused Vanessa to do what she did.

For now, trying to keep the faction that wants her dead has been my biggest priority.

I ran to the Council's meeting room.

It's a large white building right in the middle of the kingdom that resembles a large block that can withstand anything.

"Hi everyone", I greeted them politely once I got inside.

They all stood up, including Vanessa, and bowed ever so slightly at me.

All twelve Elders had gathered around the white table. They looked furious - furious that Vanessa would dare to call a meeting after doing what she did. All of them were glaring at me; telling me with their eyes that this is unacceptable. All of them, except for Elder Edna, the only woman that sits on the Council.

She had a somewhat neutral expression on her face.

I found my beautiful mate seated at the head of the table in her usual chair, right next to mine.

It warmed my heart to see her sitting there. It reminded me that we can get through anything together. Vanessa is and will always be my Queen.

My feet started moving in her direction.

She didn't bother wearing a dress to come see the Elders. She was wearing black jeans and a white shirt as if she was on her way to meet with her sisters and not meeting the oldest and wisest people in our kingdom. The youngest amongst them being Elder Edna who's a hundred and fifty years old, but doesn't look a day over forty.

I should berate her for wearing what she is wearing, but how can I do that when I love this woman so much and when she's gone through so much?

"You may sit." I instructed them once I reached my seat next to her.

She looked calm; nothing like the woman who killed her own child just three days ago.

I already know why she called this meeting. Jolene is overstepping. She is disrespecting Vanessa in her very own home. That would upset anyone and I intended to fix it without delay.

"I called this meeting because I've had a chance to read the letter from Queen Merrida of the Northern Inkling kingdom again." She said much too calmly. "I am of the view that we should reconsider the proposal from the North. Our territory is surrounded by barren land that was previously occupied by giants and evil witches and they might return at any time. Our only allies are the elves and they're too small and too scared of change to truly be of any help to our kingdom."

The elders and I all looked at one another.

The Northerners hate us and we hate them. They think we are beneath them and even if we were dying of thirst, we would never ask them for a drop of water. These were the words she used when we received Merrida's letter a few months ago.

That letter spoke of some war that shook their kingdom to the core and how they would like to make amends with us because a woman named Susan Heart, a former subject of the Eastern Inkling kingdom, risked her life, saved her people and saved the life of a royal werewolf.

We all agreed that the letter was nothing but a bunch of lies. The only reason we didn't tear it up is for record keeping purposes.

My Vanessa was the most outraged at the letter. She ordered that the magical barrier protecting our kingdom be strengthened and even suggested that warriors be trained from the age of thirteen instead of fifteen in case the North was getting ready to attack. That way our young ones would be able to protect themselves if anything happened to us.

And now she has reconsidered their proposal for our two kingdoms to not be allies, but to no longer be enemies in the hopes of a friendly relationship developing over time.

"No." Elder Blaine said after we all exchanged looks with one another. "The Northerners are our enemy and this might all be a trick. We can't risk the safety of the kingdom."

I've never heard the man's voice laced with such disdain and disrespect for anyone.

He's the oldest Elder at three hundred and fifty years old. He still finds it difficult to accept that a woman, even if she's the Queen, is allowed to sit amongst them. When I told the Elders about what Vanessa did to our child, he was the one I needed to reign in the most. He kept ordering the most ridiculous things such as cutting off Vanessa's hands and sending her and her sisters out into the wilderness.

Apperantly that's what they did to women who stepped out of line in the past.

Despite his age and calm and collected demeanour, the man has a temper problem.

"Our kingdom is too isolated." She stood up while her hands remained on the table. "As much as we hate the North, we can't pass up the opportunity to trade with them and learn from them. They can be our gateway to other kingdoms. Once our kingdom is established, we can sever any relationship we have with them."

She reached for my hand and squeezed it.

I almost wrapped her in my arms right there and then.

My Vanessa is back. The Vanessa that knows that we are a team and that refuses to let anything break us apart.

"I know you are angry with me, Elder Blaine." She said sternly. "But this is one time you shouldn't let your anger take priority over what this kingdom needs."

We could all see rage gathering in Elder Blaine's eyes. He was about to explode.

"I agree with her." Elder Edna said calmly.

"And so do I." I turned to face the disgruntled faces of the other elders. "The Queen hasn't led us astray yet. She's made sure that our people have food, clothes, jobs and houses to live in. She works tirelessly to keep this kingdom's economy going despite how isolated it is. It is time we talk to the North."

I stood up while holding her hand to drive the point home.

She hasn't even breathed in my direction since the incident. She's just looked at me with so much hate in her eyes that both Wildegaard and I decided to give her some space.

But now here she is smiling at me and holding my hand like the united front I know us to be.

"Let us put it to a vote." I interjected before Blaine could object. "Those who agree with me and the Queen please raise your hands."

It was quick and maybe even informal, but I'm the King and the Council must ultimately do as I want. If this is what Vanessa needs so I can get back in her good graces, then I'll give it to her.

