The Alpha King's Rebellious Queen
The Alpha King’s Rebellious Queen Chapter 12

Cassius’s POV

Jemma was curled up beside me in the limo, bawling her eyes out. It broke my heart. I wanted to comfort her. But she kept swatting me away, so all I could do was watch her. Enoch whimpered sadly in my head. Seeing our mate in such distress was painful for him. She was curled up against the door as far away from me as she could physically get in the car.

I knew making her leave her pup behind would be hard. I didn’t think it would be this hard. But I couldn’t have him in my palace. Call me selfish. It was evidence of her infidelity. Even though it was long before we met in the eyes of the Goddess, it was infidelity to have a pup with someone who was not your mate. And I knew that wasn’t her only indiscretion as her father had told me. They had put her on birth control because of her wild ways. I was able to forgive her for that. I had not been faithful, so it was hypocritical to be angry at her. But seeing the pup that resembled his father running around my palace was too much for me. She needed to see it from my point of view.

I listened as Jemma’s breathing evened out. She had fallen asleep. She was still curled up in the seat. I gently placed my hand on her exposed arm. Sparks shot through my body as I gently stroked her soft skin. “Don’t push her son.” My father finally spoke.

I shot my gaze at him. I pulled my hand away from her. It pained me to see her in this state. I ran my hand through my hair and looked out the window. “It will be okay, Cassius.” My father tried reassuring me.

Taking a deep breath, I shot him a slight smile, but we both know it was not genuine. Hopefully, once we got Jemma to her new home, she would settle in, and I would be able to claim her. ‘Yeah, if she ever forgives us.’ Enoch snarled. It was rare for him to be angry at me. But right now, he was angry. ‘She’ll forgive us.’

‘You came between a mother she-wolf and her pup.’ He explained.

I sighed heavily as the limo had pulled to a stop in front of the palace. Jemma was still sleeping. Reaching down, I gently shook her to no avail. She just snored softly. Sighing, I exited the limo and walked around to her side, and gently open the door. I lifted her sleeping form into my arms. She stirred slightly but remained fast asleep. I lowered my nose to her neck and took in her heavenly scent. The driver was standing beside the limo door. “See to it that her luggage is brought up to my room,” I ordered him quietly.

“Yes, your majesty.”

My Beta Deke was standing at the entrance. He smiled as I approached with my sleeping queen in my arms. “Okay, you just randomly leave the Mating Ball without saying a word to anyone, and now you return with an unconscious woman in your arms.”

“Send two guards to meet me at my room. Then you and Maria meet me in my office in ten.” I order him.

He nodded. “Right away, Cass.” He mocked saluted me as I rolled my eyes. I walked into the palace.

Servants and warriors bowed as I walked past them. I quickly made it to my room. Walking in, I gently set Jemma on my bed. I looked down at her for a moment taking in her beauty. The Moon Goddess truly blessed me. I couldn’t wait to show her how much I appreciated her. I leaned down and kissed her cheek. She stirred slightly and smiled. I only hoped it was me she was thinking about.

I walked over to my desk and pulled out a pad of paper and pen. I wrote her a note. Then I heard a knock at the door. I opened it to a couple of omegas and my driver, who had Jemma’s luggage. “Set it in the closet, please.” They hurried in and set the bags in the closet. “Thank you,” I said to them as they exited my room. There were two of my strongest guards also standing outside. “Sam, Floyd. I need you to stay outside the door. No one is to disturb my queen, do you understand?” They both nodded.

“Yes, your majesty,” Sam replied.

“I left her a note telling her that if she needs anything to inform one of you. So, if she needs anything, see to it that she gets it.” I instructed the guards.

They both nodded and bowed. “Good. I’ll be back in a few hours.” I said before heading down to my office. Maria and Deke were sitting inside arguing. They both stopped as I walked in and sat down behind my desk.

“So?” Deke asked quizzically.

Taking a deep breath and set my folded hands on the desk. “I found her.”

Deke and Maria exchanged glances and then looked at me. “Our Queen?” Maria asked.

I nodded. “Yes, sorry I was vague last night. I had to find her and then retrieve her from her home territory.”

They both c****d their heads. “What do you mean retrieve her? Wasn’t she at the ball?” Deke asked me.

“She was, and then she excused herself to the ladies’ room where she jumped out a window and ran home.”

Their mouths fell open as Deke laughed. I shot him a glare. “It’s not funny, Deke.”

