The Alpha’s Rejected And Broken Mate
Chapter 112

Stacey POV

I couldn't believe it. He had more lives than a damn cat. I was trembling all over as the news spread throughout the castle that Alpha Rowan had been poisoned and yet still lived. He would know it was me, I was certain of it. I needed to get the hell out of here, but where would I go? I had no family to speak of, or at least none that would take me in, certainly not in my condition, and there was no pack that would be suitable or safe from Alpha Rowan, let alone Amber and the vampire King.

I was officially screwed, I thought with a frown, a frown that Melissa noticed on her way through the kitchen. "Stacey," she asked pleasantly "is there something wrong?"

She eyed my pregnant form "do you perhaps need to take a break? Are you feeling a bit run down?"

I went to shake my head and then hesitated. Maybe Melissa was my way out, that is if she didn't get suspicious of my motives. "I am feeling a bit under the weather" I admitted wryly, putting a protective hand over my stomach and pretending to look sick "perhaps I could go and rest for a bit" I suggested, really laying it on thick.

Melissa to her credit didn't even blink an eyelid. The lady really was naive or just too nice for her own good. She gave a firm nod and said to me "I believe that will do you some good. Take as much time as you need, and I'll get someone to replace you in the kitchen" she assured me.

I was going to miss this woman, I thought a little sadly as I slowly made my way into the servant's wing and into my bedroom. Once there, I began to pack up a few bits and pieces, mainly clothes into a small bag and then glanced into the hallway. The coast was clear, I thought with gratefulness, hurrying out and heading toward the main entrance. The guards barely blinked, let alone acknowledged my presence, but then their job was to keep strangers out, not keep people in. I gave them a small wave, pretending I was doing a chore, the backpack firmly on my back.

The grounds were swarming with vampires and I made my way through, one destination in mind, heading there with hurried steps. I was so close, the grounds were so vast it was frustrating, and just as I finally made it to the outskirts of the forest, I heard a voice that made my blood chill and I turned to face it, gulping hard and knowing that I had run out of time.

"Where on earth do you think you are going, Stacey?"

It was none other than Amber herself and she sounded extremely pissed, her eyes blazing as she stared me down, her red hair billowing in the breeze, King Stefan standing resolutely beside her and looking just as angry, perhaps more so. f**k. Amber POV

I was determined to get to the bottom of whether Stacey had killed my sister or not and whether it was done on Darius's orders. But when I went to the kitchen to replace Stacey, Melissa informed me that she had gone to lie down as she was feeling under the weather. Stefan was by my side as we checked her room, to discover it was empty and that there were clothes strewn everywhere, as though she had left in a hurry.

"I swear I didn't know she was going to try to leave' said Melissa wringing her hands together nervously and swallowing hard.

"It's okay Melissa, you had no way of knowing." I tried to assure the poor woman who looked so nervous as King Stefan gave a sigh.

"Where do you think she's going?" he asked with a glance in my direction.

I hesitated. From what I could understand Stacey had pretty much been a loner as she went about her chores in the castle, with only Melissa being her true friend. There was no one to take her in, that she could go running to and while I knew nothing about her family, surely she would have gone to them for help first, instead of ending up in the vampire King's Castle and pleading for sanctuary. If she was on the run then she would no doubt head for the forest.

"The forest," I told King Stefan, gripping hold of his hand "let's hurry before it's too late. She won't shift until she gets to the outskirts" I added and we began to hurry out of the castle and into the grounds.

The grounds were swarming with people, and visitors and those that lived on the grounds all looked on with curiosity as we began to hurry. I cursed the fact the grounds were so vast, placing a hand on my swollen belly as we hurried across the grass, seeing Stacey in the distance.

"There," I said pointing at her figure in the distance and rushing my footsteps to try and catch up with her. Stefan gallantly stayed by my side, despite the fact he easily could have caught up with her without me. I used my vampire speed, and moved, finally catching up with her before she could shift. She tensed, obviously sensing my presence as I yelled out, pissed off and highly annoyed "Where on earth do you think you are going, Stacey?"

She turned, her dark hair billowing in the wind, a nervous look on her face. She licked her lips and glanced once more towards the forest, a backpack hanging on her back. I was right then, she was attempting to flee.

"I um" she coughed "thought that I would take my leave," she said a bit weakly. Her hand went to her stomach in a protective manner that I recognized.

I c****d my head at her "why would that be? What's happened to make you think running away is the answer?"

She went deathly pale.

I continued "would it be the fact that you poisoned Alpha Rowan while he was lying near death on the hospital bed?"

She stared at the ground. I felt malice towards her, an undeniable rage rising within me "or would it happen to be the fact that you killed my sister?" I almost screamed at her, watching her blanch at the words.

