Chapter 193

Carol’s POV

I stood there in shock; was he really saying he didn’t want me near his family? Did he really not trust me? For a moment, his expression was hard as he stared at me like I was some kind of stranger. I guess in a way, I was. He might have been my birth father, but I really didn’t know him that well besides the few times I’ve spent with him. I was pretty much a stranger to him and his family.

He had known Jenna her entire life and had been married to Queen Elizabeth for years. He had no reason to doubt them. I, on the other hand, was an outsider. Bennet wasn’t sure what I was capable of. Apparently, he thought I was capable of doing the unspeakable to someone I didn’t even know. My stomach twisted at the very thought of him thinking such a thing, but I swallowed the feeling down and relented, gazing at the ground with my bottom lip sucked into my mouth.

“Look, I’m not exactly sure what happened, but I trust Monica. She’s been nothing but faithful and truthful to me since she started working for me. She has no reason to lie. Monica has been Jenna’s personal maid for a long time so the two of them are close. I’m sorry if that’s not what you want to hear, but I have to take into account all the information that was given to me. I’m not putting you in the guest room to punish you, I’m putting you there to keep everyone at a distance and make sure everyone in the manor is safe. That includes you. You’ve been through enough; I only want to see you thrive. I have a feeling if you stay close to my family, it won’t be an easy couple of months for you.”

My stomach twisted and I nodded, not wanting to argue about this any further. I understood where he was coming from, even if I didn’t entirely believe him. I didn’t believe that he wasn’t punishing me. I didn’t believe that he only wanted to keep me safe. I truly believed that he was taking their word against mine and making me feel like I didn’t belong.

“I understand,” I said, raising my gaze to meet his. “I truly do. I hope Monica is alright. Please, give her my best.”

He nodded and motioned for me to follow him.

“Come with me,” he said, turning away and walking down the hallway.

It took us quite a while, but we eventually made it to the other side of the manor. We passed the servant quarters and rounded the corner to reach the guest room I would be staying in. It was still a nice room; it had a hotel feel to it. Nothing special, but not super ordinary either. There was still an attached bathroom and the bed was huge. There was also a nice view of the King’s packland.

The room was noticeably smaller than the guest room I shared with Aiden the last time I was here though. However, I wasn’t going to complain. It was a decent room and it’ll be fine for the next couple of months.

“It’s smaller than the last room you had because it’s just you,” Bennet said as if he could read my thoughts. “I figured you didn’t need all that extra space.”

I nodded and gave him a faint smile.

“It’s fine,” I told him genuinely. “Thank you.”

He nodded and stood at the doorway while I put my things on the ground beside the bed. I looked around; there seemed to be plenty of dressers and closet space. Usually, when I go places, I don’t unpack. But in this case, I figured I might as well, considering I’m going to be here for the next couple of months.

“If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to tell me… or a maid,” he said after a beat of silence. “Just don’t hurt any of them.”

I scowled, keeping my back towards him so he couldn’t see my face. I hadn’t hurt anyone to begin with; it was all Jenna’s doing. She said something to Monica to make her pin the blame on me. But I couldn’t tell him that because it would only cause more issues. He didn’t trust me, and he made that perfectly clear.

“Thank you,” I said again.

He nodded his head and then after another beat of silence, he cleared his throat.

“I’ll let you unpack and rest for the night. I made you an appointment with the pack clinic tomorrow morning so you can have a checkup for your baby,” he surprised me by saying. “Afterwards, we will get started on training. We will mainly be talking tomorrow; there’s a lot you need to know before we get started on magic. To better understand your magic, you need to know why you have it and how you came to be.”

I nodded thoughtfully.

“Okay,” I said, unsure of what more to say.

He nodded in return and backed out of the room.

“Goodnight, Carol,” he said before shutting the door behind him.

I stared at the doorway with a frown, waiting for his retreating steps to lessen before I collapsed onto the bed. It felt as if I was holding my entire weight up and I only grew heavier by the second. I grabbed my phone out of my bag and saw that there was a missed text from Aiden.

Aiden: Did you get there alright?

It was sent a few minutes ago. I wondered if he could still feel me through our bond even with this much distance between us. He was a full wolf, so he could feel me a lot stronger than I could feel him. I hated being this far from him; I just wanted him to hold me and tell me that everything was going to be okay.

Me: Can you call me when you get a chance?

I only waited for a heartbeat more before my phone started to ring. I smiled; he must have been waiting for my text.

“Hey,” I said into the phone.

“What’s wrong? Is everything okay?” He asked.

My heart sputtered for a moment as I thought about what had happened. I didn’t want to worry him and have him come here so soon. He had a pack to run, and I knew he was stressed out enough.

“I’m okay,” I lied, forcing a smile even though he couldn’t see me. I knew that if I pretended to smile, maybe I would actually feel okay. “I just miss you.”

“You sound off,” he said softly. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes, Aiden,” I reassured him. “I promise, I’m fine. Just a little homesick.”

“Only two months,” he reminded me, his voice compassionate. “And then I’m never letting you out of my sights again.”

I let myself smile for real this time. I wedged my phone between my ear and shoulder, keeping it in place while I unpacked my bags.

“I miss you,” I repeated. “When are you coming to visit me?”

“I can’t get away for a couple more weeks,” he told me, sighing. “There’s so much going on here. With your recent kidnapping, the pack is in a frenzy. It’s a lot for any of us to handle.”

“I’m sorry I can’t be there to help,” I told him softly. “If there’s anything I can do from here, let me know.”

“I want you to focus on yourself and your training. I’m sure everyone will feel better once you return because you’ll be able to protect them with your well-trained powers,” he told me. “Just remember why you are doing all of this.”

I needed to hear that; he was right. I was here for one purpose and one purpose only. I didn’t need the King or his family to like me, even if he was my biological father. I didn’t need his trust… I just needed him to train me so that I could return to my pack and protect them with everything that I had.

I was glad I got to speak with Aiden because he always seemed to remind me of my purpose.

“I love you, Aiden,” I whispered, tears filling my eyes before I could stop them.

“And I love you, Mate,” he replied.

I smiled.

We talked for a few more minutes before I let him go. After I hung up the phone, I felt a little lighter knowing that I at least had Aiden in my corner. Maybe I should have told him about what was happening.

I quickly brushed that thought out of my head because I couldn’t tell him; not now at least. It would only cause him to worry, and he didn’t need that stress.

I finished unpacking, utilizing the dressers and the closet. When I finished, took a shower and changed into my pajamas. I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror for a long while; my eyes had dark circles beneath them, and I looked pale. I guess that was to be expected considering I was just kidnapped.

I took a deep breath and left the bathroom, only to stop dead in my tracks.

I was shocked when I saw the person sitting on my bed.