Chapter 266: Chapter 266 Between Reasons and Doubts
The Queen lowered the napkin which was now stained with blood. She folded covering the sight, however, the metallic smell had already hit Alaric and Theo’s nostrils.
"So you mean Alpha Lucas has been siding with the witches all this time?" Alaric furrowed his brows in worry.
"Yes. If I can get the Fae Magic, I’ll be able to keep the balance here. If I die the witches’ realm would belong to them."
"Don’t you have a successor?" Theo glared at her, willing his heart not to believe every word of hers.
"I do, however, for a successor to become Queen, she has to inherit the powers and the memories of the past Queens, and that could make them go unconscious for a long time. Sometimes if they are not strong enough, they might die during the process." Her eyes flickered with sadness.
"It happened a century ago, when I took the title of the Witches’ Queen, I was injured when I was in the transition state, and that was how the defectors broke away the first time, leading to the devastating consequences we all knew." She added.
"The war a century ago was caused by the defectors and not the entire witches?" Alaric asked, parts of him holding onto hope that the witches might not be as bad as they had thought.
The Queen nodded her head. "It was my fault, if I had transitioned quickly, I might have been able to put a stop to the uprising." She stood up. "Now, history is about to repeat itself... why not join hands with us?"
Alaric and Theo fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts. As good as it sounded, they couldn’t ignore the bitter taste of betrayal that lingered in the back of their throats.
Theo’s jaw tightened. "And what happens when Damon learns you were the ones who forced him to his death even if you claim you were unaware? Do you think he’ll stand beside you then?"
The Queen’s lips curved into something faint, neither a smile nor a grimace. "I know your Alpha better than you think. He will do whatever it takes if it means protecting those he cares about. His anger at us will fade if the alternative is letting the defectors rule."
Theo scoffed, his nails digging into his palms. "You speak of him as if you know his heart. And besides what makes you think we need your help, we won the battle before, we can do it again."
"Yes, you won before, but you know the price it cost you," the Queen replied simply. "And the Lycan King may resent me, but he is not foolish. He will see the reason... if you deliver it."
Alaric’s eyes sharpened. "And if we refuse?"
"Then you leave me with no choice but to seek other allies," she said, her tone deceptively light. "But I warn you... When the defectors move, they won’t just come for me. They will come for all realms, and your pack will be first."
The weight of her words settled like chains around them. Alaric’s chest tightened, flashes of his Alpha’s sacrifice still raw in his mind. He wanted to reject her outright, to spit in her face and walk out. But a small, gnawing thought whispered... What if she was right?
Theo broke the silence, his voice sharp as steel. "If you’re asking us to join hands, prove to us you’re not lying, give us something more than empty words."
The Queen studied him for a long moment. Then she lifted her hand, gesturing to one of the high mages behind her. The mage stepped forward, carrying a crystal orb, its faint glow pulsed with a deep red light.
"This," the Queen said, taking it into her frail hands, "is the proof you seek. An orb that records memory, see for yourselves."
The orb shimmered, and the air above it changed into images. The projection revealed Alpha Lucas standing in a dark chamber, his face twisted with triumph. Around him were figures cloaked in black... the Bone Witch and her followers. Together, they raised their hands in ritual, summoning portals.
Theo’s eyes widened, his lips curling into a snarl. "That bastard..."
The image changed again, showing rogues slipping through the portals, stepping into the Bloodshade pack territory undetected.
Alaric’s fists clenched. "So it’s true."
The orb dimmed, and the Queen placed it back in the mage’s hands. "Now, you know. The rogues’ sudden boldness, their endless numbers... It was never by chance. Alpha Lucas feeds them with magic he borrowed from the defectors."
Theo looked away, his chest rising and falling in sharp breaths. Hatred burned in his veins, yet doubt lingered. Could they really trust her?
Alaric’s voice was quieter. "And what would you have us do?"
The Queen leaned forward, her frail hands gripping the armrest. "Convince Damon to work with me. Together, our forces can suppress the defectors before they grow too strong. If we act separately, they will divide us and crush us all."
Theo’s gaze snapped back to her. "And what happens when you no longer need us? Would you take my father’s heart?"
Her expression softened, lines of age deepening around her eyes. "If I wanted to use him, I would not have let him leave my castle in the first place. Believe what you will, but I am not your enemy."
The chamber grew thick with silence once more.
Alaric placed a hand on Theo’s arm, his voice low. "Theo... let’s think. If she’s telling the truth, then we’re not just fighting for our pack anymore. We’re fighting to keep the balance of all the realms. If the defectors win, everyone loses."
Theo’s lips pressed into a hard line. His heart screamed to reject the Queen, to call her bluff, but reason battled inside him. Finally, he exhaled through his teeth.
"I’ll take your words back to Damon," Theo said coldly. "But don’t mistake this for trust. The day we find out you’ve deceived us will be the last day you breathe."
The Queen inclined her head, her cough rattling softly. "That is all I ask."