Chapter 99

Sabrina POV

The city was crowded with people. The closer I got to the palace, the more congested traffic became, both on the roads and on foot.

It seemed like nearly everyone in the entire realm was headed to the Royal court to see the stupid presidential candidates tonight.

Perfect.

I planned to use the confusion of the crowded city to help me get in and out of the palace without being stopped and questioned.

While I was confident my disguise as a simple maid would keep me from looking too suspicious on my way into the palace, I definitely didn’t want to be stopped on my way out.

Not when I would be carrying such…precious cargo.

I paused outside the front of the palace, looking up at its bright and shining walls.

For a moment a rage burned inside of me so fierce and hot that it stole my breath.

This should be mine! The palace, the throne, the kingdom.

All of it.

It should belong to me.

The thought wanted to turn into a scream, and I had to press my lips together hard to keep it from getting out.

Taking deep breaths, I calmed the rage, turning it into ice, letting my thoughts cool until I was as calm and focused as a laser.

Now was not the time to lose my temper.

Heading around to the back of the palace, I let myself blend into the crowd of guests and help flooding into the palace.

And walked right in the back door.

Part of me wanted to barge into the main part of the palace, back to my living quarters.

But they weren’t mine anymore.

That bitch Claire had made sure of that.

All of my belongings had been boxed up and put into storage. She would have them sent “wherever you end up,” she said.

At least she hadn’t simply burned them.

If I had been in her place, I would have lit the match myself.

Looking around me, making sure I wasn’t being observed, I ducked down a side hall - and into a secret passage.

From here I could go almost anywhere in the palace, gain entrance into almost any room I wanted.

Now all I had to do was find the right room, and wait for my opportunity.

It didn’t take long to explore the guest levels and find out which suite was going to be Nathan’s.

And which room would be Andy’s.

After that I settled into an alcove that spied on the employee breakroom, where I had a perfect line of site to the television and its live broadcast of the candidate ceremony.

And once again, burned with anger and jealousy.

Watching Nathan and his brat take the stage was hard enough.

Seeing Claire up there as the master of ceremonies, smiling and waving to the crowd, greeting each candidate, was almost unbearable.

Mine, mine, mine - it was like a chant in my mind, repeating over and over.

It should have been me in a beautiful ballgown, the crown on my head.

It should have been me as the center of attention.

Instead I was sitting in a dim and dusty passageway, hiding like some lowly thief.

With a drugging solution in a vial in my pocket.

To pass the time during the brief discussion between the candidates, I amused myself with thinking of all the ways I planned to hurt both Nathan and Claire.

It would start with Andy, of course.

I would make sure he was scared and screaming when I called them with my ransom demands. And I’d make sure they could hear him.

Then, when they’d exchanged themselves for their son, I was going to take my time causing each of them so much pain.

I’d made it clear to Soren that he could have Silverfang pack, he could even rule alongside me in the Royal pack, if he agreed to give me Nathan and Claire.

And he had agreed, with a delighted smile.

My cousin shared my love of violence and inflicting pain.

I liked that about him.

Maybe I’d let him help me torture Nathan and Claire once they were in my possession.

Enjoying my fantasies of torturing my enemies, the rest of the evening passed quickly.

I perked up once Nathan and Andy finally entered the suite.

“Dad, that was so much fun! Did you see all those people clapping and cheering??”

Nathan chuckled as he took off his suit jacket, then helped Andy take off his. “I did, yes. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Some of the other kids were scared by the noise.”

“Not me!” Andy declared as they went to the bathroom. I heard water running, followed by splashing and more chatter.

At last they walked into the bedroom set aside for Andy, with the child now dressed in his pajamas.

Though Andy was clearly still buzzing with the excitement of the evening, his chatter was slower, and even from my hidden position I could see his eyelids drooping as he climbed into his bed.

I could see everything.

I was just on the other side of the wall, staying perfectly still and being careful to breathe as quietly as possible.

Nathan’s senses were rumored to be incredibly keen, sharper than most other Alphas.

It wouldn’t do to give away my position, not now, not when I was so close.

But it also took everything I had not to slip out of the secret door, sneak up behind Nathan and put a knife between his shoulder blades.

I reassured myself that he’d be in pain soon enough.

Stabbing him would be quick and satisfying, yes, but what we had planned was going to be so much more painful.

And so much more satisfying, too.

Eventually Andy fell asleep and Nathan left the room.

Even better, a few moments later, I heard him leave the entire suite.

It looked like it was going to be just me and Andy.

Excellent.

I slipped out of the door to the secret passageway and walked over to Andy’s bed, touching his shoulder.

“Princess Sabrina?” he asked sleepily. “What are you doing here?”

I put a smile on my face.

“I’ve come to see you, silly! I’ve missed you so much. Would you like to come spend some time with me?

“It would be an adventure!”

Waking up a bit more, Andy sat up. “But…I heard you weren’t a real princess. And I heard you did bad things. I don’t want to go with you!”

I rolled my eyes. Of course the brat wouldn’t cooperate.

It would have been easier if he’d come with me willingly.

But that didn’t matter.

Not when I had a neat little backup plan waiting in my pocket.

Pulling out the vial, I poured the clear liquid onto a rag, then held the rag over Andy’s face, using my other hand on the back of his head to keep him from pulling away.

He fought me for a minute, but the struggle was brief.

And then he passed out.

After that all I had to do was lift the now sleeping child out of bed, and disappear with him into the secret passageway.

Leaving a note behind on his pillow.