I'll talk to the Noertherners. I'll share our food with them and even laugh with them. I'll give her whatever she wants so we can be on good terms again.

"Eight people in favour." I announced. "Then it's settled. We will write back to the North and tell them we are amenable to talks. We'll see where that leads."

"I'll take care of it." She said with a gentle smile. "I'll write to the Northern Queen, arrange for a date to host them and make all the necessary arrangements."

She bowed gently, startling us all, and prepared to leave.

We needed to officially adjourn the meeting. She can't leave before doing that. She knows that.

"Can a Queen who killed her own child call for a meeting to discuss something other than the crime she committed?" Blaine almost grabbed her when she tried to leave.

"It's my understanding that that issue will be discussed by the King and the Council in my absence." She said with a confident smile. "I should leave now. Thank you all for attending."

That can't be it.

Jolene just moved into the Queen's Wing of the palace. I know Vanessa must have seen her or seen people carrying her things. There's no way she has nothing to say about that.

Does she not care that another woman is trying to take her place? What the hell has happened to my wife? Why isn't she mad right now?

"Vanessa." I tried not to fall to my knees. "Stay. Please. Surely this can't be the only thing you wish to discuss."

"Yes." Elder Blaine mocked her. "The king's mate has moved into the palace. We all thought you called us to discuss that and of course we were going to tell you that in light of ... recent events ... it is imperative that the King have someone stable by his side. You forced our hand, Queen Vanessa. The king must have a second mate."

Every single one of those words felt like a stab in the heart.

I could kick Blaine in the stomach for saying these things. The man needs to adjust to the times and stop living in the past.

He is one of the oldest Elders. He lived through my father, the previous King, having concubines without a single protest from the Queen. He still has difficulties with the concept of a king being with one woman and only having heirs with that woman and no one else. He believes that the more women a king makes children with, the safer the future of the kingdom is.

He's right to some extent. However, he forgets that my father had kids with multiple women and we all became enemies. I had to kill all ten of my half-siblings as well as the three women my father had as concubines.

Those people kept trying to kill me and my mother's children in order to claim the throne. Since mom was the Queen, the throne would come to me and my siblings if anything happened to my father. Thus, we always had a target on our backs; which is why I could never make a child with anyone but Vanessa. I would never endanger our children like that.

Jolene will never bear my children.

Blaine always conveniently forgets the chaos that comes with children from multiple mates when he thinks about the 'good old days'.

"Elder Blaine, that's enough!" I reprimanded him before he inflicted more damage.

What Vanessa did is not the reason why I decided to make my relationship with Jolene official. I did it before she hurt our child. I did it because it was time. I've been with Jolene for three months and I'm the King. I can't have people talking about me having an affair or a mistress. It wasn't fair to her or to me so I had to make things official between the two of us.

However, her moving into the Queen's Wing was never meant to happen. And I was going to talk to Vanessa first before she moved in so that she wouldn't be too shocked. It would take some time to get used to, but Vanessa and I share a strong bond. She would understand why I did what I did after I explained to her that Wildegaard and I need to be intimate with someone who also has a beast.

"Vanessa," I walked to where she stood, "Jolene wasn't meant to move into the Queen's Wing in the palace. In fact she shouldn't be moving into the palace at all. I don't know why she did that without my say so."

"We gave her permission." Blaine said calmly while fixing a button in his jacket. "The girl is young, beautiful, fertile and of sound mind. There's no reason for her to not be close to you right now, King Midus. You need her to comfort you after what happened. Until we've held a trial for what your Queen did, she will stay right where she is."

"Of course." Vanessa replied before I could. "I will move into one of the guest rooms to make space for her. I should get going now."

No.

No.

No.

The Council is trying to push her out or maybe they're trying to punish her because I can't imagine anything worse than this for any woman.

I could tell from how their mouths fell open that they expected her to make a scene or start screaming. They thought my Vanessa would come in here demanding that Jolene leave or else ... I expected that too, but the Vanessa before me seemed unmoved, amused and slightly annoyed.

Minutes ago she and I were standing together like we usually do. A few days ago she looked at me like she would take a stake to the heart for me and now she's letting Blaine, an Elder she's always hated and disagreed with, drive her away from me.

I can't let that happen.

"You're the Queen." I gritted through my teeth. "You don't belong in a guest bedroom. You're staying right where you are. If you move, you'll be moving to my suite and nowhere else."

"It's okay, Midus." She was suddenly holding my hand. "It will only be until we hold a trial and receive the Council's verdict. Anyone else would have been in the dungeons right now. Moving into one of the guest bedrooms is something I get to do because I have your protection."

She held that usual calmness in her eyes. That calmness that told me that this is the woman I marked and chose to be mine; not the mad Queen who killed our child a few days ago.

She's returning to her senses.

"Okay then." I said softly. "Only until the trial is over."