“I’m sorry, Cass, but it’s a little funny.” I was relieved when Maria punched his arm.

“Thank you, Maria.” I praised my Delta. “Anyways, I went to her home pack to retrieve and bring her home.”

“So, who is she?” Deke asked while rubbing his now bruised arm and glaring at Maria.

“Jemma MacKenzie.”

Their eyes widened. “Alpha Phillip MacKenzie’s daughter?” Maria asked. “Victoria ‘The Hand’s’ granddaughter?”

I nodded slowly. “That’s the one.”

She leaned back in her seat. “Oh shit.”

I laughed. That seemed to be the same response everyone had. I knew my Jemma had a reputation in the kingdom. Probably not the most flattering image. I would do everything I could to repair her reputation.

“So, when do we get to meet her?” Deke asked with a huge grin. I knew he was eager to meet my mate. But I wanted to give her a day to adjust before I overwhelmed her.

“Tomorrow.”

“But Cass-” Deke whined.

I growled lowly. “No one is to disturb her today. Do I make myself clear?” I lodged a serious gaze at him.

He huffed. “Yes, Cassius.”

I smirked at his tone. “Okay, now let’s get to work.”

A couple of hours later, Deke and Maria were helping me with paperwork and phone calls. I was feeling a range of emotions. Some of which I knew was from my mate. My chest hurt when I began to feel sorrow and sadness again. ‘Enoch, what is going on with our mate?’

‘Leonora still won’t speak with me.’ He whined. ‘But I sense their sadness too.’

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose.

“What’s wrong, Cass?” Deke asked me. He was always good at reading my emotions. We have been friends since we were small pups. So, he knew me well.

I shook my head. “Don’t worry about it, Deke,” I muttered. He wouldn’t like that response, but he knew better than to push for answers. Around noon I mind linked the kitchen staff to send lunch up to Jemma. I was eager to finish my work so I could go to her ad comfort her. I figured she was still sad about leaving her pup.

Another hour passed, and I was on a video call with two alphas who were having a dispute. The son of one had taken the other’s daughter without her consent, claiming she was his mate. The daughter was being mistreated. Something I did not stand for. Mistreatment of she-wolves was not something I tolerated. The two packs were on the verge of war. I was trying my best to meditate, but they would not cease their incessant bickering. Growling, I finally ordered them to meet with me here in the palace tomorrow afternoon. I turned off the computer and picked up my now cold coffee, and sipped it. I cringed at the taste, but it still calmed my nerves. I hadn’t felt any more emotions coming from Jemma. ‘I think she fell asleep again.’ Enoch chimed in.

‘Any luck trying to speak with Leonora.’

He whined sadly. ‘No.’

‘I’m sorry, Buddy.’ There was no response from him. My relationship with my wolf had always been strong, and for him to not say much was distressing to me. His mate didn’t want to speak to him, and it hurt.

More hours passed, and it was getting late. I had a lot of work to catch up on. More mediations between packs and the same old financial stuff. When I finally finished, the sun was beginning to set. I had dismissed Deke and Maria hours ago. Relieved to be done, I stood up and walked out of my office. I wandered to the kitchen and opened one of the fridges and grabbed a couple of pieces of cheese, and popped them in my mouth. I had eaten very little today as Jemma’s fluctuating moods had made me lose my appetite. I smirked at the kitchen omegas cleaning up after dinner. “Carry on,” I said to them.

They bowed to me and continued working as I walked out. It was time to go and see my queen. I nearly jogged to the elevator that leads to my floor. I approached my room and caught her scent. My heart swelled as I nodded at the guards.

“Your majesty, she hasn’t emerged from the room all day,” Sam informed me.

“Thank you, Sam. You and Floyd are dismissed for the night.” I opened the door to my room as the two guards walked away. My heart fell as I saw the trays of uneaten food. My mate was curled up on the couch staring at her phone. It appeared she was scrolling through pictures. She did not acknowledge my presence.

“Hello, mate,” I said to her. She didn’t look up at me. I frowned and walked towards her. “Jemma,” I told her. She continued to ignore me. “Jemma, look at me.”

Taking a deep breath, she looked up at me, and the look in her eyes broke me. They were red with tears. Her face was puffy and swollen. It appears she had spent the whole day crying. I knelt in front of her. “Talk to me, Jemma. I’m here.’

She looked me dead on, and the words that came out of her beautiful mouth made my heart sink. “You took my baby from me.”