"Amber it's not what you think" she pleaded, desperation in her tone. The wind picked up, making her dress float around her "I had no choice. Rowan had me in the dungeon when Darius came to see me. I was a prisoner, all because I loved Rowan so much that I resorted to magic to make him love me in return" she said pathetically, trying to get me to see her side of the story.

"You're telling me that Darius was the one who put you up to it?" I asked incredulously. I didn't believe her for one second, Darius would never do something like that to Sophie, ever. He had adored and loved his wife too much. She was lying. She had to be. "If you loved Rowan so much, then why did you try to kill him?" asked Stefan evenly and Stacey hesitated.

"Because I knew he would kill me if he knew I was here. He's still angry that Darius was the one to free me from his dungeon. I just wanted to feel safe" she wailed "was that too much to ask."

My blood was boiling. I was so angry that I couldn't speak straight. "You killed my sister" I spat out "and you want to feel safe? Are you even hearing yourself right now?"

She hung her head and there was nothing but pained silence. "Stacey you are hereby sentenced to be a prisoner in the castle," said Stefan quietly "for murder and attempted murder, the punishment will be death, once your baby has been born" he added grimly. I nodded in agreement, still in pain and shock over her admitting to killing my twin sister. I refused to believe that Darius had anything to do with it.

"Like hell" snarled Stacey and I reacted instinctively, shoving Stefan to the side and shifting at the same time Stacey did, both of us circling each other. I waited for an opening and she went on the offensive, leaping high in the air, as I rose to meet her. I was cautious though, still very aware of my own pregnancy and the innocent child that Stacey was carrying. I landed on her back and scratched and clawed her, making her howl in pain.

She bucked me off and I went flying a few paces back as she recovered and snarled at me, smacking her jaws together and eyeing me with hatred. I let out a ferocious growl and went straight for her, my speed and ability too fast for her to comprehend, tackling her and sending her flying to the ground. She rolled over, hitting the nearby trunk of a tree, and whimpered. From the cracking sounds, I guessed she had broken a few ribs at the bare minimum.

Stefan was wisely staying out of the way, his eyes taking in everything, ready to step in if I needed him to but I didn't need him. I had this, I thought to myself viciously, I wasn't going to let my sister's murderer get away. This time when she raced towards me I leaped high in the air and landed on her back, my jaws clamping down on her neck, my claws digging into her back and sides. Concede, I thought viciously, biting down hard as she whimpered, trying to buck me off with no avail, Concede you stupid b***h. She jumped around in an attempt to dislodge me and I bit down harder, trying very hard not to sever her spinal cord or break her neck. She splayed out on the floor, whimpering, and then placed her head down between her paws, submitting to me and allowing me to climb off her in triumph.

She shifted back to her human form, tears trailing down her cheeks, blood pouring around her body. I knew she was going to need medical attention but I also didn't want her anywhere near Rowan. Not while he was recovering at any rate.

Several guards came running. Stefan pointed at a shivering Stacey who was still lying on the ground crying in distress, her body nude. "Take her to the dungeon" he commanded "and make sure she gets medical attention while she's in there. She's pregnant," he added unnecessarily for it was blatantly obvious to anyone who looked at her. I sat on my haunches and watched, as two guards gently picked up the weeping Stacey from the floor and held her tightly against their chests, one holding her arms, the other holding her legs. They began to carry her over the grounds and towards the castle.

"Make sure you get her some clothes" barked Stefan, seeing her body trembling from the cold. I had to give it to him, he was certainly a compassionate guy.

Stefan came up beside me and gently reached out a hand, stroking my fur as I whined and wagged my tail at him, making him chortle with amusement. He shook his head. "That was one hell of a fight," he said as I began to picture his hands on me in my human form, becoming slightly aroused "but do be more careful" he warned, bending to look me in the eyes "you're pregnant with the King's heir remember" he teased and then jumped back as I began to shift back towards my human form, my bones cracking and readjusting until I stood there, completely naked to his eyes which darkened and began to glow bright red.

"Woman" he sighed "you have no idea how tempting you are right now, do you? You look like a bloody goddess" he complimented me while removing his shirt and handing it over so I could throw it over my shoulders.

"Well," I said lightly, basking in his compliments and taking hold of his hand "how about you show me just how tempting I am to you?" I suggested.

His eyes glowed red and he reached over to take ahold of my hand, tugging me to him, bending his head down, and kissing my lips softly as I moaned into his mouth.

"Oh, I think I can arrange that," he said rather wickedly as he pulled back and looked at my swollen lips. He began to tug me towards the castle.