Contract With The Alpha King by Brey Mitchylle

Chapter 109

"Don't you dare scare me like that again!" Elijah said, his hug tight.

In response, Fiona grunted, unable to speak as Elijah's embrace tightened around her. She knew she had made him worry, knew it wasn't fair-but she hadn't had a choice. She had acted on instinct, choosing the one path that seemed to make things easier. All she could do was hope. Hope that he would find her first. Hope that when she opened her eyes, he would be there beside her.

And now, as her heavy lids fluttered open, her hopes were realized. Elijah was there, watching her with an expression she couldn't quite decipher.

After what felt like forever, Elijah pulled back slightly, his hands still resting on Fiona's shoulders, his intense gaze locking onto hers. "Why?" he asked, his expression a mixture of relief and exasperation. "Why were you so certain I would find you? What if I hadn't been fast enough?"

"I wasn't worried," she said. Fiona smiled faintly, her eyes softening. "I knew you would come." She knew her decision had been risky. There was always the possibility her body would heal before he found her, leaving her unable to explain the situation.

His brow furrowed as he studied her, searching for any hint of doubt on her face. "How could you be so sure? Your wounds... they were healing fast You would've been healed by the time anyone else found you."

And that would have completely ruined her plans. Moreover, it could have raised suspicion among the others. After all, the Rogue King had just taken her. How could he let her go unscathed? By now, everyone knew about Fiona's ability. They knew how valuable she was, and the Rogue King would have to be foolish to simply let her leave.

"Because I trust you," she said simply. Her gaze didn't waver. "You've never given me a reason to doubt that you'd come for me."

of his embrace was comforting, steadying. It wasn't something she had expected to feel, especially after everything that had happened. She melted into his warmth, her arms tightening around him instinctively. Funny, isn't it? How all of this had started as nothing more than a deal. And now? Now her heart betrayed her, pounding his name with every beat. Pathetic, isn't it? She pressed her lips together, forcing herself

more pressing matters. "The Rogue King..." she

"Hm?"

"He had been poisoned."

he raised

Without delay, she told Elijah what had happened while she was

WEREWOLF PALACE

trees that seemed to thrive under her watchful care. The Queen stood in the center of the garden, her hands deftly working with a small pair of gold-handled scissors. She tilted her head slightly, scrutinizing a withering leaf on one of her prized red orchids. With a sharp snip, she removed the leaf, letting it drop into the basket beside her. "Unconscious?" she repeated, her words clipped as she moved to the next plant. Her fingers trailed briefly over the stem before she found

paces away, her posture rigid, her hands clasped tightly in front of her apron. "It's believed she managed

it aside. "And bow. exactly, did Prince Elijah come into this?" she asked, her tone more curious than accusatory. The maid shified slightly, her gaze darting to the immaculate flowerbeds before returning to the Queen. "It

out a low hut as she moved to another section of the garden. Her Angers grazed the

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Chapter 109

to save her. How convenient." She snipped another dead leaf,

hesitated. "Severe. Enough to nearly claim her life. The healers say it's a